BURLINGTON CHURCHES
Burlington's
first church was a two story log structore on the hill west of and
overlooking the town with a cemetery adjacent on land donated by
Jacob Vandiver in 1803. The cemetery is still being used.
The original
church which is said to have been Baptist was replaced in 1853 by a
weather boarded 36 X 50 ft. building with a gallery over the
entrance. It was in this second church building that Federal troops,
during the Civil War, used its facilities as a barracks. Several
northern soldiers are buried in this cemetery.
The third house
of worship, the present Burlington Union Church, was planned around
the stove in Umstot and Wilson's store. Capt. John William Vandiver,
hsi wife and mother donated the land on Main Street of the village
for the church. James Sloan Jr and Capt. Vandiver donated the logs,
C.G. Wilson sawed into lumber that was used for the building. Labor
was mostly donated. The 20 colored glass windows cost $83 and the
bell was installed at a cost of $52.65. Total cost of this houseof
worship was $2490.73. The church was dedicated on 11-29-1891 as a
Union Church. The deeds to all three churches state they are to be
used as free churches for all denominations of Christians in good standing.
In 1870, the
Presbyterian Manse (Hob Huffman home) was built by John T. Pierce, a
local contractor. Later the Presbyterians used the last house on the
other side of Main Street across from the Huffman house for the Manse.
The Methodist
parsonage for many years was the second house from the church near
the school. In recent years, the Methodists have constructed a new
parsonage beside the Rosalie Vandiver home.
BEAVER
RUN CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN
Beaver
Run Road, Burlington, WV 26710