Highlighting Revolutionary War Veterans

Saturday, June 13, at 10am

Leading the tour is Gino Williams, a Floyd native and former mayor whose deep love of local history now fuels his role as President of the Floyd County Historical Society.

The site is on Spangler Mill Road (SR 682) about 1/2 mile from the intersection with US 221 N, Floyd.

More info: 540-745-3247 or info@floydhistoricalsociety.org

Pine Creek Primitive Baptist Church is one of the earliest churches established in Floyd County, Virginia. The membership began to meet as early as 1795 and was established in the first church building on this property by 1804 in what was then Montgomery County. Originally the church had 55 members and continued to operate until well until the 20th century, though membership began to decline after 1990 until all the members had passed away.

Pine Creek Church was integrated by at least 1822. The first African-descended members were believed to have been slaves, though there were free persons of color living in the area by this time. On April 5, 1822, Alse Wells, a slave of Richard Wells, was the first known African-American to become a member of the church.

Many prominent Floyd County families played a part in the development of this church. Among those families were Howard’s, Howery’s, Moore’s, Dodd’s, Shortt’s, Cole’s, Dickerson’s, Graham’s, Spangler’s, and Shelor’s.

The 1804 document transferring the property to the church stipulated that a graveyard be established. The cemetery’s history is intertwined with that of the church and significantly adds to its importance. Buried in the cemetery are many early settlers of Floyd County, several Confederate soldiers, and—perhaps most importantly—six known Revolutionary War patriots. The graves of Moses Dickerson, Peter Howard, Thomas Goodson, Daniel Shelor, and Daniel Spangler are clearly marked and identified as Revolutionary War veterans. John Banks is also known to be buried in the cemetery; however, his marker has disappeared and is believed to have been covered by debris or fill.

Pine Creek Primitive Baptist Church and its associated cemetery are historically significant sites in the formation and growth of Floyd County, Virginia. The site is important in the social and religious history of the county.

Architectural and Operational History

The surviving church building on the property is a single-story, wood-framed structure assumed to have been constructed in the late 1800s, replacing earlier meeting houses. It features a 28 x 34-foot sanctuary, clear-finished pine floors, and random-width painted pine boards on the walls and ceiling.

The site is currently maintained under the care of the Floyd County Historical Preservation Trust.