Church and Family History Research
Assistance
for Page County, Virginia
CHURCHES:
MILL CREEK (HAMBURG) (1769)
Mill Creek Church, formerly called White House Church, was probably organized in about 1772 (one source says 1769). The church probably met, at first, at the home of Martin Kauffman (senior), which was (and still is) called White House. Originally built in 1760, this home was supposedly the meeting place of the Mennonites until Martin Kaufman (senior) and other Mennonites families were converted to the Baptist faith. It appears probable that the Mauck Meeting House was built by Baptists, before the beginning of the Revolutionary War, rather than by the Mennonites much earlier (as the Mennonites usually met in homes).
Elder John Koontz (who was baptized in 1768) preached in this community as early as November 1770, but was not ordained, himself, until 1776, and it is thought that Elders Kauffman (senior) and Anderson Moffett served (although neither was called as pastor of) Mill Creek Church prior to the time that Elder Koontz actually moved here. Semple's History says that after John Koontz's labors began to be prospered here, other preachers, including Elders Lewis Craig and John Picket, visited them, and that Lewis Craig baptized the first converts, as John Koontz was not yet ordained. Many of the Mennonites united with the Baptists under the ministry of Elder John Koontz.
Most accounts say that about the time of the war, Elder Martin Kauffman Sr. and a small number of other members withdrew from Mill Creek Church (and the reasons generally assigned are differences over slavery, bearing arms, taking oaths, etc., which, it is claimed, were allowed as matters of conscience by Elder Koontz). If this is true, those who followed Elder Kauffman probably then returned to White House (Elder Kauffman's home) for their meetings, while the Mill Creek Church continued to meet at the Mauck Meeting House. Little is known of the body led by Elder Kauffman, referred to after this time as the "White House Church," but in 1809, one source says the White House Church sought reconciliation with and membership in the Culpeper Association, but their request was denied.
Several sources claim that Pleasant Run Church (led in 1800 by Elders Martin Kauffman Jr., Lewis Seitz Sr., and Samuel Comer) was organized in 1790, in Rockingham County, by members who withdrew from White House Church (this may actually mean the same body as Mill Creek Church), but we have no actual records with names of members to document this (although we have no reason to say it is not true). Benedict's History (1813) states that Pleasant Run Church moved as a body to Fairfield County, Ohio, in 1801.
Several sources, including Benedict's History (1813), and Asplund's Register (1790), indicate that Mill Creek Church was organized in 1772, and the latter lists Mill Creek as a member of the Orange District Association in 1790. Later, Mill Creek Church joined the Culpeper (which changed its name to Shiloh in about 1812), and finally the Ebenezer Association. Elder John Koontz (1739-1832) came into this Mennonite community in 1770 and preached the gospel in both the English and German (or High Dutch) languages, and was instrumental in the establishment of the church, and served as pastor for over forty years.
The Mauck Meeting House, which still stands near Hamburg, was the meeting place of Mill Creek Church for many years. The exact date the Mauck Meeting house was constructed is not positively known, but at least one source says it was built in 1798. It still stands as a local historic landmark, but a new brick building was built by the members of Mill Creek Church, in 1890/1891, in Hamburg, which has been the meeting place of Mill Creek Church ever since.
Pastors of Mill Creek Church, according to an account published in the "Primitive Monitor," have been as follows: Elders John Koontz (1772-1824), Robert Garnett (1824-1846), Ambrose C. Booten (1846-1865), Phillip McInturff (1865-1866), Paul Yates (1866-1888), Thomas N. Alderton (1888-1900), T. S. Dalton (1900-1925), John B. Jenkins (1925-1945), Albert F. Sudduth (1945-1959), Elder Hollie Redmon (1960-1990), Elder Richard Cox (1990), and Elder Ernest Long (1991-present). Elder Ruben T. Strickler served for short periods from 1887 to 1900. Elder R. H. Pittman also served at Hawksbill for a period of time.
Minutes of Mill Creek Church, at Hamburg, dating back to 1798, are still in existence and have been published.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Aleshire, Allen, Almond, Atwood, Batchler, Beaver, Berry, Britton, Brumback, Bumgarner, Bungerman, Carney, Carter, Chambers, Coleman, Comer, Crow, Decker, Fleming, Fristoe, Graves, Grimsley, Groves, Hammons, Headley, Henden, Hershberger, Hill, Hisle, Hite, Horner, Hunt, Hurst, Jones, Jordan, Kauffman, Key, Koontz, Lampton, Lionberger, Long, Marye, Mauck, McCarty, McKnight, Mills, Modisett, Monroe, Moody, Musselman, Nun, Odell, Pence, Powell, Rhodes, Robertson, Ross, Ruffner, Skelton, Spitler, Strickler, Sullivan, Taylor, Tragler, Vaughn, Walker, Wood (incomplete due to lack of part of the records).
MT. CARMEL (LURAY)
Mt. Carmel Church, in Luray, was organized in 1812. The first building was a frame structure in the west end of Luray; second, a brick building at the head of Broad Street, erected in 1849; and finally, the present building erected in 1911. The church suffered a division over missions, in the period when that took place across the nation; and in about 1890 another division occurred with the Burnamites (see the history of this division on our Resolutions page on this website). MInisters who have served the church since that time include Elders T. S. Dalton, John R. Daily, R. H. Pittman, F. E. Thompson, W. T. Daily, A. J. Hylton, and Forest Atwood.
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HAWKSBILL (STANLEY)(1826)
On Feburary 4, 1826, fifteen male members and fourteen female members petitioned Mill Creek Church to organize a new church of the same faith. On February 11, 1826, Mill Creek Church granted this petition and authorized the constitution, to occur at Hawksbill meeting house. On March 10, 1826, the Hawksbill Church was constituted, with Elder Robert Garnett acting as moderator and Brother David Farmer as clerk. By 1830, the church had 115 members. The original building was a log meeting house which stood across the road from the present building. Elder William C. Lauck was pastor at the time the present building was erected in January 1875. He served the church faithfully from March 1865 until his death on February 6, 1875. His first sermon in the new building was preached from Psalm 127:1. Pastors of Hawksbill Church have included Elders Robert Garnett, Christopher Keyser, Ambrose C. Booton, William C. Lauck, Paul W. Yates, Benjamin Lampton, T. S. Dalton, John R. Daily, R. H. Pittman, F. E. Thompson, Charles W. Alderton, and Ernest M. Long. In 1971 a dining room was added, and in 1984 it was enlarged. The church is located in a flat plain at the foot of Hawksbill Mountain.
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BIG SPRING
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ALMA (ALMA) (1875)
Alma Church was organized November 20, 1875, by Elder John K. Booton, of Mt. Carmel Church, with twelve members, two male and ten female, as follows: A. J. Shuler, Isaac Koontz, Phoeby Seekford, Elizabeth Connel, Jennie Koontz, Nancy Keyser, Elizabeth Koontz, Mary Koontz, Betty Dovel, Elizabeth Bumgardner, Dollie Jenkins, and Emma B. Shuler. Most of these were dismissed from Mill Creek and Hawksbill.
The earliest meetings were held at a union meeting house, jointly with the Lutherans, but in 1893, the church purchased a lot from Adam Seekford in Alma, and erected a meeting house of its own. In 1973 the building was reconstructed from the foundation up, making the old frame building into a brick structure.
Pastors have included Elders John K. Booton, Benjamin J. Lampton, T. S. Dalton, John R. Daily, R. H. Pittman, John B. Jenkins, Benjamin H. Seekford, Albert F. Sudduth, Elmer S. Skeen, and Ernest M. Long.
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