Images courtesy of the J.L. West Collection – 2015.
City Directories and History: Historically this is the location of both the African American Presbyterian church known as Blue Branch and the Elijah “Lige” Sanders family home. Blue Branch Presbyterian was one of the most important and influential early churches in western York County and sites near the old Sanders house now owned by members of the Longmire family. In many respects Blue Branch church is the mother of all African American churches in western York County. Unfortunately, members are no longer able to maintain the church or hold regular meetings at this location. However, in Oct. of 2013, a worship service and meeting were held at the site and attended by Johnny Johnson, formally of Rock Hill, and the Rev. John Cleghorn of Charlotte, N.C.
Mrs. Lige Sanders was a local teacher and note the Blue Branch church shows next to T. S. Lambert’s house site as a colored church.
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- Images from the 1960s Toatley Collection. Mrs. J. Toatley was confident these (3) images were taken at Blue Branch during Vacation Bible School. However, two of the groups seem rather large for the Blue Branch Congregation. Please help ID any individuals or the group. Leave comment below.
Click on the PDF Below > link found below the picture column for additional data or pictures. (Article on Blue Branch history by Jerry West)
Additions as of Oct. 2013, “The gentleman with me is my pastor, John Cleghorn, of Caldwell Pres, Charlotte. BB was sprung from a white church where the slaves had balcony access, Willow Creek Presbyterian, founded in 1769.” – Johnny Johnson of Charlotte, N.C.
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R&R HISTORY LINK: Historic Bullock’s Creek Pres. Church
R&R HISTORY LINK: The Blue Branch Church – Too
AFRICAN AMERICAN THREADS ON R&R.COM – A SAMPLE
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