USA > West Virginia > A history of the Church of the Brethren in the first district of West Virginia > Part 5
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The work at the Brights Hollow school began about 1908 in the old building and has continued ever since, changing to the new school when it was built. Some preaching was done about this time and prior to it by the Progressive Brethren, but none is now being done by them.
The following information was supplied by Sister Delcie Shanholtz relative to the work at Brights Hollow, in about her own words.
The first members of the church were a family of three of the name of Showalter, who came from Pennsylvania. There was a preacher from Pennsylvania who preached at Brights Hollow about once a month and then his health failed and he quit com- ing. Then David and Nathanael Merrill came for a while. Dur- ing their preaching John W. Whitacre and wife, their son and daughter and another daughter, who was my mother, were bap- tized. That made eight members.
There then followed a number of years with no preaching by the Brethren and they attended the Baptist and Methodist churches. For some members the light went dim, but some read the Bible and kept the light burning, still holding to the church that preached the whole gospel.
After some years B. W. Smith from the Tear Coat congrega- tion preached once a month at a school seven or eight miles from us. When fourteen years old I told mother I wanted to join the church. She said she would ask father, who was a Baptist. He replied that I was not old enough. The church was very plain at that time and he was afraid I would not hold out as there were no other young people in it. He said, "Wait till you are a little older." I waited a little over a year and then joined, mother and I making the trip to the service that time. I have never been sorry for that trip and father and mother could say the same thing for father came into the church later at about the age of sixty-three and died faithful to the church at the age of eighty- nine.
I remember one hymn they often sang in those days, the chorus of which is
"Oh, the lights along the shore That never grow dim, Never grow dim;
"Oh, the souls that are aflame O'er the love of Jesus' name And they will guide us unto him."
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FIRST DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA
At Mt. Dale there has been preaching since the spring of 1929, Brethren Luther Shanholtz and George Yost being the first preachers there. About that time the Ed Nazzlerod family moved into the community and immediately began to work for church services. Largely through their efforts the present church was built in 1930, the building belonging to the Alle- gheny Orchard Company being conditioned by the members there. The Allens were the first members there. Sunday school was conducted there from 1929 to 1937, since which time they have been co-operating with the Paw Paw church. Preaching is being done irregularly but they need help very greatly.
During most of its history this congregation has been under the care of the district mission board, until about 1938 when they secured a summer pastor, Bro. Elmer Gleim. The work took on new life and interest. During this and the following years under the guidance of Elders Foster M. Bittinger and Vernon Shan- holtz some of the internal dissensions were smoothed out and the work looks forward again.
For a long time there had been urgent need of a church in the Brights Hollow community. During these years plans were made for it and with the help of Elder Vernon Shanholtz it was brought to completion in 1941 with Bro. B. W. Smith preaching the dedicatory sermon. It was named the Oak Grove church, being located in a beautiful oak grove at the head of Brights Hollow.
EGLON
Pioneers ministers: Sam Arnold, Thomas Clark, Benjamin Beeghly, P. Musser, Samuel A. Fike, T. Musser, Aaron Fike, Samuel Pifer, Moses Fike, Dennis Weimer, James Liller, Jesse Hays, John Kline.
Present ministers: Ezra Fike (present elder-in-charge), E. T. Fike, Olonzo Fike, J. S. Fike, Dr. H. C. Miller, Lorenzo Fike, Wilma Weybright, W. L. Teets, Charles Vought, Galen Fike, Omar Simmons, D. B. Spaid, Norman Harsh, Ralph Martin.
Date of organization: 1855.
Preaching places: Maple Spring, one-half mile south of Eg- lon; Brookside, two miles east of Aurora; Glade View, nine miles south of Oakland; Gortner, four miles south of Oakland; Mac- keysville, two miles north of Hamilton; Sugarland, six miles west
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THE CONGREGATIONS
of Thomas; Benbush, in Benbush; Mt. Grove, five miles north of Thomas.
Boundary line: Beginning at Rowlesburg the line runs up Cheat River to Parsons, thence up Dry Fork to the mouth of Blackwater River, thence up the Blackwater River to a point east of Thomas where said Blackwater leaves the Elkins branch of the Western Maryland Railroad, thence with said railway to the site of Fairfax, thence by an air-line to the Fairfax Stone, thence with the West Virginia-Maryland state line to the top of Backbone Mountain, thence with the top of said mountain to U. S. Highway No. 50, thence by an air-line to a point where the state line crosses the B. & O. Railroad near Hutton, thence by an air-line westerly to Amblersburg on the B. & O. Railroad, thence southwesterly with said railway to the starting point at Rowlesburg.
