USA > South Carolina > Oconee County > The Old Stone Church, Oconee County, South Carolina; > Part 2
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The following resolutions, offered by Mr. Samuel Mc- Crary, were adopted :
"Resolved, first, That it is the sense of this Association that the historical records of the Old Stone Church, and other valuable historical matter in regard to the church, including : the donation of the land, copies of the deed or deeds, the sur- vey of the land, cut showing form and area, an account of the origin and formation of the church, list of members, and of the dead buried in the cemetery, cuts of the church and ceme- tery, an account of the Old Stone Church and Cemetery As- sociation, with a list of the members, and the most valuable addresses delivered before the Association-be collected, printed and sold, the proceeds to be used for the endowment fund."
"Resolved, second, That the Association subscribe a suffi- cient amount, if possible not to exceed $100, to defray the expenses of publishing this material, each member or other person subscribing $1.00 to a receive a copy without further cost."
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"Resolved, third, That all who desire to remain members of this Association are requested and expected to pay all dues at once, and that the dues thus collected, in excess of what is necessary to meet the present indebtedness of the Associa- tion, be used to defray the expenses of publishing the history of the Old Stone Church."
The annual meeting of the Association for 1903 was held at Old Stone Church, October 10 and was called to order by President J. J. Lewis. The meeting was opened with prayer by Rev. W. S. Hamiter, of Seneca, S. C. Col. James A. Hoyt, of Greenville, S. C., delivered the annual address, his subject being : "Jefferson Davis, the Soldier, Statesman and Citizen." Dr. Brackett made a verbal report of progress in collecting material for the history of Old Stone Church. Dr. Brackett also reported having presented, with the approval of the President, a petition to the Pendleton Presbyterian Church for permission to this Association of erecting a care- taker's house on the property, and stated that, while the peti- tion had been refused, the session of the Pendleton Church had expressed a willingness to discuss the matter further.
On motion of Capt. J. Miles Pickens, the President ap- pointed a Committee of three, consisting of Dr. R. N. Brack- ett, Mr. Samuel McCrary and Capt. J. Miles Pickens, to con- fer with the Pendleton Church session in regard to the petition for permission to erect a care-taker's house on the Stone Church property, with the privilege of dis- cussing the matter and adopting any good plan for the proper discharge of our obligations as an Asso- ciation to care for the church and cemetery. The Secretary read the following resolution,* adopted by the Pendleton Church Session, defining, at the request of the Association, its rights and obligations with reference to the Old Stone Church property :
* This resolution, the outcome of the conference suggested by Major B. F. Sloan at the annual meeting, 1901, was read and adopted at the annual meeting, 1902, and should have appeared in the minutes of that meeting.
2-O. S. C.
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"Resolved, That in consideration of the interest taken in Old Stone Church, grounds and cemetery by the 'Old Stone Church and Cemetery Association,' we transfer to said Asso- ciation the care of said church, grounds and cemetery ; with the power and privilege of disposing of lots in the cemetery for burial purposes, for such consideration as they see fit ; renting the land suitable for cultivation, and selling such tim- ber as in their judgment needs being removed for the protec- tion of the forest, land and property : Provided, They must use all money received from such sources towards improving and keeping in order the said church, grounds and cemetery, we reserving the right to cancel all the above if they fail to carry out the obligations named in this resolution. Adopted at a meeting of the Session Pendleton Presbyterian Church, August 31, 1902.
"(Signed) H. P. SITTON, Clerk of Session."
A vote of thanks was tendered Col. James A. Hoyt by the Association for his scholarly and instructive address.
The annual meeting of the Association for 1904 was held at Old Stone Church, August 31, with President J. J. Lewis in the chair. The meeting was opened with prayer by Rev. Hugh McLees. Owing to the unavoidable absence of Hon. J. E. Boggs, of Pickens, who had been invited to address the Association, there was no annual address.
