A Virginia Village Part 13

The Rev. Mr. Rathbun was pastor from 1890 to 1900.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mr. J. W. Seay]

The church has a large membership and the congregation continues to increase.

The Sunday School connected with the church, of which Mr. E. C. Hough is Superintendent, is one of the largest in the village.

DULIN CHAPEL M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH. After the close of the war of 1861-65 the Methodists of Falls Church found themselves without a house of worship, the church in which they had formerly worshipped having been destroyed by soldiers of the Union Army while encamped close by. For a time they held services in the "Old Falls Church," the present Episcopal Church of the town until some of the leading members, desirous of having a house of worship of their own, took steps towards the erection of the present building near the site of their old church, among them being the late H. W. Febrey, John E. Febrey, B. F. Shreve, Jos. E. Birch and Wm.

Dulin.

Mr. Wm. Dulin gave the site and soon there was erected thereon a church which was dedicated in the spring of 1869. The parsonage was built a few years later. The church as first built was remodeled in 1893. The church officers are as follows: W. H. Torreyson, W. H. Shreve, R. W.

Birch, W. S. Tucker, W. M. Ellison, Trustees; W. H. Shreve, F. L. Birch, J. H. Brunner, E. J. Febrey, W. M. Ellison, Stewards.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mr. J. H. Wells]

COLUMBIA BAPTIST CHURCH. Columbia Baptist Church was organized in 1857 by Rev. Hiram Reed, and up to the beginning of the civil war had about 300 enrolled on the church books as active members.

Services were discontinued during the war and the church used as a hospital by the Union troops. Later it was used as a public school for a number of years prior to 1870. In that year the State Mission Board sent the Rev. W. S. O. Thomas to reopen the church as a place of worship.

Rev. Mr. Thomas was succeeded by Rev. Hugh McCormick, now in Porto Rico.

The Mission Board a.s.sisted the church liberally in a financial way up to the time Rev. Mr. McCormick a.s.sumed charge, since which time the congregation has been self-supporting.

The following pastors have occupied the pulpit for various terms since the church was first organized: Rev. Hiram Reed, Rev. Hugh McCormick, Rev. George E. Truitt, Rev. G. W. T. Noland, Rev. J. B. Clayton, Rev. J.

T. Barbor, Rev. J. W. Kincheloe and Rev. A. W. Graves.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mr. M. H. Brinkerhoff]

The church at this time has a membership of 103 and is in a more prosperous condition than at any time since the war.

The officers of the church are: Deacons: E. J. Galpin, Thomas Hillier, Frank Williams. Clerk, Thomas Hillier; Treasurer, Mrs. Geo. W.

Hawxhurst; Trustees, E. J. Galpin, Geo. F. McInturff, Elijah Berry.

The Sunday School has about forty scholars on the rolls, the officers of which are: Mr. R. S. Ilsley, Superintendent, Mr. Van Quick, a.s.sistant Superintendent, Miss Emma Seaman, Organist.

THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. The First Congregational Church of Falls Church, Va., was organized and duly recognized by Council May 30, 1876, the Congregational Society having first been organized in October, 1875.

Services were held in the Baptist Church up to 1879 when the present attractive church building was erected. It is of Gothic design, with main audience room seating 300, and a Sunday School room in the rear. A fine toned bell was purchased in 1881.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mrs. A. V. Piggott]

At its organization 25 members united in forming the church. At that time it was thought by some that another church in such a small town would result in dissension among the Christian people. Such was not the intention of this church. At its first annual meeting a resolution was unanimously adopted expressing "good wishes toward every church of Christ in this place, and its readiness and desire to co-operate with them in every good work." The other churches responded in a Christian spirit, and the pastors and churches of this town have always cordially worked together in the cause of the Master.

The first minister engaged by the Society was Rev. J. W. Chickering, Jr.

The first regular pastor of the church was Rev. L. B. Platt, who supplied the pulpit from November, 1877 to July, 1880, followed by Rev.

A. L. Park, November, 1881 to December, 1882. Rev. Wm. W. Jordan, May, 1883 to October, 1885. Rev. F. W. Tuckerman, September, 1886 to May, 1890. Rev. R. E. Eels, acting pastor, February, 1891 to December, 1891.

Rev. J. H. Jenkins, January, 1893 to July, 1897. Rev. a.r.s.ene Schmavonian, May, 1899 to May, 1901. Rev. Franklin n.o.ble, the present minister was called to the church December, 1901.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mr. G. B. Ives]

The following are the officers of the church: Trustees, Geo. F. Rollins, M. H. Brinkerhoff, Geo. W. Poole; Treasurer, Dr. J. B. Gould; Clerk, Frank H. Eastman; Superintendent Sunday School, Miss Gertrude Nourse.

