This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: wildduck7 Surnames: Taylor, Thompson, Faris, Jones, Herndon Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.virginia.counties.campbell/2127.1.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I did find some references in a book which was published recently with references to Armistead. Hopefully these may help you to locate your Armistead's. HAT CREEK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH There were less than a half dozen Presbyterian churches in all Virginia when the Scotch-Irish settlers in the frontier colony of Hat Creek built their first log meeting house. Arriving in America about 1729, one of them, John Irvin, on hearing that Piedmont Virginia offered great opportunities, left Pennsylvania with his wife, eight children and two slaves in 1738. Soon other settlers joined them, and Mr. Irvin took the lead in establishing a place of worship for them. The well-known Gilbert Tennent of Pennsylvania's "Log College" was invited to consecrate the new meeting house and he remained in the vicinity for about a year to guide the new church to its independence. Then Hat Creek was served by itinerant ministers from Pennsylvania, including Rev. John Thompson, William Robinson and John Blair. Hat Creek's first minister of its own (1761) was the renowned blind preacher Rev. James Waddell; he was succeeded by Rev. David Rice in 1766 until he moved about ten years ! later to Kentucky. A large group of dissenter from Hanover and Louisa counties moved to Hat Creek by 1775, including the renowned lay reader Samuel Morris, whose family was later responsible for the establishment of nearby Morris Church. Five Buildings have been constructed on the same site since 1741: the second (1785), third (1810) and fourth (1846 were of frame, each a little larger than its predecessor. The present church was completed in 1961. By the will of Miss Jane B. Hammersley in 1846, Hat Creek acquired a tract on Little Falling River near the church - a portion was leased in 1959 to the Appomattox Presbytery as the group's "Camp Hat Creek." Among the numerous ministers serving Hat Creek have been William Irvin, Drury Lacy, Archibald McRoberts (1799-1806), John Holt Rice, Clement Read, Nash Legrand (1809-1814). Samuel ARMISTEAD, William Hammersley (1844-1860), and A. B. Carrington (1865-1880). Beginning in 1820, daughter churches were formed: Concord (1820), Diamond Hill (1846), Rustburg (1878), and Brookneal (1892). The burning of the session minutes in 1854 destroyed the record of the first elders, but among those known to have served were John Irvin (1742-1788), Maj. John Irvin (Jr.) (1782-1814), Capt John Marshall, Charles Cobb, Publius Jones, William ARMISTEAD, Richard Hammersley, Andrew Mann, Joshua Morris, Dr. Robert Smith (1850-1877), O.C. Clark (1850-1890), Pleasant Clark (1855-1866) Publius Clark (1855-1892) Wirt Williams (1882-1944), Louis c. Asher (1894-1933), and Sampson Woodall. Buried in the cemetery are the first settler in the county, John Irvin, and his wife Mary Boyd, and many of their descendants and extended family and relations. Also buried there is an Abraham Hanks, who married Lucy Jennings in 1799. Also in the area was a Thomas Hanks who married Nancy Brooks in 1792; through these associations the tradition exists that President Abraham Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks, was born at hat Creek, but no proof has been produced. Submitted by: Committee Source: 1966 Church History. (Taken from Pg 52 of the book "Campbell Co., VA Heritage 1781-2003 by the Campbell County Heritage Book Committee. In addition taken from the same book source on Pg 4 concerning an Old Campbell County Song in reference to Billy Moon a contemporary of Joe Sweeney, the famous 19th century banjo player from Appomattox. Billy Moon is said to have composed a song said to have been sung by Joe Sweeney. This states that Billy Moon lived just below the Spout Springs in Campbell Co, near Appomattox Co. Moon would load his ox cart with sheaf oats and travel to Lynchburg by the old stage road. The coaling ground was between Glover's old stand (afterward owned by Anderson ARMISTEAD) and Concord Depot. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.