Membership Letter
May 5, 2015
Dear Members and Friends,
I send you greetings from The Grace Foundation of Taylors Island. The Grace Foundation was formed in 1951 to help preserve the history of Taylors Island, one of the oldest settlements in America. Many families all over America have their ancestral roots on Taylors Island.
Grace Foundation's most important goal is to keep all of our historic properties in first-class condition and make them available to the public for appropriate uses. This year, we accepted the ownership of two additional properties, which I will comment on further. In addition, we continue to gather information about the history of Taylors Island and its people of the past.
The year 2014 saw the closing of the Chaplain Memorial United Methodist Church, the last active church on Taylors Island. Grace Foundation was asked to take ownership of this historic property and oversee its care and maintenance into the future. Significant funds were also transferred to us to assist with future maintenance of the structure, which is in good condition.
Another acquisition now in progress is the Lane Church graveyard located behind the Bethlehem Church. This old graveyard was used for the burial of Colored Folks on Taylors Island from the 1700's until late in the 1900's. The local Lane United Methodist Church was closed several years ago, and that graveyard's care was abandoned. This is an important part of Taylors Island's history, and Grace Foundation is planning repair of the graves and headstones, regular future maintenance, and a thorough research of the graveyard's history and those buried there.
We still plan to furnish the “Old Schoolhouse” with items that would have been suitable for a teacher and students in the early 1700’s. The delay is finding appropriate wood for the furnishings.
Terry Neild has created a Grace Foundation web site, available for you to see at www.gracefound.net . Many items about local history will be added to that web site in the future.
Terry Neild is also compiling for publication all of the Grace Foundation annual reports after the previous publication date of 1970. These may be available for our Annual Meeting this Spring.
Most of you are aware that our sound financial condition was made possible by bequests from several of our past members. I would like to encourage each of you to consider a similar action to assure the success of our future preservation efforts.
Enclosed you will find a current membership list and your annual dues notice. Life Members pay no dues, but additional donations are welcomed.
The 2015 Annual Meeting of the Grace Foundation of Taylors Island is scheduled for Sunday, June 7th, with a religious service starting at 11:45 AM. Immediately following the service, there will be a short business meeting and our traditional catered luncheon, either on the grounds or at the Taylors Island Firehouse. Please plan to attend.
Sincerely yours,
John S. Neild, Jr., President
(Note: On your arrival, you are welcome to have a rest-room stop at the Fire House if needed. We are not planning to have that accommodation at the church this year.)
Dear Members and Friends,
I send you greetings from The Grace Foundation of Taylors Island. The Grace Foundation was formed in 1951 to help preserve the history of Taylors Island, one of the oldest settlements in America. Many families all over America have their ancestral roots on Taylors Island.
Grace Foundation's most important goal is to keep all of our historic properties in first-class condition and make them available to the public for appropriate uses. This year, we accepted the ownership of two additional properties, which I will comment on further. In addition, we continue to gather information about the history of Taylors Island and its people of the past.
The year 2014 saw the closing of the Chaplain Memorial United Methodist Church, the last active church on Taylors Island. Grace Foundation was asked to take ownership of this historic property and oversee its care and maintenance into the future. Significant funds were also transferred to us to assist with future maintenance of the structure, which is in good condition.
Another acquisition now in progress is the Lane Church graveyard located behind the Bethlehem Church. This old graveyard was used for the burial of Colored Folks on Taylors Island from the 1700's until late in the 1900's. The local Lane United Methodist Church was closed several years ago, and that graveyard's care was abandoned. This is an important part of Taylors Island's history, and Grace Foundation is planning repair of the graves and headstones, regular future maintenance, and a thorough research of the graveyard's history and those buried there.
We still plan to furnish the “Old Schoolhouse” with items that would have been suitable for a teacher and students in the early 1700’s. The delay is finding appropriate wood for the furnishings.
Terry Neild has created a Grace Foundation web site, available for you to see at www.gracefound.net . Many items about local history will be added to that web site in the future.
Terry Neild is also compiling for publication all of the Grace Foundation annual reports after the previous publication date of 1970. These may be available for our Annual Meeting this Spring.
Most of you are aware that our sound financial condition was made possible by bequests from several of our past members. I would like to encourage each of you to consider a similar action to assure the success of our future preservation efforts.
Enclosed you will find a current membership list and your annual dues notice. Life Members pay no dues, but additional donations are welcomed.
The 2015 Annual Meeting of the Grace Foundation of Taylors Island is scheduled for Sunday, June 7th, with a religious service starting at 11:45 AM. Immediately following the service, there will be a short business meeting and our traditional catered luncheon, either on the grounds or at the Taylors Island Firehouse. Please plan to attend.
Sincerely yours,
John S. Neild, Jr., President
(Note: On your arrival, you are welcome to have a rest-room stop at the Fire House if needed. We are not planning to have that accommodation at the church this year.)