The Secretary reported progress in collecting material for the Old Stone Church History. The meeting was note- worthy on account of the presence of a number of members of the Andrew Pickens and Cateechee Chapters of the D. A. R., who held a meeting of their own after the adjournment of the Association, to consider plans for joining with this Association in restoring the Old Stone Church as a memorial to Generals Andrew Pickens and Robert Anderson. The old officers of the Association were re-elected for the ensuing year.
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CONSTITUTION OF THE OLD STONE CHURCH AND CEMETERY ASSOCIATION.
ARTICLE I. This Society shall be designated and known as The Old Stone Church and Cemetery Association.
ARTICLE II. That the objects of this Association are the preservation and perpetuation of the Old Stone Church build- ing and the improvement of the cemetery located there. Pro- vided, that nothing shall be done knowingly in violation of the trust imposed on said property in the deed therefor.
ARTICLE III. That this Association being voluntary in its formation, all persons desiring to become members may do so by subscribing to the Constitution and By-Laws, and may continue their membership by paying the prescribed annual dues.
ARTICLE IV. That the annual dues for membership in said Association shall be the sum of one dollar, and the first an- nual dues shall be paid on joining the Association and ever after on or before the date of holding the annual meeting of the same.
ARTICLE V. That there shall be an annual meeting of said Association at the Old Stone Church building and grounds on the first Wednesday of August in each succeeding year, with power in the President or Executive Committee to fix the day and change the same as circumstances may require, at which time a sermon shall be preached or an address de- livered by some one chosen and invited for that purpose by the President and Executive Committee or by the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE VI. That the income from annual dues and such donations, contributions and subscriptions as shall from time to time be received and collected by the Association shall be kept on deposit by the Treasurer in some responsible bank and reserved as a fund for the improvement and beautifying of the grounds of the Old Stone Church, as said Association shall direct.
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ARTICLE VII. That the officers of this Association shall be a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Secretary and Treasurer, who shall be elected separately, by ballot, at each annual meeting of the Association, but in case of failure to elect as herein provided the incumbents shall hold and discharge all the duties incident to such offices until their successors shall be elected.
ARTICLE VIII. That there shall be an Executive Commit- tee of five persons appointed by the President-elect after each annual election of officers for said Association, to be com- posed of members of the Association from Anderson, Green- ville, Pickens and Oconee Counties, if practicable.
ARTICLE IX. That no part of this Constitution can be changed, altered or amended except by a two-thirds vote of the members present at an annual meeting, provided, that such meeting shall have present over one-half of the members of the Association. But the operation of any by-laws may be temporarily suspended by a majority vote of a quorum for business at any meeting.
BY-LAWS OF THE OLD STONE CHURCH AND CEMETERY AS- SOCIATION.
SECTION 1. This Association shall convene annually as provided in the Constitution and at such other times as the President, with the concurrence of the Executive Committee, shall deem necessary and advisable, and the President shall at any time call a meeting upon the request in writing of five regular paying members of the Association, and the presence of nine members at any meeting shall constitute a quorum for business.
SECTION 2. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings when present, to decide all questions of order, to appoint all Committees not otherwise ordered and to as- sume and discharge such other functions as usually pertain to presiding officers of deliberative bodies.
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SECTION 3. It shall be the duty of the Vice-Presidents, in the absence of the President to preside over all the meetings in order of their priority of rank.
SECTION 4. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep a correct and permanent record of the proceedings of the meet- ings, to conduct the correspondence of the Association, make an annual report thereof and tansmit the records to his suc- cessor when elected.
SECTION 5. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive, collect and hold all funds accruing and belonging to said As- sociation from annual dues and otherwise, and make an an- nual report thereof and to pay and turn over to his successor when elected all of said funds remaining in his hands.
SECTION 6. It shall be the duty of the President and Sec- retary to give at least one month's notice of the time and place of such annual meeting, by publication in such newspa- pers as they may think proper, without charge, if it can be so obtained.
