Below is a biography of Benjamin Burger (Burgher), the Baptist minister who married JAMES SUDDARTH JR and JANE RANDOLPH. From this one might infer that the families of the patriarchs JAMES SUDDARTH and JOHN RANDOLPH were associated with this Baptist congregation that was founded in 1788 near the present Batesville, VA.
“BIOGRAPHY: Rev. Benjamin BURGHER, pastor of Whitesides, now Mt. Ed Church near Greenwood. A history of Mt. Ed Baptist Church indicates that an ‘itinerant’ pastor formed a church, which became Whitesides, about one mile from Batesville which met in a Blacksmith shop and had 100 members by 1790. The name was changed to Mt. Ed about 1852. Information from Charley Moore, historian for Albelmarle County.
A History of Kentucky Baptists From 1769 to 1885, Including More Than 800 Biographical Sketches, J. H. Spencer, Manuscript Revised and Corrected by Mrs. Burilla B. Spencer, In Two Volumes. Printed For the Author. 1886. Republished By Church History Research & Archives 1976 Lafayette, Tennessee. Vol. 2, p 116 [Barren County]
“Zechariah Emerson was born in Albemarl [sic] Co., Va., Jan. 16, 1771. He was converted in his nineteenth year, and united with “Mt. Ed” (Whitesides) church, of which his parents were members, being baptized by Benjamin Burgher. . . ”
Extracted from “10 Generations of Ancestors of Gary Lee Foster with 5 Generations of their Descendants” at www.fosterfamily.surnames.com.
Research):Rev. Benjamin Burgher, pastor of Whitesides, now Mt. Ed Church near Greenwood. A history of Mt. Ed Baptist Church indicates that an ‘itinerant’ pastor formed a church, which became Whitesides, about one mile from Batesville which met in a Blacksmith shop and had 100 members by 1790. The name was changed to Mt. Ed about 1852. Information from Charley Moore, historian for Albemarle County.
The following is from the Historic American Buildings Survey; National Park Service; Department of the Interior; Washington, D. C. 20240
Addendum to Mount Ed Baptist Church Batesville Albemarle County Virginia
WRITTEN HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE DATA
Historic American Buildings Survey National Park Service Department of the Interior Washington, D. C. 20240 HABS No. VA-999•
MOUNT ED BAPTIST CHURCH (HABS No. VA-999)
Location: Batesville, Albemarle County, Virginia U.T.M. Coordinates: 17.69949.420705 (Covesville, Virginia Quadrangle)
Present Owner: Trustees of Mount Ed Baptist Church Mount Ed Baptist Church congregation
Present Use: House of worship
Statement of Significance: This building is one of the oldest Baptist Churches in Albemarle County and is typical of the type of structure erected by Baptist congregations in that section of piedmont Virginia just prior to the Civil War. Its design was based upon a Baptist church in Nelson County, Virginia, and, in turn, it served as the prototype for the Methodist Church in Batesville.
PARTI. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A Physical History:
Original and subsequent owenrs: The church was constructed on a tract of land of one and one-half acres located across Route 635 from the old Mount Ed Church which was subsequently torn down. . .
.From newrivernotes.com:
The Rev. Martin Dawsoti was a prominent early minister in this denomination, and was usually Moderator of the Albematle Association. Mr. Burgher, pastor of Whiteside’s, had some poetical talent, and composed “songs and otlier small pieces of poetry.” In his later years his corpulence made travel and preaching “not practicable.” He was esteemed a sound and able preacher.