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History of U.B. Churches in Harrisonburg-Staunton Region December 26, 2024
7. Bridgewater U.B. Church [Bridgewater, Rockingham County; 1857-1878]
The U.B. church house at Bridgewater was a private property bought from a Mr. Hoover about
1857, with money raised by Jacob Markwood (presiding elder of the East Virginia District, 1856-57, and
later a bishop) and wife for $500. It was assigned to Rockingham Circuit in 1876. It was always a small
congregation. It was later sold through J. W. Howe. Indeed, as presiding elder of Shenandoah District,
Rev. Howe reported in March 1880: “I was authorized by the Quarterly Conference of Augusta Circuit
to make sale of our house of worship at Bridgewater, which sale has been effected at $400—$200 in
cash and the remainder in two equal annual payments, two-fifths of the money to be appropriated to the
parsonage of Augusta Circuit, and three-fifths to a district parsonage” (eventually erected in Dayton).
Conference Reports. Bridgewater U.B. Church was first mentioned in Conference Minutes in
1876,19 when Bridgewater—together with the Mt. Zion, Sangersville, Spring Hill, Mt. Pisgah, and
Pleasant Grove appointments—were constituted as Rockingham Circuit. In 1880 the Shenandoah
District Presiding Elder reported that he “was authorized by the Quarterly Conference of Augusta
Circuit to make sale of our house of worship at Bridgewater, which sale has been effected at $400—
$200 in cash and the remainder in two equal annual payments, two-fifths of the money to be
appropriated to the parsonage of Augusta Circuit, and three-fifths to a district parsonage.” Not further
mention of Bridgewater U.B. Church has been found.
Table 15, below, identifies some early pastors for Augusta Circuit. In the years before 1921,
membership data was recorded only for the charge and not for the individual churches and other
appointments. There are no records of Bridgewater when churches were explicitly identified in 1921
and beyond. Note that “Year Ends 1856” means conference year 1855-56 and that the data were
reported at the 1856 Annual Conference. Thus, G. B. Rimel served Bridgewater (and other churches of
Rockingham Circuit) 1855-57, and Theodore F. Brashear, 1857-58.
Table 15. Bridgewater U.B. Church: Early Pastors and Charge Membership, 1880-1920
Year Charge Name District Name Appointed Pastor Membership Statistics—Whole Charge
Ends
Rockingham Circuit Conference G. B. Rimel Members Start Yr. Members End Yr.
1856 Rockingham Circuit Conference G. B. Rimel
1857 Rockingham Circuit Conference Theodore F. Brashear ——
1858 Rockingham Circuit Conference Henry Tallhelm ——
1859 Rockingham Circuit Conference Theodore F. Brashear ——
1859 Rockingham Circuit Conference G. W. Statton ——
1860 Augusta Circuit Conference G. W. Rexroad ——
1861 Augusta Circuit Conference A. M. Evers and W. A. Jackson ——
1862 Augusta Circuit Conference G. W. Rexroad ——
1863 Augusta Circuit Conference G. W. Rexroad ——
1864 Augusta Circuit Conference G. W. Rexroad ——
1865 Augusta Circuit Conference G. W. Rexroad ——
1866 Rockingham Circuit Conference W. D. Barger and William O. Grim ——
1876 Rockingham Circuit Conference William O. Grim ——
1877 Rockingham Circuit Shenandoah J. E. Hott ——
1878 Augusta Circuit Shenandoah J. E. Hott ——
1879 Augusta Circuit Shenandoah C. H. Crowell ——
1880 ——
353 329
19 We do not have access to complete Conference Minutes from 1830 to 1876.
II.B.7 Bridgewater U.B. Church 65
7. Bridgewater U.B. Church [Bridgewater, Rockingham County; 1857-1878]
The U.B. church house at Bridgewater was a private property bought from a Mr. Hoover about
1857, with money raised by Jacob Markwood (presiding elder of the East Virginia District, 1856-57, and
later a bishop) and wife for $500. It was assigned to Rockingham Circuit in 1876. It was always a small
congregation. It was later sold through J. W. Howe. Indeed, as presiding elder of Shenandoah District,
Rev. Howe reported in March 1880: “I was authorized by the Quarterly Conference of Augusta Circuit
to make sale of our house of worship at Bridgewater, which sale has been effected at $400—$200 in
cash and the remainder in two equal annual payments, two-fifths of the money to be appropriated to the
parsonage of Augusta Circuit, and three-fifths to a district parsonage” (eventually erected in Dayton).
Conference Reports. Bridgewater U.B. Church was first mentioned in Conference Minutes in
1876,19 when Bridgewater—together with the Mt. Zion, Sangersville, Spring Hill, Mt. Pisgah, and
Pleasant Grove appointments—were constituted as Rockingham Circuit. In 1880 the Shenandoah
District Presiding Elder reported that he “was authorized by the Quarterly Conference of Augusta
Circuit to make sale of our house of worship at Bridgewater, which sale has been effected at $400—
$200 in cash and the remainder in two equal annual payments, two-fifths of the money to be
appropriated to the parsonage of Augusta Circuit, and three-fifths to a district parsonage.” Not further
mention of Bridgewater U.B. Church has been found.
Table 15, below, identifies some early pastors for Augusta Circuit. In the years before 1921,
membership data was recorded only for the charge and not for the individual churches and other
appointments. There are no records of Bridgewater when churches were explicitly identified in 1921
and beyond. Note that “Year Ends 1856” means conference year 1855-56 and that the data were
reported at the 1856 Annual Conference. Thus, G. B. Rimel served Bridgewater (and other churches of
Rockingham Circuit) 1855-57, and Theodore F. Brashear, 1857-58.
Table 15. Bridgewater U.B. Church: Early Pastors and Charge Membership, 1880-1920
Year Charge Name District Name Appointed Pastor Membership Statistics—Whole Charge
Ends
Rockingham Circuit Conference G. B. Rimel Members Start Yr. Members End Yr.
1856 Rockingham Circuit Conference G. B. Rimel
1857 Rockingham Circuit Conference Theodore F. Brashear ——
1858 Rockingham Circuit Conference Henry Tallhelm ——
1859 Rockingham Circuit Conference Theodore F. Brashear ——
1859 Rockingham Circuit Conference G. W. Statton ——
1860 Augusta Circuit Conference G. W. Rexroad ——
1861 Augusta Circuit Conference A. M. Evers and W. A. Jackson ——
1862 Augusta Circuit Conference G. W. Rexroad ——
1863 Augusta Circuit Conference G. W. Rexroad ——
1864 Augusta Circuit Conference G. W. Rexroad ——
1865 Augusta Circuit Conference G. W. Rexroad ——
1866 Rockingham Circuit Conference W. D. Barger and William O. Grim ——
1876 Rockingham Circuit Conference William O. Grim ——
1877 Rockingham Circuit Shenandoah J. E. Hott ——
1878 Augusta Circuit Shenandoah J. E. Hott ——
1879 Augusta Circuit Shenandoah C. H. Crowell ——
1880 ——
353 329
19 We do not have access to complete Conference Minutes from 1830 to 1876.
II.B.7 Bridgewater U.B. Church 65
