ANTIOCH BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETERY, Pickens County, SC a.k.a. P199 Winchester Family Version: 3.0 Effective: 30-Jan-2007 Text File: P004.TXT Image Folder: P004 ******************************************************************************** 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 recording contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the following USGenWeb coordinator with proof of this consent. Paul M Kankula - nn8nn (visit above website) SCGenWeb "Golden Corner" Project Coordinator Anderson: http://www.rootsweb.com/~scandrsn/ Oconee: http://www.rootsweb.com/~scoconee/oconee.html Pickens: http://www.rootsweb.com/~scpicke2/ DATAFILE INPUT . : Paul M. Kankula at (visit above website) in May-2006 GPS MAPPING .... : Gary F Flynn at (visit above website) in Jun-2003 HISTORY ........ : IMAGES ......... : Paul M. Kankula at (visit above website) in Jun-2003 RECORDING ...... : ******************************************************************************** CEMETERY LOCATION: ------------------ 2 miles SW of Sunset GPS = N34 57.639 x W82 49.691 CEMETERY HISTORY: ------------------------ P004: In an article written by Thaylia K. Oberstar, 447 Little Eastatoe Rd., Sunset, SC 29685. 864-868-9618 p. 24 of Pickens County Heritage, SC 1995 Book. The first "meeting place" for Antioch worshippers was located on original Willoughby Winchester land near the old cemetery off Highway 11, approximately 1/2 mile from Antioch's present location, which contains approximately sixty unmarked graves, and one marker, Willoughby Winchester. (See P199 Winchester Family cemetery.) By: Anne Sheriff, Volunteer, Faith Clayton Room, Southern Wesleyan University o----------o Per Oconee County Historical Society Book Review by Fred Holder in Dec 1993 Twin Springs and A Grove of Trees: A History of the Congregations by Effie A. Porter and Blanche B. Hannah Secona Baptist Body establishes P??? New Hope Baptist/1797-1818 leg P??? New Hope changes their name to P185 New Hope Independent Baptist/1818-1828 Antioch Body establishes P106 Mountain Springs Baptist/1830-1842 leg Antioch Baptist changes their name to Antioch Independent Baptist/1842- 1852 P106 Mountain Grove Baptist was the Union of New Hope Baptist and P184 Mountain Springs Baptist (It's unknown what the above dates actually represent) o----------o HISTORY OF ANTIOCH BAPTIST CHURCH The twenty-one charter members who organized Antioch Baptist Church in Little Eastatoe in the northwestern section of Pickens County (today known as Sunset), during the year 1820, departed from the tradition of naming their house of worship after a river, creek, or geographical setting, and selected a Biblical name. In the "History of the Saluda Baptist Association", p. 26 (Furman Room, Furman University) it is recorded that on Aug. 12-15, 1820, while the Saluda Baptist Association was convening with Durban's Creek Baptist Church in Laurens County, Antioch, in Pickens County, was received as a member of that body." Antioch is listed on the "state of the churches" report from the microfilmed minutes of that same associational meeting on file in the Furman Room, and Jacob Reese and Jones Dawson were the messengers. The 1821 minutes recorded Rev. John Cobb as pastor, who served until 1844. The first "meeting place" for Antioch worshippers was located on original P199 Willoughby Winchester land near the old cemetery off Highway 11, approximately 1/2 mile from Antioch's present location, which contains approximately sixty unmarked graves, and one marker, "Willoughby Winchester." According to a printed historical sketch written by A. T. "Sonny" Winchester (member of Antioch for 57 years) in 1939, he remembered attending both church and literary school in a pine pole (log) building which was used until 1888, at which time the pastor, Rev. Marvel L. Jones, constructed a 30 x 40 ft. wooden structure on a tract of land deeded by Jeremiah S. Parrott, on Jan. 5, 1889. The building was dedicated on Nov. 3, 1889, with Elder T. F. Nelson rendering the dedication sermon. (The first burial