SECTION 7. It shall be the duty of the Executive Commit- tee in due time to make all the necessary arrangements at the Stone Church building and grounds for holding the annual or other meetings of the Association and award all contracts for and superintend all work and improvements that may be authorized and directed by the Association, the same to be paid for out of the funds of the Association by the Treasurer, upon the order of the Executive Committee, who shall make a report in writing to the Association at the annual meeting.
OLD STONE CHURCH AND CEMETERY ASSOCIATION.
Members from 1893 to 1904.
Boggs, Aaron. Calhoun, S. C.
Boggs, Mrs. Aaron.
Calhoun, S. C.
Brackett, R. N. (Secty.) .. Clemson College, S. C. Brackett, Mrs. R. N. . Clemson College, S. C.
Brown, Mrs. Fred . Anderson, S. C.
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Burgess, Dr. J. H. Seneca, S. C.
Carpenter, Mrs. J. L. Greenville, S. C.
*Cherry, Dr. W. B.
Cherry, Miss Mary George
. Seneca, S. C.
Cochran, Mrs. J. W.
Calhoun, S. C.
Connelly, Mrs. E. L.
Atlanta, Ga.
Davant, Mrs. Dr. Chas Pendleton, S. C.
Davis, Mrs. John.
Seneca, S. C.
Davis, Mrs. Matt.
Seneca, S. C.
Davis, Mrs. T. S.
. Toccoa, Ga.
Davis, Mrs. W. R.
. Seneca, S. C.
Dendy, Mrs. S. P Walhalla, S .C.
*Dickson, Thomas
Doyle, Dr. E. C.
Seneca, S. C.
Doyle, O. R. ..
. Calhoun, S. C.
*Doyle, Dr. O. M
Doyle, W. R.
Seneca, S. C.
*DuPre, J. F. C.
*Gantt, B. F.
Gantt, Mrs. B. F
Pendleton, S. C.
Goodman, J. S ..
Clemson College, S. C.
Harris, Bonneau.
Pendleton, S. C.
Harrison, James.
Hunter, Mrs. W. S
. Seneca, S. C.
Jones, Mrs. Clinton C. Greenville, S. C. Lebby, J. E ..
Lewis, J. J. (President) Pickens, S. C.
Livingston, John.
Livingston, Mrs. C. K.
Seneca, S. C.
Mauldin, T. J .
Pickens, S. C.
Maxwell, Miss Harriett
Pendleton, S. C.
Mell, Mrs. P. H.
Clemson College, S. C.
Myers, Mrs. John.
Seneca, S. C.
McBryde, Rev. J. T.
. Soddy, Tenn.
McBryde, Miss Lucy N.
Montgomey, Ala.
Deceased.
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McBryde, C. Randall.
McCrary, Samuel. Autun, S. C.
McElroy, J. D.
McElroy, T. J.
*Patterson, Andrew
Phillips, L. G ..
Pickens, Miss Eliza Pendleton, S. C.
Pickens, J. Miles. Pendleton, S. C.
Pickens, Dr. T. J. Pendleton, S. C.
*Randall, Col C.
Reid, Rev. B. P. Reidville, S. C.
Reid, Mrs. M. J Reidville, S. C.
Rochester, H. D. . . Greenville, S. C.
Rochester, Mrs. Cornelia Greenville, S. C.
Simpson, John W
Pendleton, S. C.
Sitton, Miss E. C
Pendleton, S. C.
Sitton, H. P
Pendleton, S. C.
Sloan, B. F
Seneca, S. C.
Sloan, Mrs. B. F
. Seneca, S. C.
Smythe, Mrs. A. T.
Charleston, S. C.
Smythe, E. A.
. Pelzer, S. C.
Stephens, W. G ..
Pendleton, S. C.
Stephens, Mrs. Cy
. Pendleton, S. C.
Stribling, J. C. ...
Pendleton, S. C.
Stribling, Mrs. J. C ..
Pendleton, S. C.
Stribling, Mrs. J. W
. Seneca, S. C.
Symmes, F. W
. Greenville, S. C.
Whitten, Edward.
