Thomas Waford and Allen Wyley lived in or near Culpeper County, Virginia, at about the time of the Revolutionary War. They were both Baptists, but neither considered himself a pastor, and neither was ordained, but they were willing to suffer along with their pastors and evangelists.
Brother Thomas Waford delighted in traveling ahead of visiting preachers, setting up meeting places and arranging accommodations. He was physically attacked while carrying out his duties, and carried those scars to his grave.
Brother Allen Wyley was baptized by David Thomas in 1765. Six years later he began preaching, but knew that he was not well-qualified, so he prayed for someone to come to Culpeper to start a church. After some time he determined to find a pastor, setting out, without knowing where to go, in order to find and invite an ordained minister of the Gospel. By the Lord’s direction he came upon one of Samuel Harris’ meetings. The circumstances of the meeting suggested to Brother Harris that this was of the Lord, so he returned with Wyley and a church was started.
Later while in Orange Country, Bro. Wyley was with a group of Baptist preachers who were tried and imprisoned. The court record reads, “This day Allan Wyley, John Corbley, Elijah Craig and Thomas Chambers [are] charged as vagrant and itinerant persons… for assembling themselves unlawfully at sundry times and places under the denomination of Anabaptists and for teaching and preaching schismatick doctrines. Whereupon the court is of the opinion that the said Allan Wyley, John Corbley, Elijah Craig and Thomas Chambers are guilt… and are ordered to enter into bond each in the of 50 pounds… each… until the 25th of October next, and in case they fail to enter into such bond as aforesaid that each of them so failing shall be committed go gaol until the same shall be performed.”
From the windows of the jail of the Chesterfield Court House those men preached the gospel, and there are records of several adult conversions to Christ.