Page 37 - History of UB Church in Hburg Region
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History of U.B. Churches in Harrisonburg-Staunton Region December 26, 2024
James D. Clifford 1908-1909. He was the son of T. K. Clifford’s son. T. K. Clifford requested
on his deathbed, that his son James carry on the ministry to which he had devoted his life.
As noted, there is no mention of the Freedmen’s Mission in the Virginia Conference Minutes
after 1909. It would appear that James Clifford did not have the allegiance to the church that his father
did. He was assigned both Rockingham and Augusta Charges, and it may have been more than he was
willing to do. Lack of committed clergy may have been the reason that the Virginia Conference reduced
the funds to the Mission in 1909, or it may have been due to declining membership, and/or the fact that
the black population was either moving west or to larger cities and away from the rural environment.
Blacks may have been forming independent churches or joining other denominations. Further research
may reveal the actual reason for the demise of the Freedman’s Mission Churches.
c. The Churches of the Freedmen’s Missions
During the early history, Augusta County Churches were part of, and referred to and were
included in the Rockingham Charge. Many of these early Mission Churches were log cabins, or unused
buildings that were deeded to the church for their use as a Church and school by local landowners. It is
believed that after 1909 most of these Churches were either abandoned or absorbed by the African
Methodist- Episcopal Church, because the United Brethren cut funds for the Mission Churches, and
didn’t assign ministers to them. There are some records after 1909, of either judges or courts ordering
the Church property be conveyed to the A.M.E. Church. I would assume this was a result of the United
Brethren Church, not supporting the Churches as they had in the past, and the Churches wanted to
become part of the Methodist-Episcopal Church. I found no information explaining exactly why this was
done.
Churches in Rockingham County Charge. There were four circuits at one time or another in
Rockingham County. They were Rockingham County, Harrisonburg, Highland, and Linville, with
different churches being assigned to one or the other from time to time. There is very little or no
information about the Highland circuit, and could have become the Monterey Mission. This Charge
seems to be the very backbone of the Freedmen’s Mission Church project. It eventually expanded to
Augusta County and to some extent to West Virginia, but it all started here. Most of the Churches were
located in Rockingham County Virginia, with just a scattering of them in Augusta County and
Monterey. Most of the time the minister served both areas at the same time.
Beasley’s [FM] Church (Beazley, Beazley’s; formed about 1876). This church met in
Georgetown Colored School in Mountain Valley east of Tenth Legion. The Beasley name came
from former slave Daniel Beasley, born about 1835. The church began when the Martz family
gave Daniel Beasley an old log building on his property. Beasley dismantled the log structure and
moved it to the Arkton area to be used as a church and school for the black community there.
Broadway [FM] Church (November 20, 2024). This church was located at the northeast corner
of Main and Rock Street in Broadway, Va. The deed called the grantees trustees of “Broadway
Colored United Brethren Church.” The lot was specified to be used religious and school
I.A.5 U.B. Churches in Rockingham County, 1912 23
James D. Clifford 1908-1909. He was the son of T. K. Clifford’s son. T. K. Clifford requested
on his deathbed, that his son James carry on the ministry to which he had devoted his life.
As noted, there is no mention of the Freedmen’s Mission in the Virginia Conference Minutes
after 1909. It would appear that James Clifford did not have the allegiance to the church that his father
did. He was assigned both Rockingham and Augusta Charges, and it may have been more than he was
willing to do. Lack of committed clergy may have been the reason that the Virginia Conference reduced
the funds to the Mission in 1909, or it may have been due to declining membership, and/or the fact that
the black population was either moving west or to larger cities and away from the rural environment.
Blacks may have been forming independent churches or joining other denominations. Further research
may reveal the actual reason for the demise of the Freedman’s Mission Churches.
c. The Churches of the Freedmen’s Missions
During the early history, Augusta County Churches were part of, and referred to and were
included in the Rockingham Charge. Many of these early Mission Churches were log cabins, or unused
buildings that were deeded to the church for their use as a Church and school by local landowners. It is
believed that after 1909 most of these Churches were either abandoned or absorbed by the African
Methodist- Episcopal Church, because the United Brethren cut funds for the Mission Churches, and
didn’t assign ministers to them. There are some records after 1909, of either judges or courts ordering
the Church property be conveyed to the A.M.E. Church. I would assume this was a result of the United
Brethren Church, not supporting the Churches as they had in the past, and the Churches wanted to
become part of the Methodist-Episcopal Church. I found no information explaining exactly why this was
done.
Churches in Rockingham County Charge. There were four circuits at one time or another in
Rockingham County. They were Rockingham County, Harrisonburg, Highland, and Linville, with
different churches being assigned to one or the other from time to time. There is very little or no
information about the Highland circuit, and could have become the Monterey Mission. This Charge
seems to be the very backbone of the Freedmen’s Mission Church project. It eventually expanded to
Augusta County and to some extent to West Virginia, but it all started here. Most of the Churches were
located in Rockingham County Virginia, with just a scattering of them in Augusta County and
Monterey. Most of the time the minister served both areas at the same time.
Beasley’s [FM] Church (Beazley, Beazley’s; formed about 1876). This church met in
Georgetown Colored School in Mountain Valley east of Tenth Legion. The Beasley name came
from former slave Daniel Beasley, born about 1835. The church began when the Martz family
gave Daniel Beasley an old log building on his property. Beasley dismantled the log structure and
moved it to the Arkton area to be used as a church and school for the black community there.
Broadway [FM] Church (November 20, 2024). This church was located at the northeast corner
of Main and Rock Street in Broadway, Va. The deed called the grantees trustees of “Broadway
Colored United Brethren Church.” The lot was specified to be used religious and school
I.A.5 U.B. Churches in Rockingham County, 1912 23
