South Carolina United Methodist Collection

The records of the South Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church are housed in the Archives. These records, which date from 1785, include the minutes of the sessions of the Annual Conference as well as the conference newspaper, the Southern Christian Advocate. The Methodist Collection also has an index of the obituaries appearing in the Advocate from 1837 to the present. This index is now online in partial form.

The Methodist Collection is the official repository for the records of Conference agencies and holds the records of a number of South Carolina Methodist churches, an index of appointments to churches in the conference from 1785 to 1954, and published histories of the conference and many of its churches.

Methodist History Links 

• Methodist Historic Sites in South Carolina 
• A South Carolina Methodist History Timeline 
• Information on the Herbert Hucks Award for Historic Preservation and Interpretation 
• The Advocate Obituary Index (online)
• David Duncan Wallace article on John Wesley

Digital Collections

•  Methodist Ministers in South Carolina (1942)
  This album contains 281 photographs of Methodist ministers in South Carolina who were serving as of 1942.  These images are available for viewing or downloading.  The link will open in a new window. 
• The William Wynn Mood Photo Album 
  This album contains 131 photos of late 19th century Methodist bishops, ministers in South Carolina, and some lay individuals who were connected with the Mood family.  Images are able to be downloaded.  (Link will open in a new window)
• Twentieth Century Sketches photos (1901) 
  These photos come from the first pictorial directory of Methodist ministers in South Carolina.  This album contains 179 images. The images are available for viewing or downloading.  (Link will open in a new window)
• Twentieth Century Sketches, Revised photos (1914) 
  These photos come from the second pictorial directory of Methodist ministers in South Carolina.  The album contains 167 images.  These photographs are available for viewing or downloading.  (Link will open in new window.)
• Builders: Sketches of Methodist Preachers, 1932 (NEW)
  This album contains 249 photos of Methodist ministers who were serving in South Carolina in 1932.  Local church historians may want to search through the directory for photos of their ministers.  The images are available for viewing or downloading.  (Link will open in a new window)

Conference Agency Records  

• Records of the Annual Conference 
• Records of the Council on Ministries 
• Records of the Board of Education 
• Records of the Board of Camps and Retreats 
• Records of the Board of Christian Social Concerns 
• Records of the Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry 
• Records of the Commission on Archives and History 
• Records of the Commission on the Status and Role of Women 
• Records of the Conference United Methodist Women 
• Records of the Conference Historical Society  
• Records of Epworth Children's Home (Newsletters)
• Records of United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (Newsletters)

District Records 

• Florence District Records, 1974-1996 
• Florence-Kingstree District Records, 1943-48 
• Lake City District Records, 1956-1974 
• Marion District Records, 1939-2004 
• Spartanburg District Records, 1870-1991 

Local Church Records 

• Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church, Spartanburg 
• Saxon United Methodist Church, Spartanburg
  Most local church record collections do not have detailed finding aids. They will be added as they are created. Check the United Methodist Archives Connection for more information, or contact the archives.

Manuscript Collections 

• Charleston Methodist Materials 
• Papers of Allan R. Broome 
• Papers of Ralph Alston Cannon 
• Papers of Melvin K. Medlock 
• Papers of Joseph Marion Rogers 
• Papers of the Walker-Wightman-Kirkland Families 
• Papers of Mary Belle Winn 
• Papers of A. C. Holler (in process)

Internet Sources for Methodist Research 

• General Commission on Archives and History 
• United Methodist Archives Connection
  An online catalog of conference and church records, including South Carolina.

Guidelines for Arranging and Preserving Church Records 

• Local Church Retention Guidelines
  Offers advice on documents and records local churches should keep.
• Care of Photographs
  Offers advice on the steps individuals can take to care for their photographs.

Books 

• A. M. Chreitzberg, Early Methodism in the Carolinas, 1897 - indexed by Google Books
• A. M. Shipp, History of South Carolina Methodism, 1883 - in the archives
• Albert D. Betts, History of Methodism in South Carolina, 1951 - in the archives
• Warren M. Jenkins, Steps along the Way: The Origin and Development of the South Carolina Conference of the Central Jurisdiction of the Methodist Church, 1967
• Biographical directories of ministers in the South Carolina Conference - 1901, 1914, 1932, 1942, 1952, 1961, 1975, 1985, 1991, 2001

Periodicals 

• The Southern Christian Advocate, published from 1837 to 1948, available in print or microfilm
• The South Carolina Methodist Advocate, published from 1948 to 1968, available in print
• The South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, published since 1968, available in print
• Wesleyan Journal, 1825-1827, available in microfilm
• Conference Journals, South Carolina Annual Conference
• Conference Journals, Upper South Carolina Annual Conference, 1915-1947
• Conference Journals, South Carolina Conference (1866) on microfilm, 1869-1962