Our History
In order to determine the beginning of this church you first have to study the history of the Town of Fairfax. According to The Fairfax County Courthouse by Ross D. Netherton and Ruby Waldeck (pub. July 1977 by the Fairfax County Office of Comprehensive Planning) a courthouse was first built here in 1800 but no name given to the village until 1805. At that time, in an Act of the Assembly a town at the Fairfax Court House was to be established as Providence.
It is impossible for us to know exactly when our church was established. We believe we were in existence as early as 1800 but are unable to prove it. Legend is that we first met in a log cabin dating from about 1822. Legend also has it that we later shared the use of Payne Baptist Church at Fairfax Station with other congregations.
Jerusalem Baptist Church knows that they met at that facility and there might well be mention of us in their church records. However, their records were accidentally destroyed following the Civil War.
The earliest deed in our possession is dated 1842 and the wording states that the line of ownership begins at the church parsonage lot on Ellzey’s Church Rd. This deed, and one dated 1843, were for the purpose of building a church building. The wording in the first deed suggests that there was already a parsonage and a place of worship. But, again, no proof.
The years prior to the Civil War were as turbulent as the war itself. The Methodist Church was split over the issue of slavery and around 1845 split into two factions. We then became known as Fairfax Methodist Episcopal Church, South. During the war itself there were no ministers assigned to churches in the conference due to the great physical danger to the ministers themselves. However, the Rev. William Goheen Hammond makes reference to the fact that he preached here during that time and was extremely worried for the lives and the souls of this area.
On March 3, 1887 Congress passed the Tucker Act. Under this act groups and individuals could file suit for damages suffered from Union troops provided one could prove that they had been loyal to the Union and offered no assistance to the Confederacy.
We filed suit – but not until April 1909. In this lawsuit testimony is given by three people: Fannie B. Taylor, a member who is 83 years of age; David A. Steele, a 62 year old farmer and W. H. Pettitt, a 78 year old carpenter. All three claimed that the church as a church gave no aid or comfort to the enemy. They describe the building as 30 x 40 feet and built of brick. The church had a balcony for black people and could hold upwards of 200 people. Fannie says the building was begun in 1849 and finished in 1853. She further states that in 1861 the Confederates occupied the building as a hospital until October of that year.
In the fall of 1863 Union troops from New York took over the building. They first used the floor as a stable and the balcony for officers. Later, as winter approached they completely dismantled the building. They used the bricks for building walkways and ovens for their winter quarters located outside the town.
Prior to 1879 we have no church records with the exception of the aforementioned deeds. Following the war erection of a new church began. One person states that he remembers his father saying that this church was almost completed when it accidentally caught fire and burned to the ground. It is possible that because this happened right after the war that people later came to erroneously state that it burned during the war.
By 1879 a new building was in existence and our earliest church registers and quarterly conferences begin at this time. The new name for our church is Duncan Chapel and our town is now called Fairfax.
The earliest artifact possessed by our church is a large Bible whose dedication page states that it was presented by the “Little Girls of the Village” in 1850. Our next is a certificate presented to Mrs. Martha Garner by the Ladies of the M. E. Church, Fairfax Court House, VA dated 27 December 1859. A communion pitcher was given to the church by Antonia Ford Willard, wife of Joseph Willard of the Willard Hotel. There is no date but the inscription reads “From A. F. W. to Pa’s church. She is not dead but sleepeth.” It is believed that the inscription is referring to the church itself and its forced shutdown during the war.
Antonia Ford and her family belonged to this church during and prior to the war. Antonia’s brother served in the Confederate Army and was killed in battle. Her father operated a feed and grain store and often delivered messages for the southern cause. Antonia herself was arrested as a spy and incarcerated in the Old Capitol Prison in D.C. It was there that she was wooed by Joseph Willard, himself an officer in the Union Army. He convinced her to give up spying, declare her loyalty to the Union and in return promised to resign from the Union Army. In spite of all of this, we were able to establish the church’s not choosing sides during the war and were awarded $1,000 for damages received from the New York troops.
In our archives there is a reprint of an obituary for one Miss Nancy Shedd dated 23 February 1894. It states that she had been a member of the church for over 60 years. If this is true, then it would prove our existence to the early 1830s.
Fannie B. Taylor died in 1915 and in 1921 a dedication of the Fannie B. Taylor Sunday school building was held. Fannie is credited with organizing the first women’s group known as the Ladies Aid and Missionary Society. In August 1940 seventeen women met at the church to form the Women’s Society of Christian Service (WSCS). Today the group is known as the Women’s Christian Society (WCS).
1918 saw all churches closed by order of the governor due to an influenza epidemic and again in the mid-1930s because of polio.
From 1932 until 1939 we had as our treasurer John M. Whalen. John took it upon himself to record more than just the collection plate. He recorded the weather, if someone were present but hadn’t included a collection envelope, sermon topic and how he rated it, how many were present as well as some personal notes about individuals and conditions within the church. Through him we are able to get a glimpse of what life was like within the church as well as the local community.
Our first church bulletin appeared in 1932. At this time we are called Duncan Chapel, M. E. Church, South.
Christmas Eve day, 1938 the Rev. R. Carl Maxwell has recorded that he performed 19 wedding ceremonies!!! Nowhere else in the entire history of our church (nor any other local church I’ve been able to check) does such a large number of weddings appear. One has to wonder if he wasn’t offering a special that year!! At that time, our building was located across the street from the court house which probably helped. But it does make one stop and think.
On 14 December 1947 a meeting was called of all youth in order to form their own groups. In 1955 the first coffee hour was held. This was also the beginning of the end of all services and functions to be held in our old frame church. We had simply outgrown our facilities and with no room for expansion were forced to go elsewhere.
The dedication service for our current home was held 5 August 1956 and our membership was now over the 1,000 mark. The property had been donated by Mrs. Pearle W. Sharpe and consisted of three acres. Our old facility was sold to the County of Fairfax and at one point was used for the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. Later, it was razed to enlarge the road which would lead from Rt. 123 to the new Massey Building.
Since 1956 the sanctuary has been well extended and no less than three additions have taken place. By 1989 the membership had grown to over 3,000 and the staff greatly increased. Helen Jones was our first pastoral secretary and Melvin C. Buckingham our first Director of Religious Education.
Our choir dates back to at least the 1930s as John M. Whalen mentions them and their new robes. We have gone from volunteer choir directors and organists to full time employees. Our music program has grown dramatically and become widely known for the excellent performances by its members.