Edgefield County · Marker 19-03
First Baptist Church
212 Church St.
Front inscription
Founded in 1823 as Edgefield Village Baptist Church with Basil Manly, Sr., Pastor, Matthew Mims, Clerk, and Arthur Simkins, Moderator, this church led in the establishment here in 1826 of Furman Academy and Theological Institution. William Bullein Johnson, pastor here 1830-52, served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention 1845-51; Robert G. Lee, a former pastor, served in 1948-51.
Village Cemetery
Burial place of three S.C. Governors/F. W. Pickens, 1807-1869/J. C. Sheppard, 1850-1931/John G. Evans, 1863-1942/and the families of/Gov. Pierce H. Butler/and Gov. M. L. Bonham./Also buried here are/Francis H. Wardlaw/1800-1861/Preston S. Brooks/1818-1857/Matthew C. Butler/1836-1909/John Lake, 1870-1949,/Missionary to China.