Norton PC (USA)'s History

Courtesy of Gladys J. Stallard, Wise County and Church Historian

Norton Presbyterian is located in Norton, Virginia, a small town nestled in the heart of God's country, the Appalachian mountains.

It took more than 100 years for Presbyterianism to reach Wise County from Abingdon (a distance of 50 miles), where "Parson" Charles Cummings arrived in 1773. The founder of Norton PC (USA) was Reverend John Ellis Wool (August 15, 1858-March 18, 1922).

He was an evangelist and missionary who was sent to this area by the Presbytery. Rev. Wool came first to Big Stone Gap where he organized a church in 1890 at a tmeeting in the Duff Academy, one of the original one-room school houses. The building can still be seen near the June Tolliver House, originally the Duff Home.

On May 23, 1891, the evangelist arrived in Norton. Formerly known as "Prince,s Flats", until the railroad came. Rev. Wool came on a passenger coach of the Louisville and Nashville Railway. The last section of the newly build track from Three Forks, Big Stone Gap, had been completed only eight days before.What did he see when he first set foot on Norton ground? Not much of anything! Practically everything was south of the railroad tracks which ran through what was once a virgin forest of hemlocks and rhododendron.

There were two or three little stores, and two hotels, one built by Patrick Hagan, a lawyer who once owned thousands of acres of land including that on which Norton PC (USA) now stands. Farther down the unpaved road were a tannery and a grist mill.

And let us not forget the saloons! The passenger trains stopped right in front of the Headlight Saloon. Rev. Wool probably took that as a good sign that he had his work cut out for him. Records state that on May 24, he walked to Dooley, now west of Norton and preached at a log school house at 11:00 and again at dark. He found five Presbyterians.

Rev. Wool was very methodical. He kept a full and careful diary during those years of pioneering in the Virginia mountains. He traveled, usually on foot, to such places at Guest Station (Coeburn), St. Paul and Virginia City.

For over a year, he preached on the third Sunday of each month at different places -- such as the log school house, the Union Hotel, Squire Jenkins Office and Mr. Sexton's store.

On May 29, the congregation voted to build a chapel. The Norton Land Improvement Company donated a lot and $100.00. The contract was given to W.D. Wright and Company and the cost of the chapel complete with pews was $800.00. It was the first church building in Norton and the first sermon in the chapel was preached by Rev. Wool on August 20, 1892.

Over the years the church has evolved into its present physical location. A new church was built in 1906 and a Sunday school addition was completed in 1917 and remodeled in 1954.

Years later, in 1971, lots were purchased for the churches present location. On July 13, 1975, the first service was held in the new structure under Rev. Rockwell (Rocky) Smith. The total cost was just under $200,000.00. By 1980, the church was paid for and a note-burning service was held on August 24.