Address: 346 Shiloh Unity Road, Lancaster, South Carolina, 29720

Inscriptions

Note:

These cemetery inscriptions were given to me by my cousin Nancy Crockett to retype for her. About 7-8 months before she passed away she asked me to give them to the DAR to publish so they would be available for public use. I tried to do that but my DAR would not take them so I am putting them on here to continue her wishes. PLEASE DO NOT copy them to sell to someone. These are for personal use only!!

These inscriptions were copied by the women of the (then) Patterson Circle of the First A. R. P. Church of Lancaster and compiled by Eloise Craig.

INDEX

Once you get to the surname page, they will be entered EXACTLY as Eloise has them in the book. They may not be in alphabetical order. Where the grave is located in the cemetery will also be listed. Information listed inside ( ) was added by Nancy Crockett and was not on the headstone.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M |

N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ

HISTORY OF SHILOH ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

(History was taken from Eloise Craig's cemetery book. Written by Eloise Craig and Dr. Gladys Robinson.)

"Early records and minutes of Shiloh Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church have been lost, but from sources available, Shiloh was at first a part of Old Waxhaw Church before the year 1800. Rev. John Brown was a pastor of Waxhaw at that time.

In 1802, a revival meeting was held at Waxhaw and after that meeting some dissatisfaction arose among officers and members, and as a result Elders Robert Montgomery, Robert Dunlap and John Harris withdrew. This appears to be the beginning of Shiloh Church.

Before this withdrawal, several preaching posts were set up and supplied occasionally by Waxhaw pastors and other ministers of the Associate Presbytery. One of these posts, which was located 6 miles from Waxhaw, southeast of Cane Creek, was called Black Jack. And this Black Jack was where Shiloh Church is now and is the beginning of the church.

Records do not tell why the name "Shiloh" was chosen by these early members. Shiloh means "peace," "tranquility," so a more appropriate name could not have been chosen for such a quiet, restful spot upon which this church, the oldest A. R. P. Church in Lancaster County, now stands.

The oldest tombstone in Shiloh Cemetery is dated 1801. This is proof that a church had been organized by that time.

After the withdrawal Waxhaw, Shiloh joined the Assoicate Presbytery, which was then known as the Carolinas and Georgia Presbytery under the Associate Synod of Pennsylvania, which was organized in 1753. In 1774, the Reformed Presbytery was organized at Harrisburg, Pa. These united and formed the Associate Reformed Presbytery.

On October 5, 1821, John Craig deeded five acres of land to the Waxhaws Associate Church known by the name of Shiloh Church. This is the first deed of land of which any record can be found. There is no record of this first original building, but in all probability it was built of logs.

From time to time Shiloh has been united with different churches. Shiloh and Neely's Creek were under one pastor from 1811 to 1833. Rev. Thomas Ketchin was installed pastor of Shiloh in December, 1821. This congregation with its pastor, Rev. Ketchin, declined the authority of the Associate Church March 28, 1832 because of her recent act on slavery and was received by the First Presbytery of the Associate Reformed Church April 7, 1834. Rev. Ketchin died September 26, 1855 and was first buried at Knob Creek. His remains were afterwards brought to Shiloh, where a monument stands to his memory. He is the only one of Shiloh's pastors to be buried in its cemetery.

Rev. S. C. Millen was pastor from November 17, 1841 until October 4, 1845. At the beginning of his pastorate, in 1841, Shiloh and Tirzah Presbyterian Churches were united and continued together unitl 1868 when Rev. D. P. Robinson, who succeeded Rev. Millen as pastor, criticized the actions of two of Shiloh's elders and rebuked them. A division arose and his pastoral relations were dissolved with Shiloh.

From this time until 1891, Shiloh was on her own. During this time Rev. E. E. Pressly was pastor from 1871 to 1883, and Rev. W. A. M. Plaxco from October 18, 1884 until October 5, 1891. In the spring of 1885, Rev. Plaxco organized the Women's Missionary Society of Shiloh Church. This society has been very active in the church ever since.

Shiloh and Edgemoor were united from 1892 until the spring of 1896. In July 1892, Rev. W. C. Ewart accepted the call from these churches. In the fall of that year, it was decided to remodel the church building. The Women's Society raised several hundred dollars to help carry on the work. It was at this time that the arched ceiling replaced the flat overhead ceiling and the pulpit was moved from the north to the south end.

In 1896, Mr. Ewart was called to Lancaster A. R. P. Church for half of his time. He gave up the work at Edgemoor and accepted the call to Lancaster.

During the union of Shiloh and Lancaster, the following pastors served:

Rev. Paul A. Pressly from July 28, 1904 until October 28, 1906

Rev. O. W. Carmichael, September 17, 1907 until August 23, 1908

Rev. R. L. Robinson, April 23, 1909 unitl August 1, 1910

Dr. W. S. Patterson, 1911 until 1941

In 1940, the Lancaster Church had grown to such an extent that a full-time pastor was deemed advisable. Dr. Patterson resigned this charge, but continued pastor of Shiloh until his death April 8, 1941.

On June 20, 1942, Rev. Robert A. Whitesides was called to be full-time pastor of Shiloh. He was installed August, 1942 and served until December, 1944, when he resigned to become a missionary to Mexico.

Dr. A. J. Ranson succeeded him in September 1945. The coming of Dr. and Mrs. Ranson brought to Shiloh and community very happy and fruitful results among which many far-reaching physical improvements were accomplished.

In the spring of 1950, a new brick veneer manse was built on Highway 200, two miles north of Lancaster. A fellowship hall was built by the men of the church and named in honor of Dr. Ranson in 1953.

Following Dr. Ranson's death in 1961, Rev. B. E. DeWitt became pastor in 1962 and served unitl 1969 when he accepted a pastorate in Florida. Rev. R. Wayne Dickson began his pastorate duties in 1970 and serves at the present time.

Shiloh launched a building program to build a new sanctuary a number of years prior to the construction. This building is the third or fourth building to stand on the same site where the little group of Scotch-Irish settlers first waited in the open the arrival of a preacher to hold services. This beautiful and stately sanctuary was consecrated on June 4, 1967 and dedicated on August 13, 1978. A new Allen organ has been installed, made possible by memorial gifts.

There are active young peoples groups, a ladies' organization, and a men's fellowship. The ladies raised the money recently for the air-conditioning and heating systems for Ranson Fellowship Hall. The men sponsor suppers to raise money for various projects for the church. These include barbecue, steak and fish suppers. The ladies and men have gained recognition throughout the county for their suppers and bake sales.

Shiloh stands ready to serve today's generation and future generations by providing a beautiful place of worship, and by making provisions for Christian fellowship and opportunities to project its message to the world."