Hopwood History

Check out this link to read some history on the relationship between the Hopwood (formerly Buffalo Creek Christian) Church and Milligan College.  http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News/article.php?id=89394

Founder of Milligan College is Buried in Bristol The Rev. Wilson Gilvin Barker was born near Mendota, Va., on Christmas Day in 1830. His mother called him “her little Christmas gift” and as it was, he proved to be a gift to many. He was a son of Col. Joel Neville Barker (1803-1869) and Jemima Rush Kendrick Barker (1813-1857). He was a grandson of Charles and Frances Chiles Barker and Thomas and Mary Kendrick. His father later bought or built an old brick house that still stands on the Old Stage Road a few miles west of Bristol.

The following article appeared in the Bristol Herald Courier on Sunday, January 23, 2011. Used with permission by the author.

Founder of Milligan College is Buried in Bristol
The Rev. Wilson Gilvin Barker was born near Mendota, Va., on Christmas Day in 1830. His mother called him “her little Christmas gift” and as it was, he proved to be a gift to many.

This year also marks the 200th anniversary of the Declaration and Address, a "charter document" of the Christian churches/churches of Christ. This writing was an appeal for Christian unity penned by Thomas Campbell in 1809. The major tenets of this plea included these professions:

1. "That the Church of Christ upon earth is essentially, intentionally, and constitutionally one; consisting of all those in every place that profess their faith in Christ and obedience to him in all things according to the Scriptures..."

Throughout this next year we will celebrate our heritage as a historic congregation in the Stone-Campbell Christian church/churches of Christ tradition. The Hopwood congregation celebrated its 150^th Anniversary in 1984; our sign and cornerstone both read “1834" as the date the church was established. Early documents indicate that the Hopwood congregation, originally the “Buffalo (or Buffaloe...or Buffalow!) Creek Christian Church” is a bit older.

Josephus and Sarah Eleanor Hopwood served God at Milligan College and at the Buffalo Creek Christian Church for many years in the late 1800's and early 1900's.  Josephus was president of Milligan and Mrs. Hopwood was known as a wonderful teacher and mentor of students.  Check out my sermon, "Holy Spirit Heresy!" telling about the time Mr. Hopwood was tried for heresy at the Buffalo Creek Church. After the church building was renovated in the 1930's, the Buffalo Creek Christian Church was renamed the Hopwood Memorial Christian Church.  The picture on the right shows the old Buffalo Creek Christian Church in the foreground, together with the old Administration building that later burned and another building that stood near what is now the nursing building.  Note the way that the steeple was re-used when the church was renovated.  Photos courtesy of the Milligan College archives.

Courtesy of the Milligan College Archives

Photo courtesy of the Milligan College Archives.