Page 82 - History of UB Church in Hburg Region
P. 82
History of U.B. Churches in Harrisonburg-Staunton Region December 26, 2024
Virginia, in Deed Book No. 43, page 246, also in a Deed of partition made jointly
between J. D. Donovan [pictured at the right] and W. H. Hawkins and wife to correct the
line, between said lot and one owned by W. H. Hawkins, which deed is also of record in
the Clerk’s Office of the County of Rockingham in Deed Book No. 43, and bounded as
follows to wit: adjoining the lots of W. H. Hawkins, Anderson Pence and J. D. Donovan.
This deed was notarized by J. P. Pugh, the deed was recorded in June 6, 2024 by J. S.
Messerlerly, Clerk. The foregoing deed is duly recorded in Rockingham County Clerk’s Office, written
in long hand, in Deed Book 44, Page 33.
New Church House, 1893. Under the Rev. Ewing’s leadership the
building was constructed and dedicated. The exact date of dedication is in
question. According to the History of the Virginia Conference by the Rev.
A. P. Funkhouser [Funkhouser 1921, p. 195], the church was built and
dedicated in 1891 at a cost of $1,500. Other records show that the
construction was mainly the work by Mr. Anthony Rhodes and Mr. C. D.
Helbert, Mr. Helbert being a stone mason and Mr. Rhodes a carpenter, who
did all the interior trim including the altar rail and pulpit now being used.
These men were laymen of the church. Funkhouser appears to be wrong on
the date of construction and dedication. According to other sources the
dedication was held in June 1893. The later date seems more in keeping
with the Class Examination Records, which state that on February 17, 1893,
the “Broadway Class met in the new United Brethren Church”. Until this meeting, the class
examination was held “in the Hall” in Broadway. Further evidence of the later date is that older
residents and family members of William Burke Hopkins remember his drowning at “Cold Springs” the
day this church was dedicated. The date of June 11, 1893, is on his tombstone in the Singers Glen
Cemetery.
Tower Addition. Since the original construction, after 1896, a tower was added to
the front mainly through the efforts of Mrs. C. D. Helbert (pictured at the right), who
made homemade ice cream (her special recipe) and sold it using the proceeds toward the
cost of the tower. A date as to this addition cannot be found either from individuals or the
Virginia Conference Minutes. (At the 1896 Conference, a group picture in front of church
was taken before the tower was added.)
There are two names that stand out among the laymen of the very
early church. They are Mr. C. D. Helbert (left in the picture) and Mr.
Anthony Rhodes. On information received from Mr. F. L. Zirkle of
Broadway, Mr. C. D. Helbert, who was his father-in-law, was a member of
the Methodist Church at the time he helped to organize the Broadway U.B.
II.B.8 Broadway U.B. Church 68
Virginia, in Deed Book No. 43, page 246, also in a Deed of partition made jointly
between J. D. Donovan [pictured at the right] and W. H. Hawkins and wife to correct the
line, between said lot and one owned by W. H. Hawkins, which deed is also of record in
the Clerk’s Office of the County of Rockingham in Deed Book No. 43, and bounded as
follows to wit: adjoining the lots of W. H. Hawkins, Anderson Pence and J. D. Donovan.
This deed was notarized by J. P. Pugh, the deed was recorded in June 6, 2024 by J. S.
Messerlerly, Clerk. The foregoing deed is duly recorded in Rockingham County Clerk’s Office, written
in long hand, in Deed Book 44, Page 33.
New Church House, 1893. Under the Rev. Ewing’s leadership the
building was constructed and dedicated. The exact date of dedication is in
question. According to the History of the Virginia Conference by the Rev.
A. P. Funkhouser [Funkhouser 1921, p. 195], the church was built and
dedicated in 1891 at a cost of $1,500. Other records show that the
construction was mainly the work by Mr. Anthony Rhodes and Mr. C. D.
Helbert, Mr. Helbert being a stone mason and Mr. Rhodes a carpenter, who
did all the interior trim including the altar rail and pulpit now being used.
These men were laymen of the church. Funkhouser appears to be wrong on
the date of construction and dedication. According to other sources the
dedication was held in June 1893. The later date seems more in keeping
with the Class Examination Records, which state that on February 17, 1893,
the “Broadway Class met in the new United Brethren Church”. Until this meeting, the class
examination was held “in the Hall” in Broadway. Further evidence of the later date is that older
residents and family members of William Burke Hopkins remember his drowning at “Cold Springs” the
day this church was dedicated. The date of June 11, 1893, is on his tombstone in the Singers Glen
Cemetery.
Tower Addition. Since the original construction, after 1896, a tower was added to
the front mainly through the efforts of Mrs. C. D. Helbert (pictured at the right), who
made homemade ice cream (her special recipe) and sold it using the proceeds toward the
cost of the tower. A date as to this addition cannot be found either from individuals or the
Virginia Conference Minutes. (At the 1896 Conference, a group picture in front of church
was taken before the tower was added.)
There are two names that stand out among the laymen of the very
early church. They are Mr. C. D. Helbert (left in the picture) and Mr.
Anthony Rhodes. On information received from Mr. F. L. Zirkle of
Broadway, Mr. C. D. Helbert, who was his father-in-law, was a member of
the Methodist Church at the time he helped to organize the Broadway U.B.
II.B.8 Broadway U.B. Church 68
