City Directories and History: In 1859, a Baptist church was organized at this place and was known as Shiloh Meeting House. This church was an outgrowth of the Old Shockley’s Ferry Baptist Church, which had been organized in 1790.
When Shockley’s ferry was dismissed by the Saluda Baptist Association in 1825, because the church and pastor believed Christ died for all, and therefore, all might be saved, the members joined Mountain Creek, Cross Roads (Starr), and some, under the leadership of William McGee, formed Big Generostee. In 1859, the congregation united with Shiloh. Shiloh was admitted to the Saluda Association in 1863. Later the church was dismissed to join the New Bethel Association (1882) and then the Beaverdam Association (1914). Shiloh was re-admitted to the Saluda Association in 1915.
During the year of 1860, where Sloan’s Ferry Road and Brown’s Ferry Road crossed each other, Shiloh Baptist Church erected its building. The original building is still in use today.
It was decided in 1972 to build an educational building. Shiloh broke ground for the new building on November 13, 1972, and it was completed June 1973. This was done under the leadership of Rev. Ray McDowell, who was pastor from 1971 to 1975. Rev. McDowell passed away December 5, 2009.
Under the leadership of Rev. Bob Philyaw, a new addition for the baptismal pool began in 1993 and was completed in 1994. Philyaw is now the senior pastor of Due West Baptist Church and a chaplain for the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office.
On April 4, 1999, under the leadership of Pastor Billy Ray Whitfield, sanctuary renovations were completed and dedicated on this day.
Additional Links:
Cross Roads, now called Starr, got its name through the many roads leading into and through the area. The place was centered in the middle of a triangle, formed by the intersection of six roads at the points of the triangle. Cross Roads was a logical name for the place which dates back to the early 1800 s. Horse- drawn wagon trains hauling merchandise were a familiar sight in the days before the railroad era. In 1891, the rural community post office was called Twiggs, named after a prominent merchant and business man who settled there, but a year later the post-mark on letters and cards bore the name, Starr. With the coming of the railroad the Starr area started to expand and prosper. The place was named for a Mr. Starr, a prominent railroad official who helped to locate the railroad through Starr which was then called Twiggs. The railroad station was discontinued some years ago, and the building bearing the station sign Starr will probably be preserved as a museum piece. (Information from: Names in South Carolina by C.H. Neuffer, Published by the S.C. Dept. of English, USC)
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