This congregation was once much larger, including all of the Fairview and part of the Pine Grove congregation in western Maryland.
The first settlers and founders of the German Settlement community, now the Eglon congregation, were Rev. John Stough, a Lutheran minister who settled at Mt. Carmel, near Aurora, in 1787, and his company. The next year Frederick Harsh came from Germany and settled on the east portion of the site of Au- rora. August Christian Whitehair came to Union District in 1788 and in 1790 taught school at Carmel, the first in Union District and possibly the first in Preston County. His descendant, George Whitehair, was the first one to be baptized into the Church of the Brethren within the bounds of the Eglon congregation. He lived on the Sammy Fike farm, now the Jesse Harsh farm. George P. Heckert, a millwright, settled near Eglon in 1790. John Slaubaugh settled near Eglon on the Frederick Harsh farm in 1852 and Peter Fike located one and one-half mile south of Eg- lon in 1854. These were all of German descent and for that rea- son the congregation was known as the German Settlement con- gregation until 1919 when the district conference granted the privilege of changing the name to the Eglon congregation. Much preaching had been done in German in the past.
The first members living in the bounds of the congregation were James McKinney and his wife of Stemple Ridge, who were baptized at Lennox, West Virginia, by James Quinter. On March
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FIRST DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA
18, 1854, Jeremiah Miller and family moved to Stemple Ridge. In April of the same year Sam A. Fike and wife moved to Eglon on what is now the Jesse Harsh farm and in March Peter Fike and family located on the Vought farm. Thus by the close of 1854 the following members were within the bounds of the con- gregation: Peter Fike and wife, S. A. Fike and wife, Jeremiah Miller and wife, John Weimer and wife, James Mckinney and wife. James Abernathy moved to near Wilson in 1854 and in 1858 was baptized by John Kline. Others soon moved in, among whom were Phineas Miller, Jacob Weimer, John Snyder, and David Fike. These with their holy lives formed a nucleus around which the church began to take root. Elder Benjamin Beeghly located near Aurora soon after Peter Fike but the exact date is not known. He was perhaps the first minister living here and probably held the first regular councils. He did much to organize and establish the church fully.
The first preaching was done here before 1831, which is the date of his death, by Elder Samuel Arnold, father-in-law of Peter Fike, Sr. As he was passing through on a preaching tour, he stopped at a tavern at Sunny Side, Maryland. When the landlord learned that he was a minister, he requested him to leave an appointment for his next trip. When the time came for the appointment a large crowd was present, having come to see the curiosity, a preacher with a beard, for beards were rare in those days. Next came Brethren James Quinter and Jonathan Kelso, of Maryland, who preached at West Union (Aurora), and baptized George Whitehair, the first person to be baptized in this congregation.
At the request of Peter Fike, Thomas Clark of Bayard began and kept a regular appointment, usually in the home of Bro. Fike. His were the first regular preaching appointments. As a result, in part at least, an election was soon held and the church was organized. On September 25, 1855, Elder John Kline and Martin Miller came to Peter Fiega's (Fike's) where they held a council meeting and "Samuel Fiega was elected speaker (minis- ter) and Tobias Moser deacon." This would likely be rightly called the date of congregational organization at this place. On August 27, 1856, Bro. Kline had a "meeting at David Fiega's on the pike. Afternoon meeting at West Union (Aurora). Stay at Benjamin Beachley's (Beeghley)," Since Bro. Beeghley was .
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THE CONGREGATIONS
a minister before moving here there were now two resident min- isters in the congregation. The next election was held in 1861 in an old spring house near the Accident schoolhouse and Aaron Fike, another son of Peter Fike and brother of Sam Fike, was elected along with Sam Pifer. Sam was physically alert, almost perfect as a Bible student and scholar. He was a great reasoner and an energetic missionary, a man of great power in the pulpit. He studied the Book and could interpret it. Aaron was a man of deep spiritual life and feeling. In later years he was so afflicted that he could not ride, so walked far and near preaching the Word. In 1863 another son, Moses, was elected and he was known as the orator and debater, never happier than when in an argument with someone, perhaps a minister, of another denom- ination. These men commanded great respect wherever they went. They were loyal to the church and to the Book. They endured persecution. Their membership was earnest and be- lieved every word of the Book. They were living epistles.
