Brief History of the Church
This is the only known image of William Maffitt, the man responsible for bringing Presbyterianism to the Norther Virginia region.
In 1799, Reverend William Maffitt was sent to Fairfax County by the Synod of Baltimore to teach and to provide church services to the people within this area. His teachings inspired many within the Northern Virginia region, encouraging families within the region to create a church of their own. With his help in bringing Presbyterianism to this region, the church became a home for devout men and women to create a spiritual home that consisted of farmers, planters, diplomats, doctors, teachers, nurses, naval personnel, soldiers, and just ordinary men and women. They all came together in the name of Presbyterianism to create a community that was resilient, proud, and caring.
A Washington Post article about the important history of the church and its role in wider American history.
Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones is the man accredited with the founding of the Lewinsville Presbyterian Church in 1846. The church played a vital role in the Civil War as it served as a Union military base, which nearly destroyed the congregation. But, as the church developed a mantra of resilience, they recovered and grew stronger. And so, Frank Gapp, a local historian, applied for a historical marker from the Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He convinced officials that the church had an important role in not just American history, but also in religious history.
This map of the cemetery provides a rough idea of the locations of some of the significant headstones of certain members of the church that had a major role in the development of the church. Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones is a prominent figure in the history of the church, so his gravestone is mapped out. Along with certain locations of headstones, there is also brief facts about the history of the church, including its foundation but also the presence of a slave of the Ball Family being buried with them. This demonstrates the progressive nature of the Lewinsville Presbyterian Church, which only continued throughout the entirety of the church's existence.
This 1915 photo after the 1908 renovations shows a horse and buggy, a hitching post, and the entrance partially blocked by two trees.
This photo of the entrance of the church was taken in 1970, after many renovations.
This photo was taken of the church in 1970, which is a stark contrast to the image of the church in 1915. This demonstrates the growing importance of the church within the community by showing the frequent rennovations to promote participation in the church. The Lewinsville Presbyterian Church grew to be a staple within the McLean community, defining much of its activities and helping to bring the members of McLean together. Not only were sermons useful in bringing the community together, along with the communal struggles of warfare and economic woes, but also different events that continue to bring people together.