History of Mennonites in Virginia by Brunk Harry Anthony;

Author:Brunk, Harry Anthony;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History of Mennonites In Virginia 1727-1900: Volume I
ISBN: 5289921
Publisher: Vision Publishers LLC
Published: 2012-11-27T00:00:00+00:00

Bachman Church near Lost River, Hardy County, West Virginia (1890-1957)

It is reported that people on the other side, the left side, of Lost River, going north, took an interest in the new church too. The Mennonite people of the Kimseys Run-Vaughan-Mine Springs area, having no services of their own on Sunday, would at times attend the Sunday services at Bachman. Preacher Jacob Teets and other members of his family would ride to Bachman Church on horseback to attend services.

It should be noted that the Bachman Church was a fully equipped Mennonite Church of that time, with wooden spittoons, hanging oil lamps, anteroom for the care of babies, and wooden tubs for the literal practice of footwashing. The possession of the wooden tubs indicates that the new church became the most important, if not the center, for the holding of communion services for the Mennonites who lived on both sides of Lost River, At that time, and later, communion services in Mennonite churches were known as big meetings, and it seems that the Bachman Church was no exception to the rule. It is reported that a few young people from the valley settlements near Broadway and even Harrisonburg would drive the thirty or forty miles in their buggies to attend a big meeting at Bachmans. One member of the Barbe family remembers that five horses with buggies were tied to their yard fence on one of these occasions.

Other contacts were made with Mennonites of the Valley too. It is reported that one of the Bachman men from the settlement, who was likely not a Mennonite, came to Harrisonburg to cradle wheat for a Mennonite by the name of Peter Blosser at one dollar a day. Jacob Barbe, the chief carpenter on the Bachman Church, was employed as a carpenter by Add Linhoss, of Dayton, Virginia, for some time. His brother, Jessie Barbe, likely came to the Valley and worked for Mennonite people. He learned to know Fannie Blosser, the daughter of Abraham Blosser, at Harrisonburg, where he called upon her and won her hand in marriage.

It is possible that near the close of the century these monthly visits to outlying communities were shortened, and more trips were made in order to fill all the appointments, old and new. Preachers would go on Saturday, instead of Friday, to hold services Saturday night, Sunday morning, and at times Sunday afternoon and evening.

It is reported that the preachers went directly to the Bachman settlement by the Lost River road (Route 259) to hold services at the Bachman Church Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Then they would cross over to the other side of Lost River for services at Mine Spring or Vaughans, or both, that same day.

There were likely other shorter itineraries, but it is difficult to say exactly what they were or what places they covered. There is reason to believe that the ministers at times went as far as the Hardy County line for a service in the Capon Run Schoolhouse Saturday

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