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History of Congregations of Winchester District June 12, 2024
4. Kelley Street [FM] Church (Harrisonburg; 1892-1906)
Kelley Street [FM] Church was organized on Nov. 27, 1892,
with 25 members, by T. K. Clifford, a black Freedmen’s Mission
United Brethren Minister. At the cornerstone-laying, services were
presented by Rev. A. P. Funkhouser, Rev. Bruce, and Rev. T. K.
Clifford. On June 15, 2024 a Pay-Off-the-Debt service was held with
Revs. A. P. Funkhouser and A. S. Hammack preaching during the
day and night. Located in Newtown, Harrisonburg, the building is
now the home of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church
(pictured at the right in 2011). The church was organized by Revs. T.
K. Clifford and George A. Newman. Note:
Kelley Street [FM] Church is mentioned in Conference
Minutes as simply Harrisonburg [FM] Church, which was apparently
organized Apr. 1876 by Rev. A. H. Wells. However, there seems to
be some confusion as to the existence of that church. Records
mention that it was started in 1876 and that Kelley Street Church was organized in 1892, but the Kelley
Street history states that it broke away from the John Wesley Methodist Church. “John Wesley may
have become a U.B. Church between 1876 and 1896, but I can find no records to confirm this. I
mention this because A. H. Wells was a United Brethren minister.” [MacAllister 2008] Harrisonburg
[FM] Church of Harrisonburg [FM] Circuit is mentioned in Conference Minutes, as shown in Table 4.
Harrisonburg [FM] U.B. Church: Pastors and Church Membership, 1901.
Table 4. Harrisonburg [FM] U.B. Church: Pastors and Church Membership, 1901
Year Ending Charge Name Appointed Pastor Members Start Yr. Members End Yr.
E. A. McGee — 48
1901 Harrisonburg [FM] Circuit
Note that (another) U.B. Church at Harrisonburg was formed later, in 1894. Indeed, in Mar.
1895, the Shenandoah District Presiding Elder reported that our work at Harrisonburg is moving on
nicely. A good class has been organized, a flourishing Sabbath school, and a Young Peoples Christian
Union second to none, as I think, on the District. The foundation of a house of worship has been
completed. It is hoped that a house will be built on this foundation during the coming summer that will
be an honor to our Denomination.” In Mar. 1896, T. K. Clifford reported 327 members for the
Harrisonburg Freedmen’s Mission and S. R. Ludwig and W. F. Gruver, both acting as supply pastors,
reported 128 members for Harrisonburg Mission Station. In Mar. 1897 these numbers were 334 and
158, respectively. The Annual Conference of 1900 met in Harrisonburg.
History of Kelly Street Church.7 Deed book
46, page 8 located in the Rockingham Co. Court
House, Harrisonburg, Va., substantiates that in 1892
Thomas Terrell, Lewis Franklin, Robert Irvin, Robert
W. Dallard, John Cooper, John Spencer, and Howard
Dallard paid $1.00 for property purchased from
Ambrose and Harriet Dallard for the purpose of
building a United Brethren in Christ (UBIC) Church.
George A. Newman, principal of the “colored” school
had read of T. K. Clifford’s involvement with the
Freedmen’s Mission and the UBIC’s connection in
7 `Taken nearly verbatim from [Toliver 1998, pp. ix-xiv]. 75 Volume 5
II.B.4 Kelley Street Freedmen’s Mission Church
4. Kelley Street [FM] Church (Harrisonburg; 1892-1906)
Kelley Street [FM] Church was organized on Nov. 27, 1892,
with 25 members, by T. K. Clifford, a black Freedmen’s Mission
United Brethren Minister. At the cornerstone-laying, services were
presented by Rev. A. P. Funkhouser, Rev. Bruce, and Rev. T. K.
Clifford. On June 15, 2024 a Pay-Off-the-Debt service was held with
Revs. A. P. Funkhouser and A. S. Hammack preaching during the
day and night. Located in Newtown, Harrisonburg, the building is
now the home of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church
(pictured at the right in 2011). The church was organized by Revs. T.
K. Clifford and George A. Newman. Note:
Kelley Street [FM] Church is mentioned in Conference
Minutes as simply Harrisonburg [FM] Church, which was apparently
organized Apr. 1876 by Rev. A. H. Wells. However, there seems to
be some confusion as to the existence of that church. Records
mention that it was started in 1876 and that Kelley Street Church was organized in 1892, but the Kelley
Street history states that it broke away from the John Wesley Methodist Church. “John Wesley may
have become a U.B. Church between 1876 and 1896, but I can find no records to confirm this. I
mention this because A. H. Wells was a United Brethren minister.” [MacAllister 2008] Harrisonburg
[FM] Church of Harrisonburg [FM] Circuit is mentioned in Conference Minutes, as shown in Table 4.
Harrisonburg [FM] U.B. Church: Pastors and Church Membership, 1901.
Table 4. Harrisonburg [FM] U.B. Church: Pastors and Church Membership, 1901
Year Ending Charge Name Appointed Pastor Members Start Yr. Members End Yr.
E. A. McGee — 48
1901 Harrisonburg [FM] Circuit
Note that (another) U.B. Church at Harrisonburg was formed later, in 1894. Indeed, in Mar.
1895, the Shenandoah District Presiding Elder reported that our work at Harrisonburg is moving on
nicely. A good class has been organized, a flourishing Sabbath school, and a Young Peoples Christian
Union second to none, as I think, on the District. The foundation of a house of worship has been
completed. It is hoped that a house will be built on this foundation during the coming summer that will
be an honor to our Denomination.” In Mar. 1896, T. K. Clifford reported 327 members for the
Harrisonburg Freedmen’s Mission and S. R. Ludwig and W. F. Gruver, both acting as supply pastors,
reported 128 members for Harrisonburg Mission Station. In Mar. 1897 these numbers were 334 and
158, respectively. The Annual Conference of 1900 met in Harrisonburg.
History of Kelly Street Church.7 Deed book
46, page 8 located in the Rockingham Co. Court
House, Harrisonburg, Va., substantiates that in 1892
Thomas Terrell, Lewis Franklin, Robert Irvin, Robert
W. Dallard, John Cooper, John Spencer, and Howard
Dallard paid $1.00 for property purchased from
Ambrose and Harriet Dallard for the purpose of
building a United Brethren in Christ (UBIC) Church.
George A. Newman, principal of the “colored” school
had read of T. K. Clifford’s involvement with the
Freedmen’s Mission and the UBIC’s connection in
7 `Taken nearly verbatim from [Toliver 1998, pp. ix-xiv]. 75 Volume 5
II.B.4 Kelley Street Freedmen’s Mission Church
