Poplar Springs Baptist Church
Ware Shoals, South Carolina
Excerpts from Laurens County History Book
Poplar Springs Baptist Church is located in the western part of Laurens County. It’s mother church was Turkey Creek Baptist Church in Abbeville County.
On July 14, 1794 nine men and six women met in a little log house in the western part of Laurens County. In August of that year the church entered into the Bethel Association as Durham Church with fifteen members. The church then decided to hold quarterly meetings of three days [Friday, Saturday and the Lord’s Day.]
The name Poplar Springs was given at the suggestion of Rosannah Baugh for the beautiful spring over which towered a large poplar spring. The church entered the association in 1795 under this name and has been ever since that time. The church joined the Saluda Association in 1808 and the Laurens Association in 1826.
The church was the mother church for Friendship Baptist Church .
Poplar Springs established a Sunday School in 1857 and WMU was organized in 1881.
For the first 100 years the church only used a Tuning Fork. An organ was finally purchased in 1901.
Ground was broken on July 3, 1949 for the present sanctuary. Ground was broken for the fellowship building on April 23, 1972.
For the first 90 years, the church used Walnut Creek at Boyd’s Mill for baptisms.
Andrew Logan and Mary Jane McKee were members at Poplar Springs on and off for years. Mary Jane’s parents and siblings were also members here. Andrew Logan McKee, Mary Jane Puckett McKee, Obedience Allen Puckett [Mary Jane’s mother], and Tryphenia Puckett Chandler [Mary Jane’s sister] are laid to rest in the church cemetery.