The first protracted meeting, as a series of evangelistic meet- ings was then called, was held about 1862 at the old Accident schoolhouse by S. A. Fike and Aaron Fike. There were seven baptisms. The next one was held at the same place a few years later by the same brethren and as a result more than twenty were baptized in the creek near John Snyder's in Snyder Hollow, which about doubled the membership.
The country was yet native forest, virgin timber, and it took much hard labor to fell the trees, clear the land, and erect homes. Most of the members were poor and endured much hardship and persecution. On account of this the early men of the ministry and their families suffered much. They would spend many days and months on preaching tours and in preaching funerals. They traveled on horseback and received no remuneration for time or expense. They paid their own toll and bought their own grain, paying as high as three dollars a bushel for grain. Many times they ate cornbread and sour milk for a meal, traveled by lonely paths through dense forests, forded dangerous streams, endured freezing temperatures in wet clothing and preached in the eve- ning to the simple mountain folk. But these people eagerly drank in the helpful words of these zealous preachers, delivered with great earnestness, burning messages of love. These men were great evangelists.
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FIRST DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA
Often after services they would follow a rough winding path many miles to lodge in a log house with an old-fashioned fire- place. After a warm spiritual talk, the reading of a chapter and a prayer, they would retire for the night to a room where the wind whistled through the cracks and awaken next morning to find the bed covered with snow which had blown in during the night. They would arise, eat a meager meal, mount their faith- ful horses, and hurry on through the winter, or if in summer hurry home to help the needy families. Working early and late, studying next Sunday's text while following the plow or swing- ing an ax or grain cradle, they labored on. Of course much of the burden was carried by their faithful families.
Many of the congregations in the western end of the First District of West Virginia and also in the Second District, owe their existence to the tireless efforts of these faithful workers, especially to Elder Sam Fike as he at one time had charge of five congregations. Even to the present the ministers of the Eglon congregation have carried the eldership and the burdens of many surrounding congregations. Later ministers who did much of this work outside of the congregation were Jonas Fike, John Fike, Emra Fike, Ezra Fike, and others.
At first most of the preaching was from house to house and at the Accident school. But coming "from Brookside we pass over a low ridge and enter a gladelike basin where the well- kept farms and comfortable homes show an agricultural thrift and prosperity unsurpassed elsewhere in Preston. Eglon, four miles in this direction, was formerly called Maple Run and as it dates only from 1881 it has a very modern air." Thus Morton in his History of Preston County describes the locality where in 1865 was built the first church of the congregation. "It was made of planks. The seats had no backs on them, which made them very uncomfortable. This old house was. 30 x 50 ft." (Heckert). In 1890 the present church was built, Elder Sam L. Sisler of Terra Alta being the head carpenter. This building is forty by seventy feet and stands about fifty feet southeast of where the old one stood. The following brethren were the build- ing committee: T. S. Fike, Phineas Miller, and J. S. Arnold. The following were trustees: John S. Fike, S. K. Fike and A. R. Fike.
The name, Maple Spring, was given to the church because of a large splendid spring of water which came out from under a
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THE CONGREGATIONS
large maple tree above the church. From 1932-34 further changes were made. When State Route W. 34 was graded the spring and all the large trees were destroyed. But the spring was later rebuilt and cemented over, and the water was piped to a fountain on the west side of the house. More maple trees were planted. A basement was placed under the whole house and Sunday-school rooms were placed in the back part of the building.
This church has from the first been interested in better church music and the first lessons were given by the Funks of Virginia. For many years a singing school was held nearly every year, with weekly or semimonthly singing at various points.
This congregation also has ever been zealous in Sunday- school work. There have been Sunday schools in the congrega- tion nearly all the time since 1864. The first was organized at the old Accident schoolhouse in 1864, superintended at first by members of another denomination but soon passing under the direction of the Brethren with Peter Fike as superintendent. Since 1865 there has been Sunday school at the Maple Spring house nearly all of the time.
Since the beginning the work has flourished with a steady but gradual growth until now it is the only church of any denomina- tion within a radius of several miles.
