508 Boulevard – Anderson SC
City Directories and History: YOUNG MEMORIAL ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH by P.M. Gettys – 2015
Associate Reformed Presbyterians began settling in what is now Anderson County in the 1700s. Largely from Antrim and Monaghan Counties is Northern Ireland, some of these settlers began meeting for worship in the open air near Rankin’s Spring. A log church was erected in 1797 and was known as Concord. Rev. Peter McMullin was the first pastor, and the first elders were Robert Rankin, John George, and Benjamin Dixon. A new log church was erected in 1845. The church was variously known as Mr. Nebo, Six and Twenty, Moorehead’s Meeting House and Concord. The church was never strong and was supplied largely by ministers from Due West. By the turn of the Twentieth Century, the town of Anderson was growing and began to draw people from the surrounding communities. Associate Reformed Presbyterians began to meet in Anderson as early as February 1904. By July 1904, a congregation was organized at City Hall as Anderson ARP Church, and the Concord church was dissolved. The services that summer were led by R. A. Lummus, a student at Erskine Theological Seminary. Services were held in the County Court House, the Opera House, and the City Hall. At the organization, thirty-nine charter members were received, eighteen of whom came from the old Concord church. Mr. Lummus continued to preach for the group as a student.
The church was served by Rev. Charles M. Boyd from 1905 to 1910. In late 1906, the group purchased a property at the corner of North McDuffie and Society Street, where a small church was erected, including an auditorium, three classrooms, and a basement.
Ministers who served the young congregation included Rev. W. B. Lindsay (1911-1913), Rev. J. M. Garrison (1913-1922), Rev. C. B. Williams (1922-1923), and Rev. J. M. Bigham (1924-1938). During Rev. Garrison’s ministry, the church became self-supporting. In 1924, the church was enlarged with five additional classrooms, a kitchen, and a social hall. In 1935, the building was brick veneered.
Rev. Henry E. Pressly became the pastor in 1939. He took a leave of absence to serve as a chaplain in World War II for three years. During his absence, Rev. J. Alvin Orr served the church as supply. Rev. Orr’s forceful and spirited sermons encouraged the church during this time. Rev. Pressly returned in January 1946. Within five years, the church doubled in membership.
In May 1949, fire gutted the building. The congregation met at Anderson College for a period of time. Dr. and Mrs. James Rogers Young offered a beautiful lot at the corner of Boulevard and Second Street for a new building in memory of their son Louis Gray Young, who died in service in World War II. The new church was erected on the site, and the name of the congregation was changed to Young Memorial ARP Church. A major renovation and expansion program in 2005 added an educational wing.
Some of the ministers who have served in recent years include Z. N. Holler, Jr, Rev. Robert S. Miles, Jr., and Dr. Thomas Richie. The present pastor is Rev. Jeff Bost (1915).
The congregation celebrated its Centennial in 2004.
Sources:
A Goodly Heritage: A History of the Anderson/Young Memorial ARP Church, 1904-200, Flora Y. Preston and Harriett V. Richie.
Centennial History of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church , 1903, published by the General Synod.
Sesquicentennial History of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church , 1951, published by the General Synod.
———-
“Young Memorial (1904), Anderson, S. C. The church was at first called simply the Anderson Church, but in 1950 the name was officially changed to Young Memorial as a recognition of the labors of the Young family of Anderson and Due West to promote the growth of the congregation.”
Information from: Names in South Carolina by C.H. Neuffer, Published by the S.C. Dept. of English, USC
Cost of construction was $105,823.63 in 1951. Contractors were Charles William Fant (architect), A.J. Cromer and V.D. Sullivan, contractors.
Stay Connected
Explore history, houses, and stories across S.C. Your membership provides you with updates on regional topics, information on historic research, preservation, and monthly feature articles. But remember R&R wants to hear from you and assist in preserving your own family genealogy and memorabilia.
Visit the Southern Queries – Forum to receive assistance in answering questions, discuss genealogy, and enjoy exploring preservation topics with other members. Also listed are several history and genealogical researchers for hire.
User comments welcome — post at the bottom of this page.
Please enjoy this structure and all those listed in Roots and Recall. But remember each is private property. So view them from a distance or from a public area such as the sidewalk or public road.
Do you have information to share and preserve? Family, school, church, or other older photos and stories are welcome. Send them digitally through the “Share Your Story” link, so they too might be posted on Roots and Recall.
Thanks!
User comments always welcome - please post at the bottom of this page.
Share Your Comments & Feedback: