University of Virginia Library

BAPTIST.

The first Baptist Church in the county was organized in
January 1773. This event took place in Lewis's Meeting
House, which stood on old David Lewis's place, on the elevated
ground south of the Staunton Road, about where the
house of Mrs. Humbert now stands. The church commenced

with a membership of forty-eight persons. George Twyman,
who lived just south of Earlysville, was one of its original
members, and at a meeting held two months later presided
as Moderator. The influence of the Presbyterian polity,
under which doubtless many of the members had grown
up, was apparent in their earliest proceedings. The original
organization was effected by two ministers and an elder, and
at a subequent meeting it was determined that "the feeling
of the church concerning elders and deacons should be made
known." It was several years without a pastor, but was
occasionally supplied by such ministers as John Waller,
and Elijah and Lewis Craig. This church was variously
called by the names of Albemarle, Buck Mountain and Chesnut
Grove. In 1801 they took possession of the old Buck
Mountain Church of the Establishment, which had been
disused by the Episicopalians. When that place of worship
was claimed by its former owners, they removed to the union
church in Earlysville in 1833, and in 1879 erected their present
building about a mile west of that place.

Andrew Tribble was chosen their pastor in 1777, and was
ordained by Lewis Craig and others. How long Mr. Tribble
continued in that relation is not known. He purchased a
farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres a short distance
below the D. S. Tavern, which he sold in 1785, and it is
likely he performed his pastoral duties until that time. William
Woods, distinguished as Baptist Billy, was ordained at
Lewis's Meeting House by Messrs. Tribble and Benjamin
Burgher in 1780, and became the pastor when the work of
Mr. Tribble ceased. In 1798 Mr. Woods became a candidate
for the Legislature; and as the law of Virginia at that time
prohibited a minister from holding a civil office, he relinquished
his ministerial calling at Garrison's Meeting House
in November of that year.

When the church was first formed, it was in the bounds of
Dover Association, which then embraced the whole State.
In 1791 the Albemarle Association was constituted, including
the territory south of the Rapidan, and west of a line running
from Barnett's Ford on the Rappahannock to the mouth

of Byrd Creek on the James. Up to this time eight other
churches had been founded, four of which lay within the
present limits of the county, Totier in 1775, Ballenger's
Creek probably about the same time, Priddy's Creek in 1784,
and Whitesides, now Mount Ed, in 1788. Martin Dawson
became a minister soon after 1774, and preached for many
years at Totier, which was situated near Porter's Precinct,
and was then commonly known as Dawson's Meeting House.
His labors however extended largely over the whole county.
Benjamin Burgher, who lived on the headwaters of Meehum's
River, was for a long period the pastor of Mount Ed. In
1822 he, Benjamin Ficklin and John Goss had advertised to
begin a protracted meeting on a certain day at Mountain
Plains, but on the very day of the appointment Mr. Burgher
rested from his earthly labors. John Goss came to the county
from Madison in 1802.

In 1820 Daniel Davis, Jr., a Baptist minister, preached
occasionally in Charlottesville, sometimes in the courthouse,
and sometimes in a large room of John Burrus. An organization
seems to have existed in town at that date, as Mr.
Davis advertised that he would baptize those who had made
a declaration of their faith to the church. Yet it appears
that the formal establishment of the Charlottesville Church
did not take place till August 1831. On that occasion four
ministers were present, John Goss, Valentine Mason, Reuben
L. Coleman and Charles Wingfield. Dr. Hardin Massie was
appointed its Clerk. In October 1835, Dr. Massie conveyed
to Nimrod Bramham, William Dunkum, Isaac White and
Lewis Teel as trustees, a part of Lot No. Five, on which, it
was stated in the deed, the Baptist Church "stands." In
1853 the Circuit Court granted permission to sell the old
church property, and appointed as trustees for the new church,
William P. Farish, Lewis Sowell, James Lobban, John T.
Randolph, John Simpson, James Alexander and B. C. Flannagan.