Page 8 - WPA Book
P. 8
Works Project Administration – Articles from Rockingham County
BIOGRAPHIES
PRAYER OF JESSE ROLSTON FOR HIMSELF AND OTHER MEMBERS OF
THE COOK’S CREEK AND HARRISONBURG PRESBYTERIA CHURCH IN
CONNECTION WITH THE CHURCH PROPERTY LOCATED AT THE NORTH
EAST CORNER OF MAIN AND ELIZABETH STREETS, HARRISONBURG, VIRGINIA.
NOW THE SITE OF THE POST OFFICE AND FEDERAL COURT.
To the Honorable John T. Harris, Judge of the Circuit Court of Rockingham County:
Humbly complaining your Orator, Jesse Rolston, a member of the Cook’s Creek Presbyterian Church in
Rockingham County, residing near the town of Harrisonburg, and being one of that part of the Cook’s Creek
Congregation worshipping regularly at the church in Harrisonburg, who sues for himself and the other members of
Cook’s Creek Congregation resident in Harrisonburg, and for all the other members of said congregation resident in
the county, represents unto your Honor, that for nearly a century, the Cook’s Creek Presbyterian congregation have
worshipped at New Erection in the county and in Harrisonburg, as one distinct and single congregation; that in the
year, 1838, the church divided, nearly all the town members uniting with the “Old School” church, the county
members and few in the town adhering to the “New School” branch; and upon that separation the property question
was settled there – The Old School to retain all the town property, the New School, the county property. The New
School branch determining to maintain its organization in the town for the reason that it seemed the more fruitful
field of labor, with slight assistance from the town members but chiefly from contributions from the county
members, in the year 1840, brought from William McMahon, a lot of land, one half acre upon which they erected a
church-building known as the “Brick Church”. Your Orator further shows unto your Honor that the deed for this half
acre of land was a good, general-warranty title deed from William McMahon and Rebecca his wife, to Peter
Heneberger, John Blain and James Baird Trustees, for the use and benefit of the Presbyterian Congregation of
Cook’s Creek worshipping in the New Erection Church and in Harrisonburg, and connected with the Winchester
Presbytery, and connected also ecclesiastically with the Constitutional General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church
of the United States, the deed wherein requiring, as the grant was to the aforenamed trustees and their successors;
that the successors shall be chosen by appointment or election by a majority of the members of the Presbyterian
Congregation of Cook’s Creek, & Co. For full particulars to said deed reference is hereby prayed to office copy of
said deed, (it having been duly acknowledged and recorded in the Clerks Office for Rockingham County) herewith
filed marked “A” and prayed to be read as part of this bill.
Your Orator further shows unto your Honor, that subsequently James Laird having died, E. Tiffin H.
Warren was elected trustee and that said election was confirmed by the Circuit Court for this County, and that after
the death of the said Col. E.T.H. Warren, Mr. Peter Heneberger and John Blain having resigned which left a
vacancy, whereupon the Cook’s Creek Congregation acting in accordance with the manner indicated in the deed of
grant as also pursuant to the statute in said case made and provided, proceeded to elect and did elect as the
successors as Trustees, those named, Messrs. David Bear; Archibald Hopkins, Jr. and John Lineweaver.
Your Orator further shows that this election by the congregation was confirmed by the honorable court at
its last regular term and the order appointing the last named gentlemen trustees was entered, whereupon the legal
title to and in the church property known as aforesaid as the “Brick Church” with the Parsonage or Manse upon the
lot, ………is now vested in the last named trustees, to wit: David Bear; Archibald Hopkins, Jr. and John
Lineweaver, for the uses and purposes set forth in the original deed of transfer, to wit: the use and benefit of the
Presbyterian Congregation of Cook’s Creek, & Co.
Your Orator further shows unto your Honor, that recently within several years past, a large proportion of
the members of Cook’s Creek Church resident in the town withdrew from that branch of the church and became
members of the “Harrisonburg Presbyterian Church” leaving only four or five members now in and near the town
proper, and therefore it is not now convenient for the Cook’s Creek Church to continue its permanent services in the
town. For this reason and for the further reason that the church building at New Erection is very much out of repair.
Your Orator asks the aid of the honorable Court to make a sale of the property, retaining to the Cook’s Creek
Congregation in the town of Harrisonburg to wit: The Brick Church, Parsonage of Manse and lot.
