First Presbyterian Church Records

1135 THL

Inventory created by Archives Staff 09/1982. Last revised 06/2020.

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: Collection is open to all researchers.

USE RESTRICTIONS: Restrictions may apply concerning the use, photoduplication, or publication of items in this collection. Consult a member of the archives staff for information concerning these restrictions. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright.

EXTENT: 2.94 linear feet

DATE: 1839 - 2009

SCOPE AND CONTENT: The First Presbyterian Church Records consists of account books, correspondence, membership directories, other church records, and early sermons. Materials in this collection cover the current congregation of First Presbyterian Church and its predecessor Presbyterian churches in Winchester, VA.

BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL: A Presbyterian congregation was present in Winchester as early as 1765. In 1788, the congregation built a church, known as the “Old Stone Church” and continued to worship in this building until 1834, when it was sold to the Trustees of the Baptist Church.

In the 1820s, a dispute within this congregation over church leadership led a splinter group to establish their own congregation. They purchased land at the northeast corner of Kent and Boscawen Streets. Members of the Kent Street Church temporarily rejoined original church in 1834 but withdrew again in 1838 and began construction of a new church on a parcel of land on East Loudoun Street. The two congregations merged again in 1900 as the First Presbyterian Church and continue to worship in the building on Loudoun Street.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Quarles, Garland. "The Presbyterian Church" in The Churches of Winchester, Virginia: A Brief History of Those Established Prior to 1825. Winchester, VA: Prepared for the Farmers and Merchants National Bank, 1960.

CITE AS: First Presbyterian Church Records, 1135 THL, Stewart Bell Jr. Archives, Handley Regional Library, Winchester, VA, USA.

ACQUISITION INFORMATION: Acquired as a gift.

ORGANIZATION:

BOX 1 – Session Minutes

April 4, 1846 and 1867, 3 leaves, manuscript
January 10, 1900 to March 14, 1920, 1 volume, manuscript, bound
April 4, 1920 to January 1, 1936, 1 volume, manuscript/typescript, bound
January 13, 1936 to February 3, 1947,1 volume, manuscript/typescript, bound

BOX 2 -- Session Minutes

May 1948 to December 1961, 1 volume, typescript, bound
1962 to 1972, 1 volume, typescript, bound
1972 to 1976, 1 volume, typescript, bound

BOX 3 – Sunday School Records

Anniversary of the Loudoun St. Presbyterian Sabbath School, 1872
October 1870 to December 1882, 1 volume, manuscript, bound
January 1883 to April 1900, 1 volume, manuscript, bound
April 1900 to 1921, 1 volume, manuscript, bound
April 1947 to February 1957, 1 volume, manuscript, bound
1924 to 1934, Sunday School Workers Conference, 1 volume, manuscript, bound

BOX 4 – Financial Records

1839 to 1845 - "Subscription for the Support of a Minister in the Presbyterian Church, Winchester"
1839 to 1866 - "In Account with John N. Bell, Treasurer"
1859 to 1886 - Accounts Book, John N. Bell
1847 to 1857 - Record of Giving
1900 to 1925 - Sunday School Account Book
1928 to 1934 - Trustees Account Book
1935 to 1945 - Journal (includes baptisms, deaths)
1912 to 1945 - financial papers, bankbooks, receipts, checks, etc., unnumbered pages, manuscript on printed form
Supporters and subscription lists - 1855, 1859, 1899, and undated, 4 leaves, 1 page, manuscript

BOX 5 – Financial Records (each 1 volume, manuscript, bound, unless otherwise noted)

1895 to 1925 - Account Book, Loudoun Street Presbyterian Church
1906 to 1914 - Treasurer's Book, Isaac W. Russell
1929 to 1930 - Ledger, R. Bruce Slonaker, Treasurer
1925 to 1945 - Ledger, The Presbyterian Church in Winchester
1955 – Pledge Campaign, booklet, printed, 4 pages

BOX 6 – Minutes of the Board of Deacons (each 1 loose leaf binder, unnumbered pages, typescript)

June 1927 to February 1937
March 1937 to March 1940
April 1940 to January 1949
December 1953 to December 1959

BOX 6A

1922 to 1937—Congregational Meetings minutes, one item, typescript/manuscript, bound

1952 to 1972—Congregational Meetings minutes, unnumbered pages, printed

1913 to 1918—Minutes and Finances of the Home and Foreign Missionary Society, one item, manuscript, bound

1918 to 1920—Minutes and Finances of the Home and Foreign Missionary Society, one tiem, manuscript, bound

BOX 7 – Membership Directories

1973
1974-1976
1979
1984
1988
1993

BOX 8 – Miscellaneous

"Brief History of Loudoun Street Church of Winchester, Virginia," compiled by Mary E. Bush, 1933, 16 leaves, typescript (copy); 1 envelope, manuscript
Timeline of church history, 1730-2008, brochure, printed

“Wandering John or The Prodigal Boy”—Loudon Street Presbyterian Sabbath School Library, booklet, 48 pages, printed

