Our History

History of Austin Grove United Methodist Church
(also known Rock Hill)  

The church and religion have played a vital role in the African American community. Such was the case in the lives of many of the residents in Howardsville and Rock Hill throughout their history. As freed slaves, many of the early Howardsville and Rock Hill settlers were deeply spiritual people. In most of the small freedmen communities that were settled after the Civil War in Loudoun County, the first thing that was built was a church, schoolhouse and cemetery (1). 

Those early freedmen settlers had a deep desire to praise God and, in many cases, their faith was all they had to sustain them while in bondage. The faith of those early Howardsville and Rock Hill settlers, and later generations, was inspiring. Despite not having a lot in terms of material possessions, they gave thanks and praise to the Lord for what they had. Many supported their church by giving their time, talents and limited finances. As ex-slaves, the early church members knew what it had been like to be forbidden to worship their God the way they desired and forced to worship under the watchful eye of their slave master or overseer.

Austin Grove United Methodist Church was originally called “Rock Hill”, the name of the community in which it was located. During the early years of Rock Hill, its congregation was made up of residents from the freedmen communities of Howardsville and Rock Hill (2). Many African American families who worked and lived on neighboring farms attended Rock Hill. Up until the time the church closed its doors in 2017, many descendants of the original church members continued to call Austin Grove their family church for 145 years. 

According to Austin Grove United Methodist Church archives, in 1872, the Reverend Henry Carroll organized the Rock Hill Methodist Church in a private home. The church was pastored by circuit riders and later held services in the Rock Hill School located on the same land where the present building now stands. Originally, the church was part of the Middleburg circuit. Rock Hill later became part of the Lincoln Charge. The present stone building was built in 1911, at which time the congregation changed their name to Austin Grove to honor their pastor, T. N. Austin. Despite the name change, “Rock Hill” continued to be used interchangeably with the name Austin Grove (2).

In addition to playing a role as a place of worship for residents of Rock Hill, Howardsville, and African Americans who resided nearby, the building functioned as a school from the 1870s to the 1940s. Many of the early students were the children and grandchildren of those who experienced the hardships of being denied the opportunity to learn to read and write. The church and school were a great source of pride for the African American community that surrounded Rock Hill. After the new church building was built in 1911, the original building continued to function as a school until the 1940s. The original church and school building was torn down in the 1980s for additional parking space (2).

Organized in 1872, Rock Hill, at the time of its closing in 2018, was one of the oldest organized African American churches in Loudoun County. The date of the church precedes the first black landowner land in Howardsville by two years. Reverend Melbourne Bailey (pastor of Rock Hill from 1980-1990), in recognition of its 132nd anniversary, described Rock Hill, “Your name Rock Hill is a combination of the Rock on which Christ has built His church and His saying that a city on a hill cannot be hidden”(2).

The longest-serving minister at the Rock Hill Church was Otis Jasper. He was the minister there from 1940-1977. After his retirement, and during his later years, Rev. Jasper remained at the church as a church elder.

The passage below is from a letter that Rev. Jasper wrote in 1976 in honor of Austin Grove’s 104th anniversary. The letter, written a year before his retirement, captured the essence of Austin Grove’s history and Rev. Jasper’s dedicated ministry. The letter was obtained from the Austin Grove United Methodist Church archives.

“I have pastored Austin Grove United Methodist Church for 36 years. I have a deep and close relationship with the families of this church. Many I started with have passed on, others have grown up, and have families of their own, who are growing up now too. These members have supported their church in good and bad times, they really have kept the faith. They are a deeply religious people, who work hard to accomplish goals we establish. Their success is that they are a family church, with one great interest, the church. I have truly enjoyed the hard work, trials, the joys I have had with them these 36 years and come what may in my life, these years will have a special place in my heart and memory” (2). 

Historical Significance: 
The original church building (Rock Hill Church, named for the freedmen community of Rock Hill where the church stood) is believed to have been organized first in 1872. The original church building also functioned as a school for African American children from the areas of Willisville, Howardsville, Rock Hill and African American homes in between. The main stone building was built in 1911, at which time the new church was named in honor of a former pastor. The old school house remained in use until it was closed in the 1940s.  

Existence of the building/property in it’s various functions:
Property used as a school: 1872-1940s
Property utilized as a church: 1872-2017
Stone structure church: 1911-2018