Fairview Church of the Brethren

The Brethren have lived and worshiped in Floyd County for about two centuries. The early congregations consisted of two congregations and many "Meeting Houses". The two congregations were called the "East Arm" and the "West Arm" of the church. The dividing line was set up after 1845 with Fairview pioneer families being part of the "West Arm" of the German Baptist Brethren.

Brethren in the Fairview community begIn to have services in 1898 where the present church is located. These meetings were held under the shade of the trees with logs for seating during the warm months. When the weather turned cold they would meet in the Deskin School.

In 1900 the church building was constructed. W.J Dillon conducted a petition drive asking for donations of lumber and money for its construction. Jim Epperly gave the land and did much to see that the church building was completed. The undertaking was a joint effort between the Baptist and the Brethren. The first trustees were Cal Hylton for the Baptists and John Burgess and Jack Weddle for the Brethren. Burrel Whitlow, who owned a saw mill, cut the lumber for the church.

Many ministers have had a part in building the congregation over the years. Some of them included Leroy Weddle, Andrew Weddle, Sol Hylton, Abram Hylton and Lee Jennings for the Brethren. On the Baptist side, Q.D. Weeks, Jim Cockram, Posey Lester and Wesley Epperly did the preaching. In the early years of the church, Henry Dillon led the singing and taught music. One of his students then took over and taught singing schools. Under the leadership of John Hancock, Fairview had a choir that competed in all the singing conventions in the area.

In later years, Benton Alderman, Cecil Reed and Alvin Harman were ministers in the church. In the early forties, Topeca, Fairview's mother church, hired a full time pastor and Fairview shared him. Some of the pastors were Kermit Flora, Reynolds Simmons, Maurice Strausbaugh, Arthur Warner, and Earl Hammer. Twenty nine years ago Ralph Spradling began serving Fairview and continued until his death in 1998.

Fairview asked permission from Topeco and the District to become a separate congregation on September 1, 1985 and was granted congregational status on November 12, 1985.