Whitten, J. B .. .
Pendleton, S. C.
Woodside, Mrs. J. E. Greenville, S. C.
It is apparent from the Constitution and records of the Old Stone Church and Cemetery Association that, from its incep- tion, the Association had in view the restoration and preser- vation of the Old Stone Church building and the improve-
* Deceased.
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ment and perpetual care of the cemetery and grounds. While the Association has done nothing as yet toward restoring the church building nor in improving the grounds, it has, with the assistance of many kind friends, erected a substantial stone fence around the cemetery and considerably enlarged the burial ground in so doing. The Association has also kept the cemetery in fairly presentable condition by having it cleaned out about twice annually. Very much remains to be done, and it was, as has been said, partly with a hope of exciting the interest of South Carolinians in this worthy work that this book has been compiled, and it is also with the same expectation of eliciting the sympathies and financial aid of all patriotic South Carolinians, and others who have an interest in history, that the Andrew Pickens and Cateechee Chapters of the D. A. R. have joined with the Association in publishing this book, by pledging themselves for $50 each to help defray the cost of publication. These two Chapters of the D. A. R. have for some time past been contemplating the erection of a monument to General Andrew Pickens, and his friend and associate, General Robert Anderson. They have now decided to let that monument take the form of a me- morial chapel, restoring for that purpose the Old Stone Church, in the organization, building and furnishing of which both of these worthy men took an active part, if not, indeed, the initiative. In so doing the Daughters of the American Revolution have adopted, with his consent, a long- cherished plan of Capt. W. A. Courtenay, who has probably done as much as, if not more than, any man in South Caro- lina to preserve her history and to stimulate the interest of others in the preservation of her historic landmarks. It is the intention of the Daughters of the Revolution to place on the walls of the restored church memorial tablets to Generals Pickens and Anderson.
In view of the interest taken by the Daughters of the Rev- olution in the work of this Association and of the financial support they have given the Association in issuing this book,
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it seems proper to give here a list of the officers and members of these two Chapters :
OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE ANDREW PICKENS CHAP- TER, D. A. R.
Mrs. P. H. Mell, Regent. . Clemson College, S. C.
Mrs. Fanny Cherry Davis, Vice-Regent. . Seneca, S. C.
Miss Mary Cherry, Secretary Seneca, S. C.
Mrs. P. T. Brodie, Registrar. . Clemson College, S. C. Miss Mary Shelor, Historian Retreat, S. C.
Mrs. R. N. Brackett, Treasurer. Clemson College, S. C.
Mrs. F. H. H. Calhoun. Clemson College, S. C.
Miss Lillian Caldwell. Seneca, S. C.
Mrs. Sue Lewis Carpenter Seneca, S. C.
Mrs. Ludie M. Coleman
. Atlanta, Ga.
Mrs. Ramsey Doyle. .
Calhoun, S. C.
Mrs. Fannie M. Duncan Seneca, S. C.
Mrs. Nina Lewis Hunter Seneca, S. C.
Mrs. T. W. Keitt Clemson College, S. C.
Mrs. R. E. Lee. Clemson College, S. C.
Mrs. Clara Verner McCary . Seneca, S. C.
Mrs. W. M. Riggs. . Clemson College, S. C.
Mrs. Winslow Sloan Clemson College, S. C.
OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE CATEECHEE CHAPTER,
D. A. R.
Mrs. Wm. Laughlin, Regent. Anderson, S. C.
Miss Mary Russell, Vice-Regent. Anderson, S. C.
Mrs. A. P. Johnstone, Secretary Anderson, S. C.
Mrs. O. L. Dean, Registrar Anderson, S. C.
Mrs. S. Bleckley, Historian. Anderson, S. C.
Mrs. J. R. Vandiver, Treasurer Anderson, S. C.
Mrs. Augustus Anderson Abbeville, S. C. Mrs. F. G. Brown Anderson, S. C.
Mrs. J. D. Chapman Anderson, S. C.
