Page 163 - History of UB Church in Hburg Region
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History of U.B. Churches in Harrisonburg-Staunton Region December 26, 2024
churches—with a membership increase from 247 to 316 during conference year 1875-76. We assume
that Dayton U.B. Church was one of the six appointments. In 1879 Rev. A. P. Funkhouser reported the
Dayton Circuit membership increasing among the six churches from 308 to 337 during the previous
12 months. History of the city of Dayton would provide additional information on U.B. churches in the
area prior to 1880.
The first explicit mention of Dayton as a church was in 1880, when Dayton was detached from
Dayton Circuit and formed into Dayton Mission Station; Rev. Charles M. Holt was appointed in 1880 as
the first pastor of the station church (which also served as the chapel for Shenandoah Seminary-
Collegiate Institute). Annual Conference met at Dayton in March 1882, March 1888, March 1902,
March 1905, and September 1921. Rev. J. W. Funk was appointed presiding elder of Shenandoah
District beginning August 25, 1881, for the unexpired term of Rev. A. P. Funkhouser. The vacancy on
Dayton Circuit occasioned by his resignation was supplied by Rev. C. I. B. Brane, “who has labored
acceptably since October 10th, 1881.” Until 1884, Cedar Grove was on Dayton Mission Station; it was
attached to Lacey Springs Charge in 1884, with Harrisonburg then added to Dayton Mission Station.
Harrisonburg was moved from Dayton Mission Station in 1888 to Lacey Springs Circuit, and Dayton
renamed Dayton Station. In 1889 Dayton Station was attached to Dayton Circuit. In 1894 “Rev. J. R.
Ridenour, appointed to Dayton Circuit, was forced to resign the work early in the year on account of his
health. The circuit was left without a regular supply half the year; then Rev. W. L. Childress was
employed to take charge of the same.” Also in 1894, Dayton was detached from Dayton Circuit and
attached to Harrisonburg Mission Station. The 1895 Conference found no one to appoint to
Harrisonburg Mission Station, and in 1896 the Shenandoah District Presiding Elder reported: “Not
being able to secure a regular supply, I arranged with Rev. W. F. Gruver and Rev. S. R. Ludwig, of
Dayton and Lacey Springs Circuits, to supply the work most of the year, who, under the circumstances,
did very well.” The 1896-97 annual meeting of the Y.P.C.U. was held at Dayton.
In 1897 Dayton was reconstituted Dayton Station. However, Dayton U.B. Church was reported
on Dayton Circuit in 1899 with 110 members; the other churches on the four-point charge were
Ottobine, 173 members; Mt. Horeb, 169; and Dry River, 39—with 491 members in all. The Presiding
Elder noted in 1900: “There is one Woman’s Missionary Association at Dayton, Va., which is doing an
excellent work.” In 1901 Dayton Circuit comprised: Dayton, 109; Ottobine, 168; Mt. Horeb, 173; and
Dry River, 33—483 members in all. In 1902 the Presiding Elder noted: “Rev. W. D. Good is
recommended by the quarterly conference, of Dayton, Va., to the Annual Conference for membership.”
At the 1903 Conference, Dayton Pastor William R. Berry was appointed to Frederick Circuit and
Dayton circuit was left to be supplied, to which Bros. E. O. Hoenshel and A. N. Horn were appointed.
In October 1903 Bro. Horn resigned his part of the work to take work in his own conference,
Pennsylvania. This vacancy was, filled by Bro. T. C. Harper who resigned Broadway circuit.”
In March 1904 the Presiding Elder reported: “The church at Dayton, which was destroyed by
fire one year ago, is being replaced by a handsome building, and will be when completed one of our
finest churches.” In 1905 Dayton Circuit comprised Dayton, 127; Mt. Horeb, 166; Ottobine, 168; and
Dry River, 33—494 members in all. In March 1905 the Presiding Elder reported: “This church in
which we are now assembled [Dayton U.B. Church], and to which I referred in my last report, was
completed and dedicated last September (1904) by Dr. W. M. Weekley. Cost of building $6,100.” He
also noted that the Ladies’ Aid Society at Dayton paid $500 on this church at the dedication and
assumed responsibility for raising $500 more. In 1906 the Presiding Elder commended Shenandoah
District’s two Woman’s Missionary Associations for their good work. Also in 1906 Mt. Clinton was
detached from Singers Glen Circuit and attached to Dayton Circuit and the Dayton and Harrisonburg
Circuits were united (as Dayton Circuit)—apparently this unification decision was reversed in 1907.
