Mecklenburg County Churches: Past & Present

Church History Project Information

Mecklenburg County Deed indexes from 1765-1933 list about 300 churches. Some of these churches changed names, denomination or are no longer standing. The 1800 US Federal Census calculates the population of Mecklenburg County, Virginia was 17,008. Yet I’ve only found 4 Mecklenburg church related deeds before 1800! (See 1790 head of households.) This population figure raises a lot of questions in my mind about how churches functioned when Mecklenburg was part of the Virginia frontier. There are evidently many churches with little know information and documentation – and I am looking to gather as much information as I can about them as part of my research.

Laws were passed requiring the education of all children and youth; but money for schools, supplies and teachers was not available for decades. Churches stepped in to fill that need. During Reconstruction (post Civil War), some churches from Philadelphia came to Mecklenburg to help build and fund Freedmen schools and help build churches.

Each church I’ve heard about will have a page on this website with pictures, history, newspaper clippings, cemetery information, deed information, if there was a school, and a link to a website or facebook page for the present day church. There are currently 87 churches marked on the Mecklenburg collaborative map.

Here are two examples of church pages: Berean Baptist Church (without a known history), and Rehoboth Methodist Church.

Church History Questions

1. When was this church established? (known deed?)
2. When was the current church building built?
3. Who were some of the founding members?
4. Was there ever a school associated with this church?
5. Is there a cemetery associated with this church? If so, when was it started?
6. Has this church been known by other names or other denominations?
7. Are there any older pictures of the church?
8. Is there a current press photograph or official history I can link to or share and credit author, church, and photographer?
9. Is there a website for the church? Social media page?
10. Are there any community members who can tell me stories about growing up at, or attending this church?
11. If the church is no longer standing, when was it taken down?

If you know of a church that is not on this list, or have updates please:

See how everything on this site is being organized by 29 areas.

Religious leaders, denomination not known

Reverend Bennett Holloway Smith, born about 1824 Mecklenburg

Alexander Overbey, (on 1899 marriage record as officiator)

Reverend J. G. Lennon, 1910 Census, Skipwith Rd area

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Baptist Church

Religious leaders

• William Creath

History of the Baptist Church in Mecklenburg

An Official History

Stories referencing the Baptist Church:

• Elder William Creath: early Baptist traveling Minister in Mecklenburg
• Mary Walker & Pearl Reams Interview, La Crosse Baptist Church

Historically African American churches

• Amity Colored Baptist, deed 1879
• Baptist Colored Church, deed 1874
• Berean Baptist Church, area 2, deed 1929
• Bloom Hill Colored Baptist Church, area 14, deed 1880
• Colored Baptist, deed 1877
• Mount Herman Baptist, area 8
• Saint Level Baptist Colored Church, deed 1880
• Wharton Memorial Baptist, area 26

Historically white churches

• Baptist Church, deed 1848
• Baptist Church, area 23, about 1890. Was at site of present day Bracey community center.
• Black Branch Baptist Church, area 1
• Bluestone Baptist Church, area 18, deed 1807
• Bluestone Baptist Church, area 18, deed 1860
• Clarksville Baptist, area 27, deed 1873
• Boydton Baptist Church, area 19, deed 1879
• Buffalo Baptist Church, area 25, deed 1825
• Cedar Grove Baptist, area 29, deed 1931
• Concord Baptist, area 2, deed 1817
• Epheseus Baptist, deed 1880. Is this deed for church in area 14 or area 17?
• Gilgal Baptist, deed 1847
• LaCrosse Baptist, area 7
• Malone Baptist, later deed of 1847, area 8, no longer standing
• Mount Horeb Baptist Church, area 3, deed 1860
• Mount Zion Baptist of Clarksville, area 27, deed 1871
• Nelson Baptist Church, area 26
• North View Baptist, area 4
• Olive Branch Baptist, area 16
• Jerusalem Baptist, deed 1932
• Saint John’s Baptist Church, area 25
• Sanford Memorial, area 8

(Historical race not known yet)

• Mecklenburg Baptist, area 19
• Bethesda Baptist Church, area 22
• Bethany Baptist Church, area 21

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Catholic Church

History of the Catholic Church in Mecklenburg

• Catholic Benevolent Philadelphia Colonization Society of Irish, deed 1878
• Good Shepherd Roman Catholic Church, area 5, date?
• Saint Catherine’s Catholic Church, area 27

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Episcopal Church

History of the Episcopal Church in Mecklenburg

Historically African American churches

• Ascension Protestant Episcopal Church, deed 1930, area 22
• Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church, area 23

Historically white churches

• Boydton Protestant Episcopal Church, area 19, deed 1842
• Protestant Episcopal, deed 1817
• Protestant Episcopal, deed 1845
• Protestant Episcopal, deed 1881
• Saint James Episcopal Church, area 19 (Boydton)
• Saint Tomothy’s Episcopal Church, area 27 (Clarksville), deed 1860

