USA > West Virginia > A history of the Church of the Brethren in the first district of West Virginia > Part 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15
Other companies did get through to New Creek Station, now Keyser, where they entrained for the West and there stayed till the close of the war. The Union forces later stationed at Peters- burg were a help to these refugees, suffering hardship for their Master, the Prince of Peace.
Thus though Brethren often frequented Petersburg and there was much preaching round about, perhaps Elder Albert Arnold was the first to hold services in the town. Early in 1919 he began to hold services in the courthouse as he drove through from his home in the White Pine congregation to hold his week-end serv- ices in the North Fork congregation. By 1930 more members had located in the town and B. M. Rollins of Keyser was secured for a revival in the town. This was in March. Following this meeting a Sunday school was organized in the courthouse, with Jesse Arnold as the first superintendent.
In 1930 the members at Petersburg asked district conference to give permission for the organization of a congregation at Petersburg. Permission was granted and on November 9, 1930, the district ministerial board, composed of John S. Fike, Albert Arnold, and Ezra Fike, met with the members at the court- house and the Petersburg congregation was organized. Earle Wm. Fike was chosen as elder for this congregation of fifty mem- bers. He served for two years, also as part-time pastor, and then because of ill-health resigned. Elder A. S. Arnold then
12 Sanger and Hays, The Olive Branch of Peace.
82
FIRST DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA
served for six months, until Earle Fike was called to serve jointly this congregation and the Greenland congregation. In this ca- pacity he served until he left to assume the pastorate at Roanoke in 1934.
In June 1934 Brother and Sister Alva Harsh began their work as pastors. During this pastorate plans were made for a new church and a building fund was started. In the spring of 1936 Elder Peter Garber was chosen as elder and during this year a lot was bought and paid for.
In the fall of 1936 Brother and Sister Harsh accepted a call to serve on the China mission field, where they served until their disappearance. Then Brother and Sister Earl M. Zigler served till the fall of 1937, at which time they accepted a call to serve on the India mission field. The calling away of these two pastors was a severe blow to the congregation, but through the untiring efforts of Bro. Garber and others the work was kept going. Brother and Sister Carl Welch next served as pastors for about two years.
On September 29, 1938, ground was broken for a church building on the lot already purchased, and mason work was started on January 6, 1939. With much hard work and many dis- couragements the work was pushed to completion under the leadership of Elder Garber and others. It is a modern structure of brick and tile with a seating capacity of two hundred seventy- five and a parsonage in the basement. It was dedicated on Oc- tober 1, 1939, with Elder C. D. Bonsack preaching the sermon. Much sacrificial labor had gone into the structure with the oldest laborer, Elder Garber, giving one hundred days of free labor and the youngest, Arlyn Arnold, age nine, giving fifteen days.
Upon the resignation of Bro. Welch in the fall of 1939, Bro. Norman Seese was called and took up the pastorate October 10, 1939. Through his labors and those of Elder Garber and oth- ers of the faithful membership the work went forward. Bro. Seese became pastor of the Valley River church in Second West Virginia in 1944.
RED CREEK
Pioneer ministers: William Bucklew and Jacob Wine of Virginia.
Present minister: D. B. Spaid (elder).
Preaching places: Dry Fork, in Dry Fork; Wolford, two miles
83
THE CONGREGATIONS
northwest of Dry Fork; Bethel, four miles north of Dry Fork.
Date of organization: 1879; reorganized in 1902 by J. T. Cos- ner and Jonas Fike.
Boundary line: Beginning at a point in Hendricks, at the mouth of the Blackwater River, the line runs up said river to a point east of Thomas where said river leaves the Elkins branch of the Western Maryland Railroad, thence with said railway to the site of Fairfax, thence by air-line to the Fairfax Stone, which is also a point on the Grant-Tucker county line, thence eastward and southward with that county line to the Tucker-Randolph county line, thence westward with the Tucker-Randolph county line to Jenningston where the Dry Fork River leaves the county line, thence downward with said Dry Fork to the starting point at the mouth of the Blackwater River.
