CENTER BRANCH BAPTIST CHURCH  1818


The Church of Jesus Christ in Harrison County, Virginia, called the
Center Branch Baptist Church was formally organized Sept. 26, 1818.
Members of the Simpson Creek Baptist Church at Bridgeport residing in
this Center Branch area found it a hardship to attend services so far
away, necessitating travel over roads which were scarcely more than
bridle paths. Realizing that a fertile religious field awaited the coming
of a house of worship in their own community, bonded together, pledged
their faith and cooperation and won the consent of the parent church to
establish one of their own.

On Sept. 26, 1818 nineteen members constituted the original organization
and entered into the usual covenant at this session.  They became the
first members of the church.  Their names appear on the ancient minutes
as follows: PETER W., BENJAMIN, NANCY P., NANCY C., ANNA AND ALEXANDER
HOLDEN, Nancy, Jane, Hannah and George Hugill, Thomas Syott, Joseph and
Margaret Briteen, James Townsend, Jessee G. barkley, Martha Jackson,
Elizabeth Stout and Arrominor Cottrill.  Elder John Bailey acted as
moderator and David Holden as clerk at the initial session.
One month later, Oct. 24, the first business session of the new church
was held.  Geoge Hugill was selected as the church clerk.  BENJAMIN
HOLDEN  was chosen deacon.  Mary Barkley and David Horbert were admitted
to membership by letter from the Bridgeport Church.  They resolved to ask
Rev. John J. Waldo, Hamilton Goss and Joseph Morris, pioneer Baptist
ministers to preach for the church until God in His wisdom shall send us
a pastor!'

The original church building of the Center Branch Church was an old log
house which stood in the grove below the road near the present structure.
It was later used as a schoolhouse.  The old church answered the purpose
of the congregation until December 1853, when it was decided to build a
new meeting house.  The spirit of the times seems to have possessed the
members and they put their desire into practice by having something more
modern and in keeping with the unfaltering determination of the people to
give to the Lord fitting tribute in dedication of the due of our
predecessors and still the shrine of the devotional of all who came after
them even up to the present day, was erected for the congregation by the
late Eli Burrough, a carpenter, contractor, grandfather of Charles B. and
Meigs J. Stout, and is the present church with such remodeling and
repairs as modern progress has demanded.

Enjoying a steady increase of membership the church and an enrollment of
218 members in 1845.  The old records show 'people of color', using the
language found in the old church minutes, had been admitted to
membership.  The latter were mostly slaves in the Devers, HOLDEN, Stout
and other families.  They occupied rear seats of the services.  It is
also learned slaves later demitted from the Center Branch Church to unite
with the Clarksburg Church, which likewise had opened its doors to
colored people.

Christian unity did not always prevail to the ancient church, nor did the
brethren dwell together in brotherly love at all times, as the records
show there were severe chastisements of members from time to time for
violations of Christian faith and church creed.  However, the spirit of
forgiveness mostly prevailed after due penance had been made, and there
were comparatively few expulsions.  These arraignments of members were
commonly based on charges of the use of improper language, absence from
services three consecutive times and drinking on the sabbath Day.
The membership of the church was considerably decreased in 1856 when
several members were expelled for "swearing and drinking on the Sabbath
Day".  That shows how sacred the Sabbath was held then and gives a
striking contrast between the olden period and the present day.
February, 1857 stands out in its history as as strongest month for the
church, twenty-two persons were baptised in Elk Creek below the church in
one day typifiying the resurrection of the body and furthering their
preparation for recognized membership.  The event drew more than 1,000
persons to the scene, the largest crowd ever assembled in the Center
Branch Community as far as is known.

In 1867 a certain part of the church ground was leased to the board of
education on which to erect and operate a school house.
In 1870 the Broad Run Baptist Association met with the Center Branch
Church the first time in its history, an event that drew a large
attendance and taxed the church's entertainment capacity to the limit.
In 1873 the church recommended to the general association the appointment
of the late Rev. Lloyd W. Holden, one of its members, as a missionary for
half of his time to the destitute in Barbour, Ipshur and Lewis  counties.
He became the first and only missionary the Center Branch church ever
had.

The Center Branch Church has ordained several ministers, some of whom
are: Perry Lowther, Aaron Barnett, DAVID HOLDEN, William Robinson, LLOYD
D. HOLDEN, J.P. Cost, Levi and Eli Lightner who were twins, J.M. Chapman,
W.E. Tisdale.  The largest membership ever attained by the church was 231
in 1890, as shown by the records.
Some of the pastors of the older members of the church are: John Fisher,
S. Currey of Bridgeport, Earle Wymer of Jane Lew, a Mr. Bayles whose
address is unknown, George D. Griffin of Belington, Patrick H. Murray of
Bridgeport, George A. Tolters,

J. William Hornor, church clerk, Randolph V. Conley superintendent of the
Sunday School, Oral Rymer, chairman of the board of deacons and Joseph
Lemon, chairman of the board of trustees.
The church has been and is the center of religious activities of many
families, among whom may be enumerated, Houghtons, Stouts, Grapeses,
Pews, Hornors, Costs, HOLDINS, Shaines, Adamses, Johnsons, burroughses,
Deverses, Hickmans, Douglases, Eymers, Corleys, Fishers, Southerns,
Conlelys, Bosleys, Lemons, Allens, Coopers and numerous others,
representing a substantial and high class citizenship.

The pastor's salary has never been especially lucrative.  A minute
notation of April 24, 1852 states "that it was decided to pay the
preacher $18.00 a year, with members of his family exempt."  The
installment plan was in use at an early day, members paying $1.37 each
quarter, but not always in cash as  flour and vegetables were sometimes
accepted in payment.

The Center Branch Church celebrated their 150th Anniversary of its
founding on September 29, 1968 with a homecoming dinner and special
dedication service.  Rev. Lon T. Marks, pastor in 1968 was in the program
for the day.  Rev. Robert A. Godfrey brought the morning message and the
Rev. Dan Taylor had the dedication service.

The early activities and unique practices in church discipline was, for
the most part, prepared by George L. Cutllip from early minutes of the
church.  There can be no complete history of this church as the ruthless
hand of theft broke into the edifice the summer of 1931 and committed to
destructive flames.  Many of its most valuable records covering a period
of years of possibly its greatest activities though perhaps, not of its
almost insurmountable problems for its very existence and yet it has
survived and is today a striking example of what faith, work and devotion
can accomplish.

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