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THE OLD STONE CHURCH
Mrs. Maxwell Crayton Anderson, S. C.
Miss Emily Divver . Anderson, S. C.
Mrs. Epps. . Cokesbury, S. C.
Mrs. A. C. Laughlin Anderson, S. C.
Mrs. R. E. Ligon Anderson, S. C. .
Mrs. A. G. Means . Anderson, S. C.
Mrs. J. L. McGee. Anderson, S. C.
Mrs. Josephine Peoples Anderson, S. C.
Mrs. J. P. Sullivan . Anderson, S. C.
Mrs. A. C. Strickland. Anderson, S. C.
Mrs. Bessie Taylor Anderson, S. C.
Mrs. J. L. Tribble. Anderson, S. C.
Mrs. O. B. Van Wyke. Anderson, S. C.
Mrs. H. H. Watkins. Anderson, S. C.
DR. WILLIAM BACKLY CHERRY,
First President of the Old Stone Church and Cemetery Association.
BY HIS DAUGHTER, MRS. FANNIE CHERRY DAVIS.
William Backly Cherry, was born at Pendleton, S. C., November 22d, 1815 ; entered into rest December 24th. 1901. He was the son of Samuel Cherry and Susan Polk Reese and grand-son of Dr. Thomas Reese. He married at Pendleton, S. C., Sarah Miller Lewis, daughter of Col. J. Overton Lewis, with whom he lived happily for more than forty years. She was a woman of strong intellect and many fine traits of character, a true and faithful wife. Dr. Cherry was a dentist by profession, studied in Savannah and located in Athens, Ga. Love of old associations brought him back to Pendleton, where he practised for many years. His was a long and useful life, just and upright in all his dealings, truly a gentleman of the old school. His latter days were spent in Seneca, S. C .; "he possessed a keen observation, a wonderful memory, and his stories of the past were a rich
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treat." An intimate friend once said, "His was a beauti- fully rounded life." As he grew in years he grew in grace. In his own language, he "was only waiting for the Master's call and ready at any moment for the summons." Though descended from strong Scotch-Irish ancestry, being a grand- son of Dr. Thomas Reese, he was a devoted member of the Episcopal Church, but loved and honored the Presbyterian faith. He lies buried at St. Paul's Church, Pendleton, the place he loved so well, beside his beloved wife and daughter. Their memory is lovingly cherished by their children and grand-children.
DR. OLIVER M. DOYLE,
Second President of the Old Stone Church and Cemetery Association.
BY A LIFE-LONG FRIEND.
It is doubtful if any man of his day and generation im- pressed himself more, and in more ways, on his immediate country than the subject of this sketch. We hear much of self-made men. He was one essentially and emphatically. He was born January 31st, 1831, in what was then Pickens District, now Oconee County, and died October 6th, 1897. His youth and early manhood therefore were spent in the troublous times from 1850 to 1876, the first decade of which period was disturbed by the agitations over the slavery ques- tion and Secession. The next five years with the Civil War, and the remaining eleven with Reconstruction. As a boy he had the advantage of only that education which was ob- tainable in the ordinary, old field country schools of that day. His first knowledge of the world was obtained by going to Washington with Congressman James L. Orr as one of his Secretaries. While in Washington, through Col. Orr's in- fluence, he was offered what was then regarded as quite a lucrative position as Clerk in one of the Departments. He
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THE OLD STONE CHURCH
declined to accept it, not because he did not need the salary- he needed it badly, as he was very poor-but because his observation of men and things there led him to the conclusion that the life of a clerk with a good salary and only routine work to do was enervating and dwarfing. "Once a Clerk, always a Clerk." He deliberately declined the place and made up his mind to study medicine, though he was fully aware that nothing short of a hard, desperate struggle for ways and means would enable him to reach his goal. The writer has frequently heard him say that this was the turning point in his life. He forewent the ease and pleasures of the life of the well paid clerk, and entered upon the struggle to master the profession he had chosen. By dint of hard work and the practice of the most rigid economy he was enabled to enter the University of Pennsylvania and was graduated in medicine from that institution in 1856, and immediately began the practice of his profession at his old home in Pick- ens District. He was among the first of the volunteers to enter the Confederate Army. He went in as Captain, but was soon afterwards made Surgeon of Jenkins' Brigade, which position he held throughout the war. His duties and opportunities in this position were performed in such manner as to give him eminence