Robeson County NcArchives Church Records.....Bear Swamp Church Copyright Date March 19, 1931
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Michael Walters MeWalt7@aol.com July 6, 2008, 3:06 pm

(Condensed from a History by N.S. Watson published in The Robesonian March 19, 
1931)

   Fairmont -- Bear Swamp church had its beginning about 1785 when a log 
building was erected on the present site of the church. The names of only three 
charter members are known - Jesse Ford, Solomon Page, and Searsbook Watson. 
Searsbook Watson was the first clerk of the church, or society, as it was 
sometimes called. Jesse Ford was pastor of the church about the year 1800, and 
was problably its first pastor.
   Situated about one-half mile from the North Carolina line, in Dillon County, 
S.C., the church always has had a good number of Robeson County members. Since 
1832, it has been affiliated with Robeson Baptist organizations. Many Robeson 
members live in the Marietta section.
   About the year 1795, John Elvington, Dawson Walters, Pharaoh Scott and some 
others moved from the upper part of North Carolina and settled below the 
present town of Lake View, South Carolina. On leaving their old homes, they 
divided into two parties and came by different routes, agreeing to meet at Bear 
Swamp church and camp there until they could secure locations. One party was 
made up of some of the younger men and came on foot. The other was composed of 
the older men and women and children and came in wagons. 
   The young men reached the meeting place first and, rather than sleep on the 
ground, they constructed a platform among the limbs of a large oak tree that 
stood on the church ground. Upon this platform they slept at night, After the 
other party had joined them, they camped on the church ground for three weeks 
before they secured locations, and settled.
   Gillis Scott, who died in 1927, was a grandson of Pharaoh Scott, and he 
remembered his grandfather pointing out to him the tree in which he had slept 
at Bear Swamp church.
   By 1801 it was felt that the church should own the land on which its 
building stood. This land was owned by Solomon Page and Lydia Thompson, and on 
December 22, 1801, they gave a deed for one acre of land for the use of the 
Baptist Society.
   This deed was entrusted to Searsbook Watson, and still remains in the hands 
of his descendants. Names of the comissioners as they appear on the deed are 
Robert Hodges, William Herring, and Benjamin Roach. Witnesses are: Alexander 
Rowland, James Roach, and Laban Davis.
   About 1825 the church building was burned and all the records except the 
deed to the church were lost. The deed was kept among the personal papers of 
Searsbook Watson.
   About five years passed before another church was completed. During this 
time many of its members joined other churches, but a few remained faithful and 
continued to hold services in the grove.
   Before the new church was erected members of another denomination tried to 
build a church on the site of the old building. But the Baptists held the deed 
to the land, and they would not allow this to be done.
   The second building of frame construction, was completed about 1830. On 
April 2, 1831, the church was reorganized and soon afterward became a member of 
the Cape Fear Association and Robeson Union.
   The names of the charter members of the 1831 organization were: Allen 
Johnson, Daniel Townsend, Michael Watson, Joseph Page, Stephen Gratham, Thomas 
P. Watson, Michael Davis, Aaron Wise, Richard Bullock, Jordan Sellers, Mrs 
Sarah Townsend, Mrs Smithie Watson, Mrs Susanah Page, Mrs Christian Watson, Mrs 
Nancy Wise, Mrs Clowey Bullock, Mrs Mary Sellers.
   The ministers who officiated at the consitution to the church were James 
Thomas and Jesse Rogers. Allen Johnson was appointed clerk and Daniel Townsend 
and Michael Watson were appointed deacons.
   On August 15, 1868, Bear Swamp church building was again burned, and again 
the church devoted itself to the task of rebuilding its house of worhship.
   In 1883 the Robeson Association was formed and in 1896 the Robeson Union and 
Bear Swamp joined these bodies. During the closing years of the past and the 
opening of present century Bear Swamp was one of the strongest churches in the 
Robeson Association.

Additional Comments:
Bear Swamp Baptist Church is located near the town of Lake View, South 
Carolina.  It is historically known as The Meeting House.  On December 22, 1801 
one acre of land on the north side of Bear Swamp was deeded for the use of the 
Baptist Society.  Local tradition says that the meeting house which stood on 
the tract was built in the 1780's and was used as a camp site for travelers 
between Fayetteville, North Carolina and Georgetown, South Carolina.  In 1831 
the Baptist Society was constituted as Bear Swamp Church.



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