About 1850 William Bucklew of Virginia held a revival at Brights Chapel, near Elk. This was the first meeting by the Brethren in this congregation, so far as is known. Martin Pen- nington, one of the oldest members of the congregation, thinks it was at this meeting that his father and mother, Nathanael and Susan Pennington, united with the church. Likely at this same meeting Mary Flannagan Wolford and her brother, Robert Flan- nagan, Sr., united with the church. At least it was near that time. Bro. Flannagan later became a minister.
Other early members were America Carr Flannagan, wife of Robert Flannagan, Sr., and their children: Robert, Jr., Annie, Sampson, Julia, and Lucretia, all uniting with the church later. Others were Sylvia Carr and wife, Jane; Sampson Mick, Sr .; Sampson Mick, Jr .; Martin V. Pennington (1888); Brother and Sister Charles Bubar (1893), and Samuel Cooper of Harman, who moved to Dry Fork about 1880. Still another was Bro. Wash- ington Summerfield, who lived somewhere on the Dry Fork River and was baptized by John Kline on September 2, 1856.13 Bro. Summerfield, Sister Summerfield, and Soldier White's wife were all baptized on that day. Marjorie Pennington has verified the fact that Washington Summerfield lived at Gladwin. He was a preacher in 1889, and perhaps preached before that time. The following is a quotation from Bro. Kline:14 "September 1, 1856, Meeting at Levi Wilmot's. After dinner Joseph Arnold and
18 Funk, Benjamin, Life of John Kline. Page 381.
14 Ibid. Page 381.
84
FIRST DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA
Michael Lyon come with him, over a very rough track, to Abra- ham Summerfields where they stay all night. September 2, he preaches the funeral of Mrs. Summerfield. In the afternoon they have a meeting at old man Summerfield's on the Dry Fork of Cheat River. Washington Summerfield and his wife and soldier White's wife are baptized. Stay all night at John Pennington's." Pennington likely lived at Harman, on the farm now owned by Arthur Cooper. Still other members were Saul Bonner and Jim Bonner and Isaac Roy.
Ministers who lived in this congregation were Saul Bonner, George W. Leatherman of Canaan Valley (1880- ), Washington Roy of Dry Fork (1875- ), Asa Weimer and Israel Weimer of Lanesville, Washington Summerfield of Gladwin (1889- ), Rob- ert Flannagan, Sr., and Robert Flannagan, Jr., of Dry Fork. Rob- ert Flannagan was appointed to preach in 1903 and was likely advanced to the second degree in 1910.
Early preaching points were: Big Run or Bonner Mountain, Canaan Crossing, Flannagan Hill, Beuna Cortland, Lanesville, Carr's Camp, and Brights Chapel. Jacob Wine followed William Bucklew at Brights Chapel.
As early as 1889 Samuel Fike preached at Flannagan Hill. Jonas Fike preached there in 1894 and in 1896 he held a revival there. Since then John Fike, Ezra Fike, perhaps Emra Fike, and Dan Spaid have preached there. Joseph, John, and Albert Ar- nold, and Lorenzo Fike have all preached within this congrega- tion. Moses Fike also preached in a church near where the Wol- ford church now stands.
About 1908 Emra Fike and Seymor Hamstead organized a Sunday school on Bonner Mountain. Among the older members there were Jesse Davis and Mrs. Jesse Davis; Job Davis and wife, Annie; Sampson Collins and wife, Martha; S. J. Penning- ton and wife, Phoebe; Henry and Lottie Pennington.
The Bethel church was built in 1901, but more work was done on it in 1914-17. It belongs to the Brethren and the Mennonite churches. Jonas Fike preached the dedicatory sermon. Rev. Thompson, a Christian minister, gave it the name Bethel, taking it from the Bible. The Dry Fork schoolhouse was fitted for church services about 1920. Preaching and services are also held in the Wolford church, a union church.
