Wentworth Church Civil War Trails Marker

Wentworth Methodist Church, founded in 1836, stands as Rockingham County’s last surviving pre-Civil War Methodist sanctuary. Completed in 1859, it features a preserved slave gallery—an enduring reminder of a divided past. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, the church also holds a cemetery where enslaved and free African Americans rest alongside white congregants. Graves of Civil War soldiers, including four Boyd brothers, tell stories of sacrifice. Lt. Col. Andrew Boyd survived, while his brothers died in battle. Other soldiers, like Mexican War veteran Col. Hancock and surgeon John Raine, are also buried here, creating a powerful tapestry of Southern history.