Blog

North Pamunkey Baptist Church – a little brick church with a big history!

Off of bustling Route 20 in Orange County is Lahore Road. Following the road about seven miles back leads to a quiet and unassuming little brick church in the curve of the road that has been in existence since 1774. It sprung up in a small farming community that has been known through history by two names- the Pamunkey neighborhood and Lahore. North Pamunkey Baptist Church got its name from the small branch of the Pamunkey River that flows nearby. Formed officially sometime in 1774 by Elijah Craig, its first minister Aaron Bledsoe, and 20 members, North Pamunkey was a silent witness to the birth of America. 

But its members were anything but silent! Its members went on to supply the Revolution, both in goods and with their service. In 1776, they affixed their signatures to a petition that circulated the entire newly declared state. That petition, today known as the Dissenters’ Petition or the Ten Thousand Names Petition, implored the state legislature to recognize their right to worship God in a manner different to that which was being forced upon them. They had grown tired of persecution and imprisonment as they worshiped God outside of the confines of the Anglican Church. In exchange for an easing up of those restrictions, men like Elijah Craig helped recruit men for the Patriot cause. 

After the Revolution, as things returned to a new pace and Americans were truly independent, this group continued to push for permanent advancement of their rights by the General Assembly, signing their names to various petitions throughout the 1780s. By the time the Constitution was ready for ratification, James Madison was alerted that many men in Orange did not support it as written. He was urged to hear the complaints that the Baptists had regarding this new form of government. Deciding to hear them out, he met with John Leland, who represented the group, on what proposed amendments were needed in order to get their support. The result of that meeting was the agreement to include a Bill of Rights further guaranteeing freedom of religion. Madison made sure that two local ministers received copies of the Federalist papers arguing for that freedom. Those men were Aaron Bledsoe and Nathaniel Saunders. 

The congregation of North Pamunkey Baptist Church has experienced ebbs and flows over its 251 years of existence. Early on, it boasted over 300 members, at least half of those being slaves. After Emancipation, a majority of the freedmen in the congregation left to form Shady Grove Baptist Church. The church continued to play a prominent role in the community and the Goshen Baptist Association, which has existed since 1789. For years, there were members that could trace their family roots back to the church’s beginnings. While many of those dear ones have entered into their eternal rest, there are special ties that continue to bind this congregation together. 

Last fall, the church commemorated its 250th anniversary with a 3 day celebration of music, history, and fellowship. All of these celebrations can be viewed on our YouTube channel. On June 7, the church will celebrate once again with the official installation of a highway marker from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Learn much more information about the church and the community in the recently published book Bury Me at Pamunkey.

North Pamunkey meets weekly on Sundays at 10:00 am for Sunday school and 11:00 am for the Worship Service. There are classes for all ages as well as a nursery and Children’s Church during the Worship Service.