85
THE CONGREGATIONS
The Red Creek congregation was separated from the Harman congregation.
Sister Mary Shickel came to this congregation under the di- rection of the district mission board in 1916. She assisted in Sunday-school work at various places. She remained on the field, though not under the direction of the mission board, until 1926.
Foster M. Bittinger acted as summer pastor in the congrega- tion in 1921, holding revivals of a week or more in length at Bethel, Wolford, Canaan Crossing, and Dry Fork, receiving into the church twenty-four new members. He preached his first sermon at Dry Fork on June 22, 1921, The Christian's Call, the text being John 11: 28.
Dan Spaid preached here in 1922 and Paul Sanger came in 1922 as part-time pastor, teaching in the Dry Fork school. He was in charge of the congregation until the summer of 1925. Since 1925 Dan Spaid has been in charge of the congregation ex- cepting where there were summer pastors, among whom were Lawrence Rice (1936), and Carl Zeigler (1936). Russell West, Alva Harsh, DeWitt L. Miller, Mary Martin Leatherman, and Jacob Huffman have in recent years held revivals in this con- gregation.
SANDY CREEK
Pioneer ministers: John Boger, Jacob Thomas, Michael Thomas, Andrew Umbel, George Meyer.
Present ministers: Russell Showalter (pastor); Chester Thomas (elder); Walter Van Sickle.
Preaching places: Canaan, two miles north of Clifton Mills; Glade Union, one-fourth mile northwest of Hazelton; Mt. Dale, three miles south of Hazelton; Mt. Grove, five miles northwest of Bruceton Mills; Salem, four miles north of Brandonville; Shady Grove, one and one-half mile east of Brandonville; Union Center, at Clifton Mills.
Date of organization: 1835.
Boundary line: Beginning at a point near Orr where the Sang Run Road crosses the West Virginia-Maryland state line the con- gregational boundary line runs northward with said state line to the Pennsylvania line, thence westward with the Pennsyl-
86
FIRST DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA
vania-West Virginia state line to the Cheat River, thence upward with said river to the point where Big Sandy Creek empties into said Cheat, thence by an almost direct easterly air-line, passing through Valley Point, through Lennox to Orr, where it contacts the Sang Run Road, it continues easterly with said road to the starting point at the state line.
This congregation occupies the northern part of Preston County and is the largest congregation in West Virginia. In fact, it stands near the top among all the congregations of the broth- erhood, with a membership in 1943 of one thousand one hundred ten. Its name is derived from the Big Sandy Creek flowing southward through its territory. It occupies parts of the Grant and Pleasant districts. Originally it embraced parts of Wharton and Henry Clay townships in Pennsylvania, and a small part of Garrett County, Maryland. However, in 1879 the territory in Pennsylvania and Maryland was cut off and organized into the Markleysburg congregation, now of the Western District of Pennsylvania. But it was agreed "at the time of the separation that those members living along the state line could still hold their membership in the Sandy Creek congregation if they so desired."15 Many still do so. Actually the recently built Canaan church is just across the line in Pennsylvania, though still a part of the Sandy Creek congregation.
This congregation is the second oldest congregation in West Virginia continuing with an unbroken history from the begin- ning until now, though it is the oldest continuing under the same name. After the disastrous Eckerlin attempt at settling in Pres- ton County (described elsewhere), the "next Brethren settlers were thought to be three families from the unfortunate South Branch church (also described elsewhere): Jacob, Martin, and Isaac Judy (who) settled on Sandy Creek about 1769, where they owned large farms. They induced other settlers to come, but it appears they sold out about the year 1800 and moved to Ohio."16
The third tide of Brethren immigration began soon after 1800. They were the sturdy German settlers who came to establish homes, schools, and churches. Likely work began somewhere about 1820 by Brethren from Pennsylvania. John Boger, the first minister known to be elected west of the Alleghenies, was
