Church History
The COX'S CHAPEL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH located on the South side of New River bordering the state of North Carolina. Address 3747 River Bend Rd. (Route 708) Mouth of Wilson, Virginia 24363 currenct since 911 in 1997.
GPS reading is North side of Road 708 Sparta-West N.C.-Va. N 36 degrees 34, 685' W 81 degrees 13, 170' for the Cemetery. This Church is directly in front of said Cemetery on the South side of #708.
We have not found record of picture of the BRUSH ARBOR beginnings, of the start of this congregation in 1832. However ancestors tell they were located West of present 2009 building near a Spring branch.
Its first member was said by Profession of Faith and possibly was Margaret (Peggy) Osborne Cox, first wife of Troy Cox d/o Enoch B. Jr & Mary Polly Livesay Osborne (date was 1812-1876, for her).
The first CHURCH REGISTER we have a copy of reads Cox's Chapel Methodist Episcopal South dated 1879 with T.F. Salyer as pastor.
The 2nd structure for church services was said to be the first frame or one of the first frame buildings in the area.
Best as can be determined it was built in 1871, as this is the year the church groungs were DEEDED to the Methodist Church East on June 10, 1871 by Troy Cox and William Ward. Trustees A.B. Phipps, Richard Hines, E.B. Osborne 111 released to Peter J. Walls and J.C. Phipps a Lewis Clark was also named.
There were nine (9) churches listed Antioch, Cox's Chapel, Piney Creek, Potato Creek, Shiloh, Walnut Branch, Gentry's Chapel, Sparta and White Rock. They were located in N.C. and Va.
This building was rectangular in shape with a door midway on one side, the pulpit directly in front of the door on the opposite wall. An open fireplace for heat, the hearthstone is still on the church grounds today 10 January 2009.
Later this same building was renovated and served as CHURCH and SCHOOL both. The chimney and fireplace were removed, a door built into that opening, a raised platform on the opposite end. The old doorway became a window and time moved on. Men of renown that attended school here were the late R.L. "Bob" Doughton, U.S. Congressman and N.C. Lt. Gov. Rufus L. Doughton.
The last session of School here was 1919-1920 school with Mrs. J. Worth (Ollie Cox) Howard as teacher.
For a time it was simply called THE CHAPEL when it became COX'S CHAPEL no one can recall having heard the story given.
First written record we have found is a Conference Record of October 1, 1883 listed on Sparta Mission Charge; Wytheville District; Hoston Conference with W.S. Bishop as presiding Elder and pastor J.M. Romans. Members mentioned are P.C. Phipps; P.J. Walls and Richard Hines.
In June 1988 23rd & 24th a 3rd Quarterly Conference was held as Cox's Chapel of Sparta Circuit; the Marion District; Holston Conference with W.H. Price presiding Elder and N.C. Combs pastor eight churches listed, members on record were P.J. Walls and Richard Hines.
First mention of the Western Noth Carolina Conference would have been in this era as in 1890 W.H. Price presiding Elder and E.L. Pussy pastor served the Sparta Circuit Mt. Airy District nine (9) churches listed Cox's Chapel, Piney Creek, Potato Creek, Antioch, White Rock, Shiloh, Gentry's Chapel, Walnut Branch and Sparta.
A 3rd structure built in 1905 slightly in front of the 1952-53 building. Members talked of a new church and one Saturday night as Preston Osborne and Boyden Cox were returning home from closing a Company Store on Potato Creek balls began to roll. Boyden Cox offered the logs for a building if Alex Phipps, P.C. Phipps the other two owners of the sawmill would do the sawing. The promise was confirmed. On Monday Mrs. Preston (Ruth Cox) Osborne started raising funds.
Isom & Silva Osborne gave the largest cash donation of $100.00 Z. Glenn Phipps later Dr for 50 years served as off-bearer for the sawing. He was a grandson of Isom and Silva. The men worked, the women cooked and took turns boarding carpenters. Bud Taylor and Bud Hawkins were head Carpenters. Z. Feilden Ward, Sr and Troy Cox furnished the shingle mill. Z.F. Ward furnished the logs to make shingles to cover the church. Jesse Larue turned the oak banisters for the church altar. Joe Johnson made and gave the oak pulpit. Mrs. Will (Mertie Phipps) Fender gave three pulpit chairs. The first service in this building was the funeral of Elza Cox in September 1905. Seats for the church were given by Mrs. Silva Osborne and hurriedly made for the funeral service.
