MOUNTAIN REST COMMUNITY CLUB, Oconee County, SC Churches Version 2.3, 1-Apr-2003, MR-06.TXT **************************************************************** 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 - nn8nn Seneca, SC, USA Oconee County SC GenWeb Coordinator Oconee County SC GenWeb Homestead http://www.rootsweb.com/~scoconee/oconee.html Oconee County SC GenWeb Tombstone Project http://www.rootsweb.com/~scoconee/cemeteries.html http://www.rootsweb.com/~cemetery/southcarolina/oconee.html **************************************************************** DATAFILE INPUT . : Linda Flynn at ke8fd@@bellsouth.net.com in Apr-2003 DATAFILE LAYOUT : Paul M. Kankula at kankula1@innova.net in Apr-2003 THE TOLL GATE Soon after the Civil War, William Rowland and his wife, Flora Reese, acquired over 200 acres of land on what is now Highway 107 but was called in earlier years the Turnpike. Morgan Burrell now owns and lives on part of the original Rowland property. As a business venture, Mr. Rowland, with the help of slaves, built a road to the North Carolina line that would connect Walhalla, SC, and Cashiers, NC. When the road was completed, he put up a gate on his property and began charging a toll for users. The charge was twenty-five cents for wagons and buggies, ten cents for those who rode horseback, and five cents for those who walked. At first, the tollgate was south of where Rowland lived; but a problem arose when those who did not want to pay to use the road built a road to the east and up around a mountain that became known as Dodge Mountain. The tollgate was then moved beside the Rowland home to catch the dodgers. Like others in those times, the Rowland home was also an inn for travelers who needed overnight lodging. Mr. Rowland was a close friend of Wade Hampton, who was then Governor of South Carolina. Hampton owned property in Cashiers and used the toll road to haul supplies to build High Hampton Inn. In the late 1800s, Mr. Hampton had a friend who had been out West and brought back some live rainbow trout. There were only brook trout in the mountain streams, so he gave some of the rainbow trout to Baylus Nicholson, son-in-law of William Rowland. Nicholson and his sons took the fish in buckets to streams in the mountains of Oconee County; thus the first rainbow trout were in the mountain streams of South Carolina. Baylus Nicholson's son Samuel, told of his first fishing trip with his father to the East fork of the Chattooga River where the U.S. Fish Hatchery is now located. Samuel was about twelve years old; and after fishing for a while, he became more interested in exploring the area around the river. His father continued to fish until it was time to return home; and when they counted their catch, Samuel had caught 25 fish and his father about 100. They dried the surplus fish for later use. Sometime before his death in 1890, Mr. Rowland worked out an agreement with officials of Oconee County that they would take over maintenance of the toll road. This was to end the charges for users. Some property owners would work the road through their land in lieu of county road taxes. In 1948, the road was taken over by the South Carolina Highway Department and given the number of 107. [Relton Vissage shared this story of the TollGate as told to him by his grandmother, Jane Rowland Nicholson, who was the daughter of William Rowland and lived for the last twelve years of her life with Relton's parents, Salli Nicholson and Dock Vissage. She was an invalid. William and Flora Rowland are buried in the Double Springs cemetery.]--[MSQ] CHURCHES Churches have always been popular meeting places in our community. From the number of churches located in this area, one must realize that the majority of residents are church-affiliated. In the early days, all-day singings with dinner on the ground were much looked forward to in the summer months. Revival meetings were held about laying-by time in July or August, and most who attended would experience a religious awakening. There would be baptizings held soon after the close of the revivals to bring into the "fold" the new converts. There were baptizing "holes" on several of the creeks in the area, and sometimes baptizings were held at Earles Ford on the Chattooga River and, in later years, in the 1ocal lakes. At Christmas there was always a play put on by youngsters of the church. A Christmas tree would be decorated with whatever could be rounded up at home--strings of popcorn. We always drew names, and you got a gift for the person whose name you drew. Singing carols is still a favorite, with groups from some of the churches going door-to-door to the homes of the elderly and shut-ins. At Easter time, all the mothers were busy making new outfits for the children to wear on Easter morning. It didn't matter whether