Basis of Union Between Kent St. and Loudoun St. Churches, 1 leaf, printed

Bicentennial celebration, 1988

Bulletins from services, 1959-1988 (incomplete), 7 items, printed

Bulletins, 6 items, printed
Dedication of the Religious Education building, 1942 (2 copies)
Organizational bulletin, 1953, 1958
Rodney Street Presbyterian Church, Wilmington, DE, 1907
Program, undated

Directory of Services, 2004, one item, printed

Directory photographs, no date, 18 items

“The Messiah,” by George Frederick Handel, presented by The Senior Choir of the Presbyterian Church (March 30, 1947); 1 item, printed

Miscellaneous, 3 items, folder contains the following:
Civil War relief letter, 1866, 1 page, manuscript
Resolution to move graves and sell cemetery lot, no date, 2 leaves, typescript (copy)
News clippings, 1848 and no date, 2 leaves, printed

News Articles

Newsletters—Calvin Chatter, April, 2008, printed

Old Stone Presbyterian Church, 306 E. Piccadilly St., unnumbered items, typescript/printed
brochure, c. 1950, printed, 2 copies
title history, 16 leaves typescript
correspondence, 1945, 2 leaves, typescript
“Old Stone Church in Winchester,” 2 pages, printed, article published in The Commonwealth, Vol. 21 #4, April 1954

Pamphlets and brochures, 5 items, printed
"Pastoral Letter of the General Assembly...," 1870
“Pastoral Letter of Winchester Presbytery to the Members of the Church Within its Bounds, written by A. S. Moffett, Mod., Strasburg, Va. April 20, 1883
Centennial of Presbyterianism in Winchester, VA, 1900
Financial Report of Highland Avenue Mission, 1920-1921
Nineteenth Annual Sermon to Winchester Lodge #65, Knights of Pythias, 1910

Program – Opening of  New Buildings, 1963, “Observing the Opening of our New Buildings in 1963 and the Anniversary of our Founding in 1788,”  1 item, printed

Purity Presbyterian Church bicentennial program, 1987,1 item, printed

Renovation and Expansion of First Presbyterian Church, 2008-2009, one item, printed

Sermon - Boyd, Reverend A. H. H., 1860,
"Thanksgiving Sermon, delivered in Winchester, VA on Thursday 29 November 1860...,"
The Winchester Virginian, 1 item, printed

Sermon - Graham, Reverend James R., 1901, "Semi-Centennial Sermon of Reverend James R. Graham, D.D., and Anniversary Exercises," October 13, 1901, Evening News-Item Job Print, Winchester, 1 item, printed

Sermon - Hill, Reverend William - writings, 1830 and 1842, 4 items, printed
"A Sermon upon the Subject of Confirmation," June 27, 1830
"Lecture upon the Particular Providence of God with a Special Reference to Lotteries and Games of Chance," 1842, 2 copies
"The Reviewer Reviewed..., " 1842

Sermon - Lacy, Reverend Beverly T., 1849, "Sermon on the Death of Reverend Wm. M. Atkinson," The Republican Office, Winchester, 2 items, printed

Sermon - Stiles, Reverend Joseph C., 1866, "Address on the Life and Death of Reverend A. H. H. Boyd of Winchester, VA," Chas. H. Wynne, Printer, Richmond, 2 items, printed

Sermon –Atkinson, Reverend Wm. M., “A Sermon Delivered at the Installation of the Rev. John M.P. Atkinson as Pastor of the Church at Warrenton, Fauquier Co., Sept. 15, 1844 by the Rev. Wm. M. Atkinson”, Winchester; printed at the Republican Office, 1844, 1 item, printed

Sesqui-Centennial Anniversary Celebration of Winchester Presbytery, 1944, 2 pages, printed

Stained Glass Windows in First Presbyterian Church, brochure, printed

Tape and program of bicentennial organ recital, F. Bryan Kirk, organist, June 12, 1988

Temperance paper, 1 page, 1 leaf, no date, no author, manuscript; transcript, 2 pages, typescript; poem, “The Hermit”, by James Beattie, quoted in the article.

OVERSIZE

MAPCASE 1, DRAWER 9

Drawing of Old Stone Church interior, 1 leaf, manuscript

Drawing of streets of Winchester, depicting churches, 1 leaf, manuscript; 1 leaf, printed (photocopy)

Organization chart, General Assembly of Presbyterian Church, Charleston, SC, May 1852, 1 leaf, printed

Presbyterian Church in the United States - certificate to Junior Missionary Society, Winchester Presbyterian Church, 1 leaf, manuscript on printed form

MICROFILM: Filing Cabinet – “Church Records”

Records of the Winchester Presbytery 1800 – 1974, includes Kent St., Old Stone Church, Loudoun Street, Synod of Virginia and Shenandoah Presbytery

PHOTOGRAPHS: Photographs and other images belonging to this collection may be accessed online through http://handley.pastperfectonline.com/