Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg Court House [S.C.]) 1877-1881, 1879-10-17
FRIDAY MORNING, OCTOBER ~. 1879
For the Orangebnrg Times.
"Urangeburg Now aud Then
Mr.. Editor:

In common with the general reader :,
have perused, with some degree of
interest, the historic sketches Of your
highly esteemed correspondent who
has favored us with 'Orangeburg
Now and Them" ard think that he
ought to receive sufficient encourage.
ment to induce him to continue these
valuable papers Such communica.
tions are important, in as much as
they bring up the sacred memories Of
the past, and teach US wholesome
lessons for the future. The story of
the early settling Of Orangeburg
County is page in the history ofour
State which, until q late day, had
never been fully written; and this fact,
doubtless, accounts for one wrong
Impression which our venerable friend
has made on the public mind and
which | desire, in all manner Of
humility and kindness, to correct.
He says: Before 1776 there were
Eriscona!isms, P:est5:er;sas aud
BaEtists. The Episcopalians had
church in the town, and chapel
near HALFWAY Creek in St. Mat
ii'e"s, aud the fresbyteriaus mad two
churches-one at Turkey Hill near
the town, and the other on Cattle's
Creek" Now | do not question these
ntatements, but simply con.rovers the
impression made by them, to wit;
That these churches, in the order
here presented, existed prior to any
other in the town and County, and
none other had All existence in history
betore them, or even as their CO.
tempornries. In my judgment the
reader can onl V arrive ut this conclu.
sion from he statement above quoted.
The facts nre these: The early
settlers Of Orangcbury County anil
town were mostly German and Swiss
Luthcrans who came here during the
year 1885, ard in 1897. Their FIRST
pastor, who organized them into
regular Lutheran congregation, IN the
torn IF Oro"yeJurg IN 1887, was Rev.
John Ulrick Gisscrdanner. His
faithful labors ended in death during
the fall of 1888. The first establish
cd church ofOrangeburg was, there
fore, IL Lutheran church, which had an
existence there about twelve (12)
years before the Episcopal church.
The secord pastor was the nephew of
the first, bearing the same name. He
laborei ten years as Lutheran
minister, preaching in :he town, and
ut ST. Matthews Lutheran church,
located i'll Amelia Township, after
which, in 1749, he went 10 London,
received ordination at the hands of
the Episcopal Bishop, Rev. DR..
Sherlock, the Bishop of London. His
subsequent labors were as an Epis.
copnl minister. In 1749, when the
Orangeburg Lutheran church house
became changed into an Episcopal
house Of worship, there were lO7
Lutheran members in the town, and
these Were served by Lutheran pas.
to's entirely, numbering i'll all about
seventeen ministers" Time sped on,
difficulties arose, War had spread his
dark mantle over these early settlers,
and they are soon, in great measure,
lost sight Of; and, eventually, swal.
lowed up by other denominations.
And this accounts for the fact th at
the Lutheran element enters largely
into all the denominations now exist.
ing i'll the County, and even in the
State.
There are many other interesting
facts which | should be pleased to
furnish, had | time and space in
which to do so; but this hastily pre-.
pared paper must be close,l. shall
only add that, the facts above given
are suLstanlinted hv The Urlspcrger
Reports, and the manuscript records
now on Tie 81 elves of the Statehouse