USA > South Carolina > History of the Presbyterian Church in South Carolina, Vol. I pt 2 > Part 29
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* " It has not existed as a society above six months, and as it appears to be in a growing state, it exhibits a more promising appearance than Brown's Creek, though it is much smaller. ' A few in each of these places are earnest to hear the gospel preached among them."-(Materials for the Church Hist. of Union County, South Carolina, April 7, 1794.)
619
ROCKY SPRING.
1700-1800.]
history of a committee of presbytery now in hand, he became thenceforward a stated supply of the church of Grassy Spring. The specific appointments of presbytery would seem to in- dicate the contrary, but he is set down as such in the roll of presbytery at its division in 1799. He preached to it one- fourth part of his time until 1802, when he resigned his pastoral charge. Grassy Spring was distant from his residence between thirty and thirty-five miles. Families of the name of Otterson, Dugan, Crenshaw, Gordon, Johnson, Valen- tine, Buford, Caldwell, and Hamilton were connected with the congregation at this time, and Major Samuel Otterson and Thomas Gordon were elders. The Bufords and Crenshaws came from Virginia, subsequent to the war of the Revolu- tion, and settled on Tyger river. Mrs. Davies, the widow of J. B. Davies, former pastor of Fishing Creek church, was brought up in this congregation. So were Dr. E. A. Cren- shaw, of Yorkville, and Dr. Otterson, of Limestone Springs. The commencement of a church at Cane Creek, distant twelve miles from this, seems to have terminated the existence of Grassy Spring church, though there was probably preaching at the place afterwards. About 1800, or soon after, many families moved West, and left the majority of the members nearer to Cane Creek than to the old place of worship. The church of Grassy Spring continued down into the following century.
ROCKY SPRING, Laurens .- We have seen (see p. 528) that Rev. Robert Mcclintock preached at this church, in connec- tion with Indian Creek and Concord, from November, 1787. From his register of the places and times of his preaching, he must have continued to preach to this congregation at least till the latter part of April, 1798, the last date in this register. The testimony of his son is that he preached at this and the other churches he served, till his death, in 1803. Among the ministers with whom he exchanged, were Morrison, Logue, and McCosh, chiefly the latter. That he was in disfavor among the stricter Presbyterians is evident from a number of circumstances. A letter written to him by Andrew Smith, from Old Cambridge, June 9, 1794, alluding to some difficulty touching the church, says : " And I cannot suppose but they, in their present situation, ought and would quarrel with. you about principles. It would appear bad to be reported that they had even thought of forsaking a clergyman who was remarkable for toleration and love of liberty."
LIBERTY SPRING .- The Rev. John McCosh was the minister
620
LIBERTY SPRING .- REV. JOHN MCCOSH. [1790-1800.
of this church until his death. His people were in limited circumstances, and when a subscription was made for his services, it is recollected by Dr. Campbell, our informant, that only fifty cents were paid in silver; the rest was to be paid in grain. He had, therefore, to resort to teaching, which he commenced doing in 1792. He had been educated at Glasgow, and was a very competent teacher. He was not very prepossessing in his personal appearance, being much pitted by the small-pox. He was of a frigid temperament, and had a bad delivery ; but his discourses are represented to have been solid and instructive. He is described as being a man of great sincerity, humility, and modesty, and his teach- ing and preaching as having a salutary influence in advancing the morals and intelligence of the community, which had suf- fered much from the rude times which had preceded. His method as a teacher is spoken of in the highest terms by those who were his pupils. Mr. McCosh was never married. He died September 5, 1795, and was buried in a cemetery at a Baptist church, about three miles from Liberty Spring. The house erected for public worship went to ruin after his death, and there were not more than four or five families who appeared desirous of obtaining the public means of grace. Mr. McCosh had not affiliated with the South Carolina pres- bytery, his connections, like that of other Irish ministers who were among his friends and associates, being with the pres- bytery of Charleston. The old elders died, and the little church became disorganized. The few that were left felt un- able to obtain and to support the regular ministrations of the gospel. They applied, October 27, 1796, to be taken under the care of South Carolina presbytery and to receive supplies, and the Rev. John B. Kennedy, who was appointed to supply them at their request, preached to them on Saturdays during that and the succeeding year. On these occasions numbers attended public worship who were not professors, some of whom became serious and applied for admission as members of the church of Christ. The families who were attached to the doctrines and discipline of the Presbyterian church were advised to choose men for the office of ruling elders, in order that they might become organized as a religious society. This they did; after which Mr. Kennedy attended, conversed with those elders elect, and ordained them in the presence of the congregation. From this time he became more particu- larly attentive to them, and preached to them, as far as con- venient, until the year 1803, after which his labors became
621
UNION .- FAIRFOREST.