Mom had a new dress or not, if the kids had something new. On Saturday afternoon, the day before Easter, all the children would gather at one neighbor's house for an Easter egg hunt. Mothers would save eggs to color for this occasion, and it was always fun whether you found a lot of eggs or not. Bert Robins' pasture and Albert Brown's grassy yard were places where egg hunts were held and are still held by churches in the community. BETHLEHEM BAPTIST CHURCH: 1831-1984 (The oldest organized church in Mountain Rest.) There were many settlers moving into the territory at the beginning of the 1800s. Each family had their religious preference. The Baptist denomination met at Bethlehem and organized their church on November 27, 1831. Church records state the meeting house was near Cunningham Orr's. The Orr home is thought to be where Camp Chatuga is located today. Early maps indicate an Indian trail from Keowee Village came very close to the church. This road later was known as Orr Road. The present church property was given as a place of worship and graveyard by Patterson and Ester Orr in 1878. The plat states one corner is a red oak at the chimney end of a school house. Members could have worshipped together in the school house. Records indicate the members worshipped in individual homes, Rabun school house, and Mill Creek School. There were churches organized at Tunnel Hill and Cherry Hill on Highway 107. The present church building was built in 1884. Services were held on the third Saturday and Sunday of each month. A business meeting was usually conducted during the service. On the records the date appears, then the word "day" or "night." Their records were brief and to the point. No space was wasted. The first record, written in pencil, was October 3, 1920. L.H. Raines was elected pastor and W.R. Bearden was church clerk. J.A. Griggs served as moderator. In the early years if the men missed a church service more than three times without a good reason they were dismissed ("churched"). This was not true with the women because they did not have a voice in the church meetings unless they were appointed by the men to see another lady regarding spiritual matters. The women had small children and many times were unable to attend. This began to change in the early 1900s. Vadie Orr Elliott was the first woman to write the church minutes. Ruby Powell and Janie Ridley served as church clerks in the 1950s and 1960s. Early records indicate when a person was saved and became a member of the church; they were usually baptized the same day, even during the winter months. It has been said when James E. Orr, later deacon, church clerk, and treasurer was baptized in East Village Creek it was in cold weather and he wore a dark woolen suit into the water. During the 153-year history there have been a total of fifty-five pastors recorded. William M. Morton was the first pastor, and John West, the first deacon. John West, later a minister, was close to Bethlehem throughout his entire life. He helped organize the church and saw the difficult times as well as the many joys and accomplishments of the young church. In October 1959, Rev. DeWitt Snelgrove became pastor. He led the church until his retirement on April 22, 1984. Today Rev. Jimmy Williamon from Seneca, South Carolina, is the pastor. -[CH] DOUBLE SPRINGS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH: 1858-1984 In the 1850s, realizing the need for a place to worship, several interested families organized the Double Springs Church, and, until a building was ready they held services in a log school house less than a mile to the east. All that remains at the log school site is two burial grounds used by early white and Negro families of the community. Several mountain springs were near the site; thus, the name Double Springs was appropriately chosen. This new church was unique, to say the least, as the deed to the ten-acre tract of land stated that it was to be used "for the cause of religion." From the beginning it was called Double Springs Union Church, and Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian groups held services there. In a few years, the Presbyterians stopped having services because the synod sent a minister the congregation would not accept, and the members voted to disband. The Baptists and Methodists continued to hold joint worship services until 1948, when the Baptist members voted to build their own church. Their new church was built just across the road and called Double Springs Baptist Church. The Methodists have continued to worship in the old church, and on July 17, 1983, it was dedicated as the Double Springs United Methodist Church by Roy Clark, Bishop of the South Carolina Methodist Conference, with James Merchant, District Superintendent, and Julian Ford, pastor, assisting. A large cemetery adjoins the church, and the oldest headstone reads: Rachel Robins-June 17, 1812-June 6, 1859. [A history booklet of the Double Springs Church and community, entitled "Footsteps in Time," written by Vera Robins and Rev. Will Stackhouse for the 125th anniversary of the church, in 1983, is available from church members, with proceeds going to the cemetery fund.]