University of Virginia Library

METHODISM IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.

Methodism made its appearance in Washington county, Virginia,
by emigration, somewhere between 1770 and 1775. The
first circuit, in what is now Holston Conference, appeared in the
minutes of 1783 entitled "Holston Circuit," with sixty members,
and Jeremiah Lambert was appointed in charge of it. This circuit
embraced the scattered Methodists in Southwestern Virginia
and upper East Tennessee. In 1784, Lambert reported seventy-six
members, a gain of sixteen.

Bishop Asbury held the first conference west of the Alleghanies,
at Stephen Keywood's, Washington county, Virginia, May, 1788,

Keywood lived about midway between Saltville and what is now
Glade Spring depot. He lived in a two-story log-house with a massive
stone chimney at one end. The conference met in an upper
room without fire, and sat three days. Religious exercises were
kept up daily, with fine results. John Tunnell, Thomas Ware and
others had preaching at Keywood's every day for a week before
the session of the conference began, and on Sunday before the conference
John Tunnell preached in the morning. Under this sermon
Madam Elizabeth Russell, wife of General William Russell,
of Revolutionary fame, and sister to Patrick Henry, was convinced
that she was the veriest sinner on earth, although up to that period,
as a member of the Episcopal church, she had been exemplary in
life and thought she was a child of God. She invited the preachers
home with her to pray for and instruct her. They complied,
and in the afternoon she emerged from darkness into light, praising
God with a loud voice. This good—yea, great—woman became a
flame of Christian zeal, and to the day of her death, which occurred
in 1825, she served God and her generation with a zeal not surpassed
in ancient or modern times. Mrs. Russell's first husband
was General William Campbell, of King's mountain celebrity. Her
daughter, Miss Sarah B. Campbell, married General Francis Preston.
Among the children of General Preston may be mentioned
the Hons. William C. Preston and John S. Preston, of South Carolina,
Thomas L. Preston, and Mrs. John B. Floyd, the last a lifelong
Methodist.

Up to 1812, Washington county was generally included in Holston
Circuit; but in that year Abingdon Circuit appears in the
minutes. This circuit embraced Washington county and some adjacent
territory in Virginia and Tennessee. Baker Wrather was
the first appointee to Abingdon Circuit. This circuit was a part
of Tennessee Conference until 1824, when Holston Conference was
organized. Abingdon station was established in 1826, with the
Rev. George Atkins as its first pastor.

At what date the first Methodist church in Abingdon was built
I am unable to state. In 1849, the old Abingdon church was torn
down and supplanted by a neat brick chapel where the old Methodist
graveyard is. This chapel afterwards gave place to the present
church on Main street. The Findlays, Litchfields, Mitchells,
Floyds, Campbells, Hoofnagles, Honakers, Hamiltons and Barrs

have been among the most prominent Methodist families of Abingdon.

John Baker, four miles west of Abingdon, was a wealthy Methodist,
and was for many years a liberal supporter of the church.
John W. Price, near Glade Spring, was a wealthy farmer and an
active church worker, often exhorting and holding protracted meetings,
resulting in great revivals in his community.

Lebanon camp-ground, some six miles east of Abingdon, was
established at an early day, and for a number of years was one of
the most popular camp-grounds in the connection. Methodists
from Abingdon and other parts of the county camped there, and
many of the first preachers of the connection preached from its pulpit.

In 1835, Holston Conference projected a scheme for an agricultural
college. The Rev. Creed Fulton, agent, and also member
of the committee to locate the school, raised a subscription and
called the committee together. The present site of Emory and
Henry College was chosen, and the erection of buildings was begun
at once. In 1838, the school was inaugurated under the presidency
of Charles Collins, of Maine, a graduate of the Middleton (Conn.)
Wesleyan University. He was a well-rounded man, and under his
wise administration the college prospered; but the school reached
its zenith afterwards under the administration of President E. E.
Wiley.

Martha Washington College was projected in 1858. The conference
accepted from the Odd-Fellows a site and unfinished buildings
in the northern suburb of Abingdon, but abandoned the site
afterwards, and bought the Preston property, the present site.
This college has had a very useful career.

Some years afterwards the Methodists of Bristol built and established
Sullins College there, with Dr. David Sullins as president.
This school has been a successful competitor of Martha
Washington College in the cause of female education.

Methodism has always been strong in Washington county, of an
evangelical type, and a powerful factor in educating and refining
the people and creating a good quality of citizenship. Long will
the memory of such people as Father Wilkenson, Father Haskew,
Dr. George Barr, "Aunt Bettie Haskew," "Aunt Kittie" Findlay,

and others like them, linger among our healthful hills as a sweet
perfume.

I should have mentioned particularly the Methodist Protestant
church. This denomination was organized in 1830. It was at
first made up of members and preachers who formerly represented
the Annual and General Conferences, and, being opposed to an
episcopal form of government, seceded from the M. E. Church,
and set up a church more democratic in polity. The Rev. Mr.
Cosby and Dr. George R. Barr were the principal pioneers of this
church in Abingdon. A nice brick church was built, and regular
preaching kept up for many years. Dr. Barr was many years its
pastor, and a revered and venerable name. The church had some
influence at other points in this county, but made little headway
against its older and more thoroughly established rival.[26]

The members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in about the
year 1845, disagreed upon the question of slavery, and divided
their church property, and since that time there have been two
branches of the same church in this county, to-wit: The Methodist
Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

The Methodist Episcopal Church has experienced a very rapid
growth in Washington county since 1865, and to-day has thirteen
churches and a large number of communicants in this county, while
the Methodist Episcopal Church South has churches and communicants
in nearly every community in the county.