USA > Virginia > Colonial churches; a series of sketches of churches in the original colony of Virginia, with pictures of each church > Part 23
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The ministry of the Rev. Mr. Burges was very acceptable to the people. Six months after he entered upon his office a committee of the vestry is appointed "to see if it would be any disadvantage to build one or two small galleries in the Chuckatuck church, as the church is much crowded and there is so large a congregation commonly attending the church that there is not room in the pews for their reception."
In 1779, Asbury, the great leader of Methodism, labored in Nanse- mond county. He mentions in his diary of that year that he preached in "the great preaching house in Nansemond." This preaching house had been converted from a store into a church.
In 1784, the Rev. Arthur Emerson was elected minister. In 1786, one hundred and forty-six names of the inhabitants of Suffolk Parish are signed to a petition to the Legislature protesting against the re- peal of the law incorporating the Protestant Episcopal Church.
There is no entry in the Vestry Book from 1784 to 1825.
The act of Legislature requiring all glebe lands to be sold and the proceeds turned over to the overseers of the poor, made exception in case of those glebes which had been a private donation. The overseers of the poor claimed the glebe in Suffolk Parish, but the Rev. Jacob Keeling, minister of the parish at the time, fought the case in the courts and won his case. The valuable glebe farm is still held by the trustees of the parish.
Rev. Mr. Keeling was minister for many years, but there is no record covering the time of his service.
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In 1827 Rev. Mark L. Chevers was chosen minister.
After about 1840 Suffolk Parish was served for many years by the minister of Upper Parish, who lived in Suffolk.
In 1845 Chuckatuck church is referred to for the first time as St. John's.
The Glebe church, in Lower Parish, is now under the care of Rev. E. P. Miner, of Norfolk. St. John's, Chuckatuck, has no minister at present.
THE COLONIAL CHURCHES OF YORK COUNTY, VIRGINIA.
BY MRS. MARY D. MICOU, THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA.
T HE small county of York held within its narrow bounds the nu- cleus of early Colonial life and strength. Very near the first seat of government at Jamestown and afterwards halving with James City county, the new business home of Governor and Burgesses, it numbered among the planters those who influenced the destinies of all the other counties.
There were three distinct Church parishes within its bounds. Charles Parish a+. New Poquoson, on Poquoson river, was in the lower part of the county and was called New Poquoson, in contradistinction to Old Poquoson or Elizabeth City. It was ordered by the House of Burgesses, Dec. 11, 1692, that "upon the peticon of ye pishioners of New Poquoson in ye county of Yorke yt from henceforth forever hereafter ye old pish Church shall be called and named Charles Church. And ye river formerly called New Poquoson river shall from time to time and all times hereafter be called and written, Charles river." The parish be- came known as Charles Parish, but the river is Poquoson river. This parish as New Poquoson had already existed over forty years.
In the north of the county were the other two parishes, Kiskyache, settled in 1630, Yorke in 1632. In 1633 the seventh of the stores for receiving and shipping purposes ordered to be built in the different plantations were built on Charles river for the inhabitants of Kis- kyache and Yorke. Kiskyache was made a parish in 1642, and when Charles river county was changed in name to York, the name of Kiskyache was changed to Hampton Parish.
The first rector of Yorke and Hampton parishes was Rev. Anthony Panton, in 1639-40. He became involved in an undignified squabble with Richard Kempe, secretary of the Colony, whom he spoke of as a "jackanapes" and criticized the untidiness of his personal appearance. Richard Kempe took his revenge by having him deprived of his charge. Anthony Panton appealed to England, bringing serious charges against Kempe of mismanagement in public affairs. Kempe was recalled and the charges against Panton were ordered to be inquired into, and
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GRACE CHURCH, YORKTOWN, VA.
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if innocent of them he was to be reinstated in his parishes of Yorke and Hampton, which latter is described as being between Williamsburg and Yorke. (Neill's Virginia Carolorum.)
"Parson Cluverius was rector of Yorke-Hampton in 1644." (Virginia Historical Magazine.) Bishop Meade states that an old tombstone in Yorke county reads, "Rev. Thomas Hampton, rector of Yorke in 1647."
In 1642 a contract was made to build a church in Yorke. (Yorke Re- cords.) The so-called "Temple Farm" was the site of old Yorke. church and there is a deed recorded in Yorktown about 1769 which calls the field in which the so-called temple stood, "The Church Field." What is pointed out as a temple ruin is old Yorke church, described. in early patents. (William and Mary Quarterly.)
