University of Virginia Library

PRESBYTERIANISM IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.

The first settlers of Washington county were principally Presbyterian
in belief and of Scotch-Irish descent, and as early as the
year 1772 the Rev. John Craig and the Rev. James Campbell, Presbyterian
ministers, had visited and preached to the settlers upon the
frontiers (then Southwest Virginia).

It may be thought strange that men situated as were the first settlers
of this section would have need or would wish to be instructed
in religious matters, as their lives were a constant effort to either kill
their adversaries, the Indians, or to prevent the Indians from
slaughtering themselves and families; but man is a religious being
and cannot divest himself of his religious nature. Herodotus, the
ancient traveler and the father of history, said that "cities without
walls could be found and communities without pretence to arts,
laws, or even morals, but no tribe or nation could be found without
a religion." The idea of God is intuitive, inherent in the soul of
man. And the first settlers of this section were not only susceptible
to this idea, but as a rule they had been taught in their youth to
honor and love their Creator in all their walks and under all circumstances.

Prior to the year 1772, two congregations had been organized
in this county, the one at Sinking Spring, the other at Ebbing
Spring, and by the summer of 1773 these congregations had grown
until their membership was one hundred and twenty-six persons,
and these congregations extended a call to the Rev. Charles Cummings,

who was then preaching at Brown's Meeting House, in
Augusta county.

This call was presented by Samuel Edmiston at a session of the
Presbytery held at Brown's Meeting House on June 2, 1773.

Mr. Cummings accepted the call and removed with his family to
the neighborhood of the Sinking Spring church (Abingdon),
purchased land and settled upon it. Mr. Cummings served the two
congregations until the year 1780, when the Rev. Thomas Brown
Craighead took charge of the Ebbing Spring congregation, while
Mr. Cummings remained in charge of and served the Sinking
Spring congregation faithfully and well until 1812, the date of his
death.

From the time Mr. Cummings commenced preaching at Sinking
Spring up to about the year 1776, the men never went to church
without being armed, and taking their families with them. On
Sabbath mornings during this period, it was Mr. Cummings' custom,
for he was always a very neat man in his dress, to dress himself,
then put on his shot-pouch, shoulder his rifle, mount his dun
stallion and ride off to church. There he met his gallant and intelligent
congregation, each man with his rifle in his hand. When
seated in the meeting house they presented altogether a most solemn
and singular spectacle. Mr. Cummings' uniform habit, before entering
the house, was to take a short walk alone whilst the congregation
were seating themselves; he would then return, at the door hold a few
words of conversation with some one of the elders of the church,
then would walk gravely through the crowd, mount the steps of the
pulpit, deposit his rifle in a corner near him, lay off his shot pouch
and commence the solemn worship of the day. He would preach
two sermons, having a short interval between them, and go home.

The congregation was very large, and preaching was always well
attended. On sacramental occasions, which were generally about
twice a year, the table was spread in a grove near the church. He
preached for many years, and until far advanced in life, to one of
the largest, most respectable and most intelligent congregations ever
assembled in Western Virginia.[23]

In the year 1782, the elders of the Sinking Spring congregation
were: Samuel Newell, Sr., George Finley, John Blackburn, John
Davis, Andrew Willoughby, Sr., William Lowry and James Douglas.

Mr. Cummings was a very zealous Whig and did much to fire the
patriotism of his congregation and the settlers upon the frontiers.
He was the first named on the Committee of Safety for Fincastle
county and to his pen has been generally attributed the resolutions
adopted by the freeholders of Fincastle county on the 20th of January,
1775. He was a member of Hanover Presbytery and assisted
in the preparation of the petition for the abolition of the established
church, which was presented to the General Assembly on the 24th
of October, 1776, and after the organization of Washington county,
in the year 1777, he was chairman of the Committee of Safety for
this county during the Revolution, and never failed to serve his
country in the cause of liberty when an opportunity afforded.

An idea may be had of his influence and the dependence placed
upon him by our leaders during the darkest days of the Revolution
from a letter addressed to him by Colonel Arthur Campbell in June,
1778, upon his return from Richmond:

"Yesterday I returned home, the Assembly having adjourned
until the first Monday in October. The acts passed and a list of
their titles I here enclose, together with an address of Congress
to the people of America, for you to publish agreeably to the resolve.
I wish you could make it convenient to preach at the lower meeting
house in this county, if it was but a week day, as the contents of the
address are of the most interesting nature, both as to the moral and
political conduct of the good people of America. Providence is
daily working out strange deliverances for us. The treaty with
France is much more advantageous than the wisest men of this
country expected. The Indians the other day were unexpectedly
discomfited on Greenbrier. I think the overthrow was something
similar to what happened in this country about two years ago. I
must give you the intelligence at full length, as the most hardened
mind must see and admire the divine goodness in such an interposition."