The church had six side windows, three to a side, two front doors, three rows of pews, oil lamps for light, two wood stoves for heat.
The last service in this building was regular 4th Sunday preaching service on May 25, 1952 with student pastor Avery A. Ferguson.
A 4th building
This structure as the one prior had been much discussed and finally became a reality. Almost eight months to the day the Rev. A.A. Ferguson preached the regular 4th Sunday sermon in the unfinished building.
Sadly one of the first services in the new church was the funeral of Charlie S. Walls long time fire builder and greeter in the 1905 church. He is well remembered for his new bib overalls always so neat and clean.
The community worked hard, although money was tight men, women and children donated 3,627 hours of labor and love, in realization of a dream to serve their church area. The building was dedicated June 28, 1953 with District Superintendent Rev. Excelle Rozelle of Wilkesboro District W.N.C. Conference preaching the dedication service.
The sills, sub-flooring, ceiling boards, roof trusses, paneling, altar rails, pulpit are all salvaged from the 1905 church and remain in use in January 2009. The church people had spent $9,500.37 plus many man hours in this venture.
Our western east side has a dedicatory garden that holds a large ROCK. It was the hearthstone of the 1871 church; front step of the 1905 building; backstep of the 1953 building until 1998 and marked with its history by a brass marker on marble in 2003.
There is a Satelitte tracking device to the west end of the cemetery drive way. Placed there in 1985 by the Federal Government.
At present Cox's Chapel United Methodist Church is the only Virginia Church which is part of the Western North Carolina Conference of the Methodism. As far as record has been found around 1883 or 1884.
The Sparta Church burned around 1945 and rebuilt the Rev. William H. Yokeley was at that time their pastor and ours.
In 1951 Sparta became a second rate Station Church under the then Rev. Jesse L Johnson also their pastor and ours.
This caused the formation of the Alleghany-Grayson Charge that served Cox's Chapel, Piney Creek, Potato Creek, and Shiloh Churches. The first pastor was a student the Rev. Avery A. Ferguson. Our first parsonage a renovated home on the south side of Hwy 93.
Again Sparta tried a two point station venture in 1976 and Alleghany-Grayson began serving Cox's Chapel, Nathan's Creek, Piney Creek, and Potato Creek. Douglas L. Suggs was our pastor; his wife Patricia served the Sparta and Shiloh Churches.
In 1980 Sparta again became a Station Church on its own. The Alleghany-Grayson Charge again began to serve congregations at Cox's Chapel, Piney Creek, Potato Creek, and Shiloh. Rev. Phil Jenkins was the pastor, his wife served as Interim pastor for the area also.
Alleghany-Grayson Charge built a new parsonage in 1967-68 north of Hwy 93 near the former elementary Rock Creek School. Its first occupants were the Rev. Shirley Jones and family.
In 1983 during revival at Shiloh this parsonage burned. Rev. and Mrs. I. Richard Hathcock were serving us then. Virginia was a certified Lay Speaker.
Another parsonage was rebuilt on the same site and is still in use today January 10, 2009. Our pastor Rev. Pete D. Fender & family serve us.
We at present are a 3 point Charge that serves Cox's Chapel, Piney Creek, and Shiloh. Potato Creek was officially closed at Annual Conference June 13, 1999.
Rev. Susan H. Sides became our pastor in June 1999, shortly thereafter she felt led to begin regular worship services, at all three churches, every Sunday.
We continue this practice, but with the change of service time to regular Church service every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. followed by Sunday School at 11:00 a.m. With the exception of Memorial or Decoration Services on the 4th Sunday in June each year at 11:00 a.m. which is followed with a dinner on the grounds for all attending.
As information becomes available additions will be made to this history record. Today 10 January 2009 this is what we know so far.
Emma Phipps, Church Historian
Cox's Chapel United Methodist Church