Page 7 of 482
BIOGRAPHIES
PRAYER OF JESSE ROLSTON FOR HIMSELF AND OTHER MEMBERS OF
THE COOK’S CREEK AND HARRISONBURG PRESBYTERIA CHURCH IN
CONNECTION WITH THE CHURCH PROPERTY LOCATED AT THE NORTH
EAST CORNER OF MAIN AND ELIZABETH STREETS, HARRISONBURG, VIRGINIA.
NOW THE SITE OF THE POST OFFICE AND FEDERAL COURT.
To the Honorable John T. Harris, Judge of the Circuit Court of Rockingham County:
Humbly complaining your Orator, Jesse Rolston, a member of the Cook’s Creek Presbyterian Church in
Rockingham County, residing near the town of Harrisonburg, and being one of that part of the Cook’s Creek
Congregation worshipping regularly at the church in Harrisonburg, who sues for himself and the other members of
Cook’s Creek Congregation resident in Harrisonburg, and for all the other members of said congregation resident in
the county, represents unto your Honor, that for nearly a century, the Cook’s Creek Presbyterian congregation have
worshipped at New Erection in the county and in Harrisonburg, as one distinct and single congregation; that in the
year, 1838, the church divided, nearly all the town members uniting with the “Old School” church, the county
members and few in the town adhering to the “New School” branch; and upon that separation the property question
was settled there – The Old School to retain all the town property, the New School, the county property. The New
School branch determining to maintain its organization in the town for the reason that it seemed the more fruitful
field of labor, with slight assistance from the town members but chiefly from contributions from the county
members, in the year 1840, brought from William McMahon, a lot of land, one half acre upon which they erected a
church-building known as the “Brick Church”. Your Orator further shows unto your Honor that the deed for this half
acre of land was a good, general-warranty title deed from William McMahon and Rebecca his wife, to Peter
Heneberger, John Blain and James Baird Trustees, for the use and benefit of the Presbyterian Congregation of
Cook’s Creek worshipping in the New Erection Church and in Harrisonburg, and connected with the Winchester
Presbytery, and connected also ecclesiastically with the Constitutional General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church
of the United States, the deed wherein requiring, as the grant was to the aforenamed trustees and their successors;
that the successors shall be chosen by appointment or election by a majority of the members of the Presbyterian
Congregation of Cook’s Creek, & Co. For full particulars to said deed reference is hereby prayed to office copy of
said deed, (it having been duly acknowledged and recorded in the Clerks Office for Rockingham County) herewith
filed marked “A” and prayed to be read as part of this bill.
Your Orator further shows unto your Honor, that subsequently James Laird having died, E. Tiffin H.
Warren was elected trustee and that said election was confirmed by the Circuit Court for this County, and that after
the death of the said Col. E.T.H. Warren, Mr. Peter Heneberger and John Blain having resigned which left a
vacancy, whereupon the Cook’s Creek Congregation acting in accordance with the manner indicated in the deed of
grant as also pursuant to the statute in said case made and provided, proceeded to elect and did elect as the
successors as Trustees, those named, Messrs. David Bear; Archibald Hopkins, Jr. and John Lineweaver.
Your Orator further shows that this election by the congregation was confirmed by the honorable court at
its last regular term and the order appointing the last named gentlemen trustees was entered, whereupon the legal
title to and in the church property known as aforesaid as the “Brick Church” with the Parsonage or Manse upon the
lot, ………is now vested in the last named trustees, to wit: David Bear; Archibald Hopkins, Jr. and John
Lineweaver, for the uses and purposes set forth in the original deed of transfer, to wit: the use and benefit of the
Presbyterian Congregation of Cook’s Creek, & Co.
Your Orator further shows unto your Honor, that recently within several years past, a large proportion of
the members of Cook’s Creek Church resident in the town withdrew from that branch of the church and became
members of the “Harrisonburg Presbyterian Church” leaving only four or five members now in and near the town
proper, and therefore it is not now convenient for the Cook’s Creek Church to continue its permanent services in the
town. For this reason and for the further reason that the church building at New Erection is very much out of repair.
Your Orator asks the aid of the honorable Court to make a sale of the property, retaining to the Cook’s Creek
Congregation in the town of Harrisonburg to wit: The Brick Church, Parsonage of Manse and lot.
Page 7 of 482
