St. Stephens Episcopal Church celebrated 240 years of history on April 5, 2009, with an 18th century re-enactment of the first church service held in 1769 in the “Old Brick Church.”
When I was a child, my parents often took me to Eutawville to visit my great aunt, a grizzled old woman my mother held in great esteem. Momma told me innumerable times, “Everyday, I rode my horse from Pineville to Eutawville to visit my aunt for tea and cookies.”
I was in awe then, as I am now, because I never could envision my mother on a horse, much less riding through the Low Country wilderness alone. Before I got my driver’s license, I had to accompany
Momma to “pick up” Daddy from work in downtown Columbia at 5 o’clock every afternoon because she was afraid of driving in traffic! When I got my driver’s license at age 14, picking up Daddy became my duty… and pleasure. A few years later, we got a second car, and Daddy drove himself to work.
I really didn’t mind the trip to Eutawville because my Sinkler cousins, Harriet Clare and William Henry, lived next door to my great aunt. Harriet Clare was a few years older than I and quite lovely. She went to USC and ran unsucessfully for student body historian at USC in 1955.
St. Stephens Episcopal Church
I attended Harriet Clare’s wedding at the historic
Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in Eutawville.
She married a Citadel cadet, Paul Little. From Paul’s obituary in 2007, I discovered he had been a wildlife biologist, general contractor, and collector of antique tractors.
He and Harriet Clare were married 43 years and have a daughter, two sons, and six grandchildren.
Over the years, Harriet
Clare has been a social worker, counselor, teacher, and businesswoman. She became a freelance writer and pinestraw farmer living in Summerville. She wrote a guest column for the Charleston Post & Courier (March 29, 2013) titled “ Old Ladies I Have Loved” about the women in Eutawville who influenced her.
I missed a chance to see Harriet Clare at the 240th anniversary of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Pineville.
On a related piece of history, my parents, Mary Gourdin of Pineville and Miller Montgomery of Greeleyville, were married in the St. Stephens Episcopal Church in St. Stephens, South Carolina, in 1938. The historic church, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, celebrated 240 years of history on April 5, 2009, with an 18th century re-enactment of the first church service held in 1769 in the “Old Brick Church.”
Rev. Jeffery R. Richardson began the church service using the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.
Everyone wore period costumes. Norman Sinkler Walsh dressed as his ancestor vestryman, James Sinkler (1740-1800). Norman’s wife, Marcy, and Harriett Clare Sinkler Little were attired in colonial dresses. Their ancestor, James Sinkler, had been instrumental in the settlement of the Village of Pineville in 1794. Other Sinkler relatives in attendance were Keith and Betty Gourdin and the Rev. Daniel Clarke Jr.
Delicious Pine Bark Stew, cooked over an open fire in cast iron pots, was served to the attendees. After the meal, children enjoyed old fashioned games like walking on tin cans, checkers, spin the top, jump rope, and horseshoes.
Fun was had by all.
Continued Next Week
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