1790-1800.]
more regular. The elders thus elected were Jonathan John- son, Esq., Major John Middleton, Captain John Robinson, James Neikels, Joseph Hollingsworth, and Samuel Truman, all men of sterling worth. On the 6th of December, 1798, the congregation purchased thirty acres of land, for the use of a church and school. The deed or title was afterwards executed by John Wells. Mr. Kennedy was an excellent, sound, doctrinal preacher, a man of great piety and indefa- tigable industry. His useful labors were extended into the next century.
UNION PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH .- We find the name, " Brown's Creek (alias Union)," used in the minutes of presbytery, Oct., 1796. At that time Wm. Williamson was appointed to visit the church. Joseph Alexander was appointed twice in 1797, and J. B. Kennedy and J. B. Rosborough in 1798. The church seems to have owed much to Mr. Alexander for his labors, who probably visited them much oftener than the pres- byterial appointments would indicate. Nor had they ceased when the century closed. The settlement began to receive supplies from presbytery as early as 1767, but in April, 1797, it had not yet been organized as a church .- (Materials for the Church History of Union County.)
FAIRFOREST CHURCH in Union district .- This church was without a pastor, and depending on the presbytery for occa- sional preaching. In 1790, in connection with Brown's Creek (or Union), they called Mr. Hunter to be their pastor, but were unsuccessful. He, however, labored among them from six to twelve months .- (Letter of Jephtha Harrison, D.D., of Burlington, Iowa, to Rev. J. H. Saye, dated June 22, 1857.) In the same year James Templeton administered to them the Lord's Supper. W. C. Davis visited them, and preached in their pulpit by order of presbytery. After the licensure of Mr. William Williamson, in 1793, they were so well pleased with his ministerial labors and qualifications, that a regular call was preferred to him through the presbytery. To this invitation he acceded, and he was ordained in September, 1794, at the Fall meeting of presbytery, which was held at that church ; Wm. C. Davis preaching the ordination sermon from 1 John, iv. 1, and Dr. Joseph Alexander pronouncing the charge. He divided his labors chiefly between them and the church of Grassy Spring. He continued among them, useful and esteemed, until 1804, when, from a desire to manu- mit his servants, and for other reasons, he removed with a portion of his congregation to the State of Ohio, where he
622
REV. WILLIAM WILLIAMSON.
[1790-1800.
resided in the region of Sciota river, and died at an advanced age. The church prospered greatly under his ministry. Mr. Williamson's family came from North Carolina. His father lived at Spartanburg Court-house during the Revolutionary war, and afterwards removed to Greenville, and again to Fer- guson's Creek, where he died. Mr. Williamson was brought up in Spartanburg district, and received his collegiate train- ing at Hampden Sydney College, in Virginia. He was received under care of presbytery on the 17th of April, 1791, and was licensed on the 16th of April, 1793, at the same time with Robert Wilson, David E. Dunlap, Wm. Montgomery, and Samuel W. Yongue. He began preaching at Fairforest as a candidate in 1792, and at first had little life and spirit as a speaker, but improved greatly, and especially as the interest in religion increased in the great revivals which the churches . enjoyed at the commencement of the nineteenth century. Mr. Williamson had a brother, Dr. Thomas Williamson, who was a physician, but abandoned the practice of medicine for the ministry. He was licensed to preach, and began his labors as a preacher with great zeal, but died before he was ordained.
The first meeting of session, noticed in the present records, was held August 16th, 1791. The Rev. David Barr, modera- tor ; elders present -- John Davidson, William Patton, Joseph Kelso, James Mayes, Hugh Means, James McIlwain, and Robert Harris. These records, as kept through many subse- quent years, contain scarcely anything except its judicial busi- ness. Other transactions connected with the congregation are not recorded. Of the earlier elders, some account has been given before. As to John Davidson, Wm. Patton, and Joseph Kelso, tradition gives no other information than that they were true and worthy men in all the relations of life. The same is true of some others whose names appear on the records of session as elders before the close of the century, viz., Henry Story, James Means, Samuel Kelso, and William Davitt. Major Samuel Morrow was a native of Baltimore county, Maryland, and was born about 1760. He was brought by his parents in early life to Fishing Creek congregation. He served his country faithfully as a soldier of liberty. About the close of the war, he married Jeannette Nelson, a native of Ireland, and soon after they became communicants of Fishing Creek church, then under the care of Rev. John Simpson. Soon after, he removed to Spartanburg district and settled on Dutchman's Creek, some nine or ten miles from where Fair- forest church then was. Mainly by his influence a new house
623
ELDERS OF FAIRFOREST.
