The Spiritual Geography of Cloverlick

 

The Spiritual Geography of Cloverlick: An Ecclesiastical and Sociological History of Faith in Pocahontas County, West Virginia

The religious landscape of Cloverlick, situated within the high-altitude topography of Pocahontas County, West Virginia, represents a complex intersection of frontier survivalism, Scotch-Irish doctrinal rigidity, and the eventual transformative pressures of industrial capitalism. To examine the history of religion in this specific locale is to move beyond a simple tally of denominations; it is to explore how the spiritual lives of settlers were forged in a wilderness that they simultaneously viewed as a "wildness paradise" fashioned by a Creator and a perilous terrain requiring the constant mediation of divine providence. The evolution of faith in Cloverlick—from the early indigenous concepts of the Great Spirit to the sophisticated "railroad religion" of the early twentieth century—provides a profound case study in the adaptation of European religious structures to the American Appalachian interior.  

Indigenous Spiritual Foundations and the Pioneer Encounter

Before the mid-eighteenth-century arrival of European pioneers, the region surrounding Cloverlick served as a spiritual and ancestral domain for the Shawnee and other aboriginal peoples. The religious life of these groups was deeply rooted in the land itself, which they regarded as an inheritance from their fathers. The physical manifestation of this faith was found in burial mounds, where they observed "solemn rights of worship" and chanted war songs and funeral dirges that functioned as both liturgical and historical narratives.  

The pioneer encounter with this indigenous spirituality was characterized by a profound ontological gap. Early settlers and nineteenth-century historians like William T. Price often sought to understand the "otherness" of indigenous belief through the lens of their own biblical frameworks. A pervasive ethnological theory of the time suggested that the American Indians might be a "remnant of the so-termed Lost Tribes of Israel," a speculation fueled by perceived similarities in religious traditions and usages. This desire to link the indigenous inhabitants to a Hebrew origin reflects the pioneers' own deep-seated need to find a familiar scriptural narrative in the wildness of the Greenbrier Valley.  

The indigenous concept of the "Great Spirit" was noted by pioneers during times of conflict. Accounts of the death of the Shawnee leader Cornstalk and his son at Point Pleasant reveal a fatalistic yet profound reliance on divine will, with Cornstalk purportedly stating that the "Great Spirit" had seen fit for them to die together. This shared belief in a sovereign governor of human affairs provided a rare point of commonality—however misinterpreted—between the displaced Shawnee and the encroaching Scotch-Irish settlers.  

The Scotch-Irish Migration and the Presbyterian Ethic

The permanent settlement of Cloverlick was spearheaded by Scotch-Irish immigrants who filtered into the Virginia valleys from Pennsylvania and Maryland. These settlers were the progeny of a diaspora forged by religious persecution in Ulster, where the English Church had inaugurated oppressions against all Protestants who dissented from the Established Church's doctrines. Consequently, the religious identity of the Cloverlick pioneers was characterized by a fierce independence and a preference for dissenting sects, primarily Presbyterianism and Quakerism.  

Pioneer Family	Primary Religious/Cultural Roots	Early Settlement Location
Warwick	Scotch-Irish / Presbyterian	Cloverlick / Dunmore
Sharp	Scotch-Irish / Quaker branches	Beverly Manor / Cloverlick
Moore	Scotch-Irish / Presbyterian	Swago / Cloverlick vicinity
Friel	Irish / Presbyterian-Lutheran ties	Carrich Ridge / Cloverlick

 

These families brought a "Presbyterian descent" that emphasized biblical literacy and a stoic endurance. Faith was not merely a private matter; it was the framework for community organization. In a region where formal church buildings were initially non-existent, the domestic sphere became the primary site of religious practice. The early history of Cloverlick religion is, therefore, fundamentally a history of pioneer households.  

The Warwick Influence and the Genesis of the Sabbath School

The figure of Mary Vance Warwick, wife of Major Jacob Warwick, is central to the ecclesiastical development of Cloverlick. Her personal faith was the catalyst for the institutionalization of religious education in the county. After the Warwicks settled in Cloverlick—exchanging their Kentucky land possessions for the Cloverlick estate to avoid the dangers of the "perilous lands" of the west—Mary Warwick established what is credited as the first Sabbath School in Pocahontas County.  

