Church and Family History Research Assistance
for Loudoun County, Virginia
CHURCHES:
KETOCTON (1751)
The Ketocton Church was constituted by Elder John Garrard, on October 8, 1751, and was one of the four charter churches which organized the Ketocton Association in 1766.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
NEW VALLEY (LUCKETTS)(1767)
Before the war the neighborhood was known as New Valley because since 1767 a congregation known as New Valley had worshipped close by. In July of 1767, Elder Joseph Thomas, a Bucks County Pennsylvanian, came to Loudoun for a few days and organized the church. There may have been a place in Bucks County called New Valley, but more likely his home congregation called itself the Valley Meeting. By March of 1771 a house of worship had been built on ground that William Jones in his will had given to the congregation a piece of land Containing one and one half acres whereon the baptist Meeting House is built. Joyning this Plantation. To Joseph Thomas Minister & William Lewis & Thomas George Elders of sd. Meeting to them and their survivors and ministers & elders of sd. Congregation for ever. A person had to attend church regularly to remain a member."
LITTLE RIVER (1769)
UPPERVILLE (GOOSE CREEK)(1775)
Upperville Church was organized in February 1775, under the name of Goose Creek. In 1809 another church called Goose Creek joined the Ketocton Association. The two churches were then distinguished by the terms "Upper" and "Lower" - this church being "Lower Goose Creek." In 1825 the name was changed to "Upperville" to eliminate the confusion over names.
Upperville Church had no regular pastor for the first 41 years of her existence, but grew to be a large and influential church. Early ministers who preached during this time included Elders Richard Majors, John Monroe, Thomas Bridges, John Morgan, and John Hickerson. Elder William Gilmore was chosen in 1809 and served for over forty years. Little is now known about the history of the church from 1859 to 1897, except that during the War between the States her meeting house, which stood on the same lot where her present building is, was burned, as an act of war.
During her earlier years she reported memberships as high as 198, but for various reasons she suffered serious decline, until in 1897 she reported to the Association, for the first time since 1858, with 8 members, under the care of Elder W. T. Eaton. In six years her number had grown to 35. Pastors since that time have included Elders T. S. Dalton, A. L. Harrison, J. B. Jenkins, and A. F. Suddeth.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
NORTH FORK (PURCELLVILLE)(1784)
North Fork Church was organized after 1780 (probably 1784). On May 8, 1784, the covenant was read and signed by about thirty persons, black and white. Elder Alderson Weeks was first to sign the covenant and is believed to be the first pastor. He gave North Fork Church "one acre of land and a house built thereon for a place to worship, known as Bear-Branch." (September 1813, minutes.) James Weeks was received for an Elder upon trial on November 12, 1785, and John Garrett to act as deacon. The next record of a pastor is December 1807, when Elder William Gilmore agreed to take the charge. He served until his death in 1862.
A deed dated May 14, 1804 states that the church bought from Mahlon Combs and wife, Sarah, for one dollar, a certain piece of land on which North Fork meeting house stands. This was probably a log building. Additional land was purchased in 1810, part of which was used as a cemetery, the oldest grave being 1804 or earlier. In March 1811, William Brankham agreed to make brick for a new meeting house at four dollars and fifty cents per thousand. The building was constructed with walls about two feet thick, with two fireplaces, one in each corner of the east wall. The benches were made of twelve and fourteen inch pine boards. The floor was of pine boards. The ceiling was arched and sealed with four inch wainscoating. The walls were plastered. The balconies were located on the north and south sides. The building became unsafe, and was sold in 1986, but it was designated as a historic site. There is a large cemetery behind the church.
Later pastors included Elder John Wilson, Paul W. Yates, J. A. Norton, and John T. Alexander. In 1913 Elder James Frazier was chosen pastor and served until 1949. Elder W. G. Fletcher was chosen in 1951 and served until 1963. Elder Clarence Frazer served from 1964 until his death in 1975. Elder Russell Sutphin served from 1978 until his death in 1983. Elder Rodger Frazer was called in 1984.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Adams, Alberton, Alexander, Allen, Arnold, Ashbrook, Ashby, Atwell, Baily, Baldwin, Bales, Barr, Bartlett, Bennett, Beste, Binder, Birch, Bitzer, Brandum, Brown, Brue, Buck, Burroughs, Burson, Campbell, Carngiver, Carper, Carr, Carruthers, Carter, Coe, Combs, Copelin, Coppedge, Corder, Cost, Craig, Daniel, Davis, Demory, Dickens, Dillen, Dillon, Dowell, Driscoll, Dustin, Eaton, Edwards, Emery, Evans, Everett, Ewers, Fitsimmons, Fox, Frances, Franklin, Garden, Garrett, Geen, George, Gheen, Gilmore, Gorden, Gray, Gregg, Griffith, Gulick, Gurnly, Guy, Haines, Hall, Hampton, Handy, Harris, Harrison, Haze, Heataffer, Hill, Hittle, Hobart, Holmes, Hutchison, Jackson, James, Jameson, Jared, Jones, Kerrick, Kirkpatrick, Lawler, Leers, Lefever, Lickey, Longley, Lucas, Luck, Mageth, Mahonner, Martin, McCare, McCarty, McClanahan, McDonald, McGeath, McVeigh, Meddleton, Megeth, Merchant, Mitchell, Monroe, Moverby, Moxley, Mud, Muse, Nicheals, Nixon, O'Neal, Orrison, Palmer, Paxton, Payne, Peacock, Peyton, Poland, Powell, Power, Randal, Ratcliffe, Read, Rector, Richey, Riddle, Ringo, Rogers, Segares, Shepherd, Simmons, Simms, Simpson, Snip, Stipe, Stone, Sutphin, Tavenner, Taylor, Thompson, Titus, Triplett, Turner, Vermillion, Walker, Warder, Watters, Weadon, Webb, Weeks, White, Wilkerson, Wilson, Wren, Wright, Wynkoop (a considerable number of slaves were members; there was a slave balcony in the brick meeting house)(incomplete list).
FRYING PAN (1791)
Frying Pan Church was organized May 13, 1791, and chose Brother Major for their pastor. We have a copy of part of the records of this church, but have not yet compiled a membership list.
EBENEZER (1804)
Ebenezer Church met for several years as an arm of the Ketocton Church on property which had been bequeathed for religious purposes. According to one source, the stone meeting house where Ebenezer Church met, was built in 1802, and the church was organized in 1804. A newspaper article in our possession indicates the old stone Ebenezer church building was built between 1755 and 1769, as it was already standing when two acres were given to the Baptist Meeting House by Samuel Butcher Sr's will dated September 12, 1769. A later frame building also stands at the site.
Extracts from records of Upperville (Goose Creek) Church show that nine members were dismissed to join with others who were dismissed from other churches, for the purpose of organizing Ebenezer Church, on March 31, 1804.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
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