Page 83 - WPA Book
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Works Project Administration – Articles from Rockingham County
CHURCHES
1. SUBJECT:
Rader’s (Reider’s*) Church.
2. LOCATION:
South of Timberville, on the highway.
3. DATE:
1762.
4. OWNERS:
The original log house was used by Lutherans and Reformed jointly, for a number of years.
5. DESCRIPTION:
The information is that it was a very crude building, with batten board doors and heavy window shutters.
A modern brick building now stands on or near the site of the original log church and is owned jointly by the
Lutherans and Reformed, which information is found in the county court records.
6. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
Rev. George S. Klug was the first Lutheran preacher to work among the churches of Rockingham County.
Rev. Paul Henkle, 1754-1825, did much church work in Rockingham County and established the first Lutheran
Church paper, “The Henkle (Lutheran) Press,” near New Market, near the Rockingham County line, in 1806.
The Lutherans and Reformeds, these two congregations, owned buildings and worshipped together here in early
church history, organized and built a log house for worship near Timberville, about 1762, and it was replaced in
1806, which building was used jointly by the two congregations for many years. A more modern church was
built 1878-9. The church is now in the hands of the Lutherans.
On May 20th, 1765, Adam Rader and Alex. Painter deeded three acres of land for a church to Peter Scholl on
behalf of the Presbyterian Church and to Michael Neice on behalf of the Lutheran Church, Abram Bird was
witness. “Presbyterian” in this case is doubtless “Reformed.” In 1872 an act of the Assembly was passed
making the above deed valid to the Lutherans and Reformed.
7. ART:
None.
8. SOURCES OF INFORMATION:
Court Records of Rockingham County, at Harrisonburg, Virginia.
June 25, 2024 W.A. Byerly
*Rader was misspelled throughout as Reider in original write-up. Bridgewater, VA
Page 82 of 482
CHURCHES
1. SUBJECT:
Rader’s (Reider’s*) Church.
2. LOCATION:
South of Timberville, on the highway.
3. DATE:
1762.
4. OWNERS:
The original log house was used by Lutherans and Reformed jointly, for a number of years.
5. DESCRIPTION:
The information is that it was a very crude building, with batten board doors and heavy window shutters.
A modern brick building now stands on or near the site of the original log church and is owned jointly by the
Lutherans and Reformed, which information is found in the county court records.
6. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
Rev. George S. Klug was the first Lutheran preacher to work among the churches of Rockingham County.
Rev. Paul Henkle, 1754-1825, did much church work in Rockingham County and established the first Lutheran
Church paper, “The Henkle (Lutheran) Press,” near New Market, near the Rockingham County line, in 1806.
The Lutherans and Reformeds, these two congregations, owned buildings and worshipped together here in early
church history, organized and built a log house for worship near Timberville, about 1762, and it was replaced in
1806, which building was used jointly by the two congregations for many years. A more modern church was
built 1878-9. The church is now in the hands of the Lutherans.
On May 20th, 1765, Adam Rader and Alex. Painter deeded three acres of land for a church to Peter Scholl on
behalf of the Presbyterian Church and to Michael Neice on behalf of the Lutheran Church, Abram Bird was
witness. “Presbyterian” in this case is doubtless “Reformed.” In 1872 an act of the Assembly was passed
making the above deed valid to the Lutherans and Reformed.
7. ART:
None.
8. SOURCES OF INFORMATION:
Court Records of Rockingham County, at Harrisonburg, Virginia.
June 25, 2024 W.A. Byerly
*Rader was misspelled throughout as Reider in original write-up. Bridgewater, VA
Page 82 of 482
