Moore in Spartanburg County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Nazareth Church Stone Marker

American Presbyterian and Reformed Historical Site

Photographed By Ronald Miller, August 4, 2008

1. Nazareth Church Stone Marker Marker

Marker indicating the building site of the original church building erected in 1765.

Inscription.
In 1765 Narareth’s first meeting house was built on this site. Made of logs cut from surrounding forest, pulpit of clapboard, seats of crude wooden plank, without backs and dirt floor. (Marker Number 136.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Churches & Religion. In addition, it is included in the American Presbyterian and Reformed Historic Sites series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1765.

Location. 34° 53.861′ N, 82° 1.841′ W. Marker is in Moore, South Carolina, in Spartanburg County. Marker can be reached from Nazareth Church Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 680 Nazareth Church Road, Moore SC 29369, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Nazareth Frame House (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Nazareth Church (approx. 0.3 miles away); First Erosion Control Work in the Southeast (approx. 2½ miles away); Camp Wadsworth (approx. 2.6 miles away); John B. White Sr., Blvd. (approx. 3.1 miles away); 15th N.Y. Infantry / Harlem Hell Fighters (approx. 3½ miles away); Colonel Warren H. Abernathy Highway (approx. 3½ miles away); Kevin Earl Carper (approx. 4.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Moore.

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. The marker has a modest stone base with a plaque attached.

Regarding Nazareth Church Stone Marker. This is a remarkable location. Numerous plaques of war heros spanning Americas history from the Revolutionary War to the present.

Nazareth cemetery is one of the oldest in the upstate of South Carolina dating back to the Revolutionary War. People travel from all over the United States to visit their forefathers. A small gate at the back of the cemetery will lead you past two memorials at the edge of a tree line. You can then hike a trail to the “Meeting House Springs” where the first church was erected. Along the trial you will encounter several outlying graves that are clearly marked.

Nazareth Presbyterian Church is one of 445 American Presbyterian and Reformed Historical Sites registered between 1973 and 2003 by the Presbyterian Historical Society (PHS), headquartered in Philadelphia. Approved sites received a metal plaque featuring John Calvin’s seal and the site’s registry number (PHS marker location unknown).

The following text is taken from the Presbyterian Historical Society website:

Established in 1772 near the first permanent settlement in Spartanburg County, the Nazareth congregation first worshiped in a log meeting house erected the same year. The church served as the
Photographed By Ronald Miller, August 4, 2008

2. Nazareth Church Stone Marker Area
site of the first great revival in the area in 1802. The present church structure, constructed of homemade bricks in 1832, is the oldest public building in the county. The congregation added educational facilities in 1957. Adjoining the church is a cemetery that is one of the oldest in upper South Carolina.

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. To better understand the relationship, study each marker in the order shown.

Also see . . .
1. Nazareth Presbyterian Church. Nazareth is one of 11,200 congregations of the Presbyterian Church USA and is a member of the Foothills Presbytery. (Submitted on March 1, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)

2. An Act to Incorporate the Nazareth Presbyterian Church of Spartanburg County. Act approved March 9, 1872 for a period of 25 years. (Submitted on February 14, 2011, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)

Additional commentary.
1. Nazareth Church
Nazareth Church is situated in the district of Spartanburg, on the waters of Tyger river, towards its source. Its first formation proceeded from a few families, eight or ten in number, who obtained supplies in 1766, and were soon afterwards organized into a society.—(MS. Hist. of Second Presbytery of South Carolina.) The Rev. Robert H. Reid dates the first settlements on Tyger river about

Nazareth Church Stone Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Brian Scott, February 14, 2011

3. Nazareth Church Stone Marker

the year 1761. They certainly existed before the year 1765, for in that year the road that passes by the church between the North and Middle rivers was opened. The first settlers were Scotch-Irish from Pennsylvania. When they left the north of Ireland and came into Pennsylvania we have at present no means of ascertaining. Some of the families were in Pennsylvania as early as 1732, for in that year Captain Barry was born in that State. The names of the first settlers were Barry, Moore, Anderson, Collins, Thompson, Vernon, Pearson, Jamison, Dodd, Ray, Penrey, McMahon, and Nichol. About the year 1767 or 1768 their numbers were increased by a colony which came directly from the north of Ireland. They were each entitled to one hundred acres of land by a grant from his majesty George II., and the old titles bear date in 176S. The families of Caldwell, Coan, Snoddy, Pedan, Alexander, Gaston, Morton, and perhaps some others, came at that time. These first settlers on Tyger river, like all of the same descent, were full of reverence for God's word and for the institutions of religion; and no sooner had they established their homes in the forest of the New World than they made the best arrangements in their power for the public worship of the God of their fathers. (Source: History of the Presbyterian Church in South Carolina, Vol. I by George Howe (1870) pgs 340-341.)

Photographed By Brian Scott

4. Nazareth Presbyterian Church and Sign
— Submitted February 14, 2011, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.

Additional keywords. War, Cemetery,1812,Civil,Spanish,American

Nazareth Presbyterian Church image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Brian Scott

5. Nazareth Presbyterian Church

Nazareth Church Historic Photo image. Click for full size.

Upcountry South Carolina goes to war by Tom Moore Craig and Melissa Walker

6. Nazareth Church Historic Photo

Nazareth Church Cemetery image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Ronald Miller, August 4, 2008

7. Nazareth Church Cemetery

Credits. This page was last revised on November 26, 2020. It was originally submitted on August 5, 2008, by Ronald Miller of Gray Court, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 1,386 times since then and 24 times this year. Last updated on August 17, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 5, 2008, by Ronald Miller of Gray Court, South Carolina. 3. submitted on February 14, 2011, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 4, 5. submitted on March 1, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 6. submitted on February 14, 2011, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 7. submitted on August 5, 2008, by Ronald Miller of Gray Court, South Carolina. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.