in the new church cemetery was Jeremiah S. Parrott, July 2, 1903.) In the latter 1800s, P004 Antioch was the mother church of P137 Shady Grove, and contributed charter members for the formation of P072 Holly Springs, P106 Mountain Grove, P100 Mile Creek and P043 Estatoe Baptist Churches. During the associational meeting at Peniel Baptist Church in August, 1829, "at the request of Siloam, Cross Roads, Peter's Creek, Liberty, Oolenoy, Antioch, Secona, New Hope and Keowee churches, they were regularly dismissed, to form a new Association to be known as Twelve Mile River Association. Antioch was very active in this association until September 17, 1961, at which time, under the pastorate of Rev. Odell Chappell, it withdrew from the association and became Independent Baptist. In March, 1962, under Rev. Chappell's leadership, a remodeling program began and the existing brick sanctuary was completed that same year. In June, 1972, Mrs. Angus Aiken donated a tract of land to the church for the location of an educational building, which was constructed during the pastorate of Rev. Coleman Watts. Other pastors have been: Revs. John Galloway, John Owens, Maxwell Chastain, T. L. Roper, Jacob Lewis, J. R. Hamlin, William F. Lee, John Owens, T. W. Tollison, W. W. Reid, J. T. Burdine, John T. Lewis, J. M. Stewart, Tyre Singleton, B. F. Murphree, A. J. Manley, Benjamin Holder, W. J. Sheriff, B. C. Atkinson, M. E. Summey, Elijah Littleton, C. R. Abercrombie, E. L. Waldrop, H. A. Newton, A. M. Simmons, D. S. Thomas, Troy B. Chastain, R. A. Williams, Raymond Hester, Jim Lewis, Loonie Medlin, Henry Pelfrey, Odell Chappell, Dewey Lewis, Franklin Leslie, Coleman Watts, Alvin Southerland, James Coleman, Thad Farmer, Tommy Hayes, Tommy Owens, Greg Phillips, and the present pastor, Rev. Homer Couch. Charter members: John Cobb, Jacob Reece, Jones Dawson, Richard Holden, James Nix, William Galloway, John Galloway, Alee Edens, Thomas Alexander, Frances Cobb, Susanna Reece, Hester Boon, Rebecca Moore, Nancy Boren, Mary Wood, Rachael Bond, Mary Boren, Cassie Briant, Nancy Winchester Nix, Patient Aiken, and Sarah Galloway. Signers of the Church History written October 29, 1926, by Rev. W. M. Walker: A. T. Winchester, J. W. Winchester, Elijah Winchester, B.T. Winchester, Rev. C. R. Abercrombie, and Rev. W.M. Walker. Origin of Activities: Sunday School - April 1905; Bus Ministry - 1971; Baptistry installed - 1984; New wing for additional Sunday School Rooms - 1986 (Also at this time, the cement block educational building was remodeled into the church fellowship building). Today Antioch has 15 members. Sources: "History Of The Saluda Baptist Assn"; Micro filmed Minutes of Baptist Associational Meetings (Both of these in The Furman Room; Furman University, Greenville, SC; historical writings of A. T. "Sonny" Winchester; Antioch's Secretary-Treasurer Book Dating back to early 1900's; Visits to both cemeteries; large family association with Antioch. By: Thaylia K. Oberstar, 447 Little Eastatoe Rd.; Sunset, SC 29685 By: Pickens County SC Heritage Book 1995 o----------o The "Christian" Church made its appearance in the county in 1829. A log building was erected on Dooley's Ferry Road, and the name Antioch was given to the congregation. Mr. S. G. Earle was the leader. Having a minister very irregularly, he assembled the people and read a sermon to them. and often administered the communion. He also organized a Bible class which met every Sunday for study. They had no commentaries or other helps, and in place of attempting to construe scriptures, their method was simply to memorize long extracts from the Bible and numbers of hymns. The star pupil of the school was a girl who had to work very hard, but as she sat at her loom she kept an open Bible beside her and memorized more of its contents than anyone else in the congregation. Gleaned From: Traditions & History of Anderson County by Louise Ayer Vandiver TOMBSTONE TRANSCRIPTION NOTES: ------------------------------ a. = age at death b. = date-of-birth d. = date-of-death h. = husband m. = married p. = parents w. = wife