Historic Church of the Epiphany
The roots of the Church of the Epiphany are in the establishment in 1804 of Rocks Church near Rocks Planation on the old Santee River Road approximately 15 miles from present day Eutawville. Rocks Church became the parish church of Upper-St. John’s parish in 1864. Upper-St. John’s was first settled chiefly by the English, but, as the French Huguenot families who had settled along the lower Santee began to accumulate wealth and to increase in number, they moved up the river in search of new lands and better health conditions. By the early 1800′s these French planters were the owners of huge plantations in Upper-St. John’s. The French and English planters had made great fortunes from the planting of cotton. Their wealth was reflected in large homes that they built at this time. Some have been destroyed by the ravages of time or by fire and some were lost to the Santee-Cooper Project of 1938.
This photograph was reproduced from the 1912 Memories of a South Carolina Plantation During the War, by Elizabeth A. Coxe. . It is the only photograph we presently have, despite numerous queries, and we would welcome any information on other photographs. The church in this picture burned in 1926 and was replaced with a brick church in 1927.
If anyone has a better picture available, please contact Harriet Little.
As the Eutaw village grew (later named Eutawville),the people felt the need for a church that was conveniently located; so, in 1849 the present church building was built as a community chapel. It was not consecrated so that services could be held by any demonination in the area. The original building had a slave gallery. It was later removed and a small fenced area provided for the few Negros who wanted to attend. For many years, this chapel was used for a chapel of ease for the Rocks Church, also called the Church of the Epiphany. The first Rocks Church was built in 1804 near the entrance gate of the Rocks Plantation and for sume time was a chapel of ease for St. Stephen’s Church. The congregation of the Rocks Church was composed maily of families who had migrated westward from St. Stephen’s Parish. The Rocks Church was separated from St. Stephen’s Church in 1864 and became the Parish Church of Upper-St. John’s.
The chapel in Eutawville was enlarged and improved at this time (1864). In 1880, a chancel and vestry room were added and the roof reshingled. In 1899, the carved rood screen was put up. It was reportedly made by Dr. Edmonds, a medical docto whose hobby was woodcarving, to disguise the fact that the ceiling in the sanctuary was lower than that of the church.
This little chapel continued to thrive. Sunday School was held regularly during the summers when the plantation people moved to the village. Later, because of the large area involved, services were divided between the chapel and the Parish Church at the Rocks Plantation. On the first and third Sundays, services were held in the chapel and on the second and fourth Sundays at the Rocks Church.
A great change came about in 1938-1942 when the Santee Cooper Project left the Rocks Church and its old cemetary on an island in Lake Marion. Because it was being vandalized, the old church was deconsecrated and torn down in 1954, and a monument erected on its site.
Epiphany Chapel was consecrated on January 30, 1949, and is now the Parish Chruch of Upper-St. John’s. In 1984 an auziliary building, which has been named “The Vestry” was added. This addition provides vesting space, a small office, and a bathroom. The addition blends with the architecture of the Church and is connected to the Church with a covered walkway.
The following inscription is taken from the monuement of the Rocks Church site:
“These grounds and cemetery remain hallowed. This marker is placed in loving tribute to relatives and friends alseep here ’til the consummation when He shall come in His eternal glory.”
The simple wooden church built on the grounds of Rocks Plantation in 1804 After burning in 1925 the church was rebuilt of brick in 1927. The picture above shows how and moved and rebuilt on the grounds of Springfield Plantation in 1808. this structure looked in the early 1940’s before the site was transferred to Santee-Cooper proud of this historic landmark, but, sadly in 1992, it was accidentally burned to the ground. Some of the descendents of Captain Gaillard are presently members of Epiphany. Because of the migration from lower Santee, the landowners saw a need for a more convenient church, so the first Rocks Church was built in 1804 near the Rocks Plantation on the old Santee River Road and served as a “Chapel-of-Ease” of the St. Stephen’s Church. For some unknown reason, in 1808, the church was moved about 2 miles to the east on lands belonging to Springfield Plantation, then the property of Joseph Palmer. This wooden structure was later dismantled and rebuilt in 1814. This third church was consecrated on March 4, 1844, under the name of The Church of the Epiphany. In 1864 Epiphany separated from St. Stephen’s and became the parish church of Upper St. John’s. Rev. R. P. Johnson became the first rector. This building provided a place of worship for the people in the area, and the surrounding churchyard became the final resting place for loved ones. The earliest tombstone dates 1807. Tragedy struck in 1925 or 1926 (conflicting records), and an out-of-control woods fire burned the building. Construction on a new brick building began immediately, and, on December 11, 1927, the new church was consecrated and was completely out of debt. The congregation survived the Great Depression, but in 1941 the Vestry was forced to transfer the property to the South Carolina Public Service Authority for the construction of the Santee Cooper Project. The waters of Lake Marion would leave this historic church and the surrounding graves an island. The last burial was February 9, 1942, and the last worship service was on May 12, 1942. Because of vandalism the church was deconsecrated in September of 1954 by Bishop Albert S. Thomas, the building was dismantled, and in 1955 a monument to provide a marker for these hallowed grounds and a place for the cornerstone from the old church was erected. The chapel in Eutawville now became the Parish Church. The plantation owners in St. Stephen’s Parish found that they could escape the dreaded chills and fever that plagued them during the summer by moving out into the “pinelands”. Many families from both St. Stephen’s and Upper St. John’s moved to this area for the long, hot summers and called the village “Pineville”. In 1833 an epidemic of fever threw gloom over this village and Pineville was abandoned. The planters of Upper St. John’s established farther westward another village near the settlement of “Eutaw” which is a Cherokee word meaning “pine tree”. This little town was later called Eutawville. The plantation people spoke fondly of their summer place as “The Village” and in 1836 Captain Peter Gaillard of Heydon Hill Plantation and his son-in-law, Dr. 8 Thomas William Porcher of Walworth Plantation, built the The is an old photo of the Chapel-of-Ease, built in the Summer Village of Eutaw in 1849, which later became the Parish
This photograph was reproduced from the 1912 Memories of a South Carolina Plantation During the War, by Elizabeth A. Coxe. . It is the only photograph we presently have, despite numerous queries, and we would welcome any information on other photographs. The church in this picture burned in 1926 and was replaced with a brick church in 1927.