15 Thomas, Jeremiah, History of the Sandy Creek Congregation.
16 Henry, J. M., Centennial Address, 1935.
87
THE CONGREGATIONS
elected somewhere between 1830 and 1835. He spent the later years of his life studying prophecy. He published a treatise in 1846. This treatise fell into the hands of "Pastor" Russell and later become the foundation for the Millennial Dawn Church, or the Jehovah's Witnesses. Boger is buried near Shady Grove. Though no definite record of organization can be found it is gen- erally accepted that by 1835 the congregation was in an organized condition. Jacob Thomas was elected to the ministry in 1836 and ordained to the eldership in 1841. He was a man of power in the pulpit and the work flourished under his preaching and eldership.
Next in order were Andrew Umbel and Michael M. Thomas. Then George Meyers was called who preached in German, but later went off with the sect led by George Shumaker (Shumak- ers) but in their decline he returned and preached for the Breth- ren again.
Philip J. Brown and Christian Harader were elected between 1850 and 1855. Following them were Samuel C. Umbel, Larkin Hall and James Bennett. Larkin Hall was a man of ability and a fine scholar who was a great debater. He had an all-night debate with the learned school teacher, Jacob Rush, who after- ward became a minister in the Church of the Brethren. Bro. Hall later moved to Iowa. Philip Brown was also a man of con- siderable ability. He moved to Ohio and later went with the Progressive Brethren.17
Fleming C. Barnes was elected to the ministry in 1863 and re- mained in the congregation until his death. John S. Hook was also elected about the same time. Jacob Beeghly moved into the congregation from the Bear Creek congregation, Maryland, about 1856. Michael J. Thomas was called to the ministry about 1868, but later moved to Iowa and joined the Progressives. In 1874 Jacob Rush moved here from the Cheat River congregation. In 1875 Solomon Bucklew also moved here from the Cheat River congregation and labored here for over thirteen years. His com- ing was through the influence of Elder Jacob Thomas, who had been elder for thirty-five years and was then eighty years old. Joseph Guthrie was called to the ministry in 1880 and later or- dained to the eldership.
On January 14, 1882, Jeremiah Thomas and John Baker were elected to the ministry. In a few years Bro. Baker moved to Illi- nois where he died. Bro. Thomas was promoted to the second degree of the ministry, July 4, 1885, and ordained to the elder-
17 Thomas, Susie M., History of Sandy Creek Congregation, 1939.
88
FIRST DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA
ship March 23, 1889. Eld. Solomon Bucklew was now leaving the congregation and Bro. Thomas was given charge as presid- ing elder, and continued in that capacity until his death in 1934.18
George W. Van Sickle and Vestus Thomas were elected to the ministry before 1898. Bro. Thomas did very little preaching and was later relieved of the ministry. Bro. Van Sickle served faith- fully until his death. Bro. Calvin R. Wolfe was elected to the ministry in 1905, but later moved to Pennsylvania. James W. Wolfe and Chester Thomas were elected to the ministry in 1913. Later both were ordained. Bro. Wolfe moved to California while Bro. Thomas serves at present as elder-in-charge of the congre- gation. Lloyd Liston was called to the ministry in 1918 and Walter Van Sickle was ordained in 1919. Bro. Van Sickle still serves in the congregation.
The congregation has had only four elders this far in the course of its history. Jacob Thomas became elder in 1841 and served until 1875. Solomon Bucklew was elder from 1875 to 1889, when the eldership went to the grandson of Jacob Thomas. This grandson, Jeremiah Thomas, held the eldership from 1889 to his death in 1934, when the mantle was laid upon the shoulders of the great-grandson, Chester Thomas, who still serves in that capacity.
