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is an ancient design found in some of
America's earliest churches. Bethel represents an architectural achievement during a time of political and social upheaval and economic adversity that marked the Reconstruction era. Bethel's congregation constructed a commodious house of worship under severely reduced circumstances, doing so without incurring debt. A large well-tended cemetery covers three acres of a ridge on the property's east side. Enclosed by a stone wall, it contained some three to four thousand graves in 1887. _ Adopted from the South Carolina Department of Archives and History National Register Properties in South Carolina
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in 1980. The church, a local interpretation of a colonial meeting house. The heavy post and beam, hand-hewn, wooden pegged construction is unusual for so late in the century, especially when lighter, more rapid assembled methods were in common use. The king post truss used in Bethel's roof structure
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Colonel Samuel Watson was an influential member of Bethel, as well as highly respected in the community. When talk of rebellion became general, Watson quickly rose to the cause. Watson was elected to the South
Carolina Provincial Congress of 1775-1776 and participated in the framing of South
222:, which was still considered part of North Carolina in 1764. Bethel is one of the oldest churches in the region, and is the mother church of many neighboring congregations. The church was established by Rev. William Richardson, minister of the Old Waxhaw Presbyterian Church in
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52 Revolutionary War soldiers buried in its historic cemetery. Among them is Thomas Neel, a War of
Independence hero and a founding elder of the church. Many Confederate soldiers are buried there as well.
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Bethel Church was incorporated by the
Legislature of South Carolina, March 22, 1786, with the title, "The Presbyterian Church of Bethel Congregation". Bethel become part of the
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The current church building was constructed in 1873, immediately adjacent to the earlier church, which was torn down. The current structure was added to the
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Carolina's first written constitution. Colonel Watson was the grandfather of Rev. Samuel Lytle Watson, Pastor of Bethel
Presbyterian Church for 42 years.
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On July 1, 1973, Bethel
Presbyterian Church voted unanimously to withdraw from the Presbyterian Church US (PCUS) and join a new group of believers, the
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The present church building, the fourth house of worship, was erected in 1873.
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427:"Bethel Presbyterian Church, York County (S.C. Hwy. 557, Clover vicinity)"
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Churches on the
National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina
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National
Register of Historic Places in York County, South Carolina
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19th-century
Presbyterian church buildings in the United States
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National
Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory
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History of the National Register of Historic Places
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History of the National Register of Historic Places
433:. South Carolina Department of Archives and History
258:In 2014 the church celebrated its 250 anniversary.
218:It was founded in 1764 and is the oldest church in
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397:Starr, Rebecca; Pamela Zagaroli (June 4, 1980).
319:Dr. Tilden Scherer (Temporary Supply) 1934-1937
16:Historic church in South Carolina, United States
513:www.nationalregister.sc.gov/york/S10817746013/
431:National Register Properties in South Carolina
289:Rev. James S. Adams (Stated Supply) 1811-1840
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529:Bethel Church, Presbyterian Church in America
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576:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
38:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
1014:Churches in York County, South Carolina
989:Presbyterian churches in South Carolina
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374:"National Register Information System"
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340:Rev. J. Marcus Van Vlake 2015–Present
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379:National Register of Historic Places
268:National Register of Historic Places
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304:Rev. William B. Arrowood 1899-1909
301:Rev. David S. McAllister 1891-1899
286:Rev. George G. McWhorter 1796-1801
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328:Rev. Kenneth L. Newman 1962-1966
313:Rev. George W. Nickell 1917-1924
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292:Rev. Samuel L. Watson 1840-1882
224:Lancaster County, South Carolina
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475:"Bethel Presbyterian - byFaith"
283:Rev. Francis Cummins 1782-1789
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463:www.genealogyblog.com/?p=30315
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334:Rev. Vernon N. West 1972-1986
325:Rev. David Coblentz 1951-1961
295:Rev. Robert A. Webb 1882-1887
280:Rev. Hezekiah Balch 1770-1776
253:Presbyterian Church in America
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331:Rev. James L. Moss 1967-1971
322:Dr. Tilden Scherer 1937-1950
298:Rev. G.S. Robinson 1888-1890
104:Show map of the United States
399:"Bethel Presbyterian Church"
337:Rev. John A. Gess 1986–2015
310:Rev. R.K. Timmons 1914-1916
307:Rev. Robert Adams 1910-1914
239:Southern Presbyterian Church
19:United States historic place
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935:National Historic Landmarks
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999:Churches completed in 1873
502:www.bethelchurchpca.com/42
491:www.bethelchurchpca.com/36
452:www.bethelchurchpca.com/15
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200:Bethel Presbyterian Church
79:Show map of South Carolina
30:Bethel Presbyterian Church
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177:NRHP reference
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525:"Historic Bethel Church"
316:Rev. A.H. Key 1925-1933
948:Keeper of the Register
599:Keeper of the Register
351:Bethel Church website
208:Clover, South Carolina
118:Clover, South Carolina
968:Contributing property
614:National Park Service
594:Contributing property
384:National Park Service
164:7 acres (2.8 ha)
145:35.11139°N 81.15306°W
204:Presbyterian church
150:35.11139; -81.15306
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873:Williamsburg
713:Chesterfield
532:. Retrieved
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437:16 September
435:. Retrieved
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409:. Retrieved
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262:Architecture
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114:Nearest city
923:Other lists
858:Spartanburg
411:8 September
220:York County
148: /
124:Coordinates
983:Categories
904:Greenville
894:Charleston
838:Orangeburg
763:Greenville
758:Georgetown
738:Dorchester
728:Darlington
698:Charleston
534:2017-12-11
357:References
914:Rock Hill
823:McCormick
808:Lexington
793:Lancaster
768:Greenwood
748:Fairfield
743:Edgefield
718:Clarendon
663:Allendale
653:Abbeville
646:by county
136:81°9′11″W
133:35°6′41″N
899:Columbia
848:Richland
828:Newberry
818:Marlboro
753:Florence
723:Colleton
703:Cherokee
688:Berkeley
683:Beaufort
678:Barnwell
668:Anderson
184:80003714
930:Bridges
843:Pickens
798:Laurens
788:Kershaw
773:Hampton
708:Chester
693:Calhoun
673:Bamberg
255:(PCA).
214:History
863:Sumter
853:Saluda
833:Oconee
813:Marion
783:Jasper
733:Dillon
587:Topics
868:Union
778:Horry
658:Aiken
644:Lists
402:(PDF)
206:near
169:Built
878:York
439:2012
413:2012
172:1873
161:Area
803:Lee
578:in
179:No.
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
