Page 43 - History of UB Church in Hburg Region
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History of U.B. Churches in Harrisonburg-Staunton Region December 26, 2024
The minutes of the Annual Conference held in Harrisonburg, Virginia, March 21-26, 1900, reveals that
there was a Virginia Mission District with T. K. Clifford, presiding elder, also serving Monterey and
Staunton Missions. W. W. Colley (Col.) was pastor of Harrisonburg Mission. B. N. Stevens (Col.) served
Linville Mission. Minutes refer to churches at Deerfield, Keezletown, and Hillsville (Christian near
Buffalo Gap).
Freedmen’s Missions Reports — Conference 1900
Mission Organized Churches Appointments Members
Harrisonburg 2 2 70
Linville 5 5 117
Monterey 6 6 168
Staunton 2 2 69
Totals 15 15 424
Report on First Year’s Course of Reading, Conference 1900. We, your committee on First Year’s
Course of Reading, would respectfully report that Br. G. A. Newman appeared before us and stood a written
examination entitling him to an average of 85 on all the books. We recommend that this brother be passed to
the Second Year’s Course of Reading. T. K. Clifford, W. W. Colley.
Preachers and Churches. Rev. G. A. Newman was principal of the Harrisonburg Negro School. He joined
the conference in 1900. The Minutes of 1900 record the following: Ministers of the Virginia Freedmen’s
Missions District: T. K. Clifford, Harrisonburg; W. W. Colley, Harrisonburg; B. N. Stevens, Zenda; Thos.
Givens, Linville; Brown Colbert, Harrisonburg; and G. A. Newman, Harrisonburg. Rev. J. A. Evans (Col.), died
at Princess Cottage Hospital, Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa, September 21, 1899. The following Charges,
pastors, churches, members and missions were reported to the Annual Conference of 1901: Linville Circuit:
B. N. Stevens, Pastor; Long’s Chapel with 47 members; Linville, 22 members; Wardensville, 30 members;
Beasley, 7 members: Cold Stream, 7 members—Total members 113. Harrisonburg Circuit: E. A.
McGee, Pastor; Harrisonburg, 48 members; Dunge’s Chapel, 18 members; Keezletown, 15 members—
Total 81 members. Staunton Circuit: T. K. Clifford, Pastor; Mt. Zion, 51 members; Timber Ridge, 11
members—Total 62 members. Monterey Circuit: W. W. Colley, Pastor; Franklin, Moatstown and Wright’s
Chapel had a total of 36 members.
Assignments of Negro preachers at the conference of 1901 were: Harrisonburg, E. A. McGee; Staunton,
T. K. Clifford; Monterey, W. W. Colley; and Linville, B. N. Stevens. In that year there were a total of 16
appointments, 13 organized churches, and 439 members. Rev. E. A. McGee resigned Harrisonburg Charge,
November 27, 1900, but was retained to serve Dunges’ Chapel and Keezletown appointments, Harrisonburg
being given to Rev. T. K. Clifford till the close of the year. In 1901 Rev. G. A. Newman is in the Second Year’s
Course of Reading; Rev. W. W. Colley is referred to as Dr. Colley. He proposed the opening of a Mission in
Ponce, Puerto Rico.
At the Annual Conference of 1902 Thomas Givens was assigned to Linville Mission, and T. K. Clifford to
Staunton. This year the Ministerial Register carried the names of T. K. Clifford, W. W. Colley, and G. A.
Newman. In 1903 Givens was again appointed to Linville and Clifford to Staunton. In 1904 G. A. Newman
passed the Third Year’s Course of Reading with an average of 93 per cent, and was passed to the fourth year. At
the Conference of 1905, G. A. Newman reported for Harrisonburg Circuit and T. K. Clifford for Rockingham,
both together reporting a total of 12 appointments, 12 organized churches, and 518 members.
Under the Heading “Benevolences” is a report of those contributing on the Harrisonburg Circuit
(Colored)—Minutes of 1905 and page 46:
Harrisonburg Circuit: G. A. Newman (Pastor), $1.50; Rebecca Hall, $1.10; Mildred Morris, 50¢;
Alex Stuart, 50¢; John L. Temple, 45¢; Dennis Jackson, 35¢; A. Dallard, Maggie Givens, Laura
Temple, Mary Temple, 30¢ each; Lucy Strothers, Harriet Bradford, Rachel Payne, Sallie Stevens,
Josephine Frazias, Edward Matson, Nelson Mack, 25¢ each; Maggie V. Newman, Samuel Harris,
Jacob Frazier, Reuben Bilhimer, 20¢ each; Carter Bibbs, Annie Bilhimer, 15¢ each; Louisa Bibbs,
Mary Wilson, Jack Wilson, Fannie Wilson, Beatrice Watson, Jane Jackson, Thomas Givens, Hannah
Frazier, 15¢ each; Fannie Conley, 20¢; Nellie Mealy, Jane Frazier, dec’d G. A. Newman, Jr., H. M.
