Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-10-31
Dedication Of a new Church.
THE NEW LUTHERAN CHURCH AT SPRING VAL
LEY, ROCKBRIDGE-ITs HISTORY AND SUR
ROUNDINGS.
[Correspondence of the SPECTATOR. ]


RIVERSIDE, RocKBRIDGE Co., Oct. 29.-Dur
ing yesterday, the Sabbath, there was an oc
casion of more than ordinary interest in ;
large community of the widely EXTENDED
section of country in this county known al
Timber Ridge. Commencing about eigh
years ago, colony, so to speak, of families
/ from Page county migrated to the locality re
ferred to. In Christian faith they are Luther
ans. The heads of the families are named
David B. Foltz, o. S. Strole James Hickman
A. j. Conner, w. J. YoweIl James Smith
| Tazewell Smith, and Allen w. Kite. They
are farmers, and all have purchased FARMS
The geographical center of the new resident:
is three miles northeast of the old colonia
Timber Ridge Church, and about the SAME
distance south of Fairfield and about the
same distance and midway between the lines
of the Norfolk and Western railroad at Mid
vale station and the Valley railroad at De
catur station. Here, in the days of the
colony, came the Scotch-Irish settlers and
opened out their habitations The McDowells
Lyles, Campbells. Donalds, Alexanders. Cum
Minis, etc Mackay of the three first white
in this section of the Valley, preceded the
others, and here to this day are a long line OF
his descendants, as well as others of many oil
the families named Several of the old
farms where they lived and died are of the
purchases of the Page colony.
About the center of the locality described
above on the western edge of an old oak
forest, known in later years as "Miiey's
Woods" the new corners selected as the site
for their temple of worship. There, during
this year, by industrious efforts and well-ap-
piled energies, the church has been erected
and completed. It is a stone and wooden
structure of good size, and painted without
and within, and contains all necessary
fixtures.
The dedicatory sermon was delivered by
Rev. DR.. J. l. Miller, formerly of Staunton,
afterwards of Luray, Page county, and now OF
Buena Vista, to which place has recently been
removed the female college which he con-
Quoted at Luray.
The people from the immediate vicinity at
tended in large numbers, and there were
others from the distant neighborhoods of the
families who removed from Page to Rock
bridge.
1t is really but a short while since these
people came to Rockbridge. They brought
their methods of economy and industry,
their systems OF soil culture, and there has
been a new awakening in tilIage rewarded
with thrift. They have built their church
and witnessed its dedication; have marked off
their cemetery grounds, and, in all respects
made themselves influential ard respected in
the community.
The pastor of the church is the Rev. J. w.
Hausenfeck, of Rockingham county, who
for the present, visits his charge monthly.
The church fronts to the South, and across
the way in stones throw of it is one of the
old farms owned by the Campbells. There
was born the late John L. Campbell, profess
sor of chemistry and geology, first in Wash
ington College and afterwards Washington
& Lee University, whose memory and good
works will be long cherished by all who knew
him. ,
This new temple of worship bears the name
of the locality and will be known as Spring
Valley Evangelical Lutheran Church"