The first "Free" Church...St. Stephen's Episcopal and the Three Sarahs

67 Anson Street

     Nestled comfortably among the historic homes and gardens of the quiet neighborhood of Ansonborough is a church that bears a distinction no other can claim. In a time when, in order to attend church, you were required to pay rent on or purchase your pew, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church was established as the first "free" church in America-- where anyone who wanted to worship was welcomed no matter their race, financial  means, or social status. The early congregation (established in 1822) was a diverse mix of white and African-American (both free and slave), wealthy and destitute members. In recent years, it has returned to that diversity with both white and African-American members coming together in both worship and service.

     

     St. Stephen's owes its earliest existence to a trio of ladies dubbed "The Three Sarahs". The first of the three Sarahs was Sarah Hopton Russell, wife of wealthy merchant Nathaniel Russell and mother of two daughters, Alicia and Sarah. They made up the family that built the beautiful Federalist home at 51 Meeting Street, the Nathaniel Russell house, which now serves as a home museum maintained by Historic Charleston Foundation.  Sarah Russell was an advocate for those less fortunate and spent much of her energy and means in providing relief for the destitute.  Along with her daughter, Sarah, who married Theodore Dehon, Second Episcopal Bishop of South Carolina, and Sarah Rutledge, daughter of Edward Rutledge, signer of the Declaration of Independence and Governor of South Carolina, Sarah Russell set out to provide a place of worship for those who could not afford the pew rent necessary for worship in other churches. Together they founded the Ladies Benevolent Association in 1819. They began to elicit funds to make this a reality. Sarah Rutledge authored a cookbook entitled "The Carolina Housewife", with the proceeds going to establish a free church. Sarah Russell donated land on Guignard Street to be used for the construction of the new church building.  In 1924, the new building was consecrated.       
     
     Sadly, the structure burned in the fire of 1835. A few items, including the organ and a tablet for Mrs. Russell were saved from the fire and are in the present church. The new church was built on Anson Street and was probably designed and built by John and Henry Horlbeck who owned Boone Hall Plantation in Mt. Pleasant. Their brickyard supplied the bricks used in the chapel. The Anson Street chapel, beautiful in its simplicity is constructed of stuccoed brick in a simple Greek Revival style. It stood unscathed in the Great Fire of 1838 which miraculously spared the church by a sudden change of the direction of the wind. 

     In a church built on inclusiveness, they insisted that no one would ever be turned away. All who enter this historic church are reminded of this promise with the words engraved over the door:  "My house shall be called a house of prayer for ALL people".