Return to Index

1. SUBJECT:

Rader’s (Reider’s)* Church.

2. LOCATION:

South of Timberville, on the highway.

3. DATE:

1762.

4. OWNERS:

The original log house was used by Lutherans and Refomeds jointly, for a number of years.

5. DESCRIPTION:

The information is that it was a very crude building, with batten board doors and heavy window shutters.

A modern brick building now stands on or near the site of the original "Log" church, and is owned jointly by the Lutherans and Reformeds, which information is found in the County Court Records.

6. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:

Rev. George S. Klug was the first Lutheran preacher to work among the churches of Rockingham County.

Rev. Paul Henkle, 1754-1825, did much church work in Rockingham County and established the first Lutheran Church paper, "The Henkle (Lutheran) Press", near New Market, near Rockingham County line, in 1806.

The Lutherans and Reformed, these two congregations, owned buildings and worshipped together here in early church history, organized and built a "log house" for worship near Timberville, about 1762 and it was replaced in 1806, which building was used jointly by the two congregations for many years. A more modern church was built 1878-9. The church is now in the hands of the Lutherans.

On May 20^th, 1765, Adam Rader and Alex. Painter deeded three acres of land for a church to Peter Scholl in behalf of the Presbyterian Church and to Michael Neice in behalf of the Lutheran Church, Abram Bird was witness. "Presbyterian" in this case is doubtless "Reformed". In 1872 an act of the Assembly was passed making the above deed valid to the Lutherans and Reformed.

7. ART:
8. SOURCES OF INFORMATION: