Page 76 - History of UB Church in Hburg Region
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History of U.B. Churches in Harrisonburg-Staunton Region December 26, 2024
5. Bluff Dale U.B. Church [Albemarle County; 1890s-1960]
Bluff Dale U.B. Church apparently closed in the 1960,
as there is no membership data after that point in time. Bluff
Dale Church was located several miles northwest of White Hall
in Albemarle County. It was a frame building, dedicated by
Rev. J. W. Howe [Funkhouser 1921, p. 194].
Conference Reports. Bluff Dale U.B. Church is first
mentioned in Conference Minutes in 1899 with a membership
of 40 persons and with W. S. Rau as pastor. The Church was
built as a union preaching place. It was in the beginning an
appointment on Albemarle Circuit, with Otterbein, Shady
Grove, and Prize Hill, all east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in
1910. In 1914 the name was changed to Swift Run Circuit. For several years prior to 1917, Bluff Dale
had been abandoned as a U.B. preaching place, when Rev. David F. Glovier accompanied by Mr. W. N.
McAllister, held a week’s revival meeting at Bluff Dale Church, and began reporting Bluff Dale as an
appointment on Augusta Charge. During the years following through 1929, the Rev. Glovier
accompanied by Mr. W. N. McAllister, a member of the Union Chapel Church on Augusta Charge,
regularly held a week of revival services here adding to the membership. From 1929 Rev. C. W.
Tinsman served Bluff Dale Church in connection with his work on Augusta Charge. It was continued as
an appointment on Augusta Charge until 1952, when the membership was transferred to the
Waynesboro Church by the pastor, Rev. David F. Glovier. In 1964 a small group of Pentecostals held
worship services in the church.
Table 12, below, identifies some early pastors for Augusta and Verona Circuits. In the years
before 1921, membership data was recorded only for the charge and not for the individual churches and
other appointments. Table 13, below that, provides the names of appointed pastors and membership
data for Bluff Dale U.B. and EUB church (1921-60). Note that “Year Ends 1896” means conference
year 1895-96 and that the data were reported at the 1896 Annual Conference. Thus, W. S. Rau served
Bluff Dale 1895-99.
Table 12. Bluff Dale U.B. Church: Early Pastors and Charge Membership, 1896-1920
Year Charge Name District Name Appointed Pastor Membership Statistics—Whole Charge
Ends Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah W. S. Rau Members Start Yr. Members End Yr.
1896 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah W. S. Rau
1897 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah W. S. Rau 117 156
1898 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah W. S. Rau 156 164
1899 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah E. A. Stanton 164 144
1900 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah E. A. Stanton 144 190
1901 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah W. D. Good 190 194
1902 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah S. G. Wells 194 194
1903 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah A. S. Hammack 194 194
1904 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah W. Marvin Maiden 194 180
1905 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah J. L. Argenbright 180 182
1906 Albemarle Circuit Va. Conference J. L. Argenbright 182 169
1907 Albemarle Circuit Va. Conference J. L. Argenbright 182 135
1908 East Rockingham Circuit Va. Conference J. W. Brill 135 182
1909 East Rockingham Circuit Va. Conference J. W. Brill 168 232
1910 Charlottesville Circuit Va. Conference J. E. Croft 429 503
1911 Charlottesville Circuit Va. Conference J. E. Croft 376 430
1912 Charlottesville Circuit Va. Conference None Assigned 376 330
1913 Charlottesville Circuit Va. Conference A. Bamford 330 250
1914 250 226
226 231
II.B.5 Bluff Dale U.B. Church 62
5. Bluff Dale U.B. Church [Albemarle County; 1890s-1960]
Bluff Dale U.B. Church apparently closed in the 1960,
as there is no membership data after that point in time. Bluff
Dale Church was located several miles northwest of White Hall
in Albemarle County. It was a frame building, dedicated by
Rev. J. W. Howe [Funkhouser 1921, p. 194].
Conference Reports. Bluff Dale U.B. Church is first
mentioned in Conference Minutes in 1899 with a membership
of 40 persons and with W. S. Rau as pastor. The Church was
built as a union preaching place. It was in the beginning an
appointment on Albemarle Circuit, with Otterbein, Shady
Grove, and Prize Hill, all east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in
1910. In 1914 the name was changed to Swift Run Circuit. For several years prior to 1917, Bluff Dale
had been abandoned as a U.B. preaching place, when Rev. David F. Glovier accompanied by Mr. W. N.
McAllister, held a week’s revival meeting at Bluff Dale Church, and began reporting Bluff Dale as an
appointment on Augusta Charge. During the years following through 1929, the Rev. Glovier
accompanied by Mr. W. N. McAllister, a member of the Union Chapel Church on Augusta Charge,
regularly held a week of revival services here adding to the membership. From 1929 Rev. C. W.
Tinsman served Bluff Dale Church in connection with his work on Augusta Charge. It was continued as
an appointment on Augusta Charge until 1952, when the membership was transferred to the
Waynesboro Church by the pastor, Rev. David F. Glovier. In 1964 a small group of Pentecostals held
worship services in the church.
Table 12, below, identifies some early pastors for Augusta and Verona Circuits. In the years
before 1921, membership data was recorded only for the charge and not for the individual churches and
other appointments. Table 13, below that, provides the names of appointed pastors and membership
data for Bluff Dale U.B. and EUB church (1921-60). Note that “Year Ends 1896” means conference
year 1895-96 and that the data were reported at the 1896 Annual Conference. Thus, W. S. Rau served
Bluff Dale 1895-99.
Table 12. Bluff Dale U.B. Church: Early Pastors and Charge Membership, 1896-1920
Year Charge Name District Name Appointed Pastor Membership Statistics—Whole Charge
Ends Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah W. S. Rau Members Start Yr. Members End Yr.
1896 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah W. S. Rau
1897 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah W. S. Rau 117 156
1898 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah W. S. Rau 156 164
1899 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah E. A. Stanton 164 144
1900 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah E. A. Stanton 144 190
1901 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah W. D. Good 190 194
1902 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah S. G. Wells 194 194
1903 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah A. S. Hammack 194 194
1904 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah W. Marvin Maiden 194 180
1905 Albemarle Circuit Shenandoah J. L. Argenbright 180 182
1906 Albemarle Circuit Va. Conference J. L. Argenbright 182 169
1907 Albemarle Circuit Va. Conference J. L. Argenbright 182 135
1908 East Rockingham Circuit Va. Conference J. W. Brill 135 182
1909 East Rockingham Circuit Va. Conference J. W. Brill 168 232
1910 Charlottesville Circuit Va. Conference J. E. Croft 429 503
1911 Charlottesville Circuit Va. Conference J. E. Croft 376 430
1912 Charlottesville Circuit Va. Conference None Assigned 376 330
1913 Charlottesville Circuit Va. Conference A. Bamford 330 250
1914 250 226
226 231
II.B.5 Bluff Dale U.B. Church 62
