History
of St. Paul’s Church
Pendleton
Mother church of Holy Trinity
Parish, Clemson
Established 17 June 1819
St. Paul’s,
Pendleton, has been so long a part of the local scene and so
long a part of the activities of the Episcopal
Church in the upper part of South Carolina, we may tend to accept its presence
and forget its history and its uniqueness.
When hardy souls - mostly Scotch-Irish from
Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina - moved into the Cherokee Territory
after the Revolution, they brought their religion with them. One of the first,
General Andrew Pickens, brought into Pickens County District, comprising
the present Pickens, Oconee, and Anderson Counties, his Presbyterianism,
resulting in the founding of Old Stone Church in 1789. This development was
prior to the founding of the town of Pendleton, which dates from 1790 when
the Commissioners, provided by the Act of 1789, selected it as the seat of
local government in northwestern South Carolina. A different influx came
some years later - prior to 1815 - when Charlestonians, seeking a more healthful
climate, built plantation homes in the country around Pendleton. Many were
Episcopalians.
The prevailing religious
denominations in the up-country were Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian.
But the Protestant
Episcopal Society for the Advancement of Christianity in South Carolina was
active, though progress was slow. A vivid example of the situation then is
reflected in Bishop Dehon’s report to the 26th Diocesan Convention,
in Charleston, February 17, 1814. "It is with pleasure I mention that
the congregation of Episcopalians in Columbia collaborated and organized,
under the labors of a Missionary of the Protestant Episcopal Society, have,
with the aid of donations for the work, from many zealous and benevolent
individuals, of our community, finished arrangements for the erection, in
that place, of a building for the purpose of Christian worship, according
to the uses of our Church. This Success of exertions in a place, where three
years ago, the Liturgy of our Church was scarcely known, affords encouragement
to similar efforts in other places, notwithstanding the unpropitious circumstances,
which confessedly exist." How truly unpropitious Pendleton must have
seemed then! But the Advancement Society persevered - and with success.
In the Convention of 1815 Hon. Theodore Gaillard, a deputy from Trinity Church,
Columbia, moved a resolution, commending the work of the Advancement Society
and appealing for its support so that it might extend its work into the upper
part of the state, "particularly in the Pendleton District." Assuredly
there were some Episcopalians in the area because a group, organized into
a mission, worshiped in the Court House and the present Farmers’ Hall,
there being no church building in Pendleton. A young missionary from Charleston,
the Rev. F. P. Delavaux, served the mission from 1816-1818.
St. Paul’s Register relates the actual
organization of the parish, "Pendleton C(ourt) H(ouse), June 17, 1819.
At a meeting of a number of residents of Pendleton District, wishing to establish
an Episcopal Church, Benjamin Dupre, Esq., was called to the chair. On motion
of Major Davis an election was held for Vestrymen, and the following were
chosen, viz. Benj’n Dupre, Thos. L. Dart, Laurens McGregor, Dr. Hall,
and Thomas Pinckney, Jr." Mr. Rodolphus Dickinson, a Harvard graduate
from Massachusetts, then teaching in Greenville, was employed by the Advancement
Society to serve this mission as well as St. Peter’s and St. James’ in
Greenville District. (He was not ordained to the priesthood until 1822.)
If the parish record is correct, unquestionably he was diligent and saddle-weary: "In
this service within 18 months he traveled 7,000 miles on horseback." Although
St. Paul’s was not formally admitted to the Convention of 1821, it was
represented by Col. Thos. Pinckney. At the next convention Bishop Bowen reported
visiting for the first time "through the North Western extremity of
the state" and administering the rite of confirmation in Pendleton.
Efforts, however, had already
been made toward the erection of a church. In 1820 subscriptions were taken,
Bishop Bowen
leading the list with $100. Mr. Benj. Dupre, Col. John E. Calhoun, and Col.
