Falling Springs Presbyterian Church - Virginia Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

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)."

Marker Number: R-63 Marker Title: Falling Springs Presbyterian Church Marker Location: U. S. Route 11 at Falling Spring Road County or Independent City: Rockbridge County Marker Program Sponsor: The National Grigsby Family Society Web Site: Not listed

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log   08/14/2021 Markerman62 visited it 10/13/2012 BlueRidgeMtns visited it 06/29/2007 Neos2 wrote comment for it

View all visits/logs