Mr. Cummings was succeeded by the Rev. Stephen Bovel, and an
eye-witness of the place and character of the service at the Sinking
Spring church in the year 1833 says: "The Presbyterians worshipped
in a very old log building at `the Grave-Yard'—weatherboarded
outside and ceiled inside. To this plain, old-fashioned
house would, literally, the gathering of the people be. From the
hills and valleys the worshippers would pour in until an overflowing

house would leave a multitude outside. Ladies and gentlemen, with
their children, would walk there twice a day in summer's heat and
winter's cold, and listen to one or two discourses before returning to
Abingdon! They went there for a purpose, and that purpose was to
worship God. The silence of death almost prevailed before preaching.
Talking and jesting in the house of God had not then become
a fashionable amusement. They were prayerful, solemn, thoughtful,
serious, and never failed to enjoy the services of the sanctuary
and of the minister. The same writer says: "Dr. Bovel was a minister
of the olden stamp. We have heard gray-headed members of the
church speak of his teaching them `the Assembly's Catechism,' when
they were children. Venerable patriarch of the church! We saw
him when far beyond his three score years and ten. With his white
head, tremulous voice and faltering steps, he still moved amongst
the former people of his charge. In extreme age—the activity and
usefulness of his young manhood having passed by, and repose and
comfort should have been his—he journeyed far away, and sought a
home, and found his grave in a distant State."[24]

In the year 1830 Mr. Bovel was succeeded by Rev. David R. Preston,
and shortly thereafter this congregation erected a new church
building (now Temperance Hall), and worshipped in this building
until the schism of 1837 divided the church; when one branch of
the church erected a new building on the lot now occupied by the
Presbyterian church at the corner of Main and Slaughter streets.

From the year 1837 until 1865, two congregations of Presbyterians
worshipped in the town, one at the Temperance Hall and the
other at the new church, and the feelings between the two congregations
were such as to greatly endanger the existence of the
church.

The total membership of both churches in 1865 was one hundred
and twelve members only. The two congregations were united in
1865, through the efforts of the Revs. Thomas Brown and James
McChain, and since that time the church has greatly prospered,
the membership at the present time being three hundred and thirty.

This church took its name from the Sinking Spring near the
marble yard of James L. Brown, and this church is the parent of
the Meadow View, Cold Spring, Green Spring, Walnut Grove, Maple
Grove, Spring Creek, Bethel and the first Presbyterian church of
Bristol, Tenn.

The pastors serving this church during its history have been:

1774-1812, Rev. Charles Cummings.

1812-1830, Rev. Stephen Bovel.

1830-1835, Rev. David R. Preston.

1835—, Rev. William Preston, stated supply.

1835-1842, Rev. Stephen Taylor.

1842-1866, Rev. James McChain.

1870-1883, Rev. E. H. Barnett, and in recent years Revs. P. D.
Stephenson, T. A. Wharton and R. V. Lancaster.

The ruling elders of this church, so far as I can ascertain, in addition
to those previously given, have been: James Vance, James
Davis, Michael Shaver, Alexander White, J. W. C. Watson, Elias
Ogden, Henry Parrot, Archimedes Davis, T. P. Clapp, John F.
Preston, Philip Snapp, Jacob N. Campbell, R. C. Craig, Samuel A.
Preston, D. C. Dunn, R. L. Francisco, Robert J. Preston, T. D.
Davidson, B. Gildersleeve, John A. Buchanan, R. A. Preston, John
A. Hagy, F. B. Hutton, W. B. Ingham, T. M. Clapp and B. R.
Smith.

Ebbing Spring.

This was one of the first churches to be organized in Washington
county, and its first pastor was the Rev. Charles Cummings, who
served the church until 1780, when he was succeeded by Rev.
Thomas Brown Craighead.

This church was named from the Ebbing Spring, the church
building being on the hill a short distance north of the spring. This
spring is now on the farm owned by David Stump, on the Middle
Fork of Holston river, in the upper end of this county, and in its
normal condition it is a beautiful stream flowing from among limestone
rocks. Before the water begins to flow there is a gurgling
sound, and then the stream gushes out with a rapid current, filling
the channel. The ebb begins gradually, and in less than half an
hour the spring is as limpid and quiet as before the disturbance.[25]
This was the place of worship of General William Campbell and
the families east as far as the head of Holston, and the number of
the worshippers at this church was exceeded by that of the Sinking
Spring only.

