LEXINGTON'S HISTORIC BIG POND BRANCH COMMUNITY RECEIVES 2ND HISTORIC MARKER

Big Pond Branch community story is quintessential American at its very best. In 2013, the first historic marker was dedicated at a house in Lexington County that dates to the middle of the 18th century. The privately held plantation, Samuel Jeffcoat House & Plantation is as alive and functional today as it was in the 18th century. Though the marker at the house reads, "c.1772", there is now evidence that the term circa is likely relevant to an earlier date. The historic marker was dedicated by The Colonial Dames of America. At the time of the dedication, forensic historian Michael Jeffcoat suggested to the crowd that this first marker was "just the tip of the iceberg".

On 4 may 2014, a second marker was dedicated at the Big Pond Branch community. It is to commemorate the meeting house and school found by Samuel and William Jeffcoat, c. 1775. The information on the two-sided marker is comprehensive and includes the reference to THE INDIAN HEAD an ancient region with a meeting place that is connected to South Carolina's "first family", The Bull Family (Stephen Bull, deputy to the Lord's proprietors). The church is also a significant church to the United Methodist Church -USA. Officers of the United Methodist Historical Society of South Carolina and the UMC Historic Foundation were present or sent support of the historic marker. The church is known today as Ebenezer United Methodist Church of North, South Carolina .

The day of dedication was the annual homecoming celebration. Almost 200 members and guests gathered for the unveiling of the large and elegant roadside marker near the intersection of highways 3 and 178. Though the church has a very deep and detailed history, the marker reflects pertinent information in context to the church in South Carolina history. 

There are about 12 more historic markers slated for this historic backcountry community.A community settled outside of the government sponsored townships of the 1730s in open territory.

It is a significant history which includes reference to the battle (skirmish) at Jeffcoat's Bridge along the north fork of the Edisto River just a short distance south of the church and marker. The prosperous community was not destroyed my William Tecumseh Sherman's scorched-earth campaign despite the presence of troops at this exact spot. The area today is rich in structural history because the churches, houses, mills and other building were left fully intact while the surrounding towns of Orangeburg, Lexington and Columbia were largely destroyed by fire. This also meant that important family, land and historical documents that were destroyed at courthouse and in houses of the nearby burned-out towns survived in this special community.

The Big Pond Branch community is a treasure trove of South Carolina early history and Americana