Emory Wallace Vance, Sr. Gives Land to St. Paul Baptist Church in Gadsden, South Carolina

I attended this St. Paul Baptist Church in Gadsden, SC. I was invited several times by my cousin, Pastor Betty Fair Harris. I went on some Sundays and to vacation Bible school, but it was not until after one their anniversaries where I was seated with Betty when I learned that my grandfather, Emory Wallace Vance, Sr. Had given them the land.

I could not wait to find the record which documented the land given. I went to the South Carolina Department of Archives and History where I did find the property record. I recently went to the Richland County office Register of Deeds where I discovered the deed:

My grandfather, E. W. Vance, sold this land to Pelham Smith, trustee of St. Paul Baptist Church, for $5.00. It is on Old Bluff Rd. in Gadsden, SC leading to Columbia, SC on 26 August 1948. Today, you can find a cemetery on the left side of the building.

Amounting to about an acre, it was north of my grandfather’s land and east of his property. The legal description of the property has me curious about my grandfather’s property. I need to further look into how much I can learn about the position of E. W. Vance’s property.

I was also glad to see my grandmother’s, Otis E. Vance’s, name and signature in the renunciation of dower section of page 137 of Book 32. This was my grandfather giving this property land for their church. He attended Bethel AME Church in Columbia. It did not matter that St. Paul Baptist Church was of a different faith. This speaks volumes to me.

Now, I need to go back to St. Paul Baptist Church and let them know that I found this deed. I need to look for members that have a memory of this transaction.  I need to also take a look at the cemetery.

Sharpen the Saw

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