In the year 1792, it was decided to remove the church building
from the Ebbing Spring to the Old Glade Spring. With the removal

of the church from Ebbing Spring the name was changed
to Glade Spring. The new church was erected upon property given
by Francis Kincannon and deeded, by the direction of Kincannon,
by John Robinson on the 15th of February, 1814, to Robert Buchanan,
Joseph Snodgrass, David Beattie, John Porterfield, Thomas
Edmiston, William Beattie, James Scott, Samuel Edmiston, Leonard
Hutton and William Eakin, members of the Presbyterian congregation
of Glade Spring. The families constituting this congregation
in the early days were among the most patriotic citizens to
be found anywhere within the colonies; they were respectable and
progressive, and their descendants at this time practice the same
ideas that rendered their ancestors distinguished. The pastors
serving the Ebbing Spring congregation have been:

                         

1774-1780	—Rev. Charles Cummings.
1780-1790	—Rev. Thomas Brown Craighead.
1790-1816	—Rev. Edward Crawford.
1816-1831	—Rev. Alexander McEwen.
1835	—Rev. Philip Wood.
1843-1844	—Rev. Robert C. Graham.
1844-1848	—Rev. A. G. Taylor.
1848	—Rev. Robert Glenn.
1848-1852	—Rev. Levi R. Morrison.
1852-1856	—Rev. D. F. Palmer.
1856-1859	—Rev. Henry Smith.
1859-1862	—Rev. J. J. McMahon.
1863-1866	—Rev. R. L. McMurrin,

and since 1866, the Revs. Henry M. White, J. O. Sullivan, Frank
McCutchen, P. H. Guinn, and J. R. Herndon.

The ruling elders of this church, so far as I have been able to
ascertain, have been: Mitchell Robinson, David Beattie, John
Eakin, Peter Clark, John S. Clark, Arthur Hutton, John Robinson,
Philip B. Snapp, J. C. Porterfield, Isaac M. Benham, W. B. Dickenson,
James A. Buchanan, A. D. Hutton, A. H. Byars, George A.
C. Beattie, M. W. Robinson, E. B. Clark, T. M. Porterfield, A. M.
Byars, and J. D. Kent.

This church has experienced a very rapid growth in recent years,
and at the present time five churches and chapels are within the
bounds of the Glade Spring church, viz.: Old Glade Spring church,

Glade Spring church, Seven Springs, Ebbing Spring Chapel, and
the membership of the church is considerable.

The location of the church erected in 1792 was near a fine
spring and there was a long glade free from timber looking southeast
from the location of the church, and it was from this circumstance
that the church took the name of Glade Spring in the year
1792.

When the building of Emory and Henry College was proposed, a
meeting was held for the purpose of soliciting subscriptions at the
Old Glade Spring church and the members of this congregation contributed
the greater portion of a $5,000 subscription to the enterprise,
and Colonel William Byars, Alexander Robinson, Madison
Beattie, Absalom Beattie, W. B. Edmondson, W. C. Edmondson
and J. M. Byars, active members of this church, have given their
influence, money and labor to the upbuilding of Emory and Henry
College since the inception of the enterprise.

There is not a community in Washington county that excels that
of Glade Spring in intelligence, patriotism and worth, and this fact
is in great part due to the influence of this church.

Rock Spring Church.

The Rock Spring church, by far the oldest church organization
in that section of the county, was organized just after the Revolution,
in the year 1784.

The land upon which this church stands was deeded to the congregation,
March 15th, 1820; fifty-five poles by Robert Edmondson,
twenty poles by Matthew Brown.

No sessional records appear to have been kept until 1843, but
the membership was large and somewhat scattered. In 1880, sixty-three
of its members were organized into a separate church, known
as Bethel, near Osceola.

The total membership of Rock Spring church from 1843 to 1902
is estimated at something over 500. Its present membership is
over seventy.

Many of the signers of the original call to Rev. Charles Cummings
lived within the bounds of Rock Spring church, and some
of their descendants still occupy the old homesteads of their ancestors.

The church has occupied three separate buildings; the second

was removed in 1884, and the present large and beautiful building
erected near the old site.

The names of those who ministered to the people of Rock Spring
church prior to 1843 are (so far as can be learned) Crawford, Bovel,
Glenn and McEwen, of the Presbyterian church, and Harper, McLaws,
Scott, Patrick and Thompson, of the Reformed Presbyterian
church. About 1825, McEwen, who was then stated supply, and
who appears to have been an able and popular minister, was deposed
from the ministry on the charge of immorality. The controversy
over his trial was bitter and protracted, and checked the
growth of the church for several years.