In 1884 or 1885 there was a heart-rending setback and split with twelve or fifteen members going with the Old Order Brethren.
But then in the early nineties came a period of great activity. Eight ministers were elected in twelve years. There was quite a growth in membership. Territory was divided with Western Maryland. Younger ministers were sent out while the older ones looked after the home work. Some kept ten appointments a month and traveled by horse one hundred thirty-five miles a month, without a penny of recompense. But those were great days and there was power. New churches were built.
The Brookside house was built in 1892 with Elder S. A. Sis- ler as carpenter. The following were the building committee: Tobias Fike, Washington Fike, C. Miller, Benjamin Schrock, and William Fresh. This house is twenty-four by thirty-six feet. In the same year a Sunday school was organized and has continued ever since.
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FIRST DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA
The Glade View house was built in 1895 by Marcellus Wolfe and is twenty-six by thirty-four feet. The following committee served: Jeremiah Miller, S. F. Miller, Silas Snyder, Seymor Hamstead. They organized a Sunday school the same year. It has continued in a flourishing condition ever since.
The Sugarland house was built in 1896 by A. R. Fike and is twenty-four by thirty-six feet. Recently because of many mem- bers having moved away this church has had a struggle.
The Gortner house is owned in part by the Brethren, who conduct services there once a month.
The Mountain Grove house was built in 1924 and services have been conducted there ever since.
Other preaching places at present are Benbush and Mac- keysville.
Likely Elder Benjamin Beeghly had charge of the congrega- tion from its beginning in 1855 or 1856 to 1861. From 1861 to 1901 Elder Sam A. Fike had the charge. In 1865 Aaron Fike was ordained as assistant, which office he held until 1901. In 1901 Jonas Fike was given the charge.
This congregation has exercised an aggressive leadership in the First District of West Virginia. It has been missionary- minded in relation to both home and foreign missions. Many congregations of West Virginia owe their existence to this con- gregational leadership. From this congregation Ilda Bittinger Ziegler has gone to India, Desmond Bittinger to Africa, and Alva Harsh to China.
Women's work was organized in the congregation in 1921, with Mrs. Carrie King, Mrs. Etta Bittinger, and Mrs. Virgie Fike among the first officers. There are now four aid societies in the congregation: Eglon, Brookside, Gortner, and Glade View.
Within the limits of the congregation was also the orphanage owned and operated by the districts of First West Virginia, West- ern Maryland and Second West Virginia. This work resulted from a query from the Eglon congregation to district conference in 1919.
At the Memorial Grove at the orphanage were held also the inspirational conferences from about 1920 to 1937 which were the beginning of the work now at Camp Galilee since 1938.
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THE CONGREGATIONS
GREENLAND
Pioneer ministers: Thomas Clark, Michael Lyon, John Kline, Jacob Wine, William Michaels, William George, Dan Thomas, Jacob Thomas, Martin Cosner, and many others.
Present ministers: None.
Preaching places: Brick church, two miles west of Maysville; Oak Dale, five miles north of Scherr.
Date of organization: May 21, 1849, at the home of Solomon Michaels.
Boundary line: Beginning at the point on the top of Alle- gheny Mountain where the Mineral-Grant county line crosses the mountain, the congregational boundary line runs southwest- ward with top of said mountain to the road up the mountain from Brushy Ridge, thence down the mountain road easterly to Brushy Ridge, thence by air-line easterly to top of New Creek Mountain, thence northeasterly with top of said mountain to the point in Klines Gap where the Milroy-Union district line is reached, thence in an easterly direction, following the South Branch of Luneys (Lunice) Creek to Luneys Creek, thence fol- lowing Luneys Creek in a southerly direction to where a bridge on the county road crosses said Luneys Creek, thence following said county road to the top of the hill known as Old Camp Grounds, thence from the Old Camp Grounds in a direct course east to a point on the top of Patterson Creek Mountain, thence northward with top of said mountain to a point directly east of Greenland Gap, thence west by air-line to Greenland Gap, thence northeasterly with top of New Creek Mountain to the Grant-Mineral boundary line, thence easterly with said line to the starting point on the top of Allegheny Mountain.
