RICE's CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETERY, Pickens County, SC A.K.A. Version 2.3, 3-Aug-2006, P128.TXT, P128 **************************************************************** REPRODUCING NOTICE: ------------------- These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format for profit, or presentation by any other organization, or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Paul M Kankula Seneca, SC, USA Pickens County SC GenWeb Coordinator Jennie Boggs Central, SC, USA Co-Pickens County SC GenWeb Coordinator Pickens County SC GenWeb Homestead http://www.rootsweb.com/~scpicke2/ **************************************************************** DATAFILE INPUT . : Paul M. Kankula at (visit above website) in Jan-2004 DATAFILE LAYOUT : Paul M. Kankula at (visit above website) in Jan-2004 G.P.S. MAPPING . : Gary Flynn at (visit above website) in Jan-2004 HISTORY WRITE-UP : ____________ at ____________ in _______ IMAGES ......... : Paul M. Kankula at (visit above website) in Jan-2004 LOCATION WRITE-UP: ____________ at ____________ in _______ TRANSCRIPTION .. : Judy Long at dlong@easley.net in Dec-2003 **************************************************************** CEMETERY LOCATION: ------------------ > Latitude N 34 49.051 x Longitude W 82 42.340 CHURCH/CEMETERY HISTORY: ------------------------ Around 1908 - 1909, Mr. B. P. Powell (father of Mrs. Maude Gantt) and Mrs. Ola Lancaster were riding over the farm that Mr. Powell managed for Mrs. Lancaster. As they approached the present location of the church from the Pickens direction, Mrs. Lancaster commented that this would be a beautiful location for a church. During their conversation, Mr. Powell suggested that if she was willing to donate a small portion of the property that he would talk to the people of the community about building and starting a church. One acre of land was donated by Mrs. Lancaster for the sole purpose of establishing a church for religious services only. A brush arbor was erected by Mr. Charlie Gantt and Rev. Seabrook Atkinson. Prayer meetings were held by Rev. Atkinson weekly for the people in the area. In August of 1910, the brush arbor was the site of the first one- week revival meeting. At the end of the meeting, peoples' hearts were burdened for a church to worship in. At that time, a fund raising project was started as the first step in their goal of building a church. Timber was donated by people of the community. Some of these were P.T. Nelson, Wyatt O'Dell, Code Gilstrap, Taylor and Wade O'Dell, W.M. Gantt, Francis Rogers, and Mrs. Ola Lancaster. The first timber was cut in the fall of 1910 by P.T. Nelson, John Atkinson, and Hamp Roper. At that time, initial construction of the church began by volunteers from the community. Endless hours of untiring labor was being done by volunteers with the focus of having a place to worship with family and friends. Working through the cold winter months of 1910 into the spring of 1911 the work was finally complete on the original church building. The first service was held in the new church on Easter Sunday of 1911. Among those attending the first service were three of our present members: Mrs. Dave Pressley, Mrs. Maude Gantt, and Mrs. Vessie Nelson. The services were held once a month, usually on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning by Rev. Atkinson, the pastor at that time. In August 1911, one year from the time the brush arbor was built, the first summer revival was held in the new church. Rev. W. M. Walker was the guest speaker. It was reported that 69 to 75 people were saved and baptized during this meeting. People living in the community witnessed the mighty power of God and the true spirit of genuine revival that swept throughout the community. Although there were other churches in the area (Liberty, Enon, and Golden Creek), many young adults had grown up with very little influence of the church until Rice's Creek was established. The church was dedicated on December 24, 1916, the same day Mr. Dave Pressley and Miss Bessie Dickard were united in holy matrimony. Full-time Pastors of Rices Creek Baptist Church: Seabrook Atkinson W. M. Walker Frank Murphy Fant Jones Jim Davis Fulton Childress Hovie Jones Mason Simmons Lloyd Pace H. A. Newton Rufus Mitchell Herbert Ayers Francis Whitmire Garland Leopard Cecil Holcombe Tommy Harper Bobby Price Landrum Reese Doug Ferguson David Shirley Ray Longenecker Garland Leopard Cecil Holcombe Tommy Harper Bobby Price Landrum Reese Doug Ferguson David Shirley Ray Longenecker By: Piedmont Baptist Association 2003 o----------o Rice's Creek Baptist Church was established as a result of meetings held about 1887. Old Lancaster donated an acre of land about 1908for use as a site on which to erect a church building. Under