The Old Brick Church History

Picture of the "Old Brick Church" as it looks in 2009

I'ts beginnings and Founder

Dr. Theodoric Pryor (Pastor from 1837-1855, 1867-1890) supervised the building of the Presbyterian, "Old Brick" Church in 1837 and became it's first Pastor. He was born in Dinwiddie County on January 9, 1805. He was the son of Richard and Ann Bland Pryor. He was educated at Hampden-Sydney and Princeton University, and licensed on April of 1832 to preach by the Portsmouth convention. He was ordained and first assigned to Shiloh Presbyterian in Blackstone. When "Old Brick" was ready, he became pastor there in Nottoway Court House. There were aproximately 106 members who attended the church, according to the church register at the time.

 He served from 1837 - 1855, then left the county and served in Baltimore, Petersburg, and near Brunswick County. He later returned to serve at the church he started , "Old Brick" from 1867 - 1890. Pryor Memorial Church was erected in his honor while he still lived, which was a unique honor back then. Also, many children were named after him.

He was laid to rest underneath the pulpit with his third wife, Frances Fitzgerald Pryor, on July 29th, 1890, at age eighty-six.  Between 1870-1927, Nottoway citizen and ex-governor of Virginia, William H. Mann, was a member of the "Old Brick" Church. Mann said of Pryor, "He was the best friend the Brick Church ever had."

The style of "Old Brick" is Gothic-Revival, a popular architectural style of that time period.

"Old Brick" during the Civil War

It was the site of the final prayers of the Nottoway Grays before leaving for Richmond to join the Confederate army in the first days of the Civil War.

On April 5 1865, a division of Union General Meade's army accompanied by General Grant passed through Nottoway Court House. The army burned the church pews for firewood and stabled their horses within the church. The church remained in disrepair until December 8, 1868, when Dr. Pryor was recalled to Nottoway to restore the church. He then began to oversee the rebuilding of the church.

From then til Now

In 1954, the church was badly damaged by Hurricane Hazel. The roof was torn and the pulpit and pews were damaged by falling debris. At the time the nine members were worried about it's fate, and it was estimated the cost to be several thousand dollars to repair.

The Nottoway County Historical Association restored the building in the 1970's.

It remains one of the oldest churches in Nottoway County.

Bibliography

Cummins, A.B. Nottoway County Virginia: Founding and Development with Biographical Sketches.  Richmond, Virginia. W.M. Brown & Son, Inc., 1970