The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-07-04

recently held i'll our town and will
prove interesting reading to Anderson .
County people. 1t. together with n
cut of the Methodist Church. has mn |
pcarcd with the minutes of the CON
ference which will soon be circulated
oyer the State
Il. BROOKS Gouu.luN.
Our town is named for W. 4. WI- !
liams. who. at one time, owned a large
part of the land in this vicinity. II il !
related that in the fOrtics he wandered
some distance from his residence in
search of tree suitable for screw
pin. After searching sometime. he be
to rest. He fell asleep, and dreamed
that near him in the swamp was Il
| spring of remarkable medicinal virtues.
Upon awaking. he began to search,
and found the mud peculiarly discOlorcd
i'll certain place. He scooped it away,
and noticed that water of IN unusual
taste bubbled up. He had the water
qualities that have since been benefi-
cial to many. During the following
| summers, cabins with brush nrbOrs in
front were put up. and people began to
come here to try the virtues of the
water.
III 1909 MI. w IillamS decided the
spring park to the town. He gave lots
for the various churches to be built
upon. and also lots for school purposes.
The Greenville and Columbia Railroad
was completed to this place in 1859
| Williamson then became the summer
resort for many people from the lower
part of the State, and from adjoining
States.
In 1859 large hotel was built here
and it is said that there were as many
as six hundred guests ut this hotel Mt
one time. People came from as great
q distance as New Orleans. In about
two years this hotel was burned. and
the growth of our town received u
check.
A great many people from he lower
part OF our State refugeed here during
the war. Since the war our growth
bas been gradual, and we now number
about twelve hundred.
| A cotton mill has Just been organ
izcd, and will add much prosperity to
our town.
A Methodist preacher, Rev. A. B.
McGilyary. assisted by Rev. William
6. MulliniX. mony years ago held pro-
tractcd services at Big Greek Baptist
Church (Which is about half mile
from the corporate limits of orr town.,
and many people became Interested.
especially the school boys that attend
ed the Male Academy, at that time
taught by the noted Mr.. Lcverett.
This meeting had an influence in start-
| ing the Williamson Methodist Church.
| There were not many MethOdists in this
part of the country then, and these
were ridiculed. DR.. Manning Austin
came here to spend the summer; he was
a Methodist, and it was largely through
his influence that preaching was be-
gun under. brush arbor, IN the fiat
| between the site of the old Methodist
Church and Main Street.
| One of our older members says:
"The pulpit and book board were
made of undressed lumber, and the
seats were made of logs placed on the
grassy slopes under the pleasant shade
of stately trees"
After a time it WIS thought best to
put up house OF worship, and about
ground given by Mr. Williams for that
purpose. This was the first church
building of the town. 1t was dedicat-
ed by DIR. II. J. Boyd, p. e. In those
days there had been more or less theo-
logical discussion, and the Shouting
MethOdists" were laughed at. DR..
Boyds sermon was along line calou-
lated to alley any strife or dissension
text was: Jerusalem which is above
Is free, which is tho mother Of us ALL"
Gal. q, 90.
It is said that ne was solid, power
full preacher. Oil this occasion many
tears were shed, and there was much
onvu..ms; ~ S;... the Cuptisr prernleS even
outdoing the Methodist In this respect,
and afterwards taking communion with
them at the close Of the sefri1 OH:
we have been unable to find otit who
were the pioneer preachers of those
days. DR.. A. NJ. Chreitzberg was
among the first who preached here,
while he was on the Anderson Circuit
which, at that time, consisted of six-
Baptists used the Methodist Church as
their place, Of worship. From their
Minute Book under the date of July
14th, 1856, we read: cat q meeting Of
q portion of the members. of the differ
ent Baptist Churches held in the
Methodist Meeting House." the Will
liamston Baptist Church was organ
ized.
Brother Thomas Cox was at one time
the only male member of our church,
and the Quarterly Conferences were
sometimes held at his house.
About 1868 q number of families from
Lnurens and Abbevillc Counties moved
to WilliamstOn. These added largely
| to the membership and influence Of the
church.
While Alexander b. Stephens mas
| Presiding Elder Of the Grccnville Dis
trict, he held q prOtracted meeting
here, and the membership was greatly
built up. and twenty-threc names were
added to the roll. The pastor. who
lived some fifteen miles beyond Ander-
meeting until after its close. At that
time tho Williamson Circuit included
q number of churches in the eastern
and northern part of Anderson Cc":::yy-.
ca! wii0 las Deen connected with
our church for sometime writes:
eve had q good Sunday School. At
member of the school was converted
and added to the church. One entire
class ladies Bible Glass; was con-
verted at one meeting. and there was