James Grishaw, comprising a committee, procured a lot from the Pendleton
Circulating Library for $39.00. It is somewhat surprising, in view of the
stand of native timber, to note in the parish Register that the lumber for
the building was hauled in ox carts from Savannah. William Henry Morningstar,
reputed to be of Indian extraction, was given the contract to build. Consequently
the structure (50 ft. x 32 ft.), built in the shape of a simple rectangle,
was completed in 1822 and consecrated by Bishop Bowen in 1823. The bell tower
added later contains a bell from the ship, Seabrook, which sailed many years
ago from Charleston to Edisto Island; the original bell was given to the
cause of the Confederacy during the war. Part of the building is the winding
stairway, opening off the vestibule, which leads to the balcony where the
slaves worshipped. In 1829 there were only 3 pews, a paucity which may be
accounted for in the By Laws of St. Paul’s. Article 1 states that every
pew is entitled to 1 vote, and Article 7 says that pew assessments are to
be paid every six months. According to Article 3, the treasurer "shall
publish all cases of vacancy on the next Sunday after such vacancy or vacancies
be filled." In 1833, five pews were added as well as a vestry room.
The present organ was purchased in 1848 by popular subscription ($300.00).
Prior to the installation, Dr. Thomas Dart "raised the tunes." Mrs.
John C. Calhoun was active in raising the funds because she complained that
Dr. Dart "failed to carry the tune" and because of the "hissing
sound he made." Then in 1854 a rectory was acquired at a cost of $1,100,
possibly reflecting the new prosperity resulting from the building of the
Blue Ridge Railroad, 1853. Some years later, 1860, the churchyard was enlarged
one and one half acres by purchase, and fenced in front in 1890. The most
recent construction was the parish house, completed in 1955. Throughout the
years numerous gifts and memorials have provided most of the furnishings
and church vessels.
The
clergy who have served St. Paul’s since the Reverend Rodolphus Dickinson
are:
- F. H. Rutledge 1831-1832
- W. H. Barnwell 1833
- Wm. T. Potter 1834-1847 - 12 pews added
- A. H. Cornish 1848-1875 - In 1875 he was
also holding services in Seneca and Walhalla.
- Henry T. Gregory 1875-1877
- Wm. H. Hanckel 1878-1884
- Thos. F. Gadsden 1884-1891
- Octavius T. Porcher 1891-1900 - He began
services at Fort Hill and at Clemson.
- Benj. MacKenzie Anderson 1900-1901
- Kirkman G. Finlay 1902-1907
- Consecrated Bishop 1921. His dusty shoes from his 4-mile hike from Clemson
were a familiar
sight in St. Paul’s.
- Lyttleton E. Hubbard 1909-1911
- R. M. Marshall 1912-1916
- Jas. M. Stoney 1917-1922 - He was later Bishop
of New Mexico. The centennial was celebrated May 2, 1920, Bishop Guerry
preaching
- Geo. E. D. Zackery 1922-1925
- A. W. Taylor 1927
- Capers Satterlee 1928-1936
- Donald E. Veale 1936-1941
- Jn. A. Pinckney 1941-1948 - Consecrated Bishop
1963
- R. Emmett Gribbin, Jr. 1948-1951
- Jack W. Cole 1951-1958
- G. F. Bright 1959
- J. F. Lowe 1959-1961
- Marshall O. James 1962-1963
- John W. Arrington, III 1963-1969
- Thomas C. Davis, Jr. 1970-1995
- David R. Ferner, 1998-2003
- Melvin K. Gray, 2003-2006
- John S. Nieman, 2006-
Among St. Paul’s faithful parishioners
none have been more unstinting of constant devotion and selfless love than,
in the past, W. H. D. Gaillard, who died September 11, 1890, aged 79, and
Miss Louise Hunter, still remembered by many of us for her never failing
support for St. Paul’s.
Churchyard
In
the Churchyard lie many of the state’s
most celebrated men and women. Among them are:
- Mrs. John C. Calhoun,
a lifelong member of St. Paul’s (John C. Calhoun is buried at St. Philip’s
in Charleston.)
- General Barnard E. Bee,
who gave the name "Stonewall" to
Gen. Thomas Jonathan Jackson
- William Henry Trescot, historian and U. S.
diplomat
- The Rev. Jasper Adams, first president of
Hobart College
- The Rev. Paul Earle
Sloan, St. Paul’s
only postulant for Holy Orders
- Thomas G. Clemson and his wife, Anna Maria
Calhoun
Written by: Dr. M. A. Owings, adapted in 1992,
updated in 2000