The old Yorke church was abandoned when Yorktown was estab- lished, and before 1700 a new church was built there. "To this once busy emporium of trade, the courthouse and church were transferred- the courthouse from the half-way house on the road to Martin's Hundred, and the church from the old forgotten plantations of Martin Baker and George Menifee. * Near the half way house kept by the Hansfords are the ruins of old Hampton church, formerly Chisiack church. When Yorke and Hampton united into Yorke-Hampton the Communion service belonged to Hampton." (William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. I .- II.)
From the different accounts given in the two Historical Magazines in Virginia, taken directly from Yorke county records and from the old register, all of which can easily be verified, it appears that up to 1642 the parishes of Yorke county were perfectly distinct; only Yorke and Hampton were often under the same minister. Judging by the old register, which begins long before 1692, when the name was changed from New Poquoson to Charles Parish, this parish was large and flourishing, containing many well known names.
The first entry concerning a rector was in 1687: "Ye Rev. Thomas Finney, rector of this parish, died and was buried in the chancel of New Poquoson Church." The next clergyman came in 1688, Rev. James Sclater. He died in 1723, after a quiet ministry of 35 years, leading us to hope, from the length of his pastorate, that he was one of the few inducted ministers.
It was during the very short interregnum after his death that Charles Parish was reported to the Bishop of London as vacant. The next rector was called from Old Poquoson or Elizabeth City; Rev. James Falconer, who died in 1727. Rev. Theodosius Staige was then called
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from Fredericksburg. He died after a pastorate of 20 years, in 1747. In 1749 the Rev. Thomas Warrington is mentioned as rector. In 1756 he was called to Old Poquoson. The last name given was Rev. Joseph Davenport, who was still rector when the register closed. The very last entry was by kev. Samuel Shields in 1789, who would seem to have combined Charles and Yorke-Hampton parishes under the same charge. Thus we see that in 140 years Charles Parish had only had six ministers.
In our review of Yorke-Hampton up to 1647 it had already had three clergymen. Throughout its history it is marked by constant change among its clergy. Probably on account of its nearness to the restless Church element in Williamsburg it would be apt to be influenced more or less by the disputes between the Governor and the vestries, and later between the Governor and the Commissary.
Old Yorke church was, according to early patents and records, at Temple Farm or "the Old Church Field," two or three miles from Yorktown. The foundations still existing measure 60 feet east and west, 46 feet north and south. Hampton church stood in Kiskyache, or Chisiack, between Williamsburg and Yorktown. "Col. Edward Digges owned a plantation in Hampton Parish, of 1,250 acres, near the Indian town of Kiskyache." (William and Mary Quarterly.) After some time the parish was united to that of York and called York-Hampton. The family seat of the Digges was eight miles from Williamsburg and was called "Belfield."
Rev. William White was rector of York in 1658, Rev. James Folliott in 1680, Rev. Stephen Fouace came from England in 1688, returned and died there in 1702. He was rector of York-Hampton and witnessed a written promise from Governor Nicholson to give the sum of £20 towards the building of a church in Yorktown if built within two years, to be built of brick. This was in 1696. Documentary proof like this ought to settle the date of the building of the present church. In 1695 Governor Nicholson gave 31 acres of land in Yorktown for a free school. In 1860 Yorktown was laid out on land belonging to Mr. Ben- jamin Reade, inherited from Captain Nicholas Martian, who was Bur- gess for Kiskyache. The courthouse was ordered built in 1691 and all county business was moved there. The next clergyman we know of was Rev. Mr. Goodwin, 1714.
Then comes a break in our information until 1724, when the Rev. Francis Fontaine makes a report to the Bishop of London, in which he speaks of his parish thus: "There are two churches in this parish
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(York-Hampton), one in Yorktown and the other eight miles distant. My parish is twenty miles in length and four miles broad. There are two hundred families in it. In my church at Yorktown there are three score communicants, at the other church about twenty."
It certainly seems as if the weight of evidence puts Hampton church In the twelve miles more or less between Williamsburg and Yorktown, rather than in the lower part of the county, where it would conflict very decidedly with the large and well-cared for Charles Parish. Bishop Meade himself takes this view. He says (Vol. I., p. 197) : "There was at an early period a small parish between Williamsburg and York- town called Kiskyache or Chescake. The church which still stands a few miles from Williamsburg on the road to York belonged to that parish." The Bishop also says that the Virginia Gazette for March, 1746, says that the plate given the church by Nathaniel Bacon had been stolen. (This was not the Nathaniel Bacon of notorious mem- ory, but a near kinsman.) This was the plate of York-Hampton church; perhaps that is the reason that in 1748 Philip Lightfoot in his will leaves £50 to buy a 'silver flaggon and challice,' to be engraved with his arms, for York-Hampton Church." Be that as it may the old Communion service of Hampton Parish has been transferred to York- town, where it is still in use. It is engraved "Hampton Parish in Yorke County, Virginia." The hall-mark shows it was made in 1649. The service has one flagon 101/4 inches high and one cup 81/2 inches. The plate is modern, not solid silver.