the leadership of the Seabrook Atkinson, interested persons began to conduct prayer meetings in various homes in the community. A revival was held in August,1910, and concerned individuals began to plan for the construction of a building following the meeting. Many members did the actual work on the building, and some persons donated timber for the project. The first service was held in the new structure on Easter Sunday, 1911; and the church was formally dedicated on December24, 1916. Six Sunday School rooms were added in 1946. After a new brick structure was completed in 1964,theold building was demolished to make room for a church parking lot. A pastorium was added to the church's property in 1967 , and the church took on the full financial support of its pastor in July of 1968. Based upon the memory of several older members of the congregation, some of the church's Charter members were Mr. and Mrs. B.P. Powell, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Gantt, Nicey Gantt Cartee, Minnie Gantt Rogers, Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Gantt, Lona Rogers, Mr. and Mrs. William Ellenburg, Mrs. Summey, and Mrs. Alexander. Pastors who served Rice's Creek Baptist Church were Seabrook Atkinson, W.M. Walker, Frank Murphy, Fant Jones, Jim Davis, Fulton Childress, Hovie Jones, Mason Simmons, Lloyd Pace, H. A. Newton, Rufus Mitchell, Herbert Ayers, Francis Whitmire, Garland Leopard, Cecil Holcombe, Tom Harper, and Bobby Price. Contributed by: Anne Sheriff TOMBSTONE TRANSCRIPTION NOTES: ------------------------------ a. = age at death b. = date-of-birth d. = date-of-death h. = husband m. = married p. = parents w. = wife Inf. Dau. Of Mr. & Mrs. Clyde Sutherland July 1, 1944 Will F. Swanson Georgia Pvt Co. G3 Casual Regt. WW II March 18, 1895- Sept. 10, 1967 Agnes Swanson May 28, 1896- June 27, 2000 Hershel Robert Swanson Feb. 11, 1926- April 16, 1946 Linda G, Westmoreland 1949- 1998 James Ed Sentell 1921-1998 Terry Earl Sentell 1962- 2002 John O. Swanson Sept. 18, 1920- Aug. 5, 1956 Ruth S. Swanson June 13, 1929 Charlie Patterson June 11, 1909- April 22, 1918 Corine Y Patterson March 16, 1908- Jan. 8, 1962 Susan Vernell Inf. Dau. Of Earl and Kathy Collins March 7, 1969 David Alexander Waldrop Oct. 17, 1878- Jan. 22, 1950 Lula Jane Gilstrap Waldrop May 3, 1880- July 21, 1953 James Edd Waldrop July 14, 1902- Feb. 25, 1957 David G. Sentell Oct. 4, 1896- Dec. 30, 1987 Alverty R. Sentell March 11, 1904- April 23, 1970 Robert Gwinn Dec. 27, 1909- Feb. 23, 1974 Beatrice Gwinn June 1, 1911- Jan. 3, 1997 Claude Gwinn Sept. 11, 1915- May 24, 1971 Hamp R. Earle Jan. 6,1903- April 20, 1963 J. T. Felix Rogers Jan. 6, 1883- April 3, 1963 Ella M. Rogers April 17, 1905- Jan. 9, 1972 Linda Jean Patterson July 10, 1943- July 14, 1943 Bertie D. Patterson Sept. 30,1897- March 29, 1962 Rev. Tete Patterson Dec. 17, 1893- June 1, 1985 Cuzzie Ann Couch June 22, 1906- July 18, 1998 C. Loy Couch Nov. 24, 1901- Dec. 25, 1984 Larry Dwight Couch Sept. 17, 1948- Sept. 17, 1948 Lloyd Raines Sept. 11, 1954- June 11, 1999 William Nathan Hatcher US ARMY Jan. 28, 1918- Nov. 22, 1978 Paul J. Waldrop March 11, 1912- Oct. 7, 1974 Rosalind Waldrop April 22, 1945- May 31, 1957 John T. Waldrop Sept. 6, 1891- June 11, 1951 Mary Etta Waldrop Nov. 6, 1888- Nov. 3, 1968 Clay Lesley Aug. 21, 1915- Sept. 28, 1994 Leola P. Lesley Aug. 6, 1916- Aug. 23, 2003 Chelsea L. Dunn Sept. 11, 1991- May 30, 1992 William C. Messer South Carolina S2 USNR WW II June 24, 1926- June 25, 1956 H. Lucille Stewart Jan. 16, 1926- March 11, 2000 J. Clyde Stewart Nov.23, 1929 Leslie Beth Brown April 5, 1958- March 2, 1985 Father) William Loyd Waldrop March 8, 1911- July 10, 1979 Mother) Louise Gantt Waldrop Sept. 11, 1911- May 27, 1976 Matthew Glen Roper Oct. 7, 1986- May 21, 2002 Beloved Son, Brother & Friend Jack H. Tysinger July 10, 1935- March 7, 1993 Shirley G. Tysinger May 11, 1941- Feb. 13, 2002 Ervin Lee Head Sept. 18, 2001- Sept. 18,2001 Maton G. Brooks March 9, 1919 Arietta H. Brooks Aug.9, 1922- June 22, 2001 Married April 13, 1940 Helen M. Hartzell Jan. 19, 1911 Frances Holbert March 20, 1935 James Holbert Oct. 26, 1926- April 2, 1990 Rachel Moore Holbert Feb. 8, 1926- July 27, 2001 Ronnie Lane Kress June 22, 1960 W. Douglas Miller Aug. 23, 1946- Sept.2, 1996 Winnon B. Miller Billy Joe Son Of Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Patterson March 22, 1959- March 22, 1959 Betty Joe Dickard Patterson Nov. 1, 1937- July 30, 1994 Walter Ernest Patterson June 14, 1932- Oct. 14, 1991 Married Oct. 31, 1953 Florence Ada Mann 1921- 1986 Joshua Bryant Roper Son of Marci Roper Sept. 8, 1989 I pray thee Lord my soul to keep Eddie Bart Patterson April 14, 1957- Sept. 1, 1996 Beloved Husband & Father Den? E. Son of Mr. & Mrs. J. P. Whitmire Oct.24,1942 -Dec. 24, 1942