Dallard, Belle Bruce, 10¢ each; Jane Carter, Beulah Johnson, Jennie Watson, 5¢ each.” This report
I.A.5 U.B. Churches in Rockingham County, 1912 29
The minutes of the Annual Conference held in Harrisonburg, Virginia, March 21-26, 1900, reveals that
there was a Virginia Mission District with T. K. Clifford, presiding elder, also serving Monterey and
Staunton Missions. W. W. Colley (Col.) was pastor of Harrisonburg Mission. B. N. Stevens (Col.) served
Linville Mission. Minutes refer to churches at Deerfield, Keezletown, and Hillsville (Christian near
Buffalo Gap).
Freedmen’s Missions Reports — Conference 1900
Mission Organized Churches Appointments Members
Harrisonburg 2 2 70
Linville 5 5 117
Monterey 6 6 168
Staunton 2 2 69
Totals 15 15 424
Report on First Year’s Course of Reading, Conference 1900. We, your committee on First Year’s
Course of Reading, would respectfully report that Br. G. A. Newman appeared before us and stood a written
examination entitling him to an average of 85 on all the books. We recommend that this brother be passed to
the Second Year’s Course of Reading. T. K. Clifford, W. W. Colley.
Preachers and Churches. Rev. G. A. Newman was principal of the Harrisonburg Negro School. He joined
the conference in 1900. The Minutes of 1900 record the following: Ministers of the Virginia Freedmen’s
Missions District: T. K. Clifford, Harrisonburg; W. W. Colley, Harrisonburg; B. N. Stevens, Zenda; Thos.
Givens, Linville; Brown Colbert, Harrisonburg; and G. A. Newman, Harrisonburg. Rev. J. A. Evans (Col.), died
at Princess Cottage Hospital, Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa, September 21, 1899. The following Charges,
pastors, churches, members and missions were reported to the Annual Conference of 1901: Linville Circuit:
B. N. Stevens, Pastor; Long’s Chapel with 47 members; Linville, 22 members; Wardensville, 30 members;
Beasley, 7 members: Cold Stream, 7 members—Total members 113. Harrisonburg Circuit: E. A.
McGee, Pastor; Harrisonburg, 48 members; Dunge’s Chapel, 18 members; Keezletown, 15 members—
Total 81 members. Staunton Circuit: T. K. Clifford, Pastor; Mt. Zion, 51 members; Timber Ridge, 11
members—Total 62 members. Monterey Circuit: W. W. Colley, Pastor; Franklin, Moatstown and Wright’s
Chapel had a total of 36 members.
Assignments of Negro preachers at the conference of 1901 were: Harrisonburg, E. A. McGee; Staunton,
T. K. Clifford; Monterey, W. W. Colley; and Linville, B. N. Stevens. In that year there were a total of 16
appointments, 13 organized churches, and 439 members. Rev. E. A. McGee resigned Harrisonburg Charge,
November 27, 1900, but was retained to serve Dunges’ Chapel and Keezletown appointments, Harrisonburg
being given to Rev. T. K. Clifford till the close of the year. In 1901 Rev. G. A. Newman is in the Second Year’s
Course of Reading; Rev. W. W. Colley is referred to as Dr. Colley. He proposed the opening of a Mission in
Ponce, Puerto Rico.
At the Annual Conference of 1902 Thomas Givens was assigned to Linville Mission, and T. K. Clifford to
Staunton. This year the Ministerial Register carried the names of T. K. Clifford, W. W. Colley, and G. A.
Newman. In 1903 Givens was again appointed to Linville and Clifford to Staunton. In 1904 G. A. Newman
passed the Third Year’s Course of Reading with an average of 93 per cent, and was passed to the fourth year. At
the Conference of 1905, G. A. Newman reported for Harrisonburg Circuit and T. K. Clifford for Rockingham,
both together reporting a total of 12 appointments, 12 organized churches, and 518 members.
Under the Heading “Benevolences” is a report of those contributing on the Harrisonburg Circuit
(Colored)—Minutes of 1905 and page 46:
Harrisonburg Circuit: G. A. Newman (Pastor), $1.50; Rebecca Hall, $1.10; Mildred Morris, 50¢;
Alex Stuart, 50¢; John L. Temple, 45¢; Dennis Jackson, 35¢; A. Dallard, Maggie Givens, Laura
Temple, Mary Temple, 30¢ each; Lucy Strothers, Harriet Bradford, Rachel Payne, Sallie Stevens,
Josephine Frazias, Edward Matson, Nelson Mack, 25¢ each; Maggie V. Newman, Samuel Harris,
Jacob Frazier, Reuben Bilhimer, 20¢ each; Carter Bibbs, Annie Bilhimer, 15¢ each; Louisa Bibbs,
Mary Wilson, Jack Wilson, Fannie Wilson, Beatrice Watson, Jane Jackson, Thomas Givens, Hannah
Frazier, 15¢ each; Fannie Conley, 20¢; Nellie Mealy, Jane Frazier, dec’d G. A. Newman, Jr., H. M.
Dallard, Belle Bruce, 10¢ each; Jane Carter, Beulah Johnson, Jennie Watson, 5¢ each.” This report
I.A.5 U.B. Churches in Rockingham County, 1912 29
