The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-06-26
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HISTORICAL. SKETCH OF
KING : CREEK CHURCH

&: 9 @ 9 q g 81 q e g 81 &. (" &: &" e 8:
TO go back $50 years, Tor so early
as l750. Ne haze found some discon-
aected data relating to t1e earliest
Irish settlers of Newberry county and
their afiliation with the religious
societies which existed prior to the
founding or organization Of the AS
sociate Reformed churches and the
defendants Of some by the same nam
es, such as Martins, Spences, Wilson's,
Dugans, Caldwells, Glenns, Gaines,
Sloans, Chalmers, Chambers, Carmich-
aeIs, Renwicks and Browns, are active
members now of churches organized
from the earlier religious societies,
and from these facts we are led to
believe that tne factors, waich made
possible the organization known as
qndian Creek church, Kings Creek
church, the Irish church, now Kings
Creek church, also often referred to as
the White church, existed 10 or more
years before the recorded dates Of any
paper or books with wnica l have
been able to sonsult.
The sessions records of Kings
Creek church, unQuestionably, would
be of interest and Invaluable could
taey be had, but l have been unable
to find them, if they were kept, even
in late years Nor is it strange that
the history of our churches in their
infancy was not preserved when we
think of the difficulties and embarrass-
ments confronting the pioneer settlers
in this new and wild country, with
its unbroken gigantic forests, bridges,
streams, roadIess and painless and
uncIeared lands, with religious and
political dissensions, with war clouds
gathering in the East and the threat
ening invasion Of the British army.
Is it not rather exceedingly COM
mendable that amid all and through
all these trials that the spirit of the
maryred fathers survived and gave us
the church o: their faith, even though
the exact date Of her birth is not
known in recorded history.
However, I feel sure Of the sympa-
thy O. all who are interested, if 1
fail to gather together the fragmentary
facts relating to Kings Creek church
connectedly and narmoniously, for 1
will very nearly give the exact quo
tations as I have culled them from the
several authors of reference
My specific task is to speak of Kings
Creek-but her relation and coopera-
tionwere soon intimate and interlinked
with Cannon's Creek in her young
days and with Prosperity and Head
Spring later, that it is we'll nigh i'm
possible to mention one witaout the
others, hence, my references often VII
be conjointly.
From the years 1853 TO 1775 the ele-
ments of Cannon's Greek and Kings
Creek churcaes, from which grew
Prosperity and Head Spring, came
from County Antrim, Ireland, sand
settled between Enoree and the Dutc4
Fcrk ,centering nera the creeks from
which the churches took their names.
A porticn OF Rev. John Renwick's
congregation came from ireland, in
the year 1857, and settled in New
berry county.
In 1770, a larger portion, with their
pastor came over and settled near
the others; and in NIP there came
a third colony.
From the foregoing we are safe in
concluding that the first Associate
Reformed preacher and pastor of the
church in Newberry was the Rev John
Renwick, born in Ireland OF Scottish
ancestry. His son, Rev. John Renwick,
was born at sea on the passage over,
December 31st, ITO.
The Lords supper was first admin
istered to these Christians in Newber-
ry, in Patrick Carmichael's barn, near
what is known as Boyd's Crossing be-
tween Newberry and Prosperity. This
Rev John Renwick, the first, is believ-
ed to have been descendant of Rev.
James Renwick, the last martyr Of
Scotland, who suffered February 17tn,
1858.
Rev. John Renwick preached at
Cannon's Creek and Kings Creek
churches, which we're founded at the
same time in 1772, until mis- death
August 20, 1775. He was never in
stalled as pastor of these churches.