USA > Virginia > The planting of the Presbyterian Church in Northern Virginia : prior to the organization of Winchester Presbytery, December 4, 1794 > Part 6
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In the Records for October, 1768, appears a minute showing that un- friendly relations had arisen between Mr. Hoge and some of the most in- fluential people in the Cedar Creek church, which may account in part for their arrearages in salary. The minute is as follows:
"Mr. Joseph Colvil accused Mr. Hoge before the Presbytery for having fraudulently obtained a judgment in Lord Fairfax's office, with re- spect to a caveat entered by Hoge against the claims of a certain Arthur McConnel to a tract of land ; as also that Mr. Hoge had laid said McCon-
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nel under unreasonable restraints in an article of agreement for said land ; and that Mr. Hoge had unjustly debarred him, the said Colvil, from church privileges.
" Upon a full hearing of the case the Presbytery declared Mr. Hoge acquitted of all the charges."
It was during the vacancy in this church that the young licentiate, Mr. Fithian, paid his visit to this region and preached both at Opecquon and Cedar Creek. He spent several days visiting among the people, and noting in his famous Journal everything that interested him. Stephensburg he describes as "a small village, well situated. Four taverns in the town and one store kept by Captain Holmes, where I am to lodge." He met many prominent people of the neighborhood. "Major Stephens, the pro- prietor of the town." "Mr. Wilson, an Opecquon Elder, a plain able farmer, very old and stout, a full and strong example that the place is healthy." "Mr. Whitehead, living on a lovely farm, a mile from town; an old, gray-headed bachelor and a Yorkshire Englishman." "Col. Isaac Zane, possessor of the noted Marlboro Iron Works; a man of first rank, both in property and office ; and a patriot of fiery temper." Col. Hite, whose "general characteristics are wealth and honesty. He entertained us merrily with humor, toddy and music." But of the church itself he writes :
"Sunday, June 4. Cedar Creek Church, six miles from Stephens- burg, northwest. All here are full Quakers. I preached twice; the as- sembly very attentive. I made very little use of my notes, which is a vast, almost essential recommendation here. Preach without papers ; produce casuistic divinity ; seem earnest and serious, and you will be listened to with patience and wonder. Both your hands will be seized, and almost shook off so soon as you are out of the church, and you will be claimed by half of the society to honor them with your company after sermon. Read your sermons, and if they be sound and sententious as Witherspoon's, copious and fluent as Harvey's, and read off with the ease and dignity of Davies, their backs will be up at once, their attention all gone, their noses will grow as red as their wigs ; and (let me whisper this) you may get your dinner where you breakfasted. 'Please keep your seats,' said an old gray-headed gentleman when worship was concluded. He took off his hat and made a collection. Well, I must go home with this venerable prop of the church. His wife is old and flaxen-haired as he. Both are hearty, lusty and nimble. In this happy condition of life and friendship, by Hy- men's blessing, they have lived together fifty-five years. They have three
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daughters at home, virgins, and well risen in years. Have some books, much poultry. Mr. Colville lives within four miles of the North Mountain on the bank of Cedar Creek.
"Monday, June 5. We breakfasted heartily and soundly on the rich- est products of a fat farm. Boiled milk, highly buttered, and fine cheese of two kinds, one made last summer and the other last week. We passed one freeman talking politicks and religion. These good people are full warm for election and reprobation in its strictest sense. Mr. Colville gave me yesterday's collection. I am gratified to find that when the number at church was so small so many remembered me. There were thirty-four pieces of silver in cut money, quarters of dollars, pistareens and half bits. The whole donation for the two sermons was three dollars (£1, 2s., 6d.). After dinner we visited old Mrs. Sarah Vance."
