City Directories and History: 1917 – NA, 1948 – First Baptist Church, 1975 – Same
“For many years, scheduling services as circumstances would permit, the people of the Baptist faith in Laurens shared with other denominations the facilities of the old Rock Church on East Main Street. In 1833 a small group of Baptists held a revival led by the Reverend Nicholas W. Hodges of Newberry. Because of the increased interest shown following the revival, the Laurensville Baptist Church was organized on February 16,1834; but since the membership was too small to warrant the erection of a sanctuary, the good Presbyterians made available to the Baptists the use of their building. It is assumed that by sharing meeting places with other denominations, the Laurensville Baptists manifested a congenial nature.
The first house of their own was put up on the corner of College and Church streets sometime in 1850. A larger brick building was erected on the corner of Main and Church streets and used for the first time on October 10, 1893. Prior to the building program in 1955, additions had been made in 1910 and in 1925. The latest projects include the new sanctuary facing Main Street and an educational building facing Church Street, with an adult building to the rear of the sanctuary.
At the dedication of the beautiful sanctuary on May 18,1958, the following remarks were included in the history of the church: “The first forty-six years of the history of this church (1834-1880) may properly be called a long period of infancy. And it is no discredit to its early membership to say that it was a struggling period during which an occasional progress is noted, only to be interrupted intermittently with lapses that threatened its very existence.”
In reviewing the struggling years of any religious institution one is aware of outstanding leadership as well as congregational dedication. The service of Doctor John D. Pitts (1880-1907) is outstanding in the life of this church. At the beginning of Doctor Pitts’ pastorate the membership numbered twenty-three — five men and eighteen women. At the termination of his ministry there were 264 members on roll.”
Information from: The Laurens County Sketchbook, Author – J.S. Bolick, 1973
The First Baptist Church of Laurens is located on West Main Street in the city of Laurens. This church was organized February 15, 1834, under the name of Laurensville Baptist Church, with a charter membership of sixteen. The first pastor was the Rev. Nicholas W. Hodges. Their first house of worship was a small wooden building. A new church was built in 1880 and other additions were made in 1923. Further improvements were made to the church’s establishment in 1947, 1958, and 1970.
(Information from: Names in South Carolina by C.H. Neuffer, Published by the S.C. Dept. of English, USC)
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.
User comments always welcome - please post at the bottom of this page.
Share Your Comments & Feedback: