USA > Virginia > Washington County > Washington County > History of southwest Virginia, 1746-1786, Washington County, 1777-1870 > Part 54
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In the year 1792, it was decided to remove the church building from the Ebbing Spring to the Old Glade Spring. With the re-
*Thomas L. Preston.
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Washington County, 1777-1870.
moval 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 Buch- anan, Joseph Snodgrass, David Beattie, John Porterfield, Thomas Edmiston, William Beattie, James Scott, Samuel Edmiston, Leon- ard Hutton and William Eakin, members of the Presbyterian con- gregation of Glade Spring. The families constituting this congre- gation 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. Dick- enson, 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,
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Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
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 south- east from the location of the church, and it was from this circum- stance 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 con- tributed the greater portion of a $5,000 subscription to the enter- prise, 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 Revolu- tion, in the year 1784.
The land upon which this church stands was deeded to the con- gregation, March 15th, 1820; fifty-five poles by Robert Edmond- son, 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 Cum- mings lived within the bounds of Rock Spring church, and some of their descendants still occupy the old homesteads of their an- cestors.
. The church has occupied three separate buildings; the second
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Washington County, 1777-1870.
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 ISIS are ( so far as can be learned ) Crawford, Bovel, Glenn and MeEwen, of the Presbyterian church, and Harper, Me- Laws. Scott, Patrick and Thompson, of the Reformed Presbyterian church. About 1825, MeEwen, who was then stated supply, and who appears to have been an able and popular minister, was de- posed from the ministry on the charge of immorality. The contro- versy over his trial was bitter and protracted, and checked the growth of the church for several years.
In the great controversy of 1831 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 pro- ceedings of the session were kept ; the membership at that time was ninety.
Mr. Graham's pastorate appears to have ended in 1842. It re- sulted 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 vear 1811.
He was succeeded by Rey. J. C. Carson, as stated supply, who continued in charge until the autumn of 1825, 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. .. 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.
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Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
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 ef- fected 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. Pres- ton and Archimedes Davis as ruling elders, and the following mem- bers : Archimedes Davis, John F. Preston, Mrs. Nancy Preston, Mrs. Margaret L. Fulkerson, Mrs. Mary Bradley, Misses Mar- garet 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.
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Washington County, 1777-1870.
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 per- sistent efforts. I have been unable to obtain any information in re- gard to its history.
Green Spring Church.
This church was established in the year 1194, and the first build- ing 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 West- minster Confession of Faith and the doctrine and discipline therein contained, with the Larger and Shorter Catechism, James Mont- gomery.
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.
METHODISM IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
Methodism made its appearance in Washington county. Vir- ginia, by emigration, somewhere between 1:20 and 1225. The first circuit, in what is now Holston Conference, appeared in the minutes of 1183 entitled "Holston Circuit," with sixty members, and Jeremiah Lambert was appointed in charge of it. This cir- cuit embraced the scattered Methodists in Southwestern Virginia and upper East Tennessee. In 1984, 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, 1188.
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Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
Keywood lived about midway between Saltville and what is now Glade Spring depot. He lived in a two-story log-house with a mas- sive 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 con- ference John Tunnell preached in the morning. Under this ser- mon 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 preach- ers home with her to pray for and instruct her. They complied, and in the afternoon she emerged from darkness into light, prais- ing 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 sur- passed 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 Pres- ton. Among the children of General Preston may be mentioned the Hons. William C. Preston and John S. Preston, of South Caro- lina, Thomas L. Preston, and Mrs. John B. Floyd, the last a life- long Methodist.
Up to 1812, Washington county was generally included in Hol- ston Circuit; but in that year Abingdon Circuit appears in the minutes. This circuit embraced Washington county and some ad- jacent 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 Metho- ยท dist graveyard is. This chapel afterwards gave place to the pres- ent church on Main street. The Findlays, Litchfields, Mitchells, Floyds, Campbells, Hoofnagles, Honakers, Hamiltons and Barrs
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Washington County, 1977-1870.
have been among the most prominent Methodist families of Abing- don.
John Baker, four miles west of Abingdon, was a wealthy Mitho- dist. 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 meet- ings, resulting in great revivals in his community.
Lebanon camp-ground. some six miles cast of Abingdon, was established at an early day, and for a number of years was one of the most popular campgrounds 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 pul- pit.
In 1835. Holston Conference projected a scheme for an agricul- tural 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 confer- ence accepted from the Odd-Fellows a site and unfinished build- ings 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 es- tablished Sullins College there, with Dr. David Sullins as presi- dent. 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,
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Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
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 .*
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 com- municants in nearly every community in the county.
ABINGDON, VIRGINIA-ITS HISTORY.
The present location of Abingdon was immediately upon the Indian trail from the south and the Indian trail from the north- west, which, passing through Cumberland Gap, crossed the south- ern trail at about the present location of Hurt's store, in the town of Abingdon, in the direction of North Carolina.
- When Dr. Thomas Walk'er and his company of explorers visited Southwestern Virginia in the years 1749-1750, they followed this Indian trail, and on July 14, 1752, King George II. of England granted to Dr. Thomas Walker a large body of land surrounding and including the site of the town of Abingdon and supposed to contain 6,780 acres.
*Rev. R. N. Price.
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Washington County, 1777-1870.
This is the first record that we have of the early exploration of the lands upon which the town of Abingdon has been built.
Dr. Walker made no immediate effort to settle the lands secured by his grant, and the next mention that we have of this locality was in the year 1260, in which year Daniel Boone and Nathaniel Gist left the home of Boone, in North Carolina, and, crossing the Holston mountains, encamped in what is now known as Taylor's Valley. from which point they passed down the Holston river to near Glenn's Mill, and thence to the present location of AAbingdon. where they encamped on the second night. near where Black's
Abingdon, Virginia, 1835.
