Rock Hill (old) Church Cemetery

Contributed by Homer Musselman
This church is also known as the old Rockhill Methodist Church and is located on Rock Hill Church Road (Route #644) about one mile north of the Rockhill Baptist Church. The church was built about 1800 and was a Free Church where all denominations worshiped together. In 1812, the Baptists separated to form their own church. Eventually all the other denominations left, leaving only the Methodists. It was organized as a Methodist Church in the 1860's. The building is currently used as a residence, however, there are still signs of where the cross and the stained glass windows were located. The cemetery is located adjacent to the building.

OLD ROCKHILL METHODIST CHURCH

This write-up is a part of the Virginia Works Progress Administration of Virginia Historical Inventory Project sponsored by the Virginia
Conservation Commission under the direction of its Division of History.  The research dated March 4, 1937 was made by Julia Marie Heflin of Cropp, Virginia.  This report is currently also on the internet in the digital files of the Library of Virginia.  According to The United Methodist Church Conference Archives, Rock Hill Methodist Church merged with Ebenezer Church in 1955, the resulting church continuing the name Ebenezer.  The comments in parenthesis are from Marshall E. Heflin. 

Marshall E. Heflin
mheflinx2@aol.com 

1.         SUBJECT:
      ”Old Rockhill Methodist Church”

2.         LOCATION:
      3 miles north from Stafford Courthouse on Route #1, thence 10 miles west on Route #213, thence 2 miles south on Route #644, east side of Route #644.  (This is from the old map.  I believe Route 213 to now be Route 610
–meh.)

3.         DATE:
      This church was first built about 1800; the exact date is not known. It was organized as a Methodist church about 1860 or 1866.

4.         OWNERS:
      A family by the name of Sterne gave the land for the church and
cemetery.

5.         DESCRIPTION:
      The original building was like the present one with the exception of a shed that was built on the south side; this shed has been torn away.
The dimension of the building is thirty-six by twenty-two feet, with the
entrance on the east side and the pulpit facing west.  (In the later years, the main entrance was located on the west side of the building toward the public road –meh.)

6.         HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
      Old Rockhill church was known as a free church when it was first
built, all denominations worshiped together before the members began
separating and organizing into separate churches.
      The pastors are (un?)known when it was a free church.  Rev. A. G.
Johnson was the first pastor after it was organized as a Methodist church, Rev. O. D. Lambert is the present pastor.  (Rev. Lambert was a tall man with a deep voice and when he spoke, he nearly scared me to death when I was little – meh.)
      In 1812, the Baptist withdrew, organizing themselves into a body, but their building was not started until 1860.  Finally all the other
denominations withdrew leaving only the Methodist to worship in this church.
      The first church was used as a school.  It was the only place that
school was conducted in this community until public school was organized.
      The records of the church were destroyed and there are no old records to be found any where so far about the church, when it was first used as a free church.
      Mrs. Rose tells the little instance about the slave owners during
slavery.  “That each owner would march their slaves to church and see that they were all seated and then he would go into the main auditorium for services.  After services they would march their slaves home again”.
7.         ART:
      (Photographs for Rock Hill Methodist and Rock Hill Baptist were
swapped on the Library of Virginia web site – meh)
8.         SOURCES OF INFORMATION:
      Informants,
   Mrs. Mary Rose  --  The oldest member of Rockhill Church.
   Roseville, Va.

   Mr. Eddie Sterne
   Roseville, Va.
      (The report goes on to describe the church building as rectangular,
frame construction with a gabled metal roof.  The building had 1 chimney of brick located in the center of the building.  The weatherboarding was plain. 
The windows were 7 in number; 1 each 4 pane 14”X 26” and 6 each 18 pane 12” X 14”.  The entrance was four panel double doors with transom.
      The interior was 1 large room with one double door entrance on the
west and one four panel door on the east near the pulpit.  The walls were plastered, the hardware was common locks and hinges and the floor was uniform narrow boards.  The condition of the building was very good. – meh)

Deed to the Rockhill Methodist Church land.

Bower, Bessie Rothrock
No date Feb 16, 1892, 7 Mos
Parents: W. O. & Nannie E. Bower

Bower, Frank S.
Dec 15, 1896 Feb 15, 1908
Parents: W. O. & N. S. Bower

Burleson, Eda T.
Sep 17, 1860 Jul 20, 1890
Consort: Ed Burleson (Married Jun 8, 1882)

Harding, Cleve
1865 1928
Consort: Jennie Taylor Harding

Harding, Ida Baylor
No date Aug 8, 1891, 6 Mos
Parents: Cleve & Jennie Harding

Harding, Jennie Taylor
Maiden Name: Taylor
Jan 6, 1863 May 11, 1914

Harding, Mary Elizabeth
Aug 15, 1826 Jun 21, 1898
Consort: Enoch Harding

Kale, K. C. (Miss)
No date Jul 18, 1904

Moore, Jennie M.
Nov 7, 1858 Nov 28, ----
Consort: Arthur Moore

Sterne, Edward L.
Mar 27, 1864 Jan 21, 1937
Consort: Hattie McRae Sterne

Sterne, Hattie McRae
Maiden Name: McRae
Dec 25, 1868 Oct 19, 1912

Taylor, Fannie
1850 1932

Taylor, Pamela McRae Sterne
Maiden Name: Sterne
Apr 18, 1825 Jul 18, 1906

Taylor, Robert Bruce
Feb 1, 1818 Mar 10, 1883
Consort: Pamela McRae Sterne Taylor