Beaver Creek Church was formally organized in 1806. Prior to this time, German Baptist Brethren, or “Dunkard,” families were already gathering to worship in nearby homes. Elder Daniel Miller is considered to be the founding spiritual leader of the congregation. The early congregation consisted primarily of his family members, and to this day, his descendants are still numbered among the members. When Elder Daniel Miller passed away in 1819, two sons, Jacob and Martin, took over leadership responsibilities. A meeting house was built on the Miller land, and in 1828, the sons officially signed the deed transferring the land over to the congregation.
In the more than 200 years of its history, Beaver Creek Church has seen many changes. The congregation hosted the German Baptist Brethren Annual Meeting in 1861, was instrumental in the organization of Spring Creek Normal School (now known as Bridgewater College) in 1880, and has been responsible for the organization of at least 17 “daughter” congregations in surrounding communities.
The present brick meetinghouse was first built in 1917.
The congregation chose to disaffiliate from the Church of the Brethren in 2022, and they remain independent.
Contributed by Jonathan B. Scarr
Sources
- The first two paragraphs are mostly copied from the Beaver Creek Church website, “Past and Present” (beavercreekchurchva.org/past-and-present).
- Roger E. Sappington, The Brethren in Virginia (1973).