Mountain Valley Church

(1860-)

The Gospel Messenger June 29, 1901 page 416 Vol. 39 No. 26

The Mountain Valley Church, Greene Co., Tenn.

In the year 1845 Bro. Henry Brubaker wife came here from Virginia. They were first members to settle Id Greene County, but I am not able to say whether he was a minister at that time. His family consisted of seven sons and two daughters, Later on (In 1855) Bro. Andrew J, Carrell, wife, two sons and one daughter came In from Virginia. Then the next year (1856) Abraham Garber, wife, one son and the writer, a nephew, came in from Ohio.

  Here the work of the Lord and Master began with those three brethren as ministers; first preaching in barns and private houses, until in 1859 they saw the need of a house for worship and built a good, substantial, plain house. So the church grew in strength and numbers, until at one time it had five ministers, with a membership of about ninety. Out of Bro. Brubaker's seven sons four became ministers,

  But, alas! following joy we have bad our sadness. The ministers of Mountain Valley church are all gone to their reward except Bro. Henry Brubaker, of Knoxville, Ark,, and the writer, with Bro. Peter Carrell as our elder, Western emigration has taken away more than even death, It has left the writer with Bro. Carrell and about sixty members. We are striving to do all we can for the blessed Master. We have a prosperous Sunday school with the Brethren's literature In oar school. May God help us to learn more about the one that is trying to teach us, so that when time is no more with us we may enter Into the great school at God's right hand. S. D, Garber, Morelock, Tenn,

The Gospel Messenger Jan. 13, 1912 page 30 Vol. 61 No. 2

MOUNTAIN VALLEY CONGREGATION, TENN.

The writer was recently called to the above congregation, to assist in a series of meetings. During his sojourn he was brought in touch with valuable items of history, which are doubtless of interest to the Brotherhood at large. The information was given me by a few of its ablest members, principally Eld. P. M. Correll and wife.

   From 1840 to 1860 the following families moved from Virginia to this beautiful valley, the so-called " Mountain Valley," because of its being in close proximity to "Boys' Mountain." The Valley is perhaps twenty-five miles in width, and hardly surpassed by any other section m the Stale, in point of situation and beauty of scenery.

  In the early forties the families of Adam Waltonbarger and his brother settled here. In about 1848 Bro. Henry Brubaker came. In 1855 Bro, A. J. Correll, father of Eld. P. M. Correll, made his home in the Valley.

  Between the years 1855 and 1859 an organization was effected, with a membership of sixteen. Brethren Henry Brubaker and A. J. Correll were the ministers, and Brethren Daniel Miller, Joel Waltonbarger and Peter Brubaker, served as deacons.

  In 1859 a house of worship was constructed, which served its purpose until 1907, when a more commodious and much larger church took its place.

  The old church was dedicated on the first Sunday in May, 1860, by Elders John Nead and Daniel Derrick. The dedicatory sermon was combined with the funeral service of- Eld. P. M. Correll's mother.

  Since the organization of the church to the present, the line of elders in charge was as follows: Henry Brubaker, A. J. Correll. John Brubaker (who died in 1900), and P. .M. Correll, who is the elder in charge at present.

   The following is a list of Mountain Valley ministers who, by emigration, were lost to the local church: Archibald Thompson, Jonathan Brubaker, Joseph Brubaker, Henry Brubaker and Isaac Billhimer. Scores of the laity also emigrated to other sections. . This organization, like all other churches of Tennessee, has greatly suffered by emigration, but, in spite of its isolation from the other Tennessee churches, and many other difficulties and obstacles, it has stood well the never-ceasing emigration, which has gone out from her organization, to help to organize churches on the plains of the Far West.

  At present the organization numbers about ninety members, with three ministers. Bro. P. M. Correll is the elder in charge. Brethren S. D. Garber and S. A. Gaby are ministers in the second degree. There are .five deacons. Three regular preaching points are sustained. A live Sunday-school and a Christian Workers' Meeting show the activity of the members.

  While visiting in the home of Sisters Julia and Barbara Wine, we found an old German Bible that once belonged to their grandfather, Henry Brubaker. This ancient volume dates back to 1765. In size the book is l0 1/2 x 15 1/2 inches and seven inches thick. It was owned by Nancy Sensebaugh in 1765. R. B. Pritchett. Johnson City, Tenn,. Dec. 30.