1790-1800.]
of worship was erected about 1786 or '87, some two miles nearer his residence, and on the same lot where the present house of worship stands. Soon after Mr. Williamson became pastor, he was ordained a ruling elder, and served the church in this office as long as he was able to reach the house of worship. He died in February, 1842. Honest, sincere, candid, systematic, humble, meek, always strong in faith, giving glory to God, his image rises before us as a model of whatsoever is true and lovely in man, as a husband, father, master, neighbor, and friend. His worthy companion survived him a little over seven years. She died, April, 1849, and was buried in the midst of the famous snow-storm which occurred on the 15th day of that month."-(MS. Hist. by Rev. James H. Saye.) " Richard Thompson was ordained an elder at the same time with Major Morrow. His father, John Thompson, removed from Pennsylvania or Maryland to Fairforest in 1776. Richard was then ten years of age. Being too young to take the field as a soldier, he remained at home with his mother in the peril- ous times of 1780 and '81. In the summer of 1780, his father was taken by the Tories and imprisoned at Ninety-Six. In company with his mother he visited the place, shortly after the battle of Musgrove's Mill, to carry food and clothing to the starving prisoners. His father was released in the Fall, re- turned home, and died before the commencement of 1781. This event made Richard the main chance to perform the labor on two farms, upon which two families of orphans were dependent for subsistence for many years. He, however, ap- plied himself, in addition, so closely to study, that he was soon qualified for teaching, and became the most accurate and reliable surveyor in the up-country. His skill in mathematics was great, but the Rev. Mr. Templeton, whose forte was in this department, found a problem in the Fairforest congrega- tion, about 1786, which neither he nor Mr. Thompson could solve, to wit : 'The church had five elders, and each elder had his quarter of the congregation to overlook.' Mr. Thompson was a man of very uniforn character, upright demeanor, fond of discussing questions in science and theology. He died February 28th, 1848."-(Rev. James H. Saye.)
The Fairforest congregation have always known how to make their pastor comfortable, let his salary promised be ever so small. They have never been ostentatious in promises, nor slow in finding out when a supplement was desirable. They have always appreciated the services of the schoolmaster. From the period of the Revolution there has been a succes-
624
EDUCATION .- THE MOTHER OF CHURCHES.
[1790-1800.
sion of well-qualified teachers in different parts of the congre- gation. A Mr. Mullen, a fine classical scholar, taught in the congregation soon after the war, and others have succeeded him. The men that have been reared in the congregation have been generally staunch and enterprising citizens, stead- fast in the principles of morality and faith acknowledged by their fathers. They have succeeded in all professions and callings. Though few have become ministers of the gospel, many have been highly acceptable ruling elders in different congregations. Existing with the very first settlements in the up-country, it stood for a time on the frontiers of civilization, " the Ultima Thule " of missionary operations in the Presby- terian church. All the motives for emigration have existed here. It was in a region fruitful in men, enjoying a climate favorable for the development of all the energies of our na- ture. When half of a crowded community emigrates, the space vacated gives room for expansion to that which remains. Fairforest has passed through many such seasons of depletion and reinvigoration. Her temporary losses have been the beginnings of new influences for good in other regions. Her vigorous scions have, in some instances, outgrown their parent stock. The daughters have acquired proportions the mother never reached. Some of her sons were of the first settlers in Pendleton district, and aided in founding the first church there. Six of the male members of Hebron church, Georgia, were sons of Fairforest. Two of them were elders of that congregation, and a third became an elder there, and subse- quently of Fairview, in that State. Of the other three, one became an elder of Thyatira, and another of Newnan, and the third died young. These three were brothers, and were grandsons of George Story, one of the pioneers of Fairforest. Two of the elders of Fishing Creek, in 1835, were sons of a Fairforest man. One of the elders of Waxhaw is the grand- son of one of the first settlers on Fairforest. North Pacolet church was very much an offshoot of the same old stock. One of the colony which formed Zion church, Maury county, Tennessee, was a son of one of the first elders of Fairforest. Some of the members of Newhope, Georgia, soon after its formation, were from Fairforest, and some of its descendants have always been among its most efficient members. Emi- grants from Fairforest laid the foundation of some of the most flourishing congregations in Green county, Alabama, and other parts of that State. The same is true of Mississippi and the western district of Tennessee."-(MS. History, by J.