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Methodist Church

History of the Methodist Church in Mecklenburg

Historically African American churches

• Miles Bethel CME, area 8

Historically white churches

• Bethlehem Methodist Episcopal Church, deed 1821
• Boydton Methodist Episcopal Church, area 19, deed 1871
• Brodnax Methodist, area 8
• Canaan Church, area 16, no longer standing
• Easter’s Church, area 12, deed 1857
• Kingswood Methodist, area 23, deed 1808
• LaCrosse Methodist, area 7
• Lewis Chapel Methodist Episcopal, deed 1874
• Methodist, deed 1805
• Methodist, deed 1812
• Methodist Episcopal, deed 1806
• Methodist Episcopal, deed 1811
• Methodist Episcopal, deed 1812
• Methodist Episcopal, deed 1819
• Methodist Episcopal, deed May 1824
• Methodist Episcopal, deed Dec 1824
• Methodist Episcopal, deed 1838
• Methodist Episcopal, deed 1839
• Methodist Episcopal, deed Sep 1840
• Methodist Episcopal, deed Nov 1840
• Methodist Episcopal (centinery), deed Jun 1840
• Methodist Episcopal, deed 1850
• Methodist Episcopal, deed 1860
• Methodist Episcopal, deed 1876
• Methodist Episcopal Parsonage, area 15, deed 1863
• Parsonage North Mecklenburg Methodist Episcopal, deed 1930
• Pleasant Grove Methodist Episcopal, area 4, deed 1873
• Pleasant Grove Protestant Methodist, area 5, deed 1854
• Poplar Springs Methodist Episcopal, deed 1853
• Providence Methodist Episcopal, deed 1932
• Rehoboth Methodist Episcopal, area 23, deed 1847
• Rehoboth Methodist Episcopal, area 20, deed 1874, Present Day: Boydton United Methodist.
• Saint James Methodist Church, deed 1869
• Sardis Methodist, area 15, deed 1853
• South Hill Methodist, area 5, deed 1811
• Zion United Methodist Church, area 13

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Presbyterian Church

History of the Presbyterian Church in Mecklenburg

Historically African American churches

• Board of Missions to Freedmen of United Presbyterian, deed 1877
• Board of Missions to Freedmen of United Presbyterian, deed 1880
• Freedmen Presbyterian, area 9
• Great Creek Presbyterian, area 23, no longer standing

Historically white churches

• Board of Church Extension United Presbyterian, deed 1875
• Boydton Presbyterian Church, area 19, deed 1824, deed 1872
• Chase City Presbyterian, area 10, deed 1880
• Clarksville Presbyterian, area 27, deed 1861
• First United Presbyterian of Chase City, area 10, deed 1874

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RZUA Church (Reformed Zion Union Apostolic)

History of the RZUA Church in Mecklenburg

African American churches

• Bethel Memorial RZUA, area 7
• Diamond Grove RZUA, area 13
• Lambert Chapel RZUA, area 13, deed 1881
• Land’s chapel, area 20
• Penuel RZUA, area 22
• Pleasant Hill RZUA (LaCrosse area)
• Prospect RZUA, area 8
• Roanoke Zion RZUA, area 23
• Saint Stephen’s RZUA, area 23
• Saint Taylor RZUA, (Boydton area)
• Temple Gate RZUA, (South Hill)
• Union Hill RZUA, area 12
• William Grove RZUA, (Boydton area)

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Seventh Day Adventists Church

History of the Seventh Day Adventists in Mecklenburg

• Potomac Conference Corporation of Seveneth Day Adventists, deed 1933

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Non-Denominational Churches

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Historically African American churches: denomination unknown

• Free Union Church, area 14
• Roanoke Christian
• Saint Paul’s Church, area 19, African American?
• Bethel Grove, area 16, no longer standing
• Bethlehem Colored Church, deed 1881
• Colored Church, deed 1877

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Historically white churches: denomination not known

• Assmembly of God, area 8
• Berea Christadelphian Church
• Bethel Meeting House, deed 1804
• Bethlehem Meeting House, deed 1851
• Cherry Hill, deed 1878
• Christian Antioch, deed 1878
• Christian & Missionary Alliance, deed 1931
• Church or Meeting House, deed 1808
• Cox Creek Chapel Christian, deed 1801
• Faith Missions at Home & Abroad, deed 1879
• First Church of Christ (Holiness), deed 1931
• Hephgibah Meeting House, 1804
• Lacy Hoge, deeds 1851 & 1855
• Lombardy Grove Meeting House, deed 1843
• Meeting House or Church, deed 1802
• Mount Ararat, deed 1881
• Mount Zion, deed 1878
• Pilgram Travelers, deed 1876
• Rocky Mount, deed 1878
• Saint Andrew’s Church, site of Old Speed Church, area 21, no longer standing
• Saint Andrew’s Church, area 12, deed 1878
• Wylesburg, deed 1855

Churches: historical race or denomination not known yet

• Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ, area 9
• Bethel Church, area 9
• Biblewood Church of Christ, area 19
• Cedar Grove Church, area 17
• Cedar Grove, area 21
• Ebenezer Baptist, area 12
• Ephesus, area 14
• Ephesus, area 17
• Friendship United Methodist, area 9
• Gravel Hill Baptist, area 24
• Gravel Hill Presbyterian, area 24
• Greater Hayes Grove Baptist, area 14
• Greenwood, area 28
• Grove Church, area 20
• Holly Grove, area 23
• Jerusalem temple, area 19
• Jerusalem United Church of Christ, area 22
• Lake Country Community Church, area 9
• Lebanon Primitive, area 23
• Liberty Baptist, area 18
• Living Waters Ministry of South Hill
• New Hope Church, area 8
• State Line Church, area 27