Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-03-30
KINGS MOUNTAIN CHAPEL.
Remarkable Achievement Accomplished
by q Few Jealous Workers.

Remarkable Achievement Accomplished
by Few Jealous Workers.
In the case of all the churches,
sketches of which have heretofore been
published in these columns, it will be
remembered, especially when atten.
ton is called TO the fact, that in the
first place organization has generally
been the result of convenience to d
large number of communican,s pre-
viously collected in the respective
communities, by settlement or other.
wise, and that buildings have followed
as a natural consequence. In other
words, the material had been prepared
and the foundation laid elsewhere, and
that these should erect themselves
into a new church and put up build.
| ing in which to enjoy the privilege of
worshiping in accordance with the
common idea, was matter of course.
But the story in connection with the
engraving of the building that is pre-
sented today reads somewhat different
lly. There was a territory to be work
ed on and there were people in that
territory with whom to organize a
church ; but they were not church peo-
pie, and the prospect of making them
such was anything but inviting. The
inhabitants of the territory, with few
exceptions, were poor and ignorant.
As rule they had not only not had
the benefit of religious teaching from
any denomination but with few ex
ceptions they were not intelligent
enough to feel the need of either school
houses or churches. Reference here
is had to the territory covering radi'
us of from two to four or five miles
from a point on the Kings Mountain
road-four miles north of Yorkville-
and of which Kings Mountain chapel
| is the centre.
The time of which mention is made
was in the early sixties. There were
not very many church people in the
Kings Mountain chapel territory then,
although the district was pretty thick
i ly populated. Methodist preachers
were not so numerous in those days
as they are now; but they had no
less aggressive zeal, and it is TO this
fact that the territory now under con-
sideration owes so much.
The first Methodist preacher to be-
gin work in this section was Rev. Mr..
Roper. This was along about in 1864.
He managed to collect a small congre-
CATION, principally of women, and
preached from time to time at long
intervals as occasion would permit.
Others also assisted at intervals, and
in 1864 Rev. NJ. A. Connolly organized
church with II members.
We have not secured the names of
all the earlier members. The old book
was not kept with as much accuracy
as it might have been; but among
others there are included the names of
Rhoda Wood, Ann Clinton, J. M.
Thomasson, A. w. Beard, Hugh Ven.
able, G.. w. Clinton and Agnes Null
holland, all in good standing since the
time they gave in their names. For
several years the church did not make
great deal of progress. In fact, some
of the material was such that rapid
progress was impossible. The preach
ers and officers did good work and
much of it; but the disadvantageous
circumstances were such that for sew
eral years it was creditable to them to
be able to keep the church alive at all.
The real history of Kings Mountain
chapel, probably, does not commence
until about 1870. 1t was along about
then the exact date is not at hand-
that Rev. L. A. johnson began to give
the territory his attention. Up 10 this
time there was still no church build
| ing. Services were held at the home
of first one and then another of the
members. Rev. Mr.. Johnson deter
mined to build the church up, and TO
that end secured the cooperation OF
Messrs. Joseph A. Smith and Isaac
Davis.
1t was necessary, of course, to pro-
vide a house of worship rs the first
move; but as has already been stated,
there was nobody to furnish the mon-
ey for the purpose. There was d con-
sultation between Rev. Johnson, and
Messrs. Smith and Davis, and, US the
result, they decided 10 build the house
the nselves. Accordingly, with their
wagons, they went to the woods, haul
ed logs, and after q long time, princi'
pally by their own labor, had com.
pleted the construction of a little
building that wonld answer their
purpose. 1t was built of logs, cover
ed with boards, the floor was undress.
ed pine, and rough slabs served as
benches. The work was completed in
1876, and the first sermon was preach
ed in it by the then Rev. E. l.. Arch.
er, now senator from Spartanburg and
a prospective candidate for governor.
When all the work was done, there
was due an account of between $50
and $40 for lumber and sash. This
Rev. Mr.. Johnson settled with his in
dividual note. Afterward, however,
Mr.. Johnson was sent to an appoint
ment in Chester county, and the hold
er of the note becoming uneasy, COM
planned to Mr.. Smith. Mr.. Smith took
49, -. oal h., ouroopoanf tho pY-