It was within the bounds of the Cedar Creek Church that Dr. Moses Hoge was born and reared. His father was the James Hoge whose name is in the deed of Lord Fairfax to this congregation and whom the deed desiginated as one of the Elders of the church. His home was near Mid- dletown, on the great road from Winchester to Staunton. As a man of vigorous intellect and devoted piety, he probably was not inferior to any in that large Hoge connection, so many of whom have been distinguished both in church and State. Dr. Archibald Alexander regarded him as one of the most intellectual men he had ever met. He visited him in his home in 1791, where he was detained for several days, and writes of him in his autobiography: "We stopped at Mr. Solomon Hoge's, the brother of Moses, where also his aged father resided. Though eighty-four years of age, his intellect was in full vigor and he delighted in theological discus- sion. He gave me a narrative of the state of the Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania during his youth. He informed me that as soon as he was twenty-one years of age, he carefully read every article of the Westminster Confession of Faith to see if he could adopt the whole; which he was able freely and deliberately to do. He was now in connection with the Seceder Church. He did not tell me how this came about; but some years after- wards, Dr. Hoge told me that his father left the Presbyterian Church on account of the "Adopting Act," which permitted candidates to make excep- tions when adopting the Confession. I do not know that I ever got so much instruction from any one in the same time as from this old gentleman. Difficulties which I had about some points, he entirely removed to my satisfaction.
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VI. TUSCARORA.
The church with whose name we next meet is " The Old Tuscarora." This church is about two miles west of Martinsburg, on the Tuscarora Creek, from which it takes its name. This creek rises at the eastern base of the North Mountain, flows through Martinsburg, and, a few miles east of that city, empties into the Opecquon. It is one of the important water courses of Berkeley County.
That the name of this church does not appear in any existing Eccle- siastical Records until April 6, 1760, will excite some surprise, as the accepted local tradition is that its existence precedes that date by at least fifteen, if not twenty, years. Henry Howe, in his "Historical Collections of Virginia," claims "that the spot on which the Tuscarora Meeting House now stands, is the first place where the Gospel was publicly preached, and Divine worship performed, west of the Blue Ridge." This claim can hardly be sustained; and yet the strong probability is, that Tuscarora is one of the oldest churches in the Valley of the Shenandoah. That we have no mention of it until 1760 is due, no doubt, to the loss of Presbyterial Records of the preceding fourteen years. The lands along the Tuscarora are among the finest in Berkeley County, and were taken up and occupied at an early date, and largely by the Scotch-Irish. And it can hardly be questioned that if that lost volume of the Donegal Records could be recov- ered, it would be found that the Presbyterian people on that creek had organized themselves for public worship, and were in possession of Gospel ordinances not later than 1745-the latest date that tradition assigns. It was evidently an established place of worship of considerable importance when we first meet with the name. Not only are supplies regularly ap- pointed, but it would appear that an elder, or commissioner, was sent to Presbytery to ask for these supplies in person. We take this to be the meaning of the minute of October 21, 1760, when, instead of the usual expression that "supplication was sent," or " supplication was received and read," the minute is that "verbal supplication from Tuscarosa " was made for supplies.
The next minute, April 28, 1762, is still more significant as to the strength this church had already attained. It reads that "the congrega- tions of Tuscarora in Virginia and Falling Waters supplicate for supplies, and for laborers for some time to come," showing a growing discontent with a system that sent them supplies only rarely, and at long intervals and for
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short periods. In response to this unusual request Mr. Hoge was ordered to supply them nine Sabbaths, and Mr. Roan to assist him during the month of August.
From this date (1762) until 1771 supplications for supplies for Tusca- rora in Virginia are made at nearly every stated meeting of Presbytery, and at some of the adjourned meetings also; and in answer to these requests, Presbytery appointed for a longer or shorter term, and with greater or less frequency, the following supplies, viz .: Messrs. McGan, Roan, Slemmons, Cooper, Craighead, Alexander, McCreary, Hoge, Balch, Lewis, Lang, Vance, Thompson, Duffield and Rhea.
In October, 1765, the church made special application for the serv- ices of Licentiate Robert Cooper, with a view to his settlement among them. He had just been licensed, was a young man of great promise, and was afterwards known as one of the distinguished men of the church. This application was not successful.
Eighteen months later their attention was turned to another young man, Mr. John McCreary, who had just been licensed by the Presbytery of New Castle; and Donegal Presbytery was asked (April, 1767) to secure him for Tuscarora, with a view to his settlement as pastor. A year later, April, 1768, this effort was renewed; the church asked leave of its Pres- bytery to apply to New Castle Presbytery for a part of Mr. McCreary's time, and liberty was given it to prosecute a call for this minister; but this effort also resulted in failure.
