` I've been trying for a long time to figure out if there were `established churches in Bedford and if so, what were they called. If `anyone finds the answer to this puzzle, be sure to post. ====================== In _Parker's History of Bedford County, Virginia_, by Lula Jeter Parker, [see Hamilton's (book store); P.O. Box932; Bedford, VA 24523-0932 http://peterv.com] there's one chapter on "Churches of Bedford County" In it she says the parish of the Church of England for Bedford was named, like the county, for John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford ... Russell Parish ... The first vestry was appointed 24 May 1755 composed of William Callaway, John Phelps, William Mead, Mathew Talbot, Jr., Joseph Ray, Robit Baber, Henry Tate, Benj. Henslee, Francis Callaway, Charles Talbot, Mark Cole, and Charles Ewing, Gent. The first minister "of whom there is any record" was Rev. John Brander. John Callaway, son of William, donated land for an Episcopal church, in New London. The church was built, but the Episcopalians could not pay for it, so sometime later, they agreed to share the building with the Presbyterians. The building was later sold to the Masons for a lodge hall. She says the Russell Parish Register is now [pre 1954] the property of the Trinity Church which she places at Boonsboro. She mentions the building of St. Stephens Church [Protestant Episcopal] on the old Tabernacle road, near what is now Forest. She mentions that in 1828, Rev. Mr. Cobbs preached in the Mason's lodge on East Main Street in Liberty, and in the Courthouse. About 1836, St. Thomas's Church [Episcopalian] was build on the north side of the county. St. John's Church in Liberty was consecrated 1847. Sometime after 1859 and before 1871. St. Mark's church was founded at Bufordsville, now Montvale. Christ's Church, near Timber Ridge, was build between 1871 and 1878. The Presbyterians erected the Academy Church between 1858 and 1860, across the road from the New London Academy. White Church or Miss Betsy Read's Church was at Ivy Creek, and there was a congregation at Spring Hill which merged with the Academy Church in 1888. Pisgah Church, 7 miles east of Liberty, might be older than Academy, but the records were not preserved. It was at least as old as 1843. The Presbyterians had an interest in Mt. Olivet on the south side of the county, and Salem on the north side. There was also Peaks Church near Moseley's Bridge, a contemporary of Pisgah. After 1881 when Old Peaks Church burned, the New Bethel Church changed its name to Peaks. Laurel Grove Church was organized in 1861. Liberty Presbyterian Church was built about 1844. The Baptist churches include Goose Creek Church with the first meeting of the Strawberry Association in 1782, and Hatcher's Meeting House, where the association met in 1791. Morgan's Church (originally called Goose Creek) is the oldest Baptist church in the county, but Jointee, a union church near Goodview, was established as early. Another early church was Staunton, orginized in the late 18th century, on the south side of the county. Little Otter Church was organized in 1785, but no mention of a building is made until 1804, the members meeting in their homes or the courthouse. Beaver Dam Church near Chamblissburg, was established in 1803. Jointee, united with Beaver Dam in 1849, to build a new brick church, called by the Methodists, "New Hope". Suck Spring Church, near Peaksville, was organized in 1805. Timber Ridge Church was also organized in 1805, and Big Island Church was organized in 1886, by a committee from the churches of Hunting Creek and Chestnut Hill. Mount Hermon Church is an outgrowth of Hatcher's Meeting House. Mount Zion Church near Montvale, was deeded its building in 1825. Mount Olivet, another union church, was originally used by Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Episcopalians ... but the latter two sects died out or moved away, so the church was left to the Baptists and Methodists. Francis Asbury was apparently the first Methodist preacher in Bedford Co, visiting and preaching as early as 1788, and his journal mentions preaching in 1790 in the Courthouse, and in 1794 in Wilson's Chapel. The minutes of the Quarterly Conferences lists "societies" on the Bedford Circuit as: Liberty, Mt. Zion, Union, Jointee, Olive Branch, Emmaus, Bethleham, Antioch, Providence, Leftwich's, Wilson's, Calvary, Ebenezer, Nazareth, Bethal, Salem, Wilkeson's, Thomas' Chapel, Smyrna, Kabler's, and Cross Roads. The first [Methodist] church building in Liberty was built in 1838, which is now [1954] St. Phillip's (colored) Episcopal Church. Union, the oldest church on the Montvale Circuit, was organized in 1830. Prior to 1899 there was no organization of the Christian Church in Bedford County. The Church of the Brethren (Dunkard) was organized in Bedford Co, shortly after 1865. St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, was begun in 1874, with the arrival in Liberty of Father McGurk of Lynchburg, to conduct the first Mass ever offered, and the donation of the land by P. McCrossin. Regards, Freddie S. fspradlin@delphi.com 3448 W. 170th St., Torrance, CA 90504-2402