UNKNOWN NAME NEGRO CEMETERY (146), Pickens County, SC a.k.a. Old Negro Cemetery Oconee County before 1986 Version: 3.0 Effective: 05-May-2014 Text File: C146.TXT Image Folder: C146 ******************************************************************************** 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 recording contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the following USGenWeb coordinator with proof of this consent. Paul M Kankula - nn8nn SCGenWeb "Golden Corner" Project Coordinator DATAFILE INPUT . : Paul M. Kankula at genweb@bellsouth.net in Jun-2006 GPS MAPPING .... : Gary Flynn at (visit above website) in Jun-2006 HISTORY ........ : ____________ at ____________ in _______ IMAGES ......... : Paul M. Kankula at genweb@bellsouth.net in Jun-2006 RECORDING ...... : Gary Flynn at (visit above website) in Jun-2006 ******************************************************************************** CEMETERY LOCATION: ------------------ 2 miles NW of Pendleton Latitude N34 40.456 x Longitude W82 48.786 CEMETERY HISTORY: ----------------- The cemetery has been partially desecrated by a grading contractor when an extension to the Columbo's Pizza Parlor parking lot was being constructed (old Landreith Appliance Building at 203-1 Pendleton Rd). Deacon Thomas Craft (864- 654-5559) said that he warned the grading contractor of the graves, prior, to the destruction actually being done. He said that the landowner's lawyer, advised the contractor, that the graves could be desecrated, if, the cemetery was proved to be abandoned according to SC's Cemetery Laws. As a result, several grave markers were bulldozed into a nearby ditch (see images). (As of Oct-2006, the building was sold to Mark ___? and he stated that his deed does note that there's a Colored Cemetery on his property - no name is given.) When the church was dissolved, members went on to form/join the Abel Baptist Church in Central, New Hope Baptist in Clemson, Goldenview Baptist and House-of- Prayer Churches. Deacon Craft suggested that I call Brother Emmanuel Mcdowell at 864-654-5285 for further info. By: Paul Kankula, 8-Sep-2006 o----------o I'm not going to be of any help, but I remember this cemetery from when I lived in Pendleton in the early 1970's. If you'll recall, I told you I roamed all over that area looking for historic sites, even bought a road legal dirt bike to get into inaccessible places. Unfortunately, I never recorded any of the stones I found, but I distinctly remember that there was more than one stone in that cemetery at the time. I guess the missing ones are now paving somebody's home foyer or patio, as is common. Bob Stevens at bobhist@yahoo.com, 22-Jul-2006 o----------o Per conversation with 95 year old Edith Henderson (843761-3529) on 17-Aug-2006 Edith remembers this cemetery well, because she walked by it every day. There was a church building that looked more like a shack than a church. The church burned down at some point in time and she doesn't know what happened to its membership. When the Old Pendleton Road was being widened and Asphalted, a few graves were moved to Clemson University's Poultry Center on Cherry Road - that was also for colored folks. (C248 Pickens (Hopewell) Plantation Cemetery Her daughter's name is Mahala - Edith lives with her near Charleston. Her grand daughter is Genny Stender at gtygerlady@comcast.net. By: Paul Kankula, Aug-2006 o----------o Other folks who lived in the general area of this church was Dr. William & Jane Hunter, 249 Pendleton, Pendleton, SC, 864-654-5129, janehunter@bellsouth.net. (No replies to sent e-mails) By: Paul Kankula, Aug-2006 o----------o Did Edith Henderson tell you that Clemson University owned all the land on the Clemson side of the Rock Gates. Edith's husband worked and lived at the Clemson Chicken Farm which was located at the water tank. At some point, they purchased property beside the Clemson Chicken Farm. My husband said the Chicken Farm was between the water tank and the Army Reserve Building. Anne Sheriff at claytonroom@swu.com, 19-Aug-2002 o----------o Unfortunately I know nothing about the history of New Hope church nor of a Pickens family church/cemetery. Nothing I've ever read about Abel's founding* suggests that it derived from a predecessor church. * 1868, according to the church's own historical sketch, and evidenced also by the 1868 Rocky River Baptist Association (RRBA) minutes. Also, Goldenview wasn't formed until decades later. I haven't checked the date recently but think it was early 1900s. The Pendleton District Commission has photocopies of my original souvenir books for Abel, Goldenview, Griffin Ebenezer, Seneca River Missionary Baptist Assn., and perhaps one other. The WPA did an extensive survey of churches in Anderson County. Info supplied came from people up to 60-65 years after some church foundings and was based on inaccurate oral tradition. Some Anderson County black churches were founded years before the assumed date; for others, there's no evidence that they existed that early. I've compared RRBA minutes (1868-1915), which list member churches, deeds of land, the WPA info, and other sources; my dating for Anderson Co. churches is still somewhat tentative, but based on best available evidence. You may want to check John A Middleton, Pre-1900 Statistical Table of S.C. [sic] Black Baptist Churches (c. 1992), available at Furman. Middleton drew primarily (probably only) on association minutes, so numerous small churches that were unaffiliated may have slipped by. By: Dr. Jim Meggison, 6-Sep-2006 o----------o From: Johnny Landreth To: gcgenweb@bellsouth.net Sent: Friday, September 10, 2010 9:17 AM Subject: RE: Old Building Cemetery Johnny, I finally got around to tracking down Mr. Johnson - per your suggestion. Then I found out that he died 2 months prior to my visit... Lets see if I have remember of our conversation... Please correct whatever I have wrong and feel free to add whatever you want. - When your old building was bought at auction, it was purchased from a prior owner named Evans. - There was another building that was located to the right of the one that your family purchased. A church ended up using this 2nd building, but not the cemetery. It looked like a single story storage building that the church painted white. The building burned down at some point in time. Church name is unknown. - Some unknown individual donated the cemetery land just for Old Stone Church Slave burials. - When the paved road in front of your old building was built, it cut through part of the cemetery. As a result, a couple of tombstones were moved to the nearby Pickens Plantation Slave Cemetery. REESE, Hannah, b. est-1808, d. 8-jun- 1857, a. 49y, h. james reese & THOMPSON, Loutilda, b. 10-jun-1916, d. 20- oct-1918 - The right-front parking lot next to your old building was accidentally built on top of some of the graves. - The only readable tombstone in the current cemetery. BRIDGES, Nela, b. 1896, d. 1899, a. 3y Paul M Kankula - NN8NN o----------o Just a note that I remember Rev Johnson told us was that the graves where the parking lot was put, had all been moved by the state many years ago. He had marked the area for us and I believe my dad and he drove up metal stakes at its border. Hope this will help. Johnny o----------o From: Clayton Room Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 9:05 AM Subject: RE: C146 Slave Cemetery There was a Evans family that owned a dress shop in Pendleton for years. The man's name was Harry and the wife was Pat (school teacher). They moved from their big house in Pendleton and maybe live at 322 Miccasa Drive, Pendleton. 864-646-6072. Pat is the talker, Harry doesn't say very much. Robert Kemp and his wife are a major instigators of the Black History Museum (African-American . . . .) at Clemson. They had a opening reception and many of the local Black preachers were there. They may be able to help us restore the cemetery and mark it with a sign. 654-5025. They would know all the local preachers and maybe get them involved. Tell Robert Kemp that Anne Sheriff gave you his name and is also interested in helping with this project. Are the names you mentioned from the cemetery at the Turkey Farm. I tried finding a death certificate for one of them but couldn't find it. I checked several other sources but could not come up with the information. I also, check with a Mr. Thompson in Pendleton who was a historian but he did not know that Thompson. I did not know of a Reece Family. If you call these people, let me know what happened. Anne Sheriff o----------o Edith Johnson said some graves were moved to the C248 Pickens (Hopewell) Plantation Cemetery when the Old Pendleton Road was being rebuilt. I question if she might be talking about the 1st New Hope Baptist Church Cemetery. The only "readable" tombstones at the C248 cemetery: REESE, Hannah, b. c1808, d. 8-jun-1857, a. 49y, husband james reese THOMPSON, Loutilda, b. 10-jun-1916, d. 20-oct-1918 (these tombstones are not located close to each other.) o----------o 24-May-2014 During cemetery cleanup, the mounting base for Nela Bridge's tombstone was discovered, but not the tombstone. Paul Kankula o----------0 TOMBSTONE TRANSCRIPTION NOTES: ------------------------------ a. = age at death b. = date-of-birth d. = date-of-death h. = husband m. = married p. = parents w. = wife BRIDGES, Nela, b. 1896, d. 1899, a. 3y