II.B.14 Dayton U.B. Church and SCI 149
churches—with a membership increase from 247 to 316 during conference year 1875-76. We assume
that Dayton U.B. Church was one of the six appointments. In 1879 Rev. A. P. Funkhouser reported the
Dayton Circuit membership increasing among the six churches from 308 to 337 during the previous
12 months. History of the city of Dayton would provide additional information on U.B. churches in the
area prior to 1880.
The first explicit mention of Dayton as a church was in 1880, when Dayton was detached from
Dayton Circuit and formed into Dayton Mission Station; Rev. Charles M. Holt was appointed in 1880 as
the first pastor of the station church (which also served as the chapel for Shenandoah Seminary-
Collegiate Institute). Annual Conference met at Dayton in March 1882, March 1888, March 1902,
March 1905, and September 1921. Rev. J. W. Funk was appointed presiding elder of Shenandoah
District beginning August 25, 1881, for the unexpired term of Rev. A. P. Funkhouser. The vacancy on
Dayton Circuit occasioned by his resignation was supplied by Rev. C. I. B. Brane, “who has labored
acceptably since October 10th, 1881.” Until 1884, Cedar Grove was on Dayton Mission Station; it was
attached to Lacey Springs Charge in 1884, with Harrisonburg then added to Dayton Mission Station.
Harrisonburg was moved from Dayton Mission Station in 1888 to Lacey Springs Circuit, and Dayton
renamed Dayton Station. In 1889 Dayton Station was attached to Dayton Circuit. In 1894 “Rev. J. R.
Ridenour, appointed to Dayton Circuit, was forced to resign the work early in the year on account of his
health. The circuit was left without a regular supply half the year; then Rev. W. L. Childress was
employed to take charge of the same.” Also in 1894, Dayton was detached from Dayton Circuit and
attached to Harrisonburg Mission Station. The 1895 Conference found no one to appoint to
Harrisonburg Mission Station, and in 1896 the Shenandoah District Presiding Elder reported: “Not
being able to secure a regular supply, I arranged with Rev. W. F. Gruver and Rev. S. R. Ludwig, of
Dayton and Lacey Springs Circuits, to supply the work most of the year, who, under the circumstances,
did very well.” The 1896-97 annual meeting of the Y.P.C.U. was held at Dayton.
In 1897 Dayton was reconstituted Dayton Station. However, Dayton U.B. Church was reported
on Dayton Circuit in 1899 with 110 members; the other churches on the four-point charge were
Ottobine, 173 members; Mt. Horeb, 169; and Dry River, 39—with 491 members in all. The Presiding
Elder noted in 1900: “There is one Woman’s Missionary Association at Dayton, Va., which is doing an
excellent work.” In 1901 Dayton Circuit comprised: Dayton, 109; Ottobine, 168; Mt. Horeb, 173; and
Dry River, 33—483 members in all. In 1902 the Presiding Elder noted: “Rev. W. D. Good is
recommended by the quarterly conference, of Dayton, Va., to the Annual Conference for membership.”
At the 1903 Conference, Dayton Pastor William R. Berry was appointed to Frederick Circuit and
Dayton circuit was left to be supplied, to which Bros. E. O. Hoenshel and A. N. Horn were appointed.
In October 1903 Bro. Horn resigned his part of the work to take work in his own conference,
Pennsylvania. This vacancy was, filled by Bro. T. C. Harper who resigned Broadway circuit.”
In March 1904 the Presiding Elder reported: “The church at Dayton, which was destroyed by
fire one year ago, is being replaced by a handsome building, and will be when completed one of our
finest churches.” In 1905 Dayton Circuit comprised Dayton, 127; Mt. Horeb, 166; Ottobine, 168; and
Dry River, 33—494 members in all. In March 1905 the Presiding Elder reported: “This church in
which we are now assembled [Dayton U.B. Church], and to which I referred in my last report, was
completed and dedicated last September (1904) by Dr. W. M. Weekley. Cost of building $6,100.” He
also noted that the Ladies’ Aid Society at Dayton paid $500 on this church at the dedication and
assumed responsibility for raising $500 more. In 1906 the Presiding Elder commended Shenandoah
District’s two Woman’s Missionary Associations for their good work. Also in 1906 Mt. Clinton was
detached from Singers Glen Circuit and attached to Dayton Circuit and the Dayton and Harrisonburg
Circuits were united (as Dayton Circuit)—apparently this unification decision was reversed in 1907.
II.B.14 Dayton U.B. Church and SCI 149
