It would be easy to overlook Bethia Presbyterian Church, which sits nearly hidden behind a stand of trees off a rural road in Abbeville. The church was formed in November of 1848 by nine white and four black charter members; their first minister was the Reverend Robert Henry Reid, who served until 1851.
This sanctuary is the second to house “Bethiah” Presbyterian, as its name was initially spelled; the first church was built about a mile from this location, adjacent to the cemetery that remains at that site. The original building was completed around 1853 and used for most of the remainder of the nineteenth century. In 1882 the roof was blown off by a violent gust of wind, and in 1896 the original church was completely destroyed by yet another storm.
From 1896 until 1898 the congregation worshiped beneath a brush arbor at the church’s current location while making plans for rebuilding. By 1898 this edifice was completed. It was consecrated in 1901, and the spelling of the name was changed at that time to Bethia.
Though the church was designed to accommodate up to 250 members, church records indicate that membership stayed just below 100 throughout the early twentieth century. The last service was held here on June 28, 1998, when members numbered fewer than 30. The building is now under the care of the nonprofit group Historic Long Cane. Bethia Presbyterian cemetery remains in use and is maintained by the Bethia Presbyterian Church Cemetery Association, another nonprofit.
More Pictures of Bethia Presbyterian Church
Bethia Presbyterian Church Info
Address: 118 Troy Road, Abbeville, SC 29620
GPS Coordinates: 34.059678,-82.375040
Bethia Presbyterian Church Map
Take Me There
I grew up just below Bethia Church, at the crossroads. When I was very young, I too played piano some Sundays. Such a treasure to see these photos. I remember dinner on the grounds, the tables were over in the woods, such precious memories. Do not know what happened to the pews on the other side.
While my husband was a student at Erskine Seminary, he often preached at Bethia. Usually there were 6 or 7 people who came for services. I learned early on to never play that piano in the summer. You could play it in the winter only until the heaters began to take the chill off the building. You see, there were wasp nests inside that piano!! I am saddened to see that all the pews on one side are no longer there. What became of them?
We always enjoyed going there because most, if not all, of the elderly members remembered by grandparents (who were from Troy) who had died in the 1960s, when I was a little girl. I’ll always have good memories of Bethia.
I live in Piedmont, SC but go to Abbeville a lot and I enjoy finding the old things there. Mostly the graves, though. I Sure wish there was a place to look up the graves. Thanks for the information.
Try the website Find A Grave: http://www.findagrave.com Good luck!
Thanks so much….I was baptized at Bethia. My family is burried in the cemetery.
Thank you for sharing this story with us, Linda!