Primitive Baptist Church and Family History
Research Assistance for Floyd County, Virginia
CHURCHES:
SALEM (HEAD OF THE RIVER)(1784)(COPPER HILL)
Salem Church (also known as Head of the River) was established in 1784 with twenty-five charter members; it was the first church of any denomination to be organized in Floyd county. It was located near the head of Little River. The early records up to 1838 were destroyed by fire.
Early pastors of the church included Elders Nathan Hall and William Howard. They were followed by Elders Peter Howard, Michael Howery (1864-1867), John C. Hall (1864-1901), Asa D. Shortt (1887-1915), H. V. Cole (1901-1935), S. L. Moran (1918-1960), J. L. Roy Agee (1961-1984), and Hale Terry (1984).
Daniel I. Conner gave the church land in 1810 in his will. The first meeting house was a log strcture with a gallery to accomodate large crowds, probably about 1784. Slaves also united with the church until they organized their own churches after the Civil War. The church obtained more land in 1865, and another acre in 1876. A frame meeting house was built in 1876. It was replaced with a new brick meeting house in 1984.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
PINE CREEK (1790)(FLOYD)
Pine Creek Church was organized by members of Salem Church who had met as an arm for about a year. Elder William Howard was the first pastor. He was followed by Elders Peter Howard, Michael Howery, Thomas L. Roberson, Wilson H. Dodd, Amos Dickerson, H. V. Cole, and J. M. Dickerson.
Pine Creek Primitive Baptist Church is one of the earliest churches established in Floyd County, Virginia. The membership began to meet as early as 1795 and was established in the first church building on this property by 1804 in what was then Montgomery County. The initial property conveyance occurred in 1804 when Thomas Goodson conveyed 5 acres for the establishment of this church, and grave yard. The earliest members of the Church were dismissed from Salem (or Head of the River Church) for the purpose of forming this Church. The current building is the second church constructed on this site. The first building, damaged by fire and age, was replaced by the current building around 1881. This "second" building has remained relatively unchanged since 1881 except that the original stone foundation was replaced with cinderblock and the roof was replaced at some unknown time with the current corrugated metal. Originally the church had 55 members and continued to operate until well until the 2oth century, though membership began to decline after 1990 until all the membership had passed away. The membership of Pine Creek was integrated by at least 1822. The first African descended members were believed to have been slaves, though there were free persons of color living in the area by this time, Alse Wells, a slave of Richard Wells, was the first known Afiican-American to become a member of the Church on April 5, 1822. Many prominent Floyd County families played a part in the development of this Church. Among those families were Howard's, Howery's, Moore's, Dodd's, Shortt's, Cole's, Dickerson's, Graham's, Spangler's and Shelor's. As was originally intended in the 1804 conveyance of property a graveyard was established along with that of the church. The cemetery's history is integrated with that of the Church and significantly adds to the Churches importance. Buried in the cemetery are many early settlers of Floyd County, several confederate soldiers and perhaps most importantly six known Revolutionary War patriots. The graves of Moses Dickerson, Peter Howard, Thomas Goodson, Daniel Shelor and Daniel Spangler are clearly marked and identified as Revolutionary Veterans. John Banks is known to be buried in the cemetery; however his marker has disappeared and is believed to have been covered by debris or fill. Pine Creek Primitive Baptist Church and its associated cemetery are historically significant sites in the formation and growth of Floyd County, Virginia. The site is important in the social and religious history of the county.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Baker, Beckett, Boothe, Bore, Bower, Bowers, Briant, Clark, Craig, Dickson, Duncan, Epperly, Foster, Graham, Grier, Hale, Halido, Hanes, Harris, Helms, Hopkins, Howard, Howell, Howery, Hudson, Huff, Hungate, Lampe, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lemon, Mannon, Martin, Moore, Plumley, Proffitt, Radford, Ratliff, Regney, Robertson, Rutroff, Shelor, Shortt, Simmons, Smith, Sneed, Sowers, Spanglere, Sumner, Sumpter, Underwood, Vire, Wells, Whirley, Whitlock, Wickham, Young (very incomplete list).
