MOUNTAIN SPRINGS BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETERY (1860), Anderson County, SC A.K.A. Version 2.3, 07-Feb-2008, A189.TXT, A189 **************************************************************** REPRODUCING NOTICE: ------------------- These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format for profit, or presentation by any other organization, or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Paul M Kankula Seneca, SC, USA Anderson County SC GenWeb Coordinator Anderson County SC GenWeb Homestead http://www.rootsweb.com/~scanderson2/ **************************************************************** DATAFILE INPUT . : Paul M. Kankula at (visit above website) in Dec-2003 DATAFILE LAYOUT : Paul M. Kankula at (visit above website) in Dec-2003 G.P.S. MAPPING . : ____________ at ____________ in _______ HISTORY WRITE-UP : ____________ at ____________ in _______ IMAGES ......... : ____________ at ____________ in _______ LOCATION WRITE-UP: ____________ at ____________ in _______ TRANSCRIPTION .. : Gary L. Flynn at (visit above website) in Dec-2003 **************************************************************** CEMETERY LOCATION: ------------------ > Latitude N x Longitude W CHURCH/CEMETERY HISTORY: ------------------------ FROM THE BEGINNING! (by: Erlean Orr on August 21, 2000) My grandmother, Maggie Summey Long, was baptized into the fellowship of Mountain Springs Baptist Church in 1947 on a warm August day in that clear, pure and very cold water of the outside baptismal pool built above the main spring that is so familiar to us today. Answering my questions about the pool she remembered the old repeated history of the spring when men hunting on Rattlesnake Mountain years before her time had actually found the spring by hearing it bubbling, with the water rushing from the ground. This story is repeated in B. F. Wigington's "History of Mountain Springs" printed in 1960, as follows: "A spring that threw sand and gravel into the air and a mile-long ridge known as Rattlesnake Mountain gave Mountain Springs Baptist Church its name." Some years later, probably after the turn of the twentieth century, the spring was enclosed with marble walls and benches. Before the first settlers in the area, the spot was an active Indian community, as evidenced by many artifacts found by Dr. Carl Ellison when the present parking lot was cleared and paved in the 1950s. Early in the summer of 1857, a schoolhouse was erected with classes held during the week and worship services on Sunday. In those days Baptists, Campbellites, Methodists, and Presbyterians met together with an average attendance of more than two hundred, many walking five or six miles to attend services. Camp meetings and brush arbor meetings were held annually until a protracted meeting, beginning on the third Sunday in October 1860 led to the organization of Mountain Springs Church. It has also been told that at that particular time in the South, a great spirit of revival was experienced in large part because of fear and concern over the possibility of the War Between the States. The history of our sister church, Mount Pisgah, reports: "In late 1860, Rev. (W.B.) Long held a series of meetings in a school house, later to be called Mountain Springs. Thirty members were baptized with the understanding that they be attached to Mount Pisgah until they could organize a church at Mountain Springs." Other reports state twenty-four members were baptized in Elihu Wigington's millpond. The number twenty-four is also noted with their respective names in the minutes of the church, dated October, 1860, with two columns listed, the first for males with ten names given and the second column for females with fourteen names listed. On December 1, 1860 the church was constituted and at that meeting after a sermon by Elder James J. Wilson, a Declaration of Faith and Rules of Decorum were read and adopted by the members. The church on the basis of these written statements of belief was admitted into the Twelve Mile River Baptist Association in 1861. The names of twenty-four charter members are as follows: Males - Elihu Wigington; Thomas B. Moore; D. A. Watkins; Andrew McCollister; R. M. (R. Morgan) Moore; W. J. Kelly; C. N. Kelly; J. C. Kelly; S. N. Glaspy; Leonard Smith; Females - Frances Wigington; Tabitha Ann Riley; N. J. M. Riley; M. E. Clardy; M. M.Clardy; Amy McCollister; Mary Gibbs; N. E. Kelly; Lucinda Smith; N. A. Smith; E. C. (Emily Catherine) Moore; Mandy Moore; Sara Clardy; and, Ann Clardy. The first member admitted by letter was John A. Moore from Big Creek Church near Williamston, nephew of Thomas B. Moore and brother of R. Morgan Moore. Other members were admitted in the following months, their names are also listed in the early minutes of the church, some from Big Creek, Mt. Pisgah and Siloam. Many were received by "experience," that is, they related their experience with Christ to the congregation and were baptized into the fellowship of the church. Among those joining were at least four black members, whose names were also included as follows: Violet, who joined by "experience" on October 15, 1861. The complete list of these black members from those early records is: "Elihu Wigenton's - Jule," " Wm. Orr's - Violet," " Brooks' - Ann" who joined by letter and "Mat," who is listed as 'free.' The first deacons were Thomas B. Moore and Elihu Wigington. Elder W. B. (Berry) Long was called as first pastor and continued his service until September, 1866. The first recorded death in the membership was the above listed R. Morgan Moore who died near Manassas, Virginia, being a