First
Presbyterian Church
Anderson, South Carolina
Church History
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The present-day, beautiful old church sits on the original three and three-fourths acre site deeded by Judge Joseph N. Whitner for the purpose of constructing a house of worship.
Thirteen charter members organized the church on September 23, 1837, and the small frame sanctuary was dedicated on June 14, 1839. This church was originally named the "Anderson Court House Presbyterian Church" and after the turn of the century, it became "The First Presbyterian Church of Anderson, South Carolina".
The village of Anderson Court House had approximately 200 residents at the time. There were 26 states and some 15 million people in the nation; Martin Van Buren was president. In the mid-1850s, First Presbyterian organized the first church school. The cemetery, located on the back side of the property, was the first public burial place in the village. Both Judge Whitner and Mrs. Whitner are buried in this cemetery.
The Kirk was built in 1922. Its name came into being during the ministry of Dr. Kirkpatrick, whom the church members fondly called "Dr. Kirk. Our present dining facility is still referred to as "The Kirk."
The newest wing of the church building was begun on May 18, 1967, and placed in service in May, 1969. The most recent building, the Family Life Center, was dedicated on April 13, 1986. The FPC keeps our youth busy with a variety of sports and the right kind of community involvements.
The 1990s have been a decade of tremendous activity in First Presbyterian Church, in which cemetery monuments were refurbished, interior and exterior were painted and the sanctuary was repaired and cleaned. A new library was added and a number of other improvements were made.
Additional History can be found in the FPC Church Library at:
YESTERYEARS
The Heritage and History of The First Presbyterian Church
Anderson, South Carolina
Written by:
Ellenor Lee Cathcart
Caroline Dickson Smith
Alice Inman Brown
Louise Klugh Rankin
Editors:
Mary Ligon Spann
Davant T. Williams
The Ministers of First Presbyterian through the years
Edwin Carter, D.D.:
1837 to 1839
C.W. Martin - Interim: 1839 to 1839 NO PHOTO
Andrew W. Ross, D.C. - Interim: 1841 to 1841 NO PHOTO
David Humphreys:
1841 to 1849
Robert H. Reid: 1849 to 1853 NO PHOTO
Albert Augustus Morse:
1853 to 1863
David X. LaFar: 1863 to 1864 NO PHOTO
David Ethan Frierson, D.D.:
1871 to 1894 
James Howard Summerell:
1895 to 1900
Samuel Jackson Cartledge, D.D.:
1901 to 1906 
William Henry Frazer, D.D.:
1906 to 1917
John Shaw Foster, D.D.:
1917 to 1921 
Robert Foster Kirkpatrick, D.D.:
1921 to 1939
James Mourning Appleby, D.D.:
1939 to 1946 
Samuel Shannon Wiley, D.D.:
1946 to 1951
Carl Ruffin Pritchett, D.D.:
1952 to 1956 
Leroy Lawther, D.D. - Interim:
1956
Richard Thomas Gillespie, D.D.:
1957 to 1964 
Marshall Woodson, D.D.-Interim:
1964 to 1965
John Blaney Pridgen Jr.:
1965 to 1978 
Dr. Joseph Gettys, Ph.D., D.D. - Interim:
1978
Dr. B.E. Pettit, D. Min, D.D.:
1979 to 1999 
Dr. Robert Blumer - Interim:
1999
Dr. Phillip Rick Baggett:
2000 to 2004 
Dr. Alan Elmore - Interim: 2004
to 2006
Dr. Dennis R. Tedder:
2006 to Present 
For More Information On Our Church, Visit The Topic Pages Below:
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