In connection with the appointment of Rev. Hezekiah James Balch to supply Tuscarora, May 20, 1769, the following incident is worthy of men- tion as showing the spirit of the age. Mr. Balch had recently been mar- ried, and he was now arraigned before his Presbytery for allowing his mar- riage to be solemnized "by an English established minister." When re- quired to answer to this accusation Mr. Balch humbly confessed his fault before Presbytery, and then stood up.and was censured in due form by Mr. Roan, the moderator.
After many failures to obtain a pastor, Tuscarora at length called Mr. Hugh Vance. Mr. Vance was received as a candidate by Donegal Pres- bytery, April 11, 1769, and was put upon his "trials," and licensed to preach August 30 of the same year. He was appointed several times to preach at Tuscarora, and his preaching was so acceptable that in October, 1770, a call from the United churches of Tuscarora and Falling Waters was laid before Presbytery, placed in his hands and accepted. On Tues- day, August 21, 1771, the Presbytery met at the Tuscarora Church and
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ordained him to the full work of the ministry, and installed him pastor of the Tuscarora and Falling Waters churches.
This minute (August 21, 1771) gives us an important date in the his- tory of Presbyterianism in Virginia. That was the first meeting of Donegal Presbytery south of the Potomac River, and the pastorate then constituted was the second one formed within our Presbyterial bounds. The one first formed (in the Opecquon field) ended the next year, viz: 1772.
Of the Rev. Hugh Vance not very much is now known, beyond the fact that he was pastor of the Tuscarora church for twenty years. He was born in 1736, and probably in Pennsylvania. It is said, though the state- ment is not confirmed, that he was of the family of Vances that came to this Valley in 1735, or 6, with Glass, Colvin, White and others. It does not seem that he was ever much distinguished as a preacher, or that he wield- ed any great influence as a presbyter. Yet he was very highly respected by his brethren in the ministry and beloved as a pastor. He was indus- trious and zealous in his work, faithful to his duty in his own charge, and always ready to give his services to destitute points around him, whether far or near. We find him on at least one occasion (1773 or 4) making a journey across the Alleghanies in the interest of the church-an undertak- ing at that day of no little risk and hardship. Mr. Fithian, who visited him May 20, 1775, and received from him "liberty to visit and preach in the neighboring vacancies," says of him, that "he lived at the foot of the North Mountain ; partakes, I believe, of the Virginia spirit, and hands round the sociable bowl." As to his personal appearance, a contemporary and relative of his, whom I personally knew, Mr. Adam Sanaker, who lived near Gerrardstown, described him as "a tall, spare man, and very weakly." When Rev. William Hill visited him in September, 1791, he found him "on the borders of the grave, in the last stages of consumption." And yet when Mr. Hill preached the next day at Tuscarora he says "Mr. Vance rode out and lay in one of the pews while I preached." He died December 31, 1791, and his remains are buried in the old grave yard at Tuscarora.
There is some confusion in the Presbyterial Record touching Mr. Vance's pastorate, which leaves us in much uncertainty as to the pastoral relation he actually held. In the minute (October, 1771) which records his ordination, it is also said that he was installed pastor of Tuscarora and Falling Waters. But in a previous minute (October, 1770) his call is said to have come from Falling Waters and Back Creek. Then in the History of Carlisle Presbytery, by Dr. Norcross, he is mentioned as pastor of Tus-
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carora and Back Creek ; and during the whole period of his twenty years ministry in Berkeley County. Falling Waters is continually asking and obtaining supplies from Presbytery as if vacant. But this is a matter that belongs properly to the Falling Waters church, and the facts in the case will be more fully stated in the sketch of that church. That Mr. Vance was pastor of Tuscarora is not open to doubt. His residence was always within the bounds of that church.
The year after Mr. Vance's death (1792) "supplications were sent to Presbytery from Tuscarora for themselves, and on behalf of Martinsburg and Back Creek ;" and the next year (April, 1793) Tuscarora and Falling Waters unite in a call for the Rev. John Boyd, who is ordered to supply these two churches until the next meeting. At the next meeting, October, 1793, the call was placed in his hands and accepted. In April (9, 1794) he was ordained and installed pastor of Tuscarora and Falling Waters, and remained in charge of these two churches until April 16, 1801, when his pastoral relation was dissolved, and two years afteward he was dismissed to the Presbytery of New Brunswick.