Fort was afterwards built at a spring. Boone and Gist were upon a hunting expedition at the time and were accompanied by their dogs. Soon after nightfall, the hunters were greatly disturbed by the appearance of a large number of wolves. Their dogs were as- sailed with such fury that Boone and Gist with great difficulty succeeded in repelling the attack of the wolves and preserving their lives, several of their best dogs being killed. From this circum- stance the present location of Abingdon received its first name, "Wolf Hills." The wolves had their home in the cave that under- lies the town of Abingdon, the entrance to which is upon the lot now occupied as a residence by Captain James L. White.
The creek that passes through the eastern and southern portions of the town about this time received the name of Castle's Creek.
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Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
Abingdon, Virginia, 1902. Looking East from Fruit Hill.
. Abingdon, Virginia, 1902. Looking South from Fruit Hill.
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Washington County, 1777-1870.
which name, about fifteen years afterwards, was changed to Eigh- teen Mile Creek, and the creek west of Abingdon was given the name of Wolf Hill Creek, which names are retained until this time.
Some time between the years 1465 and 1170. JJames Douglas, Andrew Colvill, George Blackburn, Joseph Black, Samuel Briggs, James Piper and several other persons settled upon lands sur- rounding and including the present location of Abingdon. under purchases from Dr. Thomas Walker, which lands were afterwards conveyed to the settlers in the year 1774.
By this time, 1224. the immediate vicinity of the present loca- tion of Abingdon was settled by large numbers of people, and dur- ing this year a church was built near the entrance gate of the pres- ent cemetery, west of the town of Abingdon, under the direction of the Rev. Charles Cummings and under the auspices of the Pre- byterian Church.
The early settlers of this section of Virginia at this early date recognized the importance of this locality, and as the natural in- stinet of the Indian had made this the passing point of two great Indian trails, so the same instinct of the white man caused him to recognize this as a central location for his operations.
Captain Joseph Black, who settled on Eighteen Mile Creek nearly south of the present residence of Colonel Arthur Cummings, with the assistance of his neighbors, erected a small fort near his residence for the protection of the neighborhood from attacks by the Indians, which fort was called "Black's Fort." and this fort was used until the summer of 1776.
In the spring of this year. 1226, the Cherokee Indians, after twelve years of comparative peace and friendliness, decided to wage a war against the whites, and to exterminate or drive them from the waters of the Holston and Clinch rivers: and in the month of July news came to the settlement, which extended down as far as Eaton's Fort, seven miles east of Long Island of Holston, that Dragging Canoe, a noted Indian chief, at the head of seven hun- dred Indian warriors, was marching upon the settlements, which news created great consternation, and every settler, with but few exceptions, gathered his family and traveled with all speed for the older settlements.
There was but one public highway passing through this sec-
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Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
tion at that time, which was known as the Great road and passed directly by Black's Fort.
By the 20th of July, 1776, fully four hundred men, women and children, had assembled at Black's Fort, and, at the suggestion of their leaders, determined to build a substantial fort and contest the further progress of the Indian invasion.
While the building of this fort was in progress, the battle of Long Island Flats was fought and resulted in an overwhelming victory for the settlers. The news of this battle reached Black's Fort on the following day.
Upon the receipt of this good news, the Rev. Charles Cummings had all work upon the fort suspended, assembled the multitude, and, kneeling in prayer, thanked God for the deliverance of the people.
The work upon the fort was continued until completed and, when completed, it was one of the best forts upon the frontiers.
During the week following the battle of Long Island Flats the settlers at Black's Fort were greatly annoyed by small bands of In- dians traveling through the settlements, killing the settlers indis- criminately, burning their homes and driving off their property.
Three parties of Indians came within the vicinity of Black's Fort. One party scalped Arthur Blackburn and left him for dead, another succeeded in killing and scalping Jacob Mongle, and a third party assailed the Rev. Charles Cummings, his negro ser- vant, Job, William Creswell and James Piper, and succeeded in killing William Creswell and crippling James Piper by shooting off one of his fingers.
After the battle at Long Island Flats, the settlers were greatly encouraged, and, at the same time, felt very much outraged at the depredations of their Indian neighbors, and a portion of the set- tlers at Black's Fort, with the assistance of a few men from Bryan's Fort, succeeded in killing and scalping eleven out of a party of In- dians that visited the home of James Montgomery, near the South Fork of Holston river, about eight miles south of Abingdon. The scalps of the eleven Indians were brought to Black's Fort and tied to the end of the longest pole that could be found in the vi- cinity, and this pole was planted at the gate of the fort as a warn- ing, we suppose, to future invaders that they would meet a like fate,
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Washington County. 1777-1870.
The county of Washington was established by an Act of the Assembly of Virginia in the fall of the year 1776, and by the provisions of that Act Black's Fort was designated as the first place of meeting of the County Court of the new county. The time of the meeting was fixed as January 28, 1727.
Tradition says there was a great contest between the citizens of this county as to the location of the county seat, a portion of the citizens advocating the present location of the Presbyterian church at Green Spring as the proper location for the county seat.
But several important inducements decided the contest in favor of Black's Fort ; to-wit : first, the fact that Black's Fort was directly upon the line of the Great road passing through this section, and. secondly, because Dr. Thomas Walker, Joseph Black and Samuel Briggs agreed to give to the county of Washington one hundred and twenty acres of land for the purpose of locating the town and assisting in discharging the cost of the erection of the necessary public buildings, and, in addition, Dr. Walker agreed to deed to the trustees of the town of Abingdon, for a nominal consideration, four hundred and eighty-four acres of land adjoining the one hun- dred and twenty above spoken of.
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