Element of Early Sabbath School	Historical Characteristics
Logistics	Conducted at a schoolhouse near the Josiah Friel cabin, requiring a four-mile ride
Instructional Style	Intensive sessions lasting five continuous hours, starting at nine o'clock
Pedagogy	Bible reading and moral advice; notably absent of formalized prayer or singing in the earliest phase
Social Influence	Educated future ministers like James E. Moore and provided a template for frontier community gathering

 

Mary Warwick’s commitment to this enterprise, even in her old age when she had to be lifted onto her horse by servants, underscores the role of women as the primary keepers of religious orthodoxy on the frontier. Her instruction provided the "earliest religious instructions" for a generation that would eventually build the county’s first formal sanctuaries.  

The Methodist Awakening and Itinerant Ministry

While Presbyterianism provided the structural foundation, Methodism became the populist flame of the region. The Methodist movement’s success in the Cloverlick vicinity was due to its itinerant system, which was perfectly adapted to the dispersed population of the Appalachian mountains. The arrival of Bishop Francis Asbury in 1788 marked a pivotal moment in this transition.

The Visitation of Bishop Francis Asbury

Asbury’s journey to Cloverlick in July 1788 highlights the area's significance as a transit point for religious ideas. Traveling on horseback from North Carolina through the Greenbrier Valley, Asbury arrived at a "remote and exposed house" in Cloverlick. His journal entries provide a vivid sociological snapshot of the community: a congregation of "backwoods people" where nearly everyone, including children, was barefooted, and the clergy wore Indian moccasins.  

The Asbury visitation was not merely a sermon; it was an act of "ecclesiastical mapping," integrating Cloverlick into the broader Methodist circuit that spanned the Atlantic states. This visit laid the groundwork for the "Quarterly Meetings" and "Love Feasts" that would become the emotional and social highlights of the Cloverlick religious calendar.  

The Career of James E. Moore

The legacy of the early Sabbath schools bore fruit in the career of James E. Moore, a "widely known Methodist minister" who began his spiritual journey under Mary Warwick’s tutelage. Moore’s work represents the transition from itinerant preaching to the organization of formal congregations. In 1840, alongside Rev. John Waugh, he organized the first services at Mt. Pleasant, utilizing a log schoolhouse that would eventually be replaced by a dedicated church building in 1893. Moore is remembered as a figure who "did more for his church than any two ministers who have ever preached in this region," embodying the synthesis of frontier zeal and institutional stability.  

Denominational Fluidity and the "Union" Tradition

In the mid-nineteenth century, the scarcity of resources and the shared challenges of mountain life led to a unique religious phenomenon in Cloverlick: the Union Church. The primary example was the Union Chapel, commonly referred to as the "Beverage Church," constructed in 1874.  

The Union Chapel was a log structure dedicated to the service of multiple denominations, including various branches of Methodism and the Dunkards (Brethren). This arrangement reflected a pragmatic ecumenism born of necessity. The building served not only as a place of worship but as a "community center" and a schoolhouse until 1893, illustrating the blurred lines between civic and sacred life in Cloverlick.  

Church / Chapel Name	Denominational Affiliation	Key Historical Event
Union Chapel (Beverage)	Methodist / Dunkard / Union	Constructed 1874; used by all branches until 1890
Woods Poage Chapel	Presbyterian (Mission) / Union	Built 1919; building was dismantled and shipped by rail to Cloverlick
Arbovale M.E. Church	Methodist Episcopal	Established 1849; focal point for regional "Home Coming" days
Grace Episcopal	Protestant Episcopal	Consecrated 1911; located in the town of Cloverlick during the lumber boom
Bethel M.E. Church	Methodist Episcopal	Located on Back Allegheny Mountain; served the outlying rural population

 

The Dunkards and Pietist Influence

The presence of the Dunkards, or the Church of the Brethren, added a distinct Pietist dimension to Cloverlick’s religious tapestry. Descended from the 1708 Schwarzenau Brethren in Germany, these settlers were characterized by their commitment to non-resistance, plain dress, and the practice of trine immersion.  