in his profession, and soon after- wards, when the Atlanta and Charlotte Air Line Railroad was built, he became Surgeon of the road, which position he held up to the day of his death. His reputation as a physi- cian and surgeon, especially the latter, became such that his practice extended over much of the territory of the States of both South Carolina and Georgia. His achievements in an industrial way and in civic matters were not less than as a Physician and Surgeon. His fine judgment and foresight enabled him, about the time of the building of the Air Line Railroad, now operated as a part of the immense Southern Railway, to make judicious investments in real estate both in South Carolina and Georgia, that brought him in handsome harvests in later life, and these, added to the fruits of the
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THE OLD STONE CHURCH
labors of his profession, made him financially, at the time of his death, one of our most substantial citizens. He was in no sense a politician, in the popular and low-meaning of that term, but early in life he became noted for his far-seeing, clear-headed sizing up of all questions pertaining to govern- ment matters and the good of his country, and for his out- spoken, sturdy honesty in maintaining his opinions. And as a result of this reputation he was appointed, in 1868, a mem- ber of the Commission of five persons to select a site for the County seat and to erect a Court House and Jail for Oconee County, upon its creation by the Constitution of that year. The next year he was made a member of the Legislature and served two terms in that body. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1895-again being selected to serve his country to assist in framing her fundamental laws, because of his foresight, honesty and broad-minded conser- vatism, and for having the courage of his convictions always. He devoted much of his time while in this Convention in the endeavor to get written into the Constitution two principles : the one to stop the practical confiscation of small estates by costs and fees in the process of being wound up; and the other, to provide for the elimination of the profit feature from the dispensary law. The one, the lawyers of the Con- vention succeeded in defeating, on the plea that the Consti- tution was not the place for such a provision; but the agita- tion then started has since resulted in legislation which has accomplished the purpose then recognized as good by all right-thinking men. The other was completely defeated -- swept away by the commercial spirit which was then begin- ning to gain ground so rapidly. But who is now prepared to deny that if his idea had prevailed, most, if not all, of the scandals in government that have sprung from the dispensary system and its methods of enforcement would have been avoided ? And that we would by now have truly had under the system the minimum of evils of the liquor traffic? As a member of the Presbyterian Church, Dr. Doyle's life was no
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THE OLD STONE CHURCH
less distinguished than in other ways. He was an Elder of the Richland Church in his latter days, and attended the Presbyteries frequently, and was a devout Christian always. Only a few of his most intimate friends knew the extent of his private charities, his giving being always of that character which "Vaunteth not itself and is not puffed up."
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OLD STONE CHURCH PROPERTY.
DONATION OF THE LAND FOR THE OLD STONE CHURCH.
ANDERSON C. H., S. C., January 14, 1903.
Mr. R. N. Brackett-Dear Sir : I have carefully examined the records in the different offices here for the purpose of ascertaining from them as much as I could in reference to the history of the "Old Stone Chuch," and I shall now endeavor to give you the results of my investigations. You will re- member that in the latter part of my article about John Mil- ler, the printer, I stated that he moved to Pendleton in 1785, and that in that year he obtained a grant for a tract of land on both sides of the Eighteen Mile Creek, said to contain 640 acres, and that he died at Pendleton in 1809; that he had a son John who assisted him in the publication of his paper, and that his son John also had a son named John. After the death of old John, the printer, his son John then became John Miller, Sr., because he was senior to his own son John, and he is so styled in the papers to which I shall refer, and which were executed by him after his father's death, and this fact must be remembered, in order to avoid the error of sup- posing that John Miller, Sr., means old John Miller, the printer.
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