--[MSQ] MOUNTAIN REST BAPTIST CHURCH: 1858-1984 Our church had its beginning when a small group of Baptists and Methodists joined together in 1858 to form the Double Springs Union Church. During those early formative years, services were held in an old school building with itinerant preachers conducting the services. The two congregations worked together to build the Double Springs Union Church, which was completed in 1868. By 1942, Baptist membership had grown to thirty members, and the deacons, with the support of the members, began planning a separate place of worship. A building plot a short distance from the Double Springs Union Church was donated in 1947, and the members started working toward the goal of building a church of their own. The Double Springs Baptist Church was built in 1951. Much of the work and materials for the church were donated by the members. In 1975, the Double Springs Baptist Church was renamed MOUNTAIN REST BAPTIST CHURCH. Among other considerations, the name was intended to tie in the church more closely with the broader community she serves. As our church continued to grow, the need for more adequate facilities became more and more evident. A Long Range Planning Committee was elected to study the future needs of the church. It was recommended that a Building Committee be elected to plan the construction of the new church building, and that the site of the new church be changed to its present location in order to better serve the majority of the membership and the total community. Our beautiful MOUNTAIN REST BAPTIST CHURCH was built to the GLORY OF GOD and the service of all mankind, and it stands as a fine memorial to the Christian spirit and dedicated lives of all whom share its history-past present, and future! The new church was dedicated on April 12, 1981.--[JB] VILLAGE CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH: 1911-1926 Children would attend classes during the weekdays, and on Sunday the family would worship together. The only written records researched regarding this school and church are the church records. Perhaps before the organization of the Baptist church there were religious services in the building. The Village Creek Baptist Church was organized August 20, 1911. Rev. J.H. Clark was the pastor. There was an organ in the church, and Rev. Clark taught some of the members how to play it. One of these members was Mary Nicholson King. The church records indicate missions were very important. A collection of $4.00 was given to the Foreign Mission on October 17, 1913. State and Home Missions and the orphanage were also supported by this church. They were a member of the Beaverdam Association until the church dissolved in 1926.--[CH] MONTE VISTA BAPTIST CHURCH: 1923-1984 On April 20, 1923, the Rev. M.J. Stancil and deacons of the New Hope, Wolf Stake, and Pleasant Ridge churches known as the "Wood Field" met with a small group of Baptists in this vicinity, and Monte Vista Church was organized. Land was donated by the Fowler family. This meeting and subsequent meetings were held in an old vacant three-room frame house on the farm of Dr. W.R. Craig. On September 7, 1924, the church began its new year in the building with the Rev. H.F. Wright as pastor. The first clerk was H.E. Orr. Secretary and treasurer was Miss Vadie Orr. The three deacons were James Henry Albert Beaty, W.A. Glouse, and John S. Carter. The first Sunday School superintendent was J.S. Carter, who held the position until 1948. The first Women's Missionary Union was organized in 1924 with Mrs. J.H.A. Beaty as president. She died in December 1928. In October 1935, Mrs. Nora Leister from the Second Baptist Church of Walhalla met with the ladies in the home of Mrs. E.V. Carter and organized the present society. It has maintained the youth organizations most of these years. The first vacation Bible school was held in 1948 and has been held ever since. In July 1955, the Monte Vista ladies starting talking about a parsonage with the late W.W. Lesley as pastor. A newcomer to the community, Mrs. Maka Knox turned her purse upside-down and gave four dollars to start the parsonage fund. Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Hamby donated property, and the funds started coming in. The first blocks were laid for the foundation on May 1, 1956, and with free labor the house was completed by December 3 that same year. The Rev. and Mrs. Lesley had open house on the following Sunday and announced it was free of any debt. Mr. and Mrs. Walter Perry, who were not members of the church played a big part. Mr. Perry drew the blueprints and was foreman of the building project. By May 1962, while the Rev. U.G. Wilson was pastor, the congregation had outgrown its present classrooms. With Mr. Lewis McGee as chairman of the building committee, a new educational building was started. With donations and part free labor, some hired, by fall the building was ready. While the Rev. Everett Wilson was pastor, the congregation outgrew its building, and they started work on funds for a new church building. Work was begun in late 1974, but due to weather conditions work went slowly. However, with a lot of volunteer labor under the direction of Mr. Audie Nichols, and the block and brick work done by Mr. Robert Lowery, services were held in the basement in 1975. In August of 1976, all was complete and the dedication service held. There is a seating capacity in the sanctuary of 300, eight classrooms, offices and nursery upstairs, fellowship hall and four rooms in the basement. Under the leadership of the present pastor, the Rev. Claude Hightower, the church was completely debt-free in 1983. Monte Vista started with thirty charter members. Four of those are still with us in 1984. They are E.V. Carter, Merrill Carter, R.G. Beaty, and Lamar Land.-[ECS] BELMONT BAPTIST CHURCH: 1932-1984 In 1932, a group of interested people, realizing the need for a church in the Belmont community, met and organized the Belmont Baptist Church. Preaching and Sunday School were held each week at the Belmont School until the first church building was built in 1938. Many people were involved in the church building project and spent many hours in planning and the actual building construction. Beulah Gillespie Beaty, who was a charter member, remembers two whom were influential in the success of this project: her grandfather, Sherman Gillespie, and Mrs. Odell Wilbanks. Mrs. Beaty's husband, Harmon, was asked by her grandfather to help on the building-he would pay him $1.50 per day. He had to walk from where he lived on Highway 28 to Belmont each day and would work long hours to help speed the completion of the church. The first building was remodeled to meet the needs of the growing congregation, and a few years ago the members began thinking about a new sanctuary. In February of 1981, when Rev. Edward Bryson was pastor of Belmont Church, he and his wife, Joanne, attended a funeral at the old Mountain Rest Baptist Church, which would soon be vacated when their new building was ready. Belmont voted to submit a bid on the old building, and they had the high bid. The building was moved to a site near the original church and after months of renovating and remodeling by members and friends donating the materials and labor, the beautiful new Belmont Baptist Church was completed in the spring of 1982. The cemetery is in the churchyard at the original site, and the old building is used for recreation. Rev. R.B. Marcengill is the present pastor.--[MSQ] VILLAGE CREEK MISSION: 1940-1984 The first meetings of this church were held in Milton Nicholson's small house near old Village Creek School, with nothing but block and boards for seats. In 1940, Rev. John Redman Green donated 1/2 acre of land on which to build the church. Jim Green donated brick for the underpinning and also the flooring. Rev. Horace Miller was first pastor of the church; Jim Green, the Sunday School Superintendent; and Nell Miller, the pianist. After it was established, the Wesleyan Methodist Conference declared it to be a sister church. Others helping to make improvements included Jule McCall and Milton Nicholson. Rev. Houston Pressley was also one of the early pastors. This church had a large membership with an unusually large group of young people. Many went on to answer gospel callings. At one time, this church was used as a polling precinct. The Rev. Joe Crow is the present pastor.--[KG] OPEN ARMS TABERNACLE: 1972-1984 The Open Arms Tabernacle Church was organized on November 22, 1972, and a church built on land given by Mrs. Stella Hart Sterner. Rev. Clyde Webb has been the pastor for the entire time.--[CW] GOD'S GIFT by Miriam Dawson God gave us the earth, Moon and flaming sun. God gave us the stars To twinkle when day is done. God gave us the mountains, Solid and majestic they stand. God gave us flowers and trees Beautifully painted by his hand. God gave us nestled lakes, Mountain streams so clear. God gave us the forest animals Coon, 'possum, bear and deer. God gave us the feathered friend Robin, blue bird and dove. God gave us the breath of life So we may live, worship and love God wanted all these created things To have nothing but the best So He found a parcel of land Man-calls it Mountain Rest.