The wonderful growth of the Congregation was due in large part to the marvelous work of Jeremiah Thomas, who was elected to the ministry at the age of 19, ordained at 28, and preached for 52 years. He baptized over 1,300 people, married 552 couples, anointed 253 sick persons, preached 1,068 funeral sermons, visited thousands of sick folks, and literally gave his life for the good of all. The Sandy Creek Congregation has been evangelistic and missionary in her message. More than 70 min- isters have been invited to hold revivals, in addition to her local ministry. Such sainted leaders as John Kline, James Quinter, Samuel Fike and others have held meetings in the Salem Church. The congregation has liberally supported missions at home and abroad.19
The Salem church is the oldest house of worship. The old house was a building about forty by eighty feet, ten feet of one end being partitioned off for a kitchen. It was built about 1845; before this, services were held in schools, dwellings and barns. Love feasts were frequently held in large barns. The old Salem house was replaced by a new one in 1890, after having served
18 Ibid.
19 Henry, J. M., Centennial Address. 1935.
89
THE CONGREGATIONS
its purpose for forty-five years. This new house is thirty-five by fifty feet in size, besides the kitchen. Later a wing, twenty-five by thirty-five feet, was built to it. The building now can accom- modate three hundred fifty persons at communion.
The Mt. Dale house was built in 1896 and is equipped for communion services. The Mt. Grove house was built in 1900 and was remodeled in 1940. The Shady Grove house was built in 1913 and as the cemetery is near by, many funerals are held herein. The Canaan church was built in 1942. Besides these five houses the congregation has a one-third interest in two other churches: Union Center at Clifton Mills and Glade Union near Hazelton.
For many years it had been the custom to hold a revival at each church each year. A communion was held each year at two or more of the churches. The membership was visited be- fore these communions. Sunday schools were started at an early date. There was also an interesting meeting called a "social and prayer meeting" described in the Gospel Messenger in 1898 by Bro. Jeremiah Thomas. It shows the alertness of the great spirit of Bro. Thomas. It rejoiced his heart to see the young people, so often then neglected, stand up and take their cross in helping with and leading these meetings. He observes that many who at first because of inexperience can scarcely offer public prayer or stand up and speak a single minute on a subject to edification will, through perseverance, become creditable speakers. This was a forerunner of the B.Y.P.D. of the present.
Since the fall of 1940 the church has been served by a pastor, Bro. Russell Showalter. For a time the Showalter family lived in the Thomas house in Bruceton Mills, but in 1942 a splendid parsonage was built near the Shady Grove church, and his resi- dence is there. Under the leadership of Bro. Showalter many improvements have been made in the church buildings and there has been a large ingathering of souls. The congregation has been further unified and the work faces forward hopefully.
SENECA
Pioneer ministers: John Kline, Samuel Fike, Asa Harman, Jonas Fike, John S. Fike, D. B. Arnold.
Preaching place: At Onego.
Present minister: Galen Fike.
90
FIRST DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA
Date of organization: 1890.
Boundary line: Beginning at a point on the Allegheny Moun- tain summit where the Tucker, Grant, Randolph, and Pendle- ton county lines meet, the line runs southerly with top of said mountain to the Randolph-Pocahontas county line, thence in a northeasterly air-line direction with the district line toward Petersburg to the Pendleton-Grant county line near Landes, thence westerly with said Pendleton-Grant county line to the starting point on the top of Allegheny Mountain.
There was evidently a good bit of church activity in this con- gregation before the Civil War. Brethren from Virginia were preaching here before that time regularly and this territory was included in that over which Elder John Kline had the general oversight. The following is taken from his records.20 "Write letters to Brethren in Pendleton and Hardy counties to make appointments for preaching." That was July 2, 1852. On Sep- tember 3, 1856, he spent the night at Isaac Carr's on North Fork and the next day had a meeting there.21 On October 7, 1868, he spent the night at William Adamson's at the Mouth of Seneca. Again on September 3, 1859, he crossed the Branch Mountain from Upper Tract to William Adamson's at the Mouth of Sen- eca. He says, "Seneca is a small stream from the east side of the Allegheny Mt. falling into the North Branch of the South Branch of the Potomac. The scenery at the Mouth of Seneca is probably unsurpassed by any in Virginia. The perpendicular walls of solid rock hundreds of feet high present a scene of sur- passing grandeur. Night meeting at the meeting house on Sen- eca. Subject, Luke 24: 46, 47."22 He stayed the next night at Widow Cooper's near Harman.
