SOAPSTONE BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETERY (1899), Pickens County, SC A.K.A. Little Durby Church/School in Little Liberia Version: 3.0 Effective: 21-Oct-2009 Text File: P118.TXT Image Folder: P118 ******************************************************************************** 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 (visit above website) in Nov-2005 Debbie Kellogg in Jul-2006 GPS MAPPING .... : Gary Flynn at (visit above website) in Aug-2003 HISTORY ........ : G. Anne Sheriff at claytonroom@swu.edu in Jun-2005 IMAGES ......... : Paul M. Kankula at (visit above website) in Aug-2003 RECORDING ...... : Robert G. Dodson at robertgdodson@aol.com in May-2006 ******************************************************************************** CEMETERY LOCATION: ------------------ SOAPSTONE BAPTIST CHURCH, 864-878-5533 296 LIBERIA ROAD, PICKENS SC 29671 Locate intersection of Highways 8 & 288 in Pumkintown. Drive (E) on Highway SR 288. In 1.6 miles turn left (N) onto SR S-39-112 (Liberia Rd). Drive (N) 0.9 miles. GPS = Latitude N 35 00.854 x Longitude W 82 37.893 CHURCH/CEMETERY HISTORY: ------------------------ School established in 1871/7 according to date on step. Raymond Owen is church historian. Soapstone Church, Pickens Freed men who settled here after the Civil War built this church in the late 1860s. It is the oldest African-American Church in the Upstate. The church is still used on a regular basis for Sunday worship. To view the church from the outside only, take Hwy 8 North out of Pickens to Hwy 288 and turn right. Go to the first paved road on your left (Liberia Road), and turn left. The church is on the right about 1 mile. o----------o The original Soapstone Baptist Church was constructed in 1899. History recalls that the late Reverend Henry Cureton was the first pastor. The late Deacon Tom McGowan, the late Deacon Dock M. Chasteen, the late Deaconess Rosalee McGowan, and the late Deaconess Louise Chasteen served under the leadership of the late Reverend Andrew Jenkins, the late Reverend James Todd, the late Reverend Paris, the late Reverend Bannister Hendricks, and the late Reverend A.B. Banks. The late Deacon Clarence Glenn, the late Deacon Chester Williams, and the late Deacon J. W. Chastain as well as Deaconess Bessie Williams and Deaconess Ardelphia Chastain assisted the late Reverend C. D. Walker. Deacon Raymond Owens and deaconess Bertha Owens served the church during Reverend J.E. Williams' term as pastor. The church is pastured presently by Reverend Robert Hamilton during which time Deacon Ebbie E. Whiteside and Deaconess Frances Whiteside were inducted. The original church, having been destroyed by fire (allegedly by the K.K.K.) in 1966, was rebuilt and the first service was held September 1967 through the efforts of the members and many friends of Soap Stone Baptist Church. Workshop services are held 1st and 3rd Sundays beginning at 12:00 noon. Booklet called History of the Oolenoy River Baptist Missionary and Educational Association, p. 19. Revised by Luther Johnson, Jr. on 19 Jul 1982. A copy is at the Faith Clayton Room, Southern Wesleyan University and another copy at Pendleton Historical Commission, Pendleton, SC. o----------o Late 1870's Soapstone Church & School organized (first African American school in Pickens County). o----------o Soapstone Baptist Church: Located in Little Liberia, this is the oldest African American church in the upstate, formed in the late 1860s by freedmen who settled there after the Civil War. o----------o SEPTEMBER 23RD 2009 - PICKENS COUNTY TOUR On Wednesday, September 23rd at 8:00 a.m., Odyssey joined the Pickens County Ambassadors Tour beginning at the Hagood-Mauldin House for breakfast. The morning tour stopped at Bee Well Honey farm store, Soapstone Baptist Church, Pumpkin Town, Mt. View Hotel, with lunch at Collins Ole Town. In the afternoon, we stopped at the Central Roller Mill, Central Railway Museum, Fort Hill, the historic home of John C. Calhoun and ended up back at the Hagood-Mauldin House for a wine and cheese reception. o----------o http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.fortner/909/mb.ashx 1. TIMOTHY1 Fortner was born Abt. 1785 in North Carolina, and died Aft. 1850 in Pleasant Grove, Pickens County, SC. He married MILLAK (MILLAC, MILLET) COLLINS Abt. 1806 in Patten Field, Pickens County, South Carolina, daughter of NATHANIEL COLLINS. She was born March 07, 1781 in Ireland ?, and died Bef. 1850 in Dahlonega, Lumpkin County, Ga.. Notes for TIMOTHY FORTNER: Timothy Fortner died after 1850 in Pickens County, SC. This story has been handed down through the Fortner line: Timothy Fortner was living alone, shortly after 1850. A certain person inquired about buying Timothy's house. For whatever reason Timothy declined to sell his house and