From the family history of the Idleman families comes the record of the first members of the Church of the Brethren in West Virginia whose descent can be traced to the present. Some- where in Germany Elizabeth Bussard married a man of the name of Oberholtzer. These two joined the Church of the Brethren in Germany, and there a son was born to them. In the year 1740 this family decided to come to America. It must have been a hard voyage for both father and son died at sea. So alone with- out any earthly friends Sister Oberholtzer arrived. Upon arrival she sold herself into slavery for payment for the voyage. She was purchased by a man on the South Branch of the Potomac,
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FIRST DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA
near Moorefield, for a period of three years. Because of her faithfulness, the kindness of her master, and the help of God she was set free after serving for only one and a half year.
She soon married John Stingly, and to this union "seven chil- dren were born. The youngest, William, born in 1764, married and settled in what is now the bounds of the Greenland congre- gation. We have the account of William Stingly traveling to Beaver Run in 1805 to be baptized by the Brethren. History has it that the Arnolds at Beaver Run were German and spoke the German language, and the Stinglys did not, so they could not understand each other. The Stinglys traveled east into Vir- ginia sixty miles further, and found a Brother Schofield who per- formed the rite for them. Thus they became the nucleus around which clustered the beginnings of the Greenland congregation."3
There is a very interesting story connected with the conver- sion and baptism of William Stingly. In 1805 he became much concerned over his spiritual welfare and prayed much about it while at work. "While pondering over baptism as to the number of dips required, a dove alighted on his plow handle while he was sitting on the beam, and it bowed gracefully three times and then flew away. He at once unhitched his horses and drove over to the Arnolds at Beaver Run to be baptized."4 William Stingly had one son and five daughters, and all five girls became mem- bers of the Church of the Brethren. One of them married Michael Lyon, who became the first elder of the Greenland con- gregation. She was the grandmother of Daniel Hays of sacred memory. From this center the Word was sounded far and near and the foundations laid for a number of congregations that later came into being. William Stingly is buried about one-half mile north of the Idleman place.
Of the early work and growth of the church, we learn that having no church house they first held services in the homes of the members. The home of Solomon Michaels, whose wife was a daughter of William Stingly, was a favorite meeting place, as were also William Stingly's and Jacob Cosner's. From the diary of Elder John Kline we have these notes of the time and places of some meetings:
Sept. 25, 1843, attended Love Feast at Solomon Michaels.
3 Idleman Family Records, possessed by Ollie Idleman.
* From historical records possessed by Elder E. T. Fike.
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THE CONGREGATIONS
Oct. 25, 1843, had a night meeting at Solomon Michaels, from there went to William Stingleys in the west part of Hardy Co. where we filled an appointment for preaching.
May 20, 1849, Meeting at Patch Church on Looney's (Lunice) Creek in Hardy County. Dine at John Stingley's. Have night meeting at Jacob Cosner's.
May 21, 1849. Come to meeting at Solomon Michaels. Elec- tions are held. Thomas Clark and Michael Lyon are established; William Michaels is elected speaker, William George and Thomas Lyon are elected Deacons.5
Two things from that quotation should be noted. With the election on May 21, 1849, the congregation had two elders and an additional minister, also two deacons, a rather substantial or- ganization. Certainly then, if not before, the congregation was in an organized condition, and I have used that date as the be- ginning of the organized congregation. With those who would like to push the date of organization back still further, saying that Brethren Clark and Lyon were likely speaking ministers be- fore, I have no quarrel. The evidence seems to point to this elec- tion as something unusual, something of the kind of a definite decision, a definite beginning. Therefore, I use this date as the date of the organization.
The second thing to be noted is that they, by 1849, had a church house. This church was built in what is known as The Ridges, close to the Elder Benjamin Roby place. A few scattered members of the church lived near this place. Among them were Mrs. Ben Roby and Mrs. James Parks, often mentioned by Bro. Kline. This church was at the same place where the school now is, about a mile north of Idleman's. It is on record that William Stingly, great-grandfather of Ollie Idleman, who lived near where Kessel now lives, furnished the land on which the house was built. And Hawk, who lived in the first house north, and some other families gave a small amount. It is likely that this house was to be used by all denominations. If this is the house referred to above in Kline's diary, it is likely the only time he ever preached in it. Mostly Bro. Kline preached at Michael's, rather than at the church. Kline's referring to this church as on Luneys Creek would point to this church. However, his geog- raphy may here be in error, as it sometimes is, though usually it is remarkably correct.
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