1790-1800.]
NAZARETH .- JAMES GILLELAND, JR. 625
H. Saye.) Thus has Fairforest, like the vine of Sibmah, sent forth its branches eastward and westward, an illustration of what has occurred in many other churches of South Carolina, and which could be still further and more strikingly exhibited if our present plan permitted us to describe the migrations of our Presbyterian people, southward and westward, which has occurred in the nineteenth century.
NAZARETH CHURCH .- William C. Davis was pastor of. this church, in connection with MILFORD, in 1791. He was dis- missed from this charge in 1792. In April, 1793, these churches apply as vacancies, and Dr. Cummins, D. E. Dunlap, S. W. Yongue, and Wm. Montgomery are appointed to supply at Nazareth, and James Templeton, Wm. Montgomery, W. C. Davis, and D. E. Dunlap at Milford. Joseph Alexander, D. E. Dunlap, A. Brown, John Simpson, John Foster, and J. B. Kennedy at Nazareth ; and A. Brown, John Brown, and J. B. Kennedy at Milford, in 1794. James Gilleland, senior, sup- plied at Milford in 1795, J. B. Kennedy in 1797, James Templeton and J. B. Rosborough in 1798. Milford appears to have been an organized church. There was a reference from Nazareth and Milford sessions to presbytery, in 1789, and the name Milford is continued down in the records of presbytery for some years after the close of this century. Its exact locality is unknown to the present writer. It is sup- posed it was in the upper part of Greenville district, on one of the branches of the Tyger, although said in the record to be in Laurens, which may be a clerical error. In 1794, the Rev. James Templeton became the stated supply of the Nazareth church, and continued so for nearly eight years. Mr. Temple- ton is spoken of as being far from an animated speaker, but as taking great interest in the general business of the church .* Mr. Davis, on the contrary, is said to have been .
*"James Gilleland, Jr., taught a grammar school in Spartanburg district. He was not at this time licensed to preach, but was preparing for the min- istry. He stood high as a linguist, and a number of youth attended his school, which was located in Mr. Templeton's congregation. It was with Mr .. Gilleland, mainly, that I studied the languages, and attended the preaching of Mr. Tempelton, from the year 1798 to 1801. He was then an old man, and. my impression is that he had not been preaching long in that congregation .. The only individual that I now recollect, who was with me at school in Spartanburg, who studied theology, was Dr. Samuel B. Wilson, who is. now Professor of Theology in Union Seminary in Prince Edward county. He was a native of North Carolina, and brother to Dr. Robert G. Wilson." -(Letter of Dr. John Mcllhenney of Lewisburg, Virginia, to James H. Saye.) The Philanthropic Society, with James Templeton at its head, was organ-
40
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626
NORTH PACOLET .- FAIRVIEW .- LONG CANE. [1790-1800.
"a powerful and popular preacher." His introduction of Watts's Psalms and Hymns gave great offence to many in the congregation who had been used to Rouse's version. In October, 1797, Mr. Davis was dismissed to join the presby- tery of Concord, North Carolina, and was, at that time, pastor of Olney, or New Bethel, an offshoot of Bethel, in York.
NORTH PACOLET .- In 1790 the Rev. Thomas Newton labored in this church. The elders at this time were R. Caruth and J. Jackson. Of the members were R. Caruth, his wife, and his son, A. Caruth, and his wife ; J. Jackson and his wife ; J. Logan and his wife ; T. Jackson, and Mrs. Jackson, his wife ; S. Jackson, senior, and his wife ; S. Jackson, junior, and Mrs. Jackson ; J. McDowell and Mrs. McDowell; R. McMillan and Mrs. McMillan. After this it continued a vacant congregation, dependent on such occasional supplies as could be procured. Messrs. Templeton, Montgomery, Williamson, W. C. Davis, and Dunlap were appointed to preach to them in 1793; W. C. Davis, Williamson, A. Brown, J. Gilleland, and J. B. Ken- nedy, in 1794. In 1795 they obtained leave to join Mounting Creek, in North Carolina, in calling a pastor. It was reported, however, to the close of the century, as among those weaker congregations that were unable to support a minister.
FAIRVIEW CHURCH remained without a pastor, and received the occasional labors of Messrs. J. Foster, J. Simpson, Wil- liam Montgomery, until 1794, when they called the Rev. James Templeton, and enjoyed the half of his pastoral labors until 1800, when their connection with him in this relation ceased. Besides these, William Williamson and James Gilleland were supplies in 1798.
