Church and Family History Research
Assistance
for Fauquier County, Virginia
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CHURCHES:
BROAD RUN (1762)
Broad Run Church was organized December 3, 1762, with ten members: Edmund Hayes, Peter Cornwell, Joshua Dodson, Thomas Dodson, William Stamps, Elizabeth Hayes, Sara Cornwell, Ruth Dodson, Elizabeth Dodson and Betty Bennett.
The first church house was situated on Barker's Branch, near Broad Run, and was used until 1798 when a new church was built on the same site. Concerning the original log building, the following interesting information appears on the Fauquier County website:
"In 1745, Peter J. Cornwell, a pious Baptist preacher, built a log house on land which later was owned by the Carter family. Peter Cornwell established a Baptist Church at Little Georgetown [name of the church is not stated] and it is to this church than Nancy Hanks [Abraham Lincoln's mother] is said to have belonged. Peter Cornwell was so renowned for his piety that the land on which he lived was called "Saints Hill", and the name still survives."
CARTER'S RUN (1769)
Carter's Run Church was constituted in 1769. Early records are lost and the one volume of records which was found within recent years was in a bad state of repair; they cover the period from October 1816 to January 1850.
THUMB RUN (1771)
Thumb Run Church was organized on September 9, 1771, by members dismissed for that purpose from Broad Run Church. The Church was first called the Manor Church, from the Manor of Lord Fairfax, who gave the land for the meetinghouse. The presbytery was composed of Elders Daniel and William Fristoe.
The charter members included John Rogers, Joseph Barbee, Peter Laurence, Clement Norman, Angus Cameron, Elizabeth Utterback, Jemmyma Norman, Peggy Wine, Catharine Shaw, Elizabeth ??, John Riley, Richard Martin, George Bailey, Jacob Utterback, William Allen, Matthew Neale, John Randol, James Jett, John Hambrick, Stephen Bailey, Ann Rogers, Lubina Weaver, Eleaner Jett, Catharine Duncan, Joel Riley, Phebe Bailey, Milner Strother, Elizabeth Dearing, Hannah Johnston, Elizabeth Camron, Elizabeth Barbee, Sarah Jett, Frances Allen, Letticia Ship, Molly Neale, Elizabeth Eliot, Sarah Bailey, Nancy Hambrick, Nancy Randoll, Susanah Hanley, Knie Garret, Nancy Bailey, Jane Moreley, Peggy Hailey, and Nancy Hailey. One source says that the original covenant was signed by about fifty white members, and an almost equal number of slaves.
The first building was a log structure, on the old Markman Marshall property, known as "Priestly" farm, not far from the present building. The present brick building was erected between 1840 and 1844, and the bricks were made on the grounds. The membership of the church ranged from 51 in 1792 to 214 in 1833.
Pastors have included Elders William and Daniel Fristoe (1772); Benjamin Dawson, Cumberland George, John Pickett, Walter McCoy, John Clark, William C. Lauck, Paul Yates, Charles L. Yates, C. H. Waters; T. N. Alderton; John K. Booton (1892); W. T. Eaton (1897); T. S. Dalton (1899); A. L. Harrison (1921); Earl S. Quinn (1945); A. F. Suddeth (1949; A. J. Hylton (1977).
The records from April 4, 1772, through October 3, 1890, have been microfilmed.
BRENT TOWN (1773)
UPPERVILLE (UPPERVILLE) (1775)
Upperville Church (originally called Goose Creek Church) (not to be confused with Goose Creek Church at Markham, Virginia) was organized February 4, 1775, near Upperville. Another church, also called Goose Creek, was organized in 1809, and for a while they were known as Upper Goose Creek and Lower Goose Creek. This church later rebuilt in the town of Upperville, and changed her name to Upperville Church in 1825 (now known as the Upperville Primitive Baptist Church). This church had no regular pastor for the first 41 years of its existence, but grew to be a large body in spite of this fact, with a membership as high as 198. Elder William Gilmore was the first regular pastor and he served for over 40 years. During the Civil War, the meeting house of this church was burned (as an act of war). The present meeting house is on the same site. Later pastors included Elders W. T. Eaton, T. S. Dalton, A. L. Harrison, J. B. Jenkins, A. F. Suddeth, and Elmer S. Skeen.
LONG BRANCH (1776)
Long Branch Church established by Elder John Monroe of Salem (now Marshall), in 1776. The meeting house was erected about 1795.
UPPER CARTER'S RUN (1784)
UNION (SUMERDUCK)(1886)
Union Church was organized July 10, 1886, with four charter members, by a presbytery composed of Elders Paul W. Yates and J. T. Alexander. The pastors of this church have included Elders J. T. Alexander, W. S. Athey, J. A. Norton, A. J. Garland, J. B. Jenkins, J. F. Priest, J. A. Frazier, W. G. FLetcher, J. E. Alderton, Roger Frazier, William Payne, and Ernest M. Long.
Copyright c. 2001-2006. All rights reserved. The Primitive Baptist Library.