When the Presbytery of Winchester was erected (1794) the Tusca- rora church, though not included in the organization, was probably one of the strongest in this Valley. After some years its strength was greatly reduced by the colony set off to form the Martinsburg church, and also by the emigration of its members. Of late, however, it has been much re- vived under the able ministry of Rev. Dr. F. M. Woods. The old stone building, in which they have long worshipped, was erected in 1803.
VII. BACK CREEK.
The Back Creek Valley lies between the Little and Big North Moun- tains, in the western parts of Berkeley and Frederick counties. The stream from which it derives its name rises in southwestern Frederick, runs a northerly course for fifty miles or more and empties into the Potomac. The Valley is very beautiful, and early attracted the emigrants who were seeking homes south of the Potomac River; many of them choosing the smooth lands along this creek in preference to the strong limestone land in the Valley between the North Mountain and the Blue Ridge. During
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the Braddock war, however, they were so harrassed by the Indians that a large part of them recrossed the mountain and settled on Tuscarora and at Falling Waters, by which movement the churches planted at those places were materially strengthened.
But many years before this migratory movement began, the settlers, who were largely of Presbyterian lineage and faith, had established a church in their own Valley. The location of this church was probably the same as that which for a century the Presbyterians on Back Creek have occupied, viz : on the west side of the creek, near Tomahawk Spring, about four miles southwest of Hedgesville, and perhaps seven or eight miles west of Martinsburg. The large stone building now in use is the one in which this congregation has worshipped for a century or more.
The name of this church is first found in the same minute of Donegal Presbytery, in which the name of "Tuscarora in Virginia" first occurs, April 6, 1760 ; and, like Tuscarora, it appears then as a place accustomed to receive supplies, and where worship had been already established. That its name does not appear earlier is no doubt due, as in so many other cases, to the loss of the Records of the previous fourteen years. Tradi- tion is very explicit in assigning an early settlement to the Back Creek Valley, and largely by people of the Scotch-Irish race.
In April, 1760, "Mr. Hoge is ordered to supply Back Creek;" and the next October (21, 1760) this church, through an Elder or Commis- sioner, sent to Presbytery for the purpose, makes "a verbal supplication" for preaching ; and Mr. Hoge then, and on several subsequent occasions, is appointed their supply. For the following nine years Presbytery fur- nished this church repeatedly with supplies in connection with either Tus- carora or Falling Waters, with which churches its associations have always been intimate.
In October, 1770, Mr. Hugh Vance, who had just been licensed, was appointed to supply Back Creek; and at the same meeting a call was laid before Presbytery from Back Creek and Falling Waters for Mr. Vance to become their pastor. While there is no direct statement in the Records that Mr. Vance was ever installed pastor of Back Creek, there is much indirect evidence that such was the fact. The historian of his Presbytery, Dr. Norcross, says that he was installed. In April, 1775, Mr. Lang is ordered by Presbytery to write to Back Creek church, urging it to pay the arrears due on Mr. Vance's salary; and the following June Mr. Fithian speaks of the Back Creek church as " Mr. Vance's Meeting House." It is quite certain that during the twenty years of Mr. Vance's pastorate in
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Berkeley County, he preached statedly to the Back Creek people, and was regarded by all, and he himself acted, as their pastor. During all that period no application from them goes up to Presbytery for supplies, but as soon as his death occurs (December 31, 1791) we find them (1792) as a vacant church, supplicating Presbytery for a preacher.
The Ecclesiastical Records give very little information upon which even a conjecture can be based as to the prosperity and growth of any of those churches whose early history we are giving. But we have reason to believe that the Back Creek church during that period of planting was among the most prosperous in all this region. The Valley in which it was located possessed many attractions for the immigrant; the rich bottom lands along the creek were early occupied and population rapidly increas- ed. The commodious and substantial house of worship, erected during, or soon after, the period under consideration, is itself suggestive. But the diary of Mr. Fithian throws positive light upon the subject, as showing both the size of the congregation and the membership of the church. He writes:
"Sunday, June 18, 1775. Over the North Mountain I rode to Mr. Vance's meeting-house at Back Creek. The sacrament was administered. Ninety-three communicants. Vast assembly. This North Mountain is very high, at the top almost bare. The view below on each side is rich and beautiful. On each side we see ridges of hills, and ridges on ridges still succeed until you cross the Alleghany."