member of Long's Company, 4th Regiment, Company D, SC Volunteers, CSA. A page in the church minutes is dedicated to his memory. During that conflict, the women, children and a few older men held services regularly in the school building. Mountain Springs Baptist Church became a charter member of the Piedmont Baptist Association in 1878 and that association held its annual session of 1885 here under the leadership of the Pastor at that time, Brother Sammie Gary. In October 1965 the church became a charter member of the Palmetto Baptist Association, and has remained a member of this group for the last thirty-five years. The Methodist Episcopal Denomination owned the land adjoining the school and the church purchased a lot from them in 1878. It has also been reported that the present church building on this particular lot, stands on property that was always set aside for worship services, never having been owned or deeded to other than church organizations. There have been several church buildings in the period of time from the organization of this church body until present; the first, a wooden structure that may have become part of the shingled structure built in the early 1920s. This shingled building burned in October 1941 and worship services were held in the old Woodman Hall until a new building was erected and dedicated on March 14, 1943. That building now serves as our church fellowship hall with our present auditorium planned by Dr. Carl G. Ellison while he was pastor and completed under the leadership of Pastor Bennie L. Ridlehoover; dedicated on March 3, 1968. An extensive renovation of this last auditorium was planned and completed in 1995. In 1943, Mr. Elihu Wigington gave a lot on Highway 86 for a parsonage and the first fulltime pastor called by the church, Reverend E. C. Neely, moved into this home. Mr. Henry Foster purchased a lot for a new parsonage in 1969, which was completed during the second pastorate of Dr. Carl Ellison. The church minutes of September 27, 1980 report that the land on which the old Woodman Hall stood had been given to the church by Mr. Elihu Wigington (grandson of charter member, Elihu) and the church minutes of June 7, 1981 report that the structure itself had been sold and was at that time being removed from the property. In 1879, Brother G. W. Hardin was licensed to preach and in 1942, Brother J. J. Trotter was ordained into the ministry. There have been a number of men, many in our membership today, who have answered the call to defend our country and our freedom of religion by their service in the military during the two World Wars and the Korean and Viet Nam conflicts. At the risk of missing an individual, there will be no attempt here to name each of them, however there is a plaque in the present vestibule of the church on which are inscribed the names of the World War II Servicemen. The names of those who made the ultimate sacrifice of their life should rightly be given and these are Cpl. Benjamin L. Roper of the 310th Infantry who died August 18, 1944 and Pfc. Jerry W. Trotter of the 117th Infantry who died in France on July 9, 1944; also several members spoke of Lewis E. (Buddy) Bryant of the 121st Infantry who died July 17, 1944. Buddy Bryant's parents and grandparents were members of this church during that period of time. Over the past one hundred and forty year history of Mountain Springs Church, numerous pastors and interim pastors have served. It is reported that Pastor David I. Spearman served longer than any other, first in the late 1880s, again from 1904 until 1907 and again from 1910 until 1915. Veterans from the War Between the States, students from Furman, and ordained ministers like Andrew L. Pickens, who preached while he was a professor at Furman University were among the numbers. A listing of pastors follow: W. Berry Long; John Ariail; J. M. Lander; J. J. Gambrell; G. M. Rogers; G. W. Singleton; T. D. Gwyn; D. W. Hiott; Sammie A. Gary; D. I. Spearman (served three times); Patrick Vermillion; J. F. Sanders; J. T. Littlejohn; Herman W. Stone; Henry C. Martin (served two times); E. N. Sanders; Andrew L. Pickens; F. V. Johnson; J. Henry Jenkins; Homer Couch; A. L. Wood; E. C. Neely; Carl G. Ellison (served two times); L. H. Fowler; Bennie L. Ridlehoover, Jr.; Roy Arnold; Robert Reese; Jack Moore; Bill Ellison; and our present pastor, Lamar McAbee. In addition to these faithful servants, numerous individuals have contributed to the ministry of Mountain Springs Church through all these years with their diligent prayers, as deacons, teachers, nursery workers, musicians, and on the various committees that are necessary to keep the work of the church running smoothly and in order. Each of these has contributed with their special talents to the church we have today. The old school, the old church buildings and many of those dear saints remain with us today as only memories or in pictures, or their names are listed in histories such as this, but God's Word is still proclaimed on this spot and His people still gather here to worship and proclaim the Amazing Grace of Jesus Christ, just as the spring continues to pour out the clear, pure water as it has for much longer than our one hundred and forty year history. (Compiled from Minutes and Record books beginning in 1860, a previous church history written in the 1940s, a church history written in 1960 by B. F. Wigington, one included in a 1980s directory, and from family notes.) TOMBSTONE TRANSCRIPTION NOTES: ------------------------------ a. = age at death b. = date-of-birth d. = date-of-death h. = husband m. = married p. = parents w. = wife >