If anyone has a better picture available, please contact Harriet Little.
As the Eutaw village grew (later named Eutawville),the people felt the need for a church that was conveniently located; so, in 1849 the present church building was built as a community chapel. It was not consecrated so that services could be held by any demonination in the area. The original building had a slave gallery. It was later removed and a small fenced area provided for the few Negros who wanted to attend. For many years, this chapel was used for a chapel of ease for the Rocks Church, also called the Church of the Epiphany. The first Rocks Church was built in 1804 near the entrance gate of the Rocks Plantation and for sume time was a chapel of ease for St. Stephen’s Church. The congregation of the Rocks Church was composed maily of families who had migrated westward from St. Stephen’s Parish. The Rocks Church was separated from St. Stephen’s Church in 1864 and became the Parish Church of Upper-St. John’s.
The chapel in Eutawville was enlarged and improved at this time (1864). In 1880, a chancel and vestry room were added and the roof reshingled. In 1899, the carved rood screen was put up. It was reportedly made by Dr. Edmonds, a medical docto whose hobby was woodcarving, to disguise the fact that the ceiling in the sanctuary was lower than that of the church.
This little chapel continued to thrive. Sunday School was held regularly during the summers when the plantation people moved to the village. Later, because of the large area involved, services were divided between the chapel and the Parish Church at the Rocks Plantation. On the first and third Sundays, services were held in the chapel and on the second and fourth Sundays at the Rocks Church.
A great change came about in 1938-1942 when the Santee Cooper Project left the Rocks Church and its old cemetary on an island in Lake Marion. Because it was being vandalized, the old church was deconsecrated and torn down in 1954, and a monument erected on its site.
Epiphany Chapel was consecrated on January 30, 1949, and is now the Parish Chruch of Upper-St. John’s. In 1984 an auziliary building, which has been named “The Vestry” was added. This addition provides vesting space, a small office, and a bathroom. The addition blends with the architecture of the Church and is connected to the Church with a covered walkway.
The following inscription is taken from the monuement of the Rocks Church site:
“These grounds and cemetery remain hallowed. This marker is placed in loving tribute to relatives and friends alseep here ’til the consummation when He shall come in His eternal glory.”
The simple wooden church built on the grounds of Rocks Plantation in 1804 After burning in 1925 the church was rebuilt of brick in 1927. The picture above shows how and moved and rebuilt on the grounds of Springfield Plantation in 1808. this structure looked in the early 1940’s before the site was transferred to Santee-Cooper proud of this historic landmark, but, sadly in 1992, it was accidentally burned to the ground. Some of the descendents of Captain Gaillard are presently members of Epiphany. Because of the migration from lower Santee, the landowners saw a need for a more convenient church, so the first Rocks Church was built in 1804 near the Rocks Plantation on the old Santee River Road and served as a “Chapel-of-Ease” of the St. Stephen’s Church. For some unknown reason, in 1808, the church was moved about 2 miles to the east on lands belonging to Springfield Plantation, then the property of Joseph Palmer. This wooden structure was later dismantled and rebuilt in 1814. This third church was consecrated on March 4, 1844, under the name of The Church of the Epiphany. In 1864 Epiphany separated from St. Stephen’s and became the parish church of Upper St. John’s. Rev. R. P. Johnson became the first rector. This building provided a place of worship for the people in the area, and the surrounding churchyard became the final resting place for loved ones. The earliest tombstone dates 1807. Tragedy struck in 1925 or 1926 (conflicting records), and an out-of-control woods fire burned the building. Construction on a new brick building began immediately, and, on December 11, 1927, the new church was consecrated and was completely out of debt. The congregation survived the Great Depression, but in 1941 the Vestry was forced to transfer the property to the South Carolina Public Service Authority for the construction of the Santee Cooper Project. The waters of Lake Marion would leave this historic church and the surrounding graves an island. The last burial was February 9, 1942, and the last worship service was on May 12, 1942. Because of vandalism the church was deconsecrated in September of 1954 by Bishop Albert S. Thomas, the building was dismantled, and in 1955 a monument to provide a marker for these hallowed grounds and a place for the cornerstone from the old church was erected. The chapel in Eutawville now became the Parish Church. The plantation owners in St. Stephen’s Parish found that they could escape the dreaded chills and fever that plagued them during the summer by moving out into the “pinelands”. Many families from both St. Stephen’s and Upper St. John’s moved to this area for the long, hot summers and called the village “Pineville”. In 1833 an epidemic of fever threw gloom over this village and Pineville was abandoned. The planters of Upper St. John’s established farther westward another village near the settlement of “Eutaw” which is a Cherokee word meaning “pine tree”. This little town was later called Eutawville. The plantation people spoke fondly of their summer place as “The Village” and in 1836 Captain Peter Gaillard of Heydon Hill Plantation and his son-in-law, Dr. 8 Thomas William Porcher of Walworth Plantation, built the The is an old photo of the Chapel-of-Ease, built in the Summer Village of Eutaw in 1849, which later became the Parish
