FLINT HILL BAPTIST CHURCH

FLINT HILL BAPTIST CHURCH

Sometime before 1770, while the community was still ap&rsely settled, Allen Wiley, whom Semple the historian, ca Is ‘‘a man of respectable standing”, in the absence of a spiritual leader gathered his friends at his home and urged upon them the. claims of the Gospel. We are told that Mr, feWjiley went all the way to Pittsylvania. County in search of a preacher to preach the Gospel in his community. There hp met Elder Samuel Harris whom he persuaded to return wjth him to what is now .Rappahannock, but then a part of Culpeper County. On their return Mr. Harris held services inf the Wiley home. Bitter opposition, however, drove him from there to Orange County. And thus Baptist preaching was first introduced into our county. It may be of interest to state that Mr. Wiley lived near the present village of Flint Hill. Probably on the farm now owned by the Devers family. J Later on another Baptist prelcher, Lewis Conner moved nearby and preached where he was permitted to hold services.

i'fhe first congregation was composed of 6 mep and

women as charted members of the church. Anson Dear,

James Moore, Alfred Dearing, John S. Browning, James Young, Sr., Braxton Eastham, Margaret Ball, Sarah FJ Young, Ann M. Browning, Louisa Jordan, Martha A. Jett, Jane Wood, Maria Moore, Ann .Dearing, Mary A. Brown, Ann E. Dearing, Mary E. Wood, Phoebe Eastham, Mary Morrison, Martha E. Moore, Jane N. Moore, Ann Amiss, Alice Reid, Lucy E. Eastham, William G. Wood, Elvina Moore, Sarah M. Moore. j Although Thadeus Herndon was instrumental in the bijilding of the church, he wa# not called to administer to thfe flbck which he had gathered. In October 1854 Barnett Grimpley became the pastor of the church. During the first year jof Mr. Grimsley’s pastorate the church was admitted injto the Shiloh Association and sent the following delegate^ —fAlfred Dearing, Braxton Eastham, James Moore and Dr John! S. Browning. , t i I