Deacons: Geo. F. Rollins, G. A. L. Merrifield and Albert P. Eastman.

Deaconesses: Mrs. Albert P. Eastman and Mrs. Helen C. Raymond.

ST. JAMES ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. St. James Roman Catholic Church, Falls Church, of which Rev. Father Tierney is Pastor, was built in 1902 and is one of the finest specimens of Gothic architecture in Northern Virginia.

It is built of Virginia sand stone taken from a quarry near the village.

The old church, a wooden structure built about 26 years ago, had become too small for the growing congregation, and through the munificence of Mrs. Thomas Ryan of New York City, the present handsome and imposing edifice was erected at a more convenient point.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mr. Nathan Lynch]

Father Tierney has been in charge of this parish for about ten years and under his ministration the church has grown in numbers and influence, the membership at present being about 325.

The church and parsonage was designed and built under the supervision of Mr. A. O. Von Herbulis, an architect of wide reputation and a resident of this village.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. The Methodist Episcopal Church, situated on Washington Street, was built in 1875 chiefly through the aid of the late Isaac Crossman. He donated the site for the building and later contributed liberally to its support.

Rev. D. C. Hedrick is the present pastor, to whom the congregation has become much attached during the brief time he has been stationed here.

The following are the officers of the church: Trustees, J. M. Thorne, M.

E. Church, W. Y. Swiggett, S. S. Luttrell, W. W. Biggs, V. E. Kerr, Henry Crocker, and Geo. G. Crossman; Stewards, M. E. Church, J. M.

Thorne and W. Y. Swiggett.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mrs. Mary G. Sims]

CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR SOCIETY. Meets every Sunday at 6:15 p. m., at the Presbyterian Chapel. Officers: A. M. Smith, President; Miss Raydelle B.

Shaw, Vice President; Jesse Varcoe, Secretary; Miss Emma Seaman, Corresponding Secretary; Milton Thorne, Treasurer.

EPWORTH LEAGUE OF THE M. E. CHURCH. President, W. W. Biggs; Vice Presidents, Miss Ida N. Ball, Mrs. V. E. Kerr; Mrs. M. H. Luttrell, Dr.

S. S. Luttrell, Miss Pearl Luttrell; Secretary, Walter S. Kerr; Treasurer, Mrs. J. M. Thorne; Organist, Miss Pearl Luttrell.

JEFFERSON INSt.i.tUTE. Enrollment session 1904-5 147. Princ.i.p.al, Prof. E.

C. Sine; Teachers, Miss Fannie Weadon, Miss Ruth Dyer, Miss Ida N. Ball.

OAKWOOD CEMETERY. Oakwood Cemetery is beautifully situated in the Eastern part of the town on the site of the old Methodist Church. It contains about 5 acres enclosed with a neatly trimmed evergreen hedge.

The officers of the cemetery a.s.sociation are Wm. N. Febrey, President; E. J. Northrup, Secretary; G. A. L. Merrifield, Treasurer; M. E. Church, Superintendent.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mr. A. E. Rowell]

KEMPER LODGE NO. 64, A. F. & A. M. Chartered December 3, 1896. Meets second and fourth Fridays in each month. Membership about 60. Officers: W. A. Ball, W. M.; A. H. Barbor, S. W.; J. R. Hagan, J. W. Past Masters: John H. Fisher, M. E. Church, G. T. Mankin, Dr. Geo. B. Fadeley, Dr. T.

C. Quick, Geo. M. Newell.

THE INDEPENDENT ORDER OF GOOD TEMPLARS. Pioneer Lodge No. 1 of Good Templars was organized on April 27, 1887. This lodge meets every Tuesday night at Odd Fellows Hall. The lodge has a membership of eighty-five in good standing. The object of the order is prohibition of the liquor traffic by the will of the people, and no saloons have been allowed here for over thirty years, largely attributable to Pioneer Lodge which keeps public sentiment alive on the subject. The present officers of the lodge are: Henry Hawxhurst, Chief Templar; Jesse Varcoe, Past Chief Templar; Miss Laura Summers, Secretary; George W. Hawxhurst, Financial Secretary; Mrs. J. H. Garretson, Treasurer; J. H. Marr, Marshal; Miss Raydelle B.

Shaw, Chaplain; Miss Catharine Foley, Vice Templar; G. C. Kesterson, Guard; Walter Kerr, Sentinel; Mrs. M. M. Erwin, Organist; J. H.

Garretson, Lodge Deputy; Geo. W. Hawxhurst, Superintendent of Juveniles.

Falls Church is also headquarters of the Grand Lodge of the State. Since 1887 the office of Grand Secretary has been located here, Mr. George W.

Hawxhurst, who has filled the office for the past thirty-two years, being a resident of the town.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Dr. S. S. Luttrell]