Page 42 - History of UB Church in Hburg Region
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History of U.B. Churches in Harrisonburg-Staunton Region December 26, 2024
for Christian Shuey remained loyal to his church and was its standby until his death. He continued to be
the leader of the class from which he was expelled.
The Virginia Conference Minutes reveal that immediately following the Civil War and the freeing of the
Negroes, there were Negro preachers and Freedmen’s Missions as a part of the Conference. In 1869
there was a Freedmen’s Mission to be supplied by the Presiding Elder, which indicates that prior to this
time there was a Freedmen’s Mission in the Conference. In 1870 J. Brown (Colored) was assigned to the
Freedmen’s Mission. In 1872 Freedmen’s Mission was to be supplied. No report in minutes of 1873 or
1874, except at the Conference of 1874,
J. A. Evans (Col.) was listed as a visiting minister. At the annual Conference of 1875, J. A. Evans
reported as pastor of Augusta Freedmen’s Mission, and S. T. Wells (Col.) reported for Rockingham
Mission. At the annual Conference of 1876, S. T. Wells (Col.) was received from Des Moines Conference,
and reported for Rockingham Mission, while J. A. Evans reported for Augusta Mission. At the
Conference of 1877, J. A. Evans reports as pastor of Augusta Freedmen’s Mission, and S. T. Wells for
Rockingham. In 1878 J. Waite (Col.) was assigned to Augusta Mission, J. A. Evans to Rockingham, and
Clarke Freedmen’s Mission was to be supplied. The minutes of 1879 show J. A. Evans reporting for
Rockingham Mission, and J. Waite (Col.) for Augusta. At the Conference of 1880, J. A. Evans (Col.) was
received on transfer from the Michigan Conference. In 1881 J. A. Evans reports as pastor for
Rockingham Mission and F. Payne (Col.) reports as pastor of Augusta Freedmen’s Mission.
“Rev. J. A. Evans, who had care of both Freedmen’s Missions, resigned his charge September 4th,
1880, and sailed for Africa in November, as ordered by the Board of Missions. Rev. Frank Paine who had
assisted Brother Evans since July, has been left alone.” —Superintendents Report, 1881.
In 1880 there were 4 appointments, 3 organized classes, and 109 members reported for Augusta
Freedmen’s Mission. There were 6 appointments, 5 organized classes, and 127 members reported for the
Rockingham Mission.
The Ministerial Register of 1881 lists Rev. J. A. Evans address as Freetown, Sierra Leone, West
Africa.
In the Minutes of 1881 is found resolution number 3 in a Report on Missions. It reads:
“Resolved: 3rd. That our late fellow laborer in the vineyard of the Master, Rev. J. A. Evans, is followed
in his far off field of toil by our prayers for his continued success; and for the sacrifices which he and his
companion are making for the salvation of the heathen, we accord them our cordial sympathy.”
In 1882, Rev. Frank Paine reported as pastor of Augusta Freedmen’s Mission. There was no report
for Harrisonburg Mission as such. At the Conference of 1882 both Missions were left to be supplied, and
again in 1883, but sometime during the Conference year of 1883-1884, the Rev. T. K. Clifford, of
Piedmont, West, Virginia, took charge of the Augusta and Rockingham Missions and labored successfully.
Rev. Clifford (Col.) continued to serve and report for both Missions from 1883 to the Annual Conference
of 1895, a period of 12 years. The Freedmen’s Missions were not producing preachers and it was hard for
the Conference to find one.
At the Conference of 1890, when Rev. Clifford reported as pastor of Freedmen’s Missions, he
reported 5 appointments, 5 organized churches, and 332 members. In 1880 there had been a total of 10
appointments, 8 organized classes, and 236 members in Freedmen’s Missions in the Conference.
The Ministerial Register of the conference minutes of 1895 carried the names of J. A. Evans and
T. K. Clifford as itinerant ministers, and W. H. Bruce (Col.) as a local minister.
At the conference of 1896 T. K. Clifford reported for Harrison -burg Mission, and W. H. Bruce for
Rockingham. In 1897 T. K. Clifford reported for Harrisonburg, W. H. Bruce for Rockingham, and P. J.
Jennings for Sherando (now Grottoes).
We read in the 1898 conference minutes as follows: “The Freed-men, represented formerly in this
conference have had a fairly prosperous year. They will meet in their first session as the Virginia Mission
District, March 25th at Harrisonburg.” —Superintendent’s report.
The above-mentioned Mission District Conference met three days after the Virginia Annual
Conference closed.
