Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-07-30
Clarksburg Methodist
CONTINUED from BID

preachers had addressed Clarks-
burg Methodists.
Clarksburg's next Methodist
Church, the Ebenezer Chapel, was
built on a parcel of land called
"Warfield Vineyard, where the
temporary structure had existed.
A simple log church, built on u
acre of land, it had no painting
or decoration, no plaster on the
walls. The backless benches
were made of one plank. The
pulpit was a tall narrow box ele-
waited about three feet above floor
level.
The deed for the log church,
dated October "a, 1894, was writ
ten the request of John Clarke,
Samuel Hobbs, Basil Soper, Archi-
bald Browning, Jonathan Brown
ing, Jr., Joseph Waters and Archi-
bald Hawkins.
Property for the parsonage was
acquired in 1916. 1t, too, was
located on a "Warfield Vineyard"
parcel. The deed for the parson-
age, built for the Rev. Beverly
Waugh, pastor, and use of minis
tiers travelling the Montgomery
Circuit, was dated 1916.
When the old log church
deteriorated it was decided to build
a brick church. The Clarksburg
Brick Church was built in the sum-
mer of 1853, and was completed
that fall. This church was con-
structed of red brick, two stories
high, with mnay windows. There
was a balcony upstairs where the
colored people were seated. The
bricks for this church were manu-
featured on the farm now owned
by Mr. and Mrs. Carl l.. White.
The old Sugarloaf Chapel, built
in 1888, went into decline and was
decided to the Clarksburg Metho-
dists by the remaining trustee. 1t
is said tree grew where the pull
pit once stood. Because of it's
shape and peculiar roofs,
the local people nicknamed it the
Hornet Nest.
The Mountain Church, no longer
in existence, replaced the old
Sugar Loaf Chapel. The old brick
building still stands.
Then the war between the States
broke out. The issues caused the
Church to separate into
two divisions, the North and the
South.
The Methodist Church South
was formed in Clarksburg in 1885.
A deed was written at the request
Of Edward Lewis, John Belt, Will
liam II. Windsor, John A. Lewis,
w. w. Lewis, John William Tay-
Ior and C. Richard Murphy,
trustees. The parcel of land,
located on the main road at the
intersection Of Kempton Road, was
purchased from Mary and William
A. Waters.
The deed was dated 1876. Ten
years later land was acquired for
a parsonage.
A third church was built by the
Methodists of the Northern branch
in 1909 on the spot where the brick
church had stood. This church was
dedicated on December 10, 1909,
by Bishop Cranston, with the Rev.
c. M. Yost, pastor, assisting. The
building committee was composed
of James II. Purdam, Charles T.
Day, Elias V. King, William H.
Buxton, r. II. Windsor and Will
liam H. Leaman.
This enlarged church was built
of weatherboard with large memo
rial windows. Wilkinson Day
donated from his farm all the
heavy white oak timbers used in
this church. This church stands
a hill, its large steeple acts as
beacon, drawing area Methodists
to worship.
In 1899, after many years of
amicable relations, the North and
South branches Of the Methodist
Church i'm Clarksburg were re-
united. The South church became
a community hall and the congre-
cation met in the weatherboard
Miss Maria Waters, a member
of the congregation, is a descen-
1ant of Jonathan Wilson, one of
the oldest settlers in this area.
His son, John Wilson, was mem
Der of the first Methodist Society
and a trustee for the first Metho-
list Church in this area. Her
grandmother, Mrs. w. A. Waters,
was the first president of the Par
sonagc Aid Society (M.E. SOUTH.
James Hcning Purdum, named
after the Rev. James G.. Hening, a
Clarksburg minister, was the Re
cording Steward Of this church for
thirty years. He was one of its
mainstays. His son, James Frank