Page 50 - History of UB Church in Hburg Region
P. 50
History of U.B. Churches in Harrisonburg-Staunton Region December 26, 2024
231 members in 1914. Finally, in 1914 Swift Run was detached from Elkton Circuit, attached to
Charlottesville, and the name of the charge changed to Swift Run Circuit.
History of Churchville Circuit (1854-1915). Churchville as a place is first mentioned in
Conference Minutes in 1834, when the Virginia Conference met at Jennings Branch meeting house in
Churchville, Va., April 21, 1834, with Bishop William Brown presiding. Conference again met at
Jennings Branch meeting house February 6, 1844, with Bishop Jacob Erb presiding. Again, on January
27, 1848, Conference met in Churchville (place not specified) with Bishop John Russell presiding.
Rockbridge Circuit was renamed Churchville Circuit in 1853, with J. W. Fulkerson appointed the
preacher-in-charge. Conference met again in Churchville February 23, 1860, with Bishop J. J.
Glossbrenner presiding; and February 2, 1876, with Bishop David Edwards presiding. Churchville
Circuit Preacher J. E. Whitesel reported in 1876 the charge to comprise seven appointments with seven
classes, six of which had organized as a church, with a combined membership of 333, having grown
from 292 in the conference year just ending. In 1878 Bethlehem was detached from Churchville Circuit
and attached to Rockbridge Circuit, but this decision was reversed in 1879. In 1878 the Shenandoah
District Presiding Elder reported: “Rev. James E. Whitesel, in charge of Churchville Circuit, who fell at
his post on the 26th of October, died in full prospects of a blissful immortality, and went from labor to
reward. Rev. G. P. Hott was employed to take charge of the work.” In 1880 Pine Grove [Clay Hill] was
detached from Churchville Circuit to form the basis of West Augusta Mission. In 1882 Bethlehem was
again detached from Churchville and attached to Rockbridge Circuit, and the remaining part of
Churchville Circuit was constituted as Churchville Mission Station.
Conference met at Churchville March 4, 1891, with Bishop John Dickson presiding. At this time
Churchville Circuit reported 286 members. In 1892 Mt. Zion was taken from Augusta Circuit and
attached to Churchville Circuit; and in 1894 Spring Hill was detached from Augusta Circuit and
attached to Churchville Circuit (the latter decision was reversed in 1898). In 1899 the Presiding Elder
reported: “October 20, 1898, Rev. J. W. O. [John William Otterbein] Ewing,13 after 2 months’ patient
suffering, quit the labors of Churchville Charge for his Heavenly home. He died without an enemy,
beloved by all. Rev. W. O. Jones was appointed to serve the charge from November 20th to the close of
the year. His labors have been blessed.” In 1905 Stokes [Stokesville] was attached to Churchville
Circuit. The 1906 report on Churchville Circuit was the following: “Stokesville—A church was built at
Stokesville on which is valued at $600. A class of 33 members was organized, and a splendid Sunday
school is now in progress. A new organ was bought for the church at Stokesville, cost $55.
Parsonage—Parsonage at Churchville was further improved at a cost of $25.”
In 1915 the Superintendent reported: “A new and modern parsonage is being built on
Churchville Circuit, and when completed will be the best parsonage we have on any country charge; the
cost will be about $3,000. Bro. Brimlow, the pastor, has worked hard to get present results. Mt. Zion,
13 From Vol. 9 of this History: From Vol. 9 of this History: “John William Otterbein Ewing was born near Stephens City,
Va., of pious parents in the year 1866, and united with the Church when 14 years of age. He began his active ministry on
Winchester Circuit in 1887, joined the Virginia Conference in 1889, and was ordained in 1892—but he soon died (1898).
Besides Winchester, 1887-88, he served Vancleavesville, 1889-90; Singers Glen, 1891-94; Cross Keys, 1894-97;
Dayton, 1897-98; and Churchville, 1898, the latter for only about 7 months, when he contracted typhoid fever and God
soon took him. Rev. Ewing, it has been said, was an able writer, a good thinker, and by some was considered, in his day,
the “Model Preacher” of the Virginia Conference. He died in the parsonage at Churchville, Va., October 18, 1898, at the
early age of 32 years, 3 months and 5 days, after an illness of 8 weeks with typhoid fever. He left three little children.
His most estimable wife was a daughter of David Hott. Rev. George P. Hott, his Presiding Elder, had charge of the
funeral service. He was buried in the Friendship Church Cemetery near Stephens City, Va., and near the scenes of his
childhood. Ewing was reared in a religious home. He grew to be a large man, in spirit as well as body. He was called
the “Model Preacher of Virginia.” [Glovier 1965, p. 107]
I.A.5 U.B. Churches in Rockingham County, 1912 36
231 members in 1914. Finally, in 1914 Swift Run was detached from Elkton Circuit, attached to
Charlottesville, and the name of the charge changed to Swift Run Circuit.