WEST FORK (WILLIS)(1803)
West Fork Church was organized in 1803 with thirty charter members, who were dismissed from New Hope (Greasy Creek) Church. Elder Jesse Jones became their pastor.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Agee, Agnew, Akers, Alexander, Arthur, Bird, Blackard, Bollen, Bolt, Bowlin, Bowling, Boyd, Bramer, Brogan, Bryant, Burcham, Burnett, Burrows, Caldwell, Carter, Cassell, Castle, Cox, Dehart, Dickerson, Dillon, Dobyns, Dodd, Duncan, Earls, Epperly, Farris, Field, Furgason, Gilam, Goad, Hale, Hall, Hancock, Harman, Harmon, Harris, Harter, Hatcher, Helms, Helton, Hodgins, Holliday, Hopkins, Howard, Howell, Huff, Hylton, Jenkins, Jones, Keith, Lawrence, Lee, Lester, Mangus, Marshall, Martin, McAlexander, McCutchen, McDaniel, McPeak, Moran, Moses, Nester, Nixon, O'Bryan, Plasters, Pratt, Quesenberry, Radford, Ratliff, Reed, Reynolds, Rigney, Rogers, Royal, Rundles, Russell, Rutrough, Salmons, Semonias, Shelor, Simmons, Slaughter, Slusher, Smith, Sowers, Spence, Stanly, Stegall, Stigleman, Stipe, Sumner, Tate, Thomas, Thompson, Turman, Via, Vittor, Wade, Weaver, Webb, Weddle, Weeks, Whitlow, Wickham, Williamson, Wilson (incomplete list).
INDIAN CREEK (INDIAN VALLEY)(1844)
Indian Creek Church was organized in 1844.
WHITE OAK GROVE (1847)
White Oak Grove Church was organized, first as an arm of Meadow Creek Church (Montgomery County) in 1845. It was formally constituted as a new church body on July 10, 1847, with twenty-one charter members, viz., Elder Owen Sumner, Jacob Bishop, Jacob Mangus, Thomas W. Simmons, Hulen Lester, Charles S. Lester, Abraham Showalter, Jacob Correll, Elizabeth Mangus, Catherine Thompson, Hannah Bishop, Elizabeth Roop, Tamar R. Simmons, Sarah Sumner, Sarah Showalter, Rebecca Lester, Elizabeth Roop, Nancy Bowlin, Luanna Booth, Mary Baker, and Lucy C. Hall.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Agnew, Akers, Alexander, Altizer, Baker, Barker, Bird, Birke, Bishop, Booth, Boothe, Boss, Bower, Bowlin, Bryant, Burk, Clark, Cochran, Cooper, Correll, Cummings, Dickerson, Dillon, Dobbins, Dulaney, Duncan, Earls, Eperly, Ferguson, Fisher, Flinchem, Graham, Griffith, Guymon, Hall, Hargett, Harmon, Harris, Hatcher, Hill, Hodge, Hodges, Holt, Howell, Hubbard, Hungate, Hylton, Jones, Lawrence, Lester, Light, Mangus, McAlexander, McDaniel, McDonald, Mills, Miracle, Moran, Napier, Nixon, Peterman, Peters, Plasters, Price, Ratliff, Reed, Reynolds, Richards, Richardson, Roop, Showalter, Simmons, Slusher, Sowers, Spangler, Summer, Sumner, Sumpter, Talbert, Thomas, Thompson, Trail, Underwood, Wade, Walker, Weddle, Weeks, Whitlock, Williams, Williamson, Wilson, Wingfield, Winter.
LAUREL CREEK (PILOT)(1855)
Laurel Creek Church was organized in 1855, near Pilot, Virginia, by a presbytery appointed for that purpose at the request of White Oak Grove Church during the Association held in October 1854.
COUNTY LINE (1869)
County Line Church was organized on Saturday before the fifth Sunday in August 1869, at the home of Brother Frances Sneed. The presbytery appointed to meet to constitute them included Elders Michael Howery, A. J. Cassell, Daniel Conner, Wilson H. Dodd, John L. Hylton, F. L. Tuggle, and Thomas L. Roberson.