Here and hereafter he refers to a meetinghouse on the Seneca and I have not been able to determine where it was. It must have been near Onego, as the distances and directions hereafter referred to seem to indicate. Kline spent the night of August 7, 1860, at Thomas White's near Harman. He says, on August 8, "Come to Seneca Meeting house (twelve miles). Luke 14 is read. Dine at Elburn's; stay all night at Ely Bland's (eight
20 Funk, Benjamin, Life of John Kline. Page 305.
21 Ibid. Page 381.
2 Ibid. Page 421.
91
THE CONGREGATIONS
miles). ... August 9. Come to Circleville on the North Fork . . . (seven miles). Meeting in Circleville."23
These Brethren from Virginia were crossing the Shenan- doah Mountains into the Sweedlin Valley, Pendleton County, by 1835. There they preached regularly and from there pushed on into the South Branch Valley near Franklin, and then later through Upper Tract to the North Fork Valley and to Seneca. Bro. Kline and Bro. Jacob Wine went on their yearly visit prior to the "visit council" in 1864. After their return they were both arrested, but both were released after giving satisfactory ac- counts of their visits in West Virginia.
The congregation was turned over from the Virginia district and organized as a congregation of the First District of West Virginia in 1890 by Elders D. B. Arnold and Jonas Fike.
According to Sisters Joseph Miller and Fannie Huffman of Onego the following were the names of the members at that time: Mr. and Mrs. Salon Miller, Annie Miller, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Miller, Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Miller, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Miller, Lizzie George, Jane George, Polly Anne Morral, Fannie Bodkin, Mary Anne Morral, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Bible, Mr. and Mrs. Edward McAvoy, Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Bible, Lettie Myers, Liza Cooper, Sadie Champ, Nola Jarden, Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Bible, Emma Bible, Laura N. Bible, Phoebe Ritchie, Jane Mallon, Mr. and Mrs. Wilber Mallon, Gilbert Morral, Emma Mil- ler, Roda Miller, Mr. and Mrs. William Bible, Mrs. Sarah Way- bright, Mr. and Mrs. Adam Kisamore, Mr. and Mrs. John Miley, Mrs. Eve Harman, Mr. and Mrs. Martin Harper, Mr. and Mrs. Alford Moyers, Sarah Jane Moyers, Isaac Wymer, Mary Wymer, Mr. and Mrs. Asa Wymer, Bessie Morral, Kennie Kisamore, Benjamin Moyers, Flora Moyers, Lula Moyers.
They then used the old Mennonite church on the Fork seven or eight miles below the mouth of the Seneca. This building was torn down and moved by the Mennonite people and then about 1906 the Brethren built a new church not far from where the old building stood. This was called the Evergreen church. It was burned down about 1925. The church at Onego was built about 1908.
Blanch Hewitt worked here, teaching school and being partly under the district mission board support, during the years 1917-
23 Ibid. Page 437.
92
FIRST DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA
1918. Bro. and Sister Edward Ziegler were here under about the same conditions in 1924-1925, and Sister Ziegler had been there in the work a year or so before that.
Work at present is under the care of the district mission board with Bro. Galen Fike preaching there once a month. Evangelists and daily vacation Bible school workers do some work in there every summer. The active membership is small at present but there are some faithful ones carrying on.
SUNNYSIDE
Pioneer ministers: Joseph Arnold, George W. Leatherman, B. W. Smith, J. A. Parish (elected 1892), J. H. Baker (elected March 30, 1895), O. W. Johnson (elected April 22, 1922).
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.