 | A history of Caroline county, Virginia |  |
LIBERTY BAPTIST CHURCH
Liberty church appears for the first time in the minutes of
the Goshen Association in 1813 where it is recorded as a new
church. Its pastor, Rev. Hipkins Pittman and P. Merriman,
were its messengers and these with R. Long, Reuben Rose, Charles
Taliaferro and Stanfield Jones represented it until 1822, at which
time the church reported 123 members.
From 1822 to 1827 the church was pastorless. Lawrence
Battaile became pastor in 1827, although the church did not "set
him apart for the ministry" until 1830.
In 1832 Liberty reported 277 members, two Sunday schools
and "a large Temperance Society still gaining ground." In
1833 the church "recommended that each member furnish a
bench for the people of colour." In 1834 Woolfolk Estes, "who
had moved to the Western country," was succeeded as clerk by
Richard Buckner, Sr., and he in turn was succeeded two years
later by R. H. Washington Buckner. In 1836 Charles A. Lewis
"was set apart to the work of an evangelist" and in 1837 Thomas
Royster was chosen deacon.
Fifteen members were dismissed in 1840 "for the purpose of
constituting a church at Round Oak" and among the number
was the treasurer, Robert Jesse, in whose place W. Bates was
chosen.
In 1847 when "The Test" was an issue in this section the
church passed resolutions condemning the making and selling
of liquor, but by a majority of one vote refused to make compliance
36 of the members who believed in "The Test" withdrew
and organized Bethesda church, carrying with them the clerk,
Addison L. Long and the pastor, Rev. Lawrence Battaile, who
had served Liberty nearly twenty years. Aaron Thornley was
then elected clerk and Rev. George W. Trice pastor. Mr. Trice
served the church until his death in 1867.
In 1848, R. H. Washington Buckner was ordained to the
ministry and George B. Samuels became clerk. He was followed
by Charles T. Jesse in 1854, A. H. Conway in 1867 and S.
Fitzhugh in 1878.
The church reached its largest numerical strength in 1861,
reporting 163 white and 546 colored members. In 1867 letters
were granted the colored members who wished to organize a
church of their own, leaving a white membership of 181.
Rev. James D. Coleman died in 1878 after serving the church
for ten years. His successors in the pastorate have been the
Rev. Messrs. A. B. Dunaway, A. G. Loving, C. W. Trainham,
J. W. McCown, J. T. Eubank and S. B. Overton. The present
(1924) clerk is W. H. Collawn, of New London, Caroline county.
The foregoing facts were obtained for the author from the old
records by Dr. Garnett Ryland of the University of Richmond.
| A history of Caroline county, Virginia | |