In the great controversy of 1837 over church representation, out
of which grew the Old and New Schools, Rock Spring sided with
the former.

Down to 1843 the church had no regular pastor. In that year
the Rev. R. C. Graham was called and installed.

At that time Samuel Moore, Andrew Edmondson, and Robert
E. Lowry were elders. Their first meeting under the new pastor
was on December 10, 1843. From that meeting records of the proceedings
of the session were kept; the membership at that time was
ninety.

Mr. Graham's pastorate appears to have ended in 1847. It resulted
in a largely increased membership. From 1847 to 1866 the
church had no pastor. The stated supplies during that time were
Hodge, Stickley, Reece, Wilson and Hogshead. The last, in the
year 1866, was installed pastor, and continued as such until the
year 1871.

He was succeeded by Rev. J. C. Carson, as stated supply, who
continued in charge until the autumn of 1875, when Rev. J. O.
Sullivan became pastor. His pastorate ceased in the year 1881,
when he became president of Stonewall Jackson Institute.

The present church building, one of the most commodious in the
Presbytery, was erected in the year 1884, at a cost of about $3,000.

The next pastor was the Rev. Frank McCutchen. He remained
until 1893, when he accepted a call to Rogersville, Tenn. Rev. J.
B. Hutton, Rev. S. R. Preston and the Rev. Mr. Visor were stated
supplies until October, 1896, when Rev. J. B. Morton became pastor.
He resigned in 1901 because of disaffection in the congregation.

The present pastor (not yet installed) is Rev. Allen Jones, an able
and most energetic man.

Maple Grove Church.

The first Presbyterian preacher to conduct regular services in
this community was the Rev. Stephen Bovel, and, as a result of his
efforts, a log-house was built upon the location of the present
church in 1831. A partial organization of the church was effected
about the same time, but all records pertaining thereto have
been lost, and the first regular session of this church of which we
have any record was organized in the year 1836, with the following
elders present: John Gray, John Davis, John Anderson, Wallace
Maxwell, Peter S. Hanby and A. C. Maxwell.

The first regularly installed pastor of this church was the Rev.
John H. Wallace.

In the year 1874, the log church erected in 1831 was torn down,
and a handsome country church erected in its place. The church
has been served by the following pastors, so far as I can ascertain:
Revs. Stephen Bovel, James McChain, John H. Wallace, Henry
Rose, J. P. Briscoe, John L. Allison, W. T. Mobray, J. B. Morton,
G. W. Henderlite and R. B. Hudson.

Spring Creek Church.

This church was organized in the year 1852, with John F. Preston
and Archimedes Davis as ruling elders, and the following members:
Archimedes Davis, John F. Preston, Mrs. Nancy Preston,
Mrs. Margaret L. Fulkerson, Mrs. Mary Bradley, Misses Margaret
J. Willoughby, Caroline Willoughby, Elizabeth Rush, Mary
J. Legard, Andrew Willoughby, Jeremiah Rush, Sr. and James
Rush.

Soon after the organization of the church, Andrew Willoughby
was installed an elder, and within recent years Henry B. Roberts,
J. G. R. Davis and others have served in the same capacity.

The land upon which this church stands was given by John F.
Preston. A very commodious frame building was erected thereon
in the year 1852 and remained until 1886, when the old building
was torn down and a handsome frame building erected in its stead.

The pastors that have served this church have been the same that
served the Maple Grove church.

Upon this church property stood an old log-house in which the
writer attended the public schools, and in the church building he
was taught the Shorter Catechism by H. B. Roberts and a faithful
corps of noble women.

Walnut Grove Church.

This church was organized at an early day and has been of great
usefulness; but, I am sorry to say that, notwithstanding very persistent
efforts, I have been unable to obtain any information in regard
to its history.

Green Spring Church.

This church was established in the year 1794, and the first building
was erected upon a tract of land conveyed to the members of
the Green Spring congregation and their successors, they calling a
regular Presbyterian minister of the gospel, adhering to the Westminster
Confession of Faith and the doctrine and discipline therein
contained, with the Larger and Shorter Catechism, James Montgomery.

This church is situated in the strongest Presbyterian community
in Washington county, possibly in Southwest Virginia, and has had
a very useful career; but I must express my regret at being unable
to obtain any information in regard thereto.

All that has been said in regard to the Glade Spring community
will apply to this, the peer of the Glade Spring community.

The Kings, McConnells, Berrys, McChesneys, Coxes, Kellers,
McCauleys, Grays, Thomases, Lowrys, Parks, Avens, Mimmicks
and Campbells constitute a large part of this congregation.