Long Description:The roots of the Falling Spring Presbyterian Church extend far back
into colonial times as
Presbyterian ministers brought their ministry to the western
Virginia frontier. Beginning in the 1730s it was customary for
settlers of the Presbyterian faith in the Rockbridge area to gather
in a frontier cabin for religious fellowship. In 1748 a small group
south of Lexington formed such a meeting-house, which were the
roots of the Falling Spring Church. This group was served by
itinerant pastors until 1775, when James McConnell, a graduate of
Nassau Hall, now Princeton University, was installed as pastor. A
classmate of Mr. McConnell was William Graham, the first President
of Liberty Hall Academy, later Washington College and now
Washington and Lee University and a strong supported of the
colonists’ during the Revolutionary War. In 1782 Hanover Presbytery
placed McConnell on the Board of Trustees of Liberty Hall Academy.
In 1854 Rev. William F. Junkin, son of George F. Junkin – then
president of then president of Washington College and succeeded by
Gen. Robert E. Lee – assumed the pastorate of Falling Spring
Church. It was at the beginning of Rev. Junkin’s tenure, in April
of 1856, that the church “first took into consideration the idea of
looking for property upon which it could build its first parsonage.
After an obviously successful search, the Lexington Gazette
reported on November 20, 1856 that “the Presbyterian Church at
Falling Spring is building a very neat Parsonage about half a mile
from the Church, on the road to Fancy Hill, on a very eligible lot
of five acres generously presented to the Church, for that purpose,
by Messrs. John B. & Wm. F. Poague. The house, which is a
handsome cottage of brick, will cost about $3,000, and will, it is
supposed, be ready in the spring for its first occupant, the Rev.
Wm. F. Junkin, the highly esteemed and popular pastor of the
congregation. Reverend Junkin served the congregation until 1867,
although his pastorate was interrupted by his service as a private,
officer and chaplain in the Confederate Army.
Named after a small waterfall (“Falling Spring”) off Buffalo
Creek, the Presbyterian Church and manse currently stand on a small
tract of land originally willed in 1786 by Alexander Beggs. The
second church building built of stone in 1793 fell to disrepair in
the 1860s and the church building committee decided a new brick
facility should be erected. The Manse predates the current
Presbyterian Church building, which was dedicated in May of
1864.
The Church building is still in service today with services
scheduled each Sunday. The adjacent church cemetery is the final
resting place for early settlers including a number of
Revolutionary War Veterans.
The Falling Springs Presbyterian Church is located at the
intersection of Route 780 and Route 789, two-miles southeast of U.
S. Route 11.
The text of the marker reads:
FALLING SPRINGS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
"The oldest congregation in the Fincastle Presbytery, the Falling
Spring Presbyterian Church, was organized before 1748. The Hanover
Presbytery met here in October, 1780. THe present Gothic Revival
church was constructed of slave-made brick during the Civil War. At
the time of its dedication in April, 1864. General Thomas L.
Rosser’s Cavalry Brigade was camped here. The first burial in the
present cemetery was that of John Grigsby of Fruit Hill
(1720-1794)."