LITTLE FLOCK (BURK'S FORK)(1871)
Little Flock Church was organized on April 1, 1871, with twenty-one charter members, viz., R. M. Mabry, C. B. Jackson, C. B. Mabry, W. P. Mabry, C. P. Vaughn, Nancy Mabry, Susan Farmer, Julia A. Vaughn, Susannah Mabry, Susan M. Farmer, Martha Spence, Mary F. Spence, Paulina Mabry, Emeline McPeak, Catharine Reynolds, Mahala Thompson, Nancy Jackson, Mahala Finn, Lucinda Hylton, Robert S. Collins, Lucinda Molds. Prior to that time they had met as an arm of New Hope Church in Carroll County. The presbytery was composed of Elders James Thompson, Allen Thomas, Thomas Dickens, Isaac Webb, Amos Dickerson Vaughn, and John C. Keith.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Barringer, Bolt, Branscome, Burnett, Carter, Collins, Conner, Cruise, Dickerson, Dillard, Divers, Dodd, Fain, Farmer, Goad, Hale, Harmon, Harris, Helms, Hubbard, Hylton, Jackson, Jenkins, Keith, Largen, Mabry, McDaniel, McPeak, Moles, Nester, O'Neal, Pike, Quesenberry, Reynolds, Richardson, Slusher, Sowers, Spence, Starr, Sutphin, Talbert, Thompson, Turman, Vaughn, Wade, Wickham, Wood (incomplete list).
PAYNE'S CREEK (1877)
CONNER'S GROVE (WILLIS)(1886)
Conner's Grove Church was organized by members dismissed from Little Flock Church, on Thursday before the first Sunday in June 1886. The thirty-three charter members included J. H. Carter, James Conner, T. D. Conner, Owen Harmon, Joseph Helms, Joseph Wickham, Melissa Conner, Susan Conner, Mary J. Conner, Rosena Conner, Sarah A. Conner, Matilda Earls, Mary J. Harmon, Ellen Harmon, Mary Harmon, Malissa Helms, Laura Helms, Mary E. McDaniel, Mary McDaniel, Rebecca Pike, Ruth E. Sutphin, Lavina Sutphin, Margaret Woods, Ellen Woods, Nancy Wickham, Susan Slusher, Arbela E. Barringer, Mary Barringer, Elizabeth Hubbard, and Jane Conner. The presbytery was composed of Elders J. C. Hall, Amos Dickerson, R. M. Mabery, J. A. Mather, Q. D. Weeks, and P. G. Lester. D. T. Conner and Owen Harmon were ordained as deacons the same day.
GREASY CREEK (WILLIS)(1898)
Greasy Creek Church was organized in the fall of 1898, by thirty members who were dismissed from West Fork Church, having met previously as an arm of that church. For the sake of convenience, they petitioned for membership in the New River Association at the fall session of 1898. The messengers appointed by the church were J. M. Dickerson and J. N. Akers. The following year the church reported 37 members.
PINE FOREST (COPPER HILL)(1898)
Pine Forest Church was organized in 1898 with Elder David Sumner as pastor.
THOMAS GROVE (1900)
Thomas Grove Church was constituted in about 1900 with Elder P. G. Lester as pastor. Elder J. D. Cockram and Elijah Nester were also pastors.
FLOYD (FLOYD)(1902)
Floyd Church was organized on Saturday before the fifth Sunday in November 1902, having met for a few months previous as an arm of White Oak Grove Church. The charter members were as follows: W. C. Lester, A. W. Lester, M. E. Lester, Paris M. Graham, Martha Graham, J. B. Slusher, Nancy Slusher, Octavia Dickerson, and Eliza Dickerson.
MOUNTAIN VIEW (1916)
Mountain View Church was organized November 4, 1916, having met as an arm of Laurel Creek Church previous to that time.
RIVER HILL (SOWERS)(1925)
River Hill Church was organized in 1925 by members dismissed for that purpose from White Oak Grove Church, who had met for some time previously as an arm. The charter members were: P. E. Hill, M. E. HIll, Rebecca S. Reed, Grace E. Altizer, J. E. Carl, Mandy J. Carl, Cynthia J. Reed, Lura Lester, Bessie Lester, A. G. Lester, Yetty Lester, Lydia Lester, A. L. Lester, Z. T. Harris, W. T. Light, Eliza E. Light, Sherman Light, Emeline Lester, Rosabelle Lester, A. L. Light, and Dora M. Light. This church was received as a member of the New River Association in September 1925.
ZION HILL (1926)
Zion Hill Church united with the New River Association in 1926, her messengers being A. W. Dehart and Early Harris, who reported 22 members.
STONEWALL (FLOYD)
Stonewall Church appeared in the list of churches of the New River Association in 1935.
BLUE RIDGE (WILLIS)(1949)
Blue Ridge Church was established in 1949. The Church building, of block construction, with plastered inside walls, oak floor, and stucco exterior, was begun in 1949 and completed in 1950. It is located about two miles south of Willis on State Route #799. Elder A. J. Hylton served the church as pastor for many years.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
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