Church History in Southwest Virginia

Southwest Virginia Project

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The following is apparently from a work by Omer C. Addington, captured at GrundyConnections The exact source or date of this work is not clear, but it may be from a Washington County Historical Society article.

We do not know when people of the Baptist faith first came to present day Scott County. We do know the first Baptist preacher in what is now Scott County was Squire Boone, a brother of Daniel Boone. These two brothers spent the winter of 1773-74 in the vicinity of Castlewood in present day Russell County, VA. The brothers traveled the Clinch River Valley as far west as Rye Cove. Daniel was in command of all the forts in the Clinch River Valley, while the militiamen were engaged in the Point Pleasant campaign of Dunmore's War.

The oldest Primitive Baptist Church was organized in the late 1700's on Stoney Creek north of Blackmore. We have minutes of this church, going back thirteen years before Scott County was formed in 1814.

The second oldest Primitive Baptist Church was located just east of Nickelsville, VA, on Copper Creek. We have minutes of this church going back to 1808. Robert Kilgore was pastor of this church for 40 years. At one time, he was also pastor of the Stoney Creek Church. The Stoney Creek Primitive Baptist Church may have been built on the land grant that Captain John Blackmore got in 1773. David Cox bought the Blackmore property in 1817 when it was sold for delinquent taxes. In 1835, David Cox deeded one-half acre of land and building to William Addington and Thomas Strong, trustees of the Stoney Creek Church (Deed book No. 5 - Page 176).

Ten years after the Stoney Creek Church was organized, it became a member of the Washington Association. At the 1849 Washington Association meeting, it was suggested that the association be divided for the sake of more convenient attendance. At this meeting, the following churches requested dismission to form a new association: Big Glade, Blue Springs, Copper Creek, Cranesnest, Red Hill, Moccasin Creek, Stoney Creek, Three Fork of Powell River and Tom's Creek. They met by agreement with the Stoney Creek Church in Scott County for organizational purposes on Friday, before the fourth Saturday in October of 1851. The new body became the Regular Primitive Baptist Stoney Creek Association.