CHAPTER IV.
UPPER LONG CANE .- We have seen that Rev. Robert Hall was settled as the pastor of the Upper Long Cane and Saluda (or Greenville) churches in 1787. He continued in these con- gregations till the end of the year 1791, to the great satisfac- tion of all parties. About this time his health became much impaired, and at length, in April, 1793, he was dismissed by
ized with the view of advancing and perpetuating an academy of high order, and was incorporated by the legislature in 1797. James Gilleland, junior, was licensed by the second presbytery of South Carolina, April 8th, 1802. He was ordained as pastor of Nazareth and Fairview, on the 7th of April, 1803.
627
LONG CANE SOCIETY.
1790-1800.]
presbytery from his pastoral charge at Greenville and Long Cane. He had then for a long time been unable to preach. He removed to Pendleton district, and soon afterwards, while travelling in the West for the benefit of his health, he died. The record on the minutes of presbytery, October 11, 1797, is thus :
" Our reverend and dear brother, Robert Hall, has deceased since our last."
In 1793 a society was formed by most of the members then belonging to the Upper Long Cane congregation of Presbyte- rians, associating themselves to provide a permanent fund for the support of the gospel in their congregation, for endowing one or more schools where orphans and poor children might be taught free of expense, and for other purposes of benevo- lence, so as to place these great objects above the vicissitudes of society and the inconveniences of a new country. This society was incorporated in 1799. At first it consisted of thirty-five members, and in a few years increased to sixty ; but has generally been below thirty-two. In the course of time, the original subscription of sixty-five dollars had, by the annual payment of one dollar by each member, and from the compounding of interest, produced a fund in 1852 of about $15,000, and had paid in addition to the clergyman's salary, $11,392.83; a striking illustration of the rise of a considerable fund from small beginnings, carefully invested and wisely man- aged .- (Constitution and By-laws of the Long Cane Society of Abbeville district, printed in 1832.)
The congregation now remained vacant from the year 1791 until the spring of the year 1794, when calls dated the 5th of April, 1794, were presented to the Rev. Robert Wilson, then a licentiate of South Carolina presbytery. These calls were accepted, and Mr. Wilson was ordained at the GREENVILLE church, on the 22d of May, 1794, Rev. Thomas Reese preach- ing the ordination sermon, and Francis Cummins giving the charge. He continued the settled pastor in these congrega- tions, each receiving one-half his labors, until the spring of the year 1797, when some difficulties arose between them on ac- count of their pecuniary matters, the result of which was that he was dismissed from his pastoral care of both congregations, and immediately accepted a call from Upper Long Cane for three-fourths of his time and ministerial labors.
This eminent clergyman continued to labor with great abil- ity, and to the great edification of his people, until the spring of the year 1805, when, to the mortification and regret of the
628
REV. ROBERT G. WILSON, D.D.
[1790-1800.
congregation, he took his dismission and removed to the State of Ohio, where he afterwards presided over the university of that State as its president. The college of Princeton con- ferred on him the degree of doctor of divinity, after his removal to Ohio, and he assumed the additional name of Gilleland (Robert Gilleland Wilson). Of this distinguished servant of God it is worthy of remark, that on the organization of the South Carolina college, the trustees appointed him first pro- fessor of languages, with the professed object of making him successor of their distinguished president, Dr. Maxcy. But this appointment he declined, his motive for which being the same that induced him to leave his pastoral charge, as appears by his answer to an address presented to him in behalf of the congregation in November, 1804, in which he says: "But please to remember ; my predecessor, Mr. Hall, continued too long in this country ; his constitution was broken, and his health irrecoverably lost. Had he moved a few years earlier, perhaps he might yet have been a useful man." "I must also remind you that the proceedings of our legislature have been highly distressing to me, and render the prospect of usefulness in the ministry (in my view), very small." In explanation of this letter it is necessary to remark, that Mr. Wilson had been for some time afflicted with the fever and ague ; but the pro- ceedings of the legislature were what principally operated with him. This was the act opening the African slave-trade. He had always been opposed to slavery in every shape ; but this new instance of unfeeling cupidity in the State, as he says, in his view, rendered the prospect of usefulness in the min- istry very small, and finally determined him not only to decline the appointment offered him in the college, but to leave the State for one where slavery was not tolerated."-(MS. History, by Robert H. Wardlaw, Esq.)
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