Sumter County · Marker 43-04
Salem (Black River) Presbyterian Church
N. Brick Church Rd. (S.C. Hwy. 527), about 2 mi. N of U.S. Hwy. 378 and 4 mi. SE of Mayesville
Front inscription
This house of worship, commonly called Brick Church, was founded by Scotch-Irish settlers in 1759 on land given by Capt. David Anderson. Original log meeting-house was replaced by frame building and named Salem Presbyterian Church (1768). The first brick church was built in 1802 and used until 1846 when the present church was built of brick made on the grounds.
Reverse inscription
Old session house (1846) in the rear contains large library given by James McBride in 1862. Land for cemetery, dating from 1794, was deeded by Robert Witherspoon in 1830. Among the notable ministers to serve this church was Dr. Thomas Reese, scholar, teacher, and preacher before the Revolution. In 1867 Negro members withdrew to form Goodwill Presbyterian Church.