property. That night his house was burned to the ground, with him apparently inside. The next day someone came forward and presented a bill of sale for Timothy's house and property, saying that they had previously purchased the property. Timothy's remains Timothy's remains were gathered and buried in an unmarked grave. This site is located on the property of the Owen family, of the Liberia section on Pickens County, near present day Pumpkintown. Mr. Chris Owen, who turned 106 years old in 1999, has maintained the burial site for many years. Chris's wife, a McJunkin, is a daughter of a slave. She is 101 years old. As of December 1998, they are both still alive and living in the Liberia section of Pickens County, near Pumpkintown. The grave of Timothy Fortner, is located near the site of the cabin in which he lived. He is said to have died in his burning cabin in which he apparently lived alone. The grave is situated on a terrace in a small field, located on the property of Chris Owens, and lies about 300 yards Northeast of Soapstone Church, in the Liberia Community. According to the 1850 Federal Census, Timothy Fortner was born in North Carolina in the year 1785. His wife was Millet COLLINS, who died before 1850. o----------o See http://www.pumpkintown.org/index.html o----------o Oolenoy River Baptist Church Association (N) (Clemson SC) (est. Aug-1882): 111 Abel, Clemson, SC 29631, Pastor Mathew Oglesby 864-654-5188 1881 Members: Soap Stone, Pine Grove, Shoal Creek, and Mr. Nebo met at Shoal Creek to discuss organizing the Oolenoy River Baptist Association. o----------o Soapstone is quarried like Granite and Marble. It is a steatite stone and its primary components are magnesite, dolomite, chlorite, and talc. It can range in age from 300 to 400 million years old depending on which part of the planet it is drawn from. As talc in soapstone is soft to the touch, it gives the smooth feeling of rubbing a piece of dry soap. Thus the name was derived - "Soap" Stone. For thousands of years, soapstone has been used throughout the world for tools, carafes, vases, goblets, sculptures, fireplaces, etc. In early American history, soapstone was used primarily for building blocks, sculpting and urns. True Soapstone is inert. Alkalis and acids won't affect it as they will a granite, marble, or slate. Because of its truly remarkable and natural heat retention characteristics, soapstone is widely used for masonry heater fireplaces, wood stoves, and fireplace liners. Soapstone heaters and fireplaces heat very quickly from burning coal, pellets or wood, the soapstone will then slowly radiate heat very evenly for hours on end. TOMBSTONE TRANSCRIPTION NOTES: ------------------------------ a. = age at death b. = date-of-birth d. = date-of-death h. = husband m. = married p. = parents w. = wife NOTE: The following tombstone inscriptions do not fully represent what has actually been recorded. A more detailed recording can be obtained by purchasing the Pickens County Black Cemetery Project publication from Anne Sheriff - Editor, 988 Old Shirley Road, Central, SC 29630-9337, sheriff@innova.net ANDREWS, Geneva W., b. c. 1919, d. 14-sep-1983, a. 64y BARTON, Danny L., b. 21-nov-1951, d. 14-dec-2000 BENNETT, George W., b. 13-apr-1915, d. 13-nov-1969 CHASTAIN, D. M., b. 4-jun-1886, d. 13-jun-1952 CHASTAIN, Louise McJunkin, b. 25-oct-1891, d. 1-oct-1929 COOPER, Eddie Arvel, b. 13-aug-1947, d. 17-feb-1995 EDENS, W. R., b. 1834, d. 27-aug-1903 FERGUSON, Columbus G., b. 25-jun-1886, d. 25-may-1960 FERGUSON, Queen Anthony, b. 12-sep-1886, d. GLENN, Clarence William, b. 15-oct-1888, d. 5-aug-1974 HAGOOD, Arthur C., b. 4-dec-1903, d. 13-apr-1965 HAGOOD, Willie Mae Owens, b. 12-sep-1886, d. HILL, Mary, b. 1877, d. 3-nov-1910 HILL, W. M., Sr., b. 15-jun-1871, d. 4-sep-1938 McGOWAN, Andrew, b. 18-aug-1912, d. 18-feb-1968 McGOWENS, O'Dell, b. c. 1919, d. 1-nov-1979, a.60y McJUNKIN, Absolam Benum, b. 6-mar-1896, d. 3-feb-1976 McJUNKIN, Odis W., b. 25-apr-1896, d. 19-aug-1968 McJUNKIN, Rev. Henry, b. 31-may-1904, d. 7-oct-1984 McJUNKIN, Vera Porter, b. 7-may-1910, d. 21-jul-1991 MILES, Sophia Ella Amanda Edens, w/o Henry Miles OWENS, Chris, b. 13-nov-1893, d. 21-feb-1991 OWENS, Elford, Sr., b. 4-sep-1935, d. 15-aug-1993 OWENS, Lula Mae, b. 22-apr-1896, d. 25-mar-1999 OWENS, Willie, b. 1854, d. 1879 WHITESIDE, Billy Joe, b. 17-jul-1935, d. 7-oct-2001 WHITESIDE, Ebbie Eugene, b. 29-nov-1929, d. 15-jul-2002 WHITESIDE, Roosevelt E., b. 18-sep-1933, d. 16-nov-1952 WHITESIDE, Roosevelt, b. 18-sep-1933, d. 16-nov-1952 WHITESIDE, Tinny Bell, b. 28-jan-1914, d. 8-oct-1943 WILLIAMS, Alexander E., d. 23-dec-1979 WILLIAMS, Bessie Lee, b. 4-oct-1916, d. 15-oct-1998 WILLIAMS, Chester, Jr., b. 21-mar-1948, d. 23-oct-2002 WILLIAMS, Chester, b. 23-may-1912, d. 1-aug-1936 WILLIAMS, Floyd, Sr., b. 24-feb-1938, d. 1-aug-1998