The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-03-14
The Dedication Of the New Methodist
Church.


without intending to give undue prominence
70 any name, and without intending to give
any ono less than pro rata share OF any
credit that might be due.
The fact that the Church Secretary's book
was destroyed in 1872, and no restoration hav-
ing been made OF matters therein recorded,
will account for the omission Of names and
facts prior to that time.
In an account Of such length as this Is, we
have thought 1t proper to prefaceitwith some
sketch OF the town and county. In order that
the reader may be better able to take In the
situation In after years.
In this work we have been very generously
assisted by Judge Lyon, who has been ready
At any time to render all the assistance in his
power. without his help this report would
have been much less complete than 1t Is.
We are also thankful to Mr.. Gambrell, Capt.
Edwards, and all others who have taken an
interest in this matter.
Ab6epilLe is historic town; q fit representa-
tive OF county, noted as we'll for the wealth
tori iorio II memeries, which consecrate so many
places OF interest in its borders.
Indian roamed at large over the North-W est.
ns famy the III W With
rick Calhoun at It's head, and settled on Long
Cane creek. From this stock, at snort re-
that true son Of Abbeville,-the great Cal
houn, whose fame is not bounded by State
lines, but whose memory Is best chesished oy
the people for whom he labored, among
, whom his ashes repose and whose monumen-
tai shaft testi1ss to theirlesespd admiration.
Here1p fs54, came over two hundred French
settlers, under the leadership OF the Rev. Pc,
ter Gilbert, and planted at New Rochelle and
New Bordeaux, as well the names, as the arts
OF the old country. From tha' stock came
DR.. John De La Howe, who founoed one OF the
SCHOOL Not far from, there, and not many
miles from the Savannah was the famous W.T.
Hnoton academy. where the fame or DR.. Moses
our own McDuffie, Petigru, the Wardlaws, the
Bowies. and others, whose achievements have
illustrated the annals OF Soanty y anu STATE:
= Cane church, whose pastor for many years
was the distinguished DR.. VIM. Barr, whose
fame. like that OF Patrick Henry yh1 Is almost a2d
condensed energy Of expression, live In the
recollections still Of some surviving
Here In Abbeville, In the Old Ninety-Si1 Dis
tsict, stood the old historic fort, whose gray
seiges OF the Revolution. Abbeville bore
conspicuous part in the drama OF the Revolu-
ton and In the war between the States, she
was not behind her sister counties, in devo-
ton to the common cause, as illustrated In
her lavish expenditure Of blood and treasure !;
and now she Is not whit behind, the very
With over twenty fourishing towns; with
banks, railroads, factories. high schools and
colleges, she can assert her claim to be the
ne to,Sn Of Ao6evtue, as we have said, is q
worthy representative of Abbeville county
OF its past and It's present-of Its noble memo
tivation and refinement. The town has his
tory. fort Pickens," part and parcel OF Alb
beville, with its block house, recalls the name
OF Its iliustrious founder Gen. A1drew W r riek tso
old landmarks even OF more recent past, are
gone. Not many years ago, on the Eastern
Side Of the Public Square, stood the old Post
houn once had his law office; and there is still
standing the small brick Office, once occupied
as partners, by Gov: Noble and Judge Ward
s%d whte ~ Of 6e pas
in the old Wardlaw mansion, once occupied
by DR.. A. B. Arnold, one of the most famous
physicians Of the State.
its destructive work, and with much that we
could we'll spare. in the way Of wooden shan.
ties, has laid waste some Of the fairest and
superb mansions Of the late Thos. c. Perrin,
and more recently Of Judge MCGOWAN; but
new and elegant structures have been built
that q new edifoe win replace the charred
and blackened ruins OF the latter.
The old Presbyterian church did not escape
zeal, the energy, and the enthusiasm Of the
congregation, q new and imposing structure
is fast rising to replace the old, and ike the
shall be greater than the former" Near by
stands the new Methodist church-the church
Of the dedication-with its imposing exterior
and brilliant interior, signalling the zeal and
their best hopes and affections. Its modest
predecessor stands in the background,-proof
against storm and fire; sanctihed by the pray
Near by IL that architectural gem, the Roman
Catholic church, one Of the best proportioned
and elegant church ediices in the State. Not
both spacious and oommodious buildings; the
latter especially, with its lofty spire, we'll pro-
portioned walls, and richly ornamented chan
Gel window, the pride and ornament OF the
town.
The colored people have emulated the zeal
and enterprise Of the whites, and Presbyte-
rians and Methodists have spacious and com
Portable churches. Near the former. stands
the Ferguson, Acaden,y. not yet completed
which promises to be one Of the largest and
best brick buildings In town.
Abbevflle has one OF the finest, II not the
finest public squares, In the up-country. The
fires which successfully swept the Western
side Of the square. made way for range OF
stores, which In amplitude and convenience
OF arrangement are unsurpassed. Here upon
the spacious counters are piled the choicest
fabrics Of the Northern markets, and the most
varied assortments Of industrial art. Our
merchants are enterprising and intelligent,
and have established q reputation for busi-
ness capacity and integrity.
Across the square stands the Court House, a
rather modern structure, built upon the
foundations Of that which the fire OF 1872
swept away-a building, large, commodious
and imposing, with an ample Court room, room,
additions add much TO Its appearance.
In the rear are the law offices, more tasteful
than those usually occupied by the gen tlemen
ll1,f frofa
eestiye Of the traditional, "dust and cobwebs
OF the law" The Abbsville Bar Is composed
mostly OF young men, but they VIII man ntaih am
the ancient prestige OF their predecessors, anu
But a visitor who confines himself to the
public square would miss some OF the chleI
dences and the tasteful flower gardens, which
constitute an enduring charm, and make II
oneof the brightestand most attractive towns
in the State. The well sanded streets add 70
the comfort Of pedestrian, whilst the bright
ness or the Yerdure, and the fragrance OF the
flowers delight the senses.
Tasteful residences and we'll kept gardens
indicate the cultivation and refinement OF
people, and II is needless to add that the peo-
pie Of Abbeyllle are intelligent, liberal and
hospitable. .-
lives on every field, where valor was 10 pc dls.
played. or victory to be won.t In 1910 she sent
q gallant company to the famous Palmetto
Regiment with Marshall. MCGOWAN, M0ragne
and Selleck. the latter of whom first planted
the American colors. on the G0rita De Bole',.
In 1850 she sent another noble company under
the lamented Perrin, to Charleston Harbor, TO
luton On a. seessop @ sopeaii I in the very heart Of
the town, was first sounded that tocsin OF
fratrtcidal strife, which inaugurSted the war
between the States; and in the No'7vood man.
sion was held the last meeting Off the Davis
cabinet, which uttered the expiring groan Of
the defunct Confederacy. A nek era, we