Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1910-05-19
THE PRESBYTERIAN
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Now in Session at LsWisburg, W. Va.--
Judge J. \. Stuart, of TazsWsIl, is
One Of The Delegates From
Abingdon PrsshyteD.

Abingdon PreSbyteD.
The General Assembly of the South
ern Presbyterian Church will meet in
Lewisburg, W. Va, this year, opening
this Thursday morning at IL O'Clock.
with sermon by the retiring Moderator.
VIM E. Boggs, d. D.
The Abingdon Presbytery is entitled
to four delegates-two ministerial and
two lay. The honor of being one of the
lay delegates this year fell to our fell
low townsman, Judge J. Il. Stuart.
1t Is particularly appropriate that
Judge Stuart should have been appoint
ed as delegate to this Assembly as it
takes him back to his childhood home
and to the Old Stone Church-in which
the Assembly will be held-to the build
ing Of which his great grand parents
were generous contributors.
The Old Stone Church is one hundred
and fourteen years old, having been
built in 1876. Col. John Stuart. a na-
tive Of Scotland, who had settled in
Greenbrier county, gave the ground and
$3.50, and his wife gave her patrimonv
$2,OOO more. The church was originally
square and the entrance door faced the
east.
A sounding board hung over the pull
pit; an outside stairway led to a gallery
for the colored people. The church has
been changed, enlarged and remoddled
but tender sentiment clings to the
older parts of the building and it re-
mains the pride and sanctuary of the
entire community and the memories
that cling to this old building--one of
the three corner-stones" of Presbv-
terianism, west of the AlIeShanies. that
caused the Assembly to forsake the
comforts and conveniences of the many
cities that would have gladly entertain
ed them, to meet in this place of sacred
memories.
Embedded in the walls of the Old
Church is a stone on which Judge
Stuart's great grand father carved the
following inscription:
This Building
AT the Expense of Few
Of the First Inhabitants of This
Land, to Commemorate Their
Affection and Esteem for the
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ
Reader
If You Are Inclined to Applaud
Their Virtues
Give God the Glory.
A peculiar coincident is that last year
the Assembly met at Savannah. near
the Georgia coast. The original name
for Lewisburg was Savannah. Fort
Savannah. With no river or marsh
near and so far from the seacoast it
was strange fancy for the first set-
tiers to have named it Savannah. Per-
haps the plain on which the town was
built had to them, among the hills and
mountains, fanciful resemblance IN a
Savannah.
Another interesting fact, is that from
this old fort Gen. Andrew Lewis. in
l774, assembled the Virginia Rifemen
and led them down the Kanawha Valley
to Point Pleasant where he defeated
the Indian warriors under Chief Corn
stalk. That famous battle on the Ohio
at last brought peace and security To
the early settlers on the Greenbrier.
General Lewis was the hero of all the
Virginia mountain country. No wonder
the name Of the town was changed to
Lewisburg.
The forebearers of two TazeweIl
families fought under Gen. Lewis at
Point Pleasant. Col. Stuart before
mentioned, who was the great grand
father of Judge Stuart and Mrs. T. p
bowen. and Lieutenant Reese Bowen.
The latter afterwards a general in the
American army during the Revolution
ary War, was killed by the British at
Kings Mountain. General Bowen uas
one of the early settlers of Tszeven
locating In the Cove, and was the head
Of the family of that name. that has
ever since been prominent iu the social
and political life of the county and
State.
Cornstalk was q famous Shawnee
Chief, and Of whom Col Roosevelt said
IN Winning of the West" " ''He was a
brave and valiant fighter" and eharac-
terlzed his assassination by the citizens
OF Point Pleasant, where he and his son
were held as hostages in TIT, as a
''dastardly outrage"
There Is a postoffice in the western
part Of Howard county, Indiana, named
Cornstaik after the old Chieftain, and
1t IS the writer's recollection that the
remains of Cornstalk are buried near
the present village. it being located on
the site Of an old Shawnee camping
ground.