August 30, 1981
Today we celebrated the Centennial of Unity [Presbyterian] Church [Fort Mill, SC] - that is the present building. The church has been in existence almost 200 years - having had four buildings.
We have belonged to Unity Presbyterian since 1968 when we moved to Fort Mill.
My life has been influenced by my association with several churches.
As a child we attended Bethlehem Methodist Church in Chester County. The same church to which my grandparents on each side had belonged and are buried in the churchyard. Perhaps also my paternal Great Grandparents. I need to check on that -- Also I think my maternal ggreat randparents. It is so easy to forget these things. One great grandfather I know was named Moses Craft and the other Elijah Beam. Maternal [Grandfather] Jesse Franklin Beam, Great Grandfather Elijah Beam, Jesse Beam are all buried at Bethlehem.
My older sister was named for her grandfathers - Jesse F Beam [maternal] and Thomas Mabry McKeown [paternal]. Her name is Jessie Thomas McKeown Matthews. Once when she was angry with my mother she told her "I hate my name - you might just as well have named me for my Great grandfathers."
It became a good family joke - a girl named Moses Elijah would have been something.
Bethlehem Church is a white frame Church, set on large wooded plot with the Cemetery to one side. The Hymn "Church in the Wildwood" brings Bethlehem to mind.
Many years ago - there was a one room school on the same plot of land with the church. It was in this building that my parents received most of their education. The school stood until the late [19]30's when it was torn down.
Church was held here only 2 Sundays a month. The minister had 2 other small churches to serve. When church was not held there we frequently attended Woodward Baptist Church on Ashford Ferry Road. It is still a very active church. 2 of my uncles are buried there Ellis B. Beam and Herbert Beam. I remember having Sunday School sitting on a block of rocks in the yard. This was the steps for the women to mount horses or step into carriage or buggy before the time of cars.
We moved in the late 30's and transferred our membership to New Hope ARP church in Fairfield County [SC].
Before I go to this I want to say something about an annual event at Bethlehem Church. Homecoming. In August there was always Picnic on the grounds. A church service - lunch - and singing afterwards.
The men cooked a pot of hash [and] the women brought picnic baskets. It was a time we children always looked forward to. The table was built between trees in the yard and remained there year round. We had fun sailing paper plates - Guess that [was] the forerunner of the frisbees.
My teen years were influenced by New Hope Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. It too was a beautiful, white frame church with a balcony in the back. Balcony was originally used for slaves to attend church. The church is 185 years old. Began in 1796 - the present building was built in 1882 so next year will be 100 years old. We celebrated the 150th anniversary in 1946 with Homecoming Picnic.
The minister all the time I attended there was Dr. W. A. Kennedy. He preached until well into his 70's. He performed mine & Harry's wedding service. We loved him - although we complained because his sermons were long - He was from the old school where you were given a full service each Sunday.
We attended youth meetings each Sunday afternoon and we really looked forward to it. All children in the area attended regardless of church affiliations.
There was no education building so Sunday School was held in the sanctuary. One class in each of the four corners of building with one in the session room which was a small separate building. It still stands on [the] ground[s].
My mother, father and brother are buried in the cemetery of this church. The cemetery is a quarter mile behind the church with a narrow dirt road to it. It is on the sight of an earlier church building. Now that the church membership has declined and services are held on an irregular basis something will need to be done about the care of this cemetery.
It is on a top of a small hill surrounded by old oak trees - fenced in with beautiful old wrought iron. The graves go back a long way. I am not sure how long. There are Civil War burials there who are unknown. [Also, there is at least one grave of a Revolutionary War patriot.]
I hope that some day those of you who read this will visit all three of these small rural churches. They filled a large part of the lives of the people who grew up in them and produced many people of High Principal over the years. Something is lost when these churches have to close their doors - but such is the way of life.
My mother wrote a history of New Hope Church. I must track it down and make a copy (Jesse McKeown Matthews of Jackson, Mississippi has copy.)
Speaking of the cemetery makes me remember my father's funeral. His funeral was on a Sunday. He and my mother were liked and respected by all who knew them. For Daddy's funeral the church was full with many people standing outside. There was no way to take cars for all these people to the cemetery as there was no room for parking so the family rode to the cemetery and the others walked. Somehow this gave a new meaning to his funeral. We had lost him after a long and loving life but the respect shown for him and to my mother on this occasion is something I will always remember. A life well lived with honesty and respect for others which is what my parents did is a great heritage. They never owned a lot of material things but they instilled in their six children and several others who lived with us at odd times a feeling of self-respect and a desire to do our best which has served us well.
My mother's funeral was a sad time for us as all funerals are. She died on Thursday, February 28, 1980. Her funeral was to be Sat. March 1 at 2 o'clock. The weather forecast was for snow but we could hardly believe it because Friday was a warm day. But during the night it began to sleet and by 8 o'clock on Sat [morning] we were into a winter storm. Her funeral was held at the funeral home for the family early Saturday with just a few of the family at the cemetery as the roads by this time were too hazardous for travel and the little road to the cemetery especially so. It snowed & sleeted all day Sat into Sunday with a very deep snow all over the state, even down to beach area. My mother would have smiled and said "don't risk anyone's life going to the cemetery in the snow. I am happy where I am. Daddy and I are together again."
They were married in 1919 and celebrated 59 years together. Mama survived him by a year and four months.
I still regret that -- was not able to go to the cemetery with us. The undertaker asked us not to try to go as roads were so Bad. My brother and two sisters went as they lived in [the] area. Harry and I, Harry Jr. and Virginia returned to R. [ock] Hill & Fort Mill as they had left two small children with a babysitter. We had a difficult time getting home in the snow and ice.