Our History
They joined forces and built a Brush Arbor as a shelter near the present church site. People came from miles around for worship services for many years. Legend has it, that the name “Blackjack” was derived from the large Blackjack Oak trees and berries surrounding the area.
The Charlotte Observer newspaper dated August 21, 2005, ran an article about Admiral Charles Wilkes, an extensive traveler, who landed in Charleston, SC in 1848 and traveled by stage coach to Charlotte, NC. One of his descriptive memories of his overnight stay was in Winnsboro and how plentiful and large the Blackjack Oak trees in Fairfield and Chester Counties grew and looked.
The officers and members of the white Fairfield Baptist Church (petitioned in 1801 and established in 1820) located across the road from the brush arbor, deeded the brush arbor property to their former slaves on April 11, 1873. Upon receipt of the property, a small framed church was built. Elijah Bird is recorded as oldest plot in the cemetery dated 1871. He was age 24 upon passing.
As the church continued to grow, under the leadership of Rev. Nathan Smith for more than fifty years, the first Usher Board was organized in the mid 1920’s with four members: Cora Robinson Hammond, Cora Lee Boyd, Sadie Grier and Amanda Perry.
In the early 1930’s the church was destroyed by fire. Through faith and perseverance, the church was rebuilt. During the reconstruction of the church, the true brotherly love of our Christian friends was shown by our Presbyterian neighbors from Shiloh. They shared their facilities with us the entire time. The framed structure was completed in 1935 and recorded in the Fairfield County Courthouse on April 28, 1941 by Walter W. Lewis.
Our Church Anniversary is celebrated the second Sunday in April and the Revival is held the second week in August. These special events provide spiritual enlightening services to encourage others to join in the Christian fellowship. Spiritually, the church family has continued to grow and prosper under various ministers’ leadership, each of which has become a part of our rich heritage.
1986 – Rev. Tommy Gibson
1994 – Rev. Earnest Jones
1999 – Rev. James Taylor
2008 – Rev. Lee R. Edwards, Jr.
2015 – Rev. Dr. Preston Harrison
You can imagine the church has had many outstanding members.
Listed are some of our former pastors and deacons:
PASTORS: Rev. Nathan Smith, Rev. Sharp, Rev. Goode, Rev. Fair, Rev. Davis, Rev. Bell, and Rev. Odom
DEACONS: Dea. Walter West, Dea. Joe Washington, Dea. Jesse Byrd, Dea. Tom Waston, Dea. Robert Mickle, Dea. Glenn Thomas, Dea. Dave Holmes, Dea. Isaiah Byrd, Dea. Charlie Taylor, Dea. George Rabb, Dea. Roy Burns, Dea. Peter Green, Dea. John Starks, Dea. Dan Starks, Dea. Aaron Ford, Dea. Ben Dorsey, Dea. George Robinson, Dea. Douglas Martin, Dea. Luther Ford, Dea. Jesse Fred Byrd, Dea. Marion Mickle and Dea. Connie Gladney and Deacon Willie Glover, Jr.
We, the Blackjack Baptist Church Family, thank God for His continued guidance and ask that He continue to bless us as we strive to seek his grace, for his grace and mercy is sufficient. We have come this far by leaning on the everlasting arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This is a living tribute of the officers and members of the church’s true belief that the Lord will surely make a way.
The most important thing to remember about this establishment is that the church is not of human beings, but, an organism of GOD that continues to grow with the Holy Spirit’s guidance. The church operates under the leadership of Jesus Christ, the Pastor and the Board of Deacons. Jesus Christ is not only the founder, but, also its head. He is over the entire establishment.
Current Board of Deacons:
Deacon Calvin Johnson—-Chairman of Board of Deacons
Deacon Charles Turner—-Vice-Chairman of Board of Deacons
Deacon John Martin
Deacon Charles E. Harrison
Deacon Paul Prailleau
Deacon Thomas Hill
Deacon Willie J. Mickle