In Cloverlick, the Dunkards were noted for their "solemn and ascetic" appearance, with men wearing long, flowing beards and homespun formal-cut dress. Despite their withdrawal from political and military discussions—a stance that made them "orderly, law-abiding citizens"—they were famously known as "horse-traders," a cultural trait that became synonymous with the sect in the regional folk imagination. Their participation in the Union Chapel services ensured that Cloverlick remained a site of significant theological diversity even during its most isolated periods.  

Folk Religion, Visions, and the Supernatural

Beyond the formalized structures of the church, the history of religion in Cloverlick is rich with accounts of folk beliefs and personal spiritual encounters. The isolation of the mountains fostered a brand of Christianity that was deeply attuned to the supernatural and the prophetic.

The Sharp family history preserves a remarkable account of a "vision" experienced by a family member during a severe illness. The individual reported seeing "Jesus and the angels who took care of him," an experience that left a lasting testimony regarding the "necessity of having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ". These miracles were viewed not as anomalies but as continuations of the biblical narrative into the nineteenth-century Appalachian present.  

Furthermore, the pioneers often blended their Christian faith with a belief in signs and dreams. Jacob Warwick, for instance, noted that dreaming of "wild turkeys" was a sure omen of impending trouble with Indians—a form of "spiritual reconnaissance" that complemented his military skills. This fusion of the sacred and the practical was a hallmark of the Cloverlick spiritual experience.  

The Industrial Era and "Railroad Religion"

The arrival of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad at the turn of the twentieth century signaled a tectonic shift in the religious life of Cloverlick. The town transformed from a pioneer waypoint into a bustling hub for the timber industry, with companies like F.S. Wise and Sons and A.D. Neill driving a rapid population influx.  

This era saw the rise of what some historians call "railroad religion"—mainline Protestant denominations (Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal) that often entered the mountains alongside the tracks. These churches frequently received the patronage of industrial capitalists. For example, in many Appalachian coal and timber towns, companies like the Pocahontas Consolidated Collieries Company either constructed or approved church buildings to serve as anchors for social order.  

The Episcopal Mission and Grace Church

During the lumber boom, Cloverlick maintained two primary churches: the Episcopal and the Methodist. Grace Episcopal Church, consecrated in 1911, represented the more formal, liturgical side of the town’s spiritual life. Its presence mirrored the growth of Cloverlick as a commercial center where industrialist men arrived to harvest the "magnificent virgin timber".  

The history of the Episcopal mission was one of "ups and downs" that reflected the town's economic cycles. The mission had to wait four years for its certificate of consecration until its mortgage was finally paid off in 1911. The subsequent decline of the timber industry and the devastating floods of the late twentieth century (specifically 1985 and 1996) took a heavy toll on these structures. St. John's Episcopal Church, the "oldest surviving church building" in the county seat of Marlinton, preserves the memory of these disasters through stained glass work made from the shards of windows shattered by fire and flood.  

The Logistical Miracle of Woods Poage Chapel

The story of Woods Poage Chapel, located three miles from Cloverlick at Poage Lane, serves as the ultimate metaphor for the "railroad religion" of the era. Established as a mission of the Marlinton Presbyterian Church in 1897, the congregation initially lacked a dedicated building. In 1919, a solution was found through the industrial infrastructure of the time.  

The chapel building was not constructed on-site but was "dismantled and shipped by rail to Clover Lick," then hauled five miles by wagon to its current location on a lot donated by Quincy Poage. Dedicated to the memory of the first settler, Wood Poage, the chapel remained a "community gathering place" and was available to all denominations when not in use by the Presbyterians. This physical movement of a sacred space via the railroad illustrates the integration of technological progress and spiritual devotion.  

Architectural Evolution of Sacred Spaces

The physical evolution of churches in the Cloverlick vicinity provides a material record of the region's economic and spiritual growth. The transition from log structures to frame and eventually more decorated edifices mirrors the move from subsistence to industry.