I.A.5 U.B. Churches in Rockingham County, 1912 28
for Christian Shuey remained loyal to his church and was its standby until his death. He continued to be
the leader of the class from which he was expelled.
The Virginia Conference Minutes reveal that immediately following the Civil War and the freeing of the
Negroes, there were Negro preachers and Freedmen’s Missions as a part of the Conference. In 1869
there was a Freedmen’s Mission to be supplied by the Presiding Elder, which indicates that prior to this
time there was a Freedmen’s Mission in the Conference. In 1870 J. Brown (Colored) was assigned to the
Freedmen’s Mission. In 1872 Freedmen’s Mission was to be supplied. No report in minutes of 1873 or
1874, except at the Conference of 1874,
J. A. Evans (Col.) was listed as a visiting minister. At the annual Conference of 1875, J. A. Evans
reported as pastor of Augusta Freedmen’s Mission, and S. T. Wells (Col.) reported for Rockingham
Mission. At the annual Conference of 1876, S. T. Wells (Col.) was received from Des Moines Conference,
and reported for Rockingham Mission, while J. A. Evans reported for Augusta Mission. At the
Conference of 1877, J. A. Evans reports as pastor of Augusta Freedmen’s Mission, and S. T. Wells for
Rockingham. In 1878 J. Waite (Col.) was assigned to Augusta Mission, J. A. Evans to Rockingham, and
Clarke Freedmen’s Mission was to be supplied. The minutes of 1879 show J. A. Evans reporting for
Rockingham Mission, and J. Waite (Col.) for Augusta. At the Conference of 1880, J. A. Evans (Col.) was
received on transfer from the Michigan Conference. In 1881 J. A. Evans reports as pastor for
Rockingham Mission and F. Payne (Col.) reports as pastor of Augusta Freedmen’s Mission.
“Rev. J. A. Evans, who had care of both Freedmen’s Missions, resigned his charge September 4th,
1880, and sailed for Africa in November, as ordered by the Board of Missions. Rev. Frank Paine who had
assisted Brother Evans since July, has been left alone.” —Superintendents Report, 1881.
In 1880 there were 4 appointments, 3 organized classes, and 109 members reported for Augusta
Freedmen’s Mission. There were 6 appointments, 5 organized classes, and 127 members reported for the
Rockingham Mission.
The Ministerial Register of 1881 lists Rev. J. A. Evans address as Freetown, Sierra Leone, West
Africa.
In the Minutes of 1881 is found resolution number 3 in a Report on Missions. It reads:
“Resolved: 3rd. That our late fellow laborer in the vineyard of the Master, Rev. J. A. Evans, is followed
in his far off field of toil by our prayers for his continued success; and for the sacrifices which he and his
companion are making for the salvation of the heathen, we accord them our cordial sympathy.”
In 1882, Rev. Frank Paine reported as pastor of Augusta Freedmen’s Mission. There was no report
for Harrisonburg Mission as such. At the Conference of 1882 both Missions were left to be supplied, and
again in 1883, but sometime during the Conference year of 1883-1884, the Rev. T. K. Clifford, of
Piedmont, West, Virginia, took charge of the Augusta and Rockingham Missions and labored successfully.
Rev. Clifford (Col.) continued to serve and report for both Missions from 1883 to the Annual Conference
of 1895, a period of 12 years. The Freedmen’s Missions were not producing preachers and it was hard for
the Conference to find one.
At the Conference of 1890, when Rev. Clifford reported as pastor of Freedmen’s Missions, he
reported 5 appointments, 5 organized churches, and 332 members. In 1880 there had been a total of 10
appointments, 8 organized classes, and 236 members in Freedmen’s Missions in the Conference.
The Ministerial Register of the conference minutes of 1895 carried the names of J. A. Evans and
T. K. Clifford as itinerant ministers, and W. H. Bruce (Col.) as a local minister.
At the conference of 1896 T. K. Clifford reported for Harrison -burg Mission, and W. H. Bruce for
Rockingham. In 1897 T. K. Clifford reported for Harrisonburg, W. H. Bruce for Rockingham, and P. J.
Jennings for Sherando (now Grottoes).
We read in the 1898 conference minutes as follows: “The Freed-men, represented formerly in this
conference have had a fairly prosperous year. They will meet in their first session as the Virginia Mission
District, March 25th at Harrisonburg.” —Superintendent’s report.
The above-mentioned Mission District Conference met three days after the Virginia Annual
Conference closed.
I.A.5 U.B. Churches in Rockingham County, 1912 28
