The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-10-24
The Old Stone Church,

that yearns for sympathy for the home
of the dead, where our loved ones are
laid away, awaiting the summons at the
great day of the final account. Impress
ed with these sentiments we could very
naturally appreciate the feelings which
induced our friends to organize them
selves into an Association for the pur-
pose OF protecting and improving the
historic burying place in Oconee, known
as the Old Stone Church. AS we'll as we
could decipher, the corner stone Of this
edi6ce shows that IT was erected IN the
year 1894, one hunGred years ago. !.
Seventeen acres Of land were convey ed
to trustees by John Miller, an English
man. who left the home Of his nativity to
escape trouble caused by his connection
with the publication Of the "Junius's g
Letters" for the purpose Of erecting
thereon a house Of worship, known in
the history of the country as Hopewell-
Keowee. It was the pioneer house OF
worship in this section of the country.
The building was erected by John
Rusk, skillful workman, in stone, and
the fathet of Senator Rusk of Texas. AS
the. country increased in population
other houses of worship we're erected.
.Pendleton, always the seat of learning
and wealth, built Hopewell- Pendleton,
where ervices were regularly held, and
from this period the Old Stone Church
was year by year abandoned to its lonely
fate.
In its prosperity the sainted dead Of
the early settlers of The country were laid
to rest in its sacred precincts. Rev. Mr..
Reese, the first pastor of the church, was
the first to find rest in the old church
ward, and over whose remains q marble
tablet marks The spot. Then comes the
Pick enses, family Of renown, whose
remains are enclosed by brick wall.
The head-stone that marks the resting
place of Gen. Pickens is being broken
and carried away by relic hunters. This
is an act of vandalism that ought to be
stopped by the strong arm Of the law.
The graves Of the Whitners, Ma1wells,
Sloans, Lewises, Pickenses, Calhouns,
Bensons, Millers, and many others, are
to be found here, marked by the never
failing hand cf love and affection. The
grave OF the fated Bynum, who fell in
duel in 1928, by the hand Of the gifted
Perry, Is found between two large pines,
one at the head and the other at the foot
of his home OF clay. The story that has
gained credence that these pines grew
since his burial, has been exploded A
gentleman who long resided near the
place state that the body OF Bynum was
uusleu ... pes .1'-e .e VIZ h,,, ara now ~ large
growth and Imposing. There Is asym'
.pathy between these tall witnesses, sigh
sinS mtIn ~ uao ~, nth the desoIstioy, that
asssnt1r eraess ata anl,s @ aIonnd on every side.
tnhaa aA inna usars gona bv have not added
- tba .con,ei;ness even of the spot and
rho In nra hears no impress of BRIGHTNESS
in tha Years &, come.
= On last Thnrsdav the Association met
IA far tha nnrnose Of oelebrating its frat
onn;varsarv.rs Dr.E w. B. Cherry. one of
iiandaarEs.oY the nast. ia the President,
onS soas T,nan,monslv re-electetl in oppo-
s;,ioys - =, h;, testsfions that his usef1l.
sasse asss as ~ a ps";SIino oficer had snassed
10. as ms.o offscare ;nc|ndinp
:sSa y.;a,,t e al c;ant E,Yacntiva Com mit.
;t..e ta pau.Hs wsra s1sIs @ re.elected. Col B. r.
Slnan in the absence Of DR.. McBryde,
.n,. ;wess aslacted to, riiischaree Che duties of
Secratarvs @ and treasurer, and, also, as
;Gbairnnan;of fine Executive Committee to
1soIicis -membel.s Of the Association, and
,cojIact ali fnnos fIue The Association by
..reoony, ~ nem harship. az we'll as from
tSoso. who ara yvilIinp 10 aid in improy-
;rSs - ,,onnd = and. and cematerv. and pro-
tect 5 the t1 sniaca from stock and relic hun
tsrs. @ m or rather yandals. who have no re-
8 snaot sSor thaf sall and NO sympathy for
Ia iiyinp. m s7..iI, 81 3
3 1EThe satfen6ance wss reasonably good,
asnacio iIy- ~ fha ,1sTies who are ALWAYS
sersy,,nat, 4, ~ ,yo,.ta oy 1--we and charity.
g ~ nr STSs = E r. II Friarsor, ar m y OF Anderson: had
baana invjtad; to deliver sermon on the
ocsss;nns1 and bac WAS. present. Rev. J.
4 oeaS Wiisone of of SENECA G opened the services
bv fr1 song @ and PRAYER. 8r: Frierson; then
5s,;HarsSH I Sis aS,drass5 which. he was
ns n,aased G IN tarno t sermonin and historical.
iyassu Mmns care w @ and Iabor a had, been devoted
hvH ~ W him nh9 in his his research r for facts npon
which y his M remarks m were, in the main,
Sonnded. The history ofi the church,
.Honeweil- a -Keoyiae. from 17ss 8 to the
neriod within our recoll lection, was full
And very ginteresting, Altogether, the
address of Dr: Frierson was able and
schoiarlv % lar . and is a most valuable contri-
hntion fn the current history of this Sec
lion viewed either from religious,