It is gratifying to know that this fine old church, after a long period of disheartening depression and decay, has revived, and is started on a new career of active service in the cause of the Divine Master.
VIII. CAPE CAPON.
The name of this church, so unfamiliar to the present generation, appears for the first time in the Donegal Records April 29, 1761. The minute reads, "supplications were received from Opeckon, Cape Capon," and other places. The name undoubtedly refers to some place, not care- fully designated, on what is now known as the Capon River. This river is one of the important water courses of eastern Hampshire. It rises near
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Wardensville in Hardy County, flows northward, and empties into the Potomac near the dividing line between Morgan and Hampshire counties. The name is probably of Indian origin, and is said to mean "to appear," " to rise to view," "to be found again," or something expressive of such an idea; which is fairly descriptive of the stream itself, which has this remarkable peculiarity, that it starts as a river, breaking from the base of the mountain as a large, full stream, of river-like proportions; while on the other side of the mountain is "Lost River," which, after flowing many miles, suddenly disappears near the base of the mountain; and, after flow- ing a distance of three or four miles underground, reappears on the other side of the mountain, and continues its course to the Potomac with the name of Capon. It is a very tortuous stream through most of its course. The distance from a given point on the river to its mouth, following its windings, is four times greater than by the country road.
The name of this river, in the Records of Hampshire, is given in a great variety of ways-" Capon," " Cacapon," "Cape Capon," Capca- pon," "Cacapehon," "Capecacapon," "Capecacahepon," and even in other ways. In the Donegal Records the name is "Cape Capon."
Of the first settlement of the Capon Valley we have no definite infor- mation. Who the settlers were and when they came, we do not know. That many of them came immediately from Pennsylvania, and that most of them were Presbyterians, is very probable. Though their request for Gospel ordinances first appears in April, 1761, it is fair to suppose, from the style of the minute, and from its connection, that if we had access to earlier records, we would find that applications for supplies had been made at an earlier date. As it is seven years before there is any mention of the renewal of their application, the reasonable inference is, that some perma- nent arrangement was made for their supply-perhaps through that general oversight of vacancies entrusted to Mr. Hoge; or by the coming of an evangelist who remained for some time with them. Anyhow, it is almost certain that in this interval of seven years they were pretty well supplied with the means of grace, and were strengthened in numbers; for in their next application to Presbytery (April, 1768) they do not ask for an ordi- nary supply, but for "an ordained minister, who shall assist in forming them into a regular congregation." And Mr. Roan was sent to perform this important service for them.
It is not likely that any body of people would have felt justified in taking a step of such importance, unless their numbers were considerable, and their habits of worship well established. And this leads us to ask,
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with more interest than we would otherwise feel, on what part of Capon River this zealous Presbyterian settlement was found? The very next mention of these people helps us to this information. Only six months after they ask for a church organization, viz .: October, 1768, " Mr. Hoge is appointed to supply the Forks of Cape Capon." This designates a well-known location with great exactness. It is where the North River, its chief tributary; empties into the Capon. This is some twenty or twenty-five miles in an air line from its mouth, though over ninety miles as the course of the river is followed. This is one of the most attractive points along the river; where the bottom lands are broad and very productive. Near it are excel- lent mill-seats, which have been utilized, and rich ore beds, which have for a long time been worked. It is here that Braddock's famous military road from Winchester to Cumberland crosses the Capon River.
The next spring, April, 1769, supplies were again asked for by this church; after which no direct mention is made of it for several years; but frequent mention is made of supplies being sent to "several places in Hampshire;" and Mr. Waugh and Mr. McKnight are specially named at different times as these supplies. It may safely be assumed that Cape Capon was included in their mission. During the War of the Revolution a permanent " Committee on Supplies " was appointed by Presbytery, with special reference, apparently, to the vacancies and destitutions south of the Potomac; and in the services of that committee this church no doubt shared.
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