Phase	Construction Material	Example
Frontier (1770s-1860s)	Hewed Log	Original Mt. Pleasant Schoolhouse/Church
Post-Civil War (1870s-1890s)	Log / Early Frame	Union Chapel (Beverage Church)
Industrial Boom (1900s-1920s)	Frame with Gothic/Victorian details	Grace Episcopal / Woods Poage Chapel
Modern Era (1950s-Present)	Stone / Modern Veneer	Burke United Methodist Church

 

The late nineteenth-century frame churches often incorporated elements of the "Late Gothic Revival" movement, particularly in window and door arrangements. Features such as square cupolas with spires, decorative scrollwork, and diamond-shaped shingles became common, reflecting a desire to align the mountain chapels with national architectural trends. Despite these flourishes, the churches remained "vernacular" in their core, often supported by piers rather than continuous masonry foundations, a nod to the impermanent nature of company-owned timber towns.  

The Role of Religion in Social Stability and Labor

In the broader context of the Pocahontas coal and timber fields, religion often functioned as a mechanism for social control. For many miners and lumber workers, the mainline Methodist and Presbyterian churches were seen as "railroad religion" because they were often the "churches of management". During times of labor unrest or industrial conflict, these churches frequently sided with the companies, advising workers against strikes or agitation in favor of a quietist spiritual focus.  

Conversely, the independent Baptist and Pentecostal movements provided a different spiritual outlet for the working class. These "mountain churches" often offered a more emotionally expressive and labor-conscious faith, creating a spiritual divide that mirrored the class divisions of the industrial era. In Cloverlick, the presence of the Dunkards and the diverse Methodist sects likely provided a similar spectrum of social and political perspectives, though the records of William T. Price tend to emphasize the stabilizing and civilizing influence of the Presbyterian and Methodist "Old School" traditions.  

Historiography and the Preservation of the Sacred Narrative

The primary chronicler of Cloverlick’s religious history was the Reverend William T. Price (1830–1921). A graduate of Washington College and Union Seminary, Price served as a home missionary and pastor across Pocahontas County for decades. His "Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County," published in 1901, is more than a history; it is a spiritual geography.  

Price’s work was motivated by a desire to preserve the memories of the "first families" and their religious fidelity. His accounts of the Warwicks, the Sharps, and the Moores were designed to provide the descendants of the pioneers with a sense of theological and genealogical continuity. In his view, the history of the county was the history of "God the Creator" fashioning a wilderness and the subsequent efforts of His people to "subdue" it through faith and industry.  

Modern preservation efforts, such as the restoration of the Clover Lick Depot and the designation of the Woods Poage Chapel as a "Community Gathering Place," continue this narrative. These sites are no longer active hubs of frontier expansion, but they serve as landmarks on the Greenbrier River Trail, offering a "path of history" for modern travelers and "pilgrims" seeking to understand the Appalachian spiritual past.  

Conclusion: The Persistence of Faith in the Mountains

The history of religion in Cloverlick is a testament to the enduring power of faith as a tool for community building in isolation. From the five-hour Sabbath schools of Mary Warwick to the rail-carried chapel of Woods Poage, the religious institutions of Cloverlick were characterized by innovation, pragmatism, and a deep-seated Scotch-Irish doctrinal core.

The transition from a "wildness paradise" peopled by the Shawnee to an industrial timber hub was facilitated by a spiritual framework that evolved from house-meetings to Union churches and finally to denominational sanctuaries. While the fires, floods, and industrial declines of the twentieth century have physically diminished many of these sacred spaces, the underlying "spiritual geography" of Cloverlick remains embedded in the landscape. The cemeteries, the restored depots, and the surviving chapels continue to tell the story of a people who sought to find the "Holy City" midway through the "perilous lands" of the Appalachian frontier. In Cloverlick, the tolling of the church bell across the "hills and hollows" has, for two centuries, served as a summons not only to worship but to the collective memory of a community forged in the shadow of the Back Allegheny Mountain.