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Town of Calhoun, South Carolina Oral History Collection

SummeyG Cassette 1, Side 1

Media

Part of Interview: Summey, George C.

Title

SummeyG Cassette 1, Side 1

Source

George C. Summey Interview

Date

1988-08-10

Description

Cassette 1

Side 1

00:32: Mr. Summey is aged 84 in 1988. He moved from Central to Calhoun in 1925.

00:52: Aspects of the local Wesleyan Methodist Church are discussed. He has been a member of the church for around 60 years. After marriage in 1925, he and his wife briefly moved to Pickens in 1926 before moving back to Calhoun in 1928. The church is located at the intersection of 93 and 123. It stands very close in proximity to the Summey residence. The building was built around 1950, with the first service being held in 1951.

8:51: Prior to the new construction, the congregation met in an old school house in Calhoun. The building had been deeded to Mr. Dillard. Megginson adds that the property and building had belonged to Aaron Boggs, who originally deeded it to town officials around 1893 in order that it be used as a schoolhouse.

9:57: Megginson states that the Wesleyan Methodists could well go back to the late 1890's. He references a book by James Hillson entitled "History of SC Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of America." A passage states that a meeting of the SC Conference of Wesleyan Methodists was held in Calhoun in 1897.

11:30: Some early members of the Wesleyan Methodist Church were Mrs. Louis Smith (charter member--organist--Megginson's grandmother), Lela Lawrence (charter member), and Frank Dillard (Sunday School Superintendent).

16:20: The Wesleyan Methodists held very emotional services, but were against "speaking in tongues."

20:14: Another early founder of this church was J.T. Carey; he served as pastor at the church for a time. His wife was a charter member.

22:40: Mr. Summey describes the location of his house, mentioning his neighbors the Henry's, and Mixon's.

26:10: There were more women in the church than men. When the Summey's first joined the Wesleyan Methodist Church, there were only two male members.

26:55: Mr. Summey can remember shopping at the Boggs Store. A gentleman named Mr. Crawford would go around the community and take orders with the assistance of a black man who would help him with the delivery of the items.

29:54: Mr. Summey can recall the Smith boarding house because he was professionally involved as a contractor/builder and remembers doing repairs there.

31:43: Audio ends.

Rights

Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives.