Excerpts from Barnes, I. A., The Methodist Protestant Church in West Virginia (Baltimore, MD: Stockton Press, 1926).
This church is located on a beautiful plain near the junction of the two branches of Hughes' River, and on the Parkersburg and Staunton pike.
In 1857 Rev. John Hull was appointed to the Calhoun Mission, which included all of Wirt and Calhoun counties and a part of Ritchie. He lived in a farm
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Home of Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Beckner |
Through the efforts of Brother Steel a neat, commodius house of worship was built near the beautiful home of Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Beckner, a picture of which is shown above. A few of the older members were: H. L. Jackson, D. C. Hill, J. Jackson, R. Ayers, Charlotte Valentine, Martha Holmes and John Deems. Of the younger people the Beckner, Marshall, Pribble, Nelson, Greer, Daubinspeak [Daubenspeck], and Jackson fmailies are a few.
A few miles up the North branch of Hughes River from the Buffalo church is the Rusk church from which the circuit takes its name, and where the parsonage is located. The Rev. J. M. Wilson is said to have organized the Rusk church sometime between 1865 and 1870.
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Rusk Church |
George Twyman and wife, H. J. Mason and wife, W. H. Mason and wife and M. Stanley and wife were charter members.
The church at Rusk was built in 1889 by Rev. L. A. McNemar, and dedicated by Rev. Benjamin Stout. Among the present membership are the Beckner, Maze, Hill, Mason, Higgins, Kearns [Kerns], Lewis, Delaney [Dulaney], Rossin, Moats, Valentine, Cane [Cain] and Phillips families. Irvin Wilson donated the lot on which the church is built.
Rev. L. A. McNemar had quite an exciting experience when he served the Rusk circuit. At that time the parsonage was located on Gillispies' Run, about two miles from the present location. In July of 1888 there was an unusual rainfall all over the state. Rivers and creeks were higher than they had been known for many years. On a certain night the waters of Gillispies' Run rose so rapidly and so high that the parsonage was floated from the foundation and carried away while the family slept. When Brother McNemar awoke and found they were having a "Free boat ride," he was not a little excited. But you should hear him tell of that experience.
A New organization was formed by Rev. C. D. Tharp on the ridge between Rusk and Petroleum. They still worship in a large school house, but plans are maturing to build a house of worship. There are some fine people in this community and a church is needed. L. V. Boston, M. L. Schoolcraft, A. B. Waller, and O. P. Cox and their families are members here.
Perhaps the oldest organization of Methodist Protestants in Wirt county is at Freeport. There was a Freeport circuit in 1854 with Alexander Morrison as pastor. At that time the appointments now comprising of the Rusk circuit were included in the Freeport circuit. I could secure no data of the time, or early membership of Freeport church.
This used to be called the Nutter church from the fact that James Nutter and his wife were the founders of it. Mrs. Nutter was the youngest daughter of Rev. John Hull. The Flint Run church was organized by Rev. G. H. Snyder in 1894. It is now an appointment of the Rusk circuit, and the present membership is about twenty. The first services were held in the school house.
In 1878 a mission circuit was formed including Petroleum and Volcano, and Rev. D. B. Turney appointed pastor. He resigned in a short time, and Rev. Walter H. Stone was appointed. After looking over the field, and finding nothing, he resigned also. Rev. W. L. Warren was appointed pastor in 1880, but there never was much development in that region. However, there was a class on Bull Creek, and probably a church built, as there was a deed for a lot on the Bull Creek road made to trustees of the Methodist Protestant Church. This deed was recorded at Parkersburg. So far as I have been able to learn there are no societies now between Petroleum and the Ohio River.