History of Churchville Circuit (1854-1915). Churchville as a place is first mentioned in
Conference Minutes in 1834, when the Virginia Conference met at Jennings Branch meeting house in
Churchville, Va., April 21, 1834, with Bishop William Brown presiding. Conference again met at
Jennings Branch meeting house February 6, 1844, with Bishop Jacob Erb presiding. Again, on January
27, 1848, Conference met in Churchville (place not specified) with Bishop John Russell presiding.
Rockbridge Circuit was renamed Churchville Circuit in 1853, with J. W. Fulkerson appointed the
preacher-in-charge. Conference met again in Churchville February 23, 1860, with Bishop J. J.
Glossbrenner presiding; and February 2, 1876, with Bishop David Edwards presiding. Churchville
Circuit Preacher J. E. Whitesel reported in 1876 the charge to comprise seven appointments with seven
classes, six of which had organized as a church, with a combined membership of 333, having grown
from 292 in the conference year just ending. In 1878 Bethlehem was detached from Churchville Circuit
and attached to Rockbridge Circuit, but this decision was reversed in 1879. In 1878 the Shenandoah
District Presiding Elder reported: “Rev. James E. Whitesel, in charge of Churchville Circuit, who fell at
his post on the 26th of October, died in full prospects of a blissful immortality, and went from labor to
reward. Rev. G. P. Hott was employed to take charge of the work.” In 1880 Pine Grove [Clay Hill] was
detached from Churchville Circuit to form the basis of West Augusta Mission. In 1882 Bethlehem was
again detached from Churchville and attached to Rockbridge Circuit, and the remaining part of
Churchville Circuit was constituted as Churchville Mission Station.
Conference met at Churchville March 4, 1891, with Bishop John Dickson presiding. At this time
Churchville Circuit reported 286 members. In 1892 Mt. Zion was taken from Augusta Circuit and
attached to Churchville Circuit; and in 1894 Spring Hill was detached from Augusta Circuit and
attached to Churchville Circuit (the latter decision was reversed in 1898). In 1899 the Presiding Elder
reported: “October 20, 1898, Rev. J. W. O. [John William Otterbein] Ewing,13 after 2 months’ patient
suffering, quit the labors of Churchville Charge for his Heavenly home. He died without an enemy,
beloved by all. Rev. W. O. Jones was appointed to serve the charge from November 20th to the close of
the year. His labors have been blessed.” In 1905 Stokes [Stokesville] was attached to Churchville
Circuit. The 1906 report on Churchville Circuit was the following: “Stokesville—A church was built at
Stokesville on which is valued at $600. A class of 33 members was organized, and a splendid Sunday
school is now in progress. A new organ was bought for the church at Stokesville, cost $55.
Parsonage—Parsonage at Churchville was further improved at a cost of $25.”
In 1915 the Superintendent reported: “A new and modern parsonage is being built on
Churchville Circuit, and when completed will be the best parsonage we have on any country charge; the
cost will be about $3,000. Bro. Brimlow, the pastor, has worked hard to get present results. Mt. Zion,
13 From Vol. 9 of this History: From Vol. 9 of this History: “John William Otterbein Ewing was born near Stephens City,
Va., of pious parents in the year 1866, and united with the Church when 14 years of age. He began his active ministry on
Winchester Circuit in 1887, joined the Virginia Conference in 1889, and was ordained in 1892—but he soon died (1898).
Besides Winchester, 1887-88, he served Vancleavesville, 1889-90; Singers Glen, 1891-94; Cross Keys, 1894-97;
Dayton, 1897-98; and Churchville, 1898, the latter for only about 7 months, when he contracted typhoid fever and God
soon took him. Rev. Ewing, it has been said, was an able writer, a good thinker, and by some was considered, in his day,
the “Model Preacher” of the Virginia Conference. He died in the parsonage at Churchville, Va., October 18, 1898, at the
early age of 32 years, 3 months and 5 days, after an illness of 8 weeks with typhoid fever. He left three little children.
His most estimable wife was a daughter of David Hott. Rev. George P. Hott, his Presiding Elder, had charge of the
funeral service. He was buried in the Friendship Church Cemetery near Stephens City, Va., and near the scenes of his
childhood. Ewing was reared in a religious home. He grew to be a large man, in spirit as well as body. He was called
the “Model Preacher of Virginia.” [Glovier 1965, p. 107]
I.A.5 U.B. Churches in Rockingham County, 1912 36