The present church of Yorktown, probably the same one to which Governor Nicholson subscribed in 1696, stands upon an elevation about 50 feet above the river and about 250 or 300 feet from the water. It is built of a sort of marl stone taken from the hills overlooking the river. When it was burnt in 1815 the action of the fire made the stone still firmer, so that it was easily rebuilt. The old church was in the shape of a T situated east and west. When it was rebuilt the wings of the T were left off, making only a nave 60 by 30 feet. The foundations of the wings have been filled up with rubbish and are distinctly visible, the walls being 21/2 feet thick.
In 1758 the Rev. John Camm was rector of York-Hampton. He brought the parish into prominence by the strong stand he took with regard to the payment of the clergy in money; the paper currency which was good only in the Colony, allowing the small sum of only two pence a pound for the tobacco, which had formerly been the medium of pay between the vestry and the minister, thus depriving the
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clergy of the benefit of any fluctuation in the price of that commodity. Mr. Camm not only resented this for himself, but he determined to fight it out for his brother clergy, making his the test case. He fought it first before the home government, then carried it to England. He gained his point there, the Royal Commission ordering the annulment of the law; but there was such bitter feeling against the royal decision that when the case came up before the Virginia Assembly he was award- ed one penny damages. The second time it was referred to England, and the King and his officers refused to interfere again.
Twice in the history of the Church in Virginia did vital interests depend upon individual action. The two Nelsons, the president and sec- retary, refused to sit upon the board because they belonged to Mr. Camm's parish and were opposed to the measure, thus leaving a ma- jority of one for instead of against it. If they had consented to serve it would have been a majority of one against it and probably it would have dropped.
When the question of taking away the glebe lands came up years later Judge Pendleton had written his decision against the legality of the act, carrying with him the weighing vote. Dying suddenly, he had not signed the paper, and his successor rendering an adverse de- cision, the great injustice was an accomplished fact.
In 1785, when the Convention was held in Richmond, Yorktown church was represented by Rev. Robert Andrews, and Charles Parish by Rev. Joseph Davenport. The church in Yorktown had seen sad days, alternately in the hands of British and Continental troops and many of its best men in the service of their country in other parts of the Colony, it had been almost defenceless. In 1781 "The windows and pews having been broken and destroyed and the Church used as a magazine, the damages were valued at £150. The destruction was wrought by Lord Cornwallis." (York Co. Records.) Lord Cornwallis surrendered and the Articles of Capitulation were signed at Temple Farm.
In 1786 and for many years Rev. Samuel Shields represented both Charles Parish and York-Hampton at the Conventions. In 1793 Rev. James Henderson represented them. From 1799 to 1815 all parish re- ports were irregular and Charles and York-Hampton are absent from the printed Convention reports. The church in Yorktown had probably not been rebuilt after it was burnt in 1815, because Bishop Moore vis- ited Yorktown in 1825 and preached in the morning at the courthouse and in the afternoon at Mr. Nelson's house.
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In 1825 the Rev. Mark Chevers, rector of Elizabeth City, reports: "At the request of a few families in Charles Parish, York county, I have for some months past performed divine services and preached from house to house every fortnight on Saturdays, and it gives me great satis- faction to state to the Convention that the services have been well attended and a vestry has recently been chosen and exertions are making. The hope is entertained that the love of the Church may yet revive in the parish. Communicants 32; baptisms 40; marriages 5; funerals 9." It is evident from these last two items that the whole of York county was without a useable church building.
A careful perusal of the Convention reports edited by Dr. Hawks shows a greater desire in the two Bishops, Moore and Meade, to start missions and churches in the new counties constantly forming than to revive the old churches on the coast.
Tradition says that the bell was given by Queen Anne. When the church was burnt the bell was broken and the fragments were laid aside in the vestry room. After the Civil War those pieces were found in Philadelphia by Rev. Mr. Nicholson, afterwards Bishop Nicholson, and being attracted by the words "Yorktown, Virginia, 1725," he wrote to Rev. Mr. Bryan asking the history of the bell. It was then recast by the Hook Smelting Company in 1882, and on July 11, 1889, was re- hung on a rude scaffold in the churchyard, and rung for service after a silence of 75 years.
The church suffered again during the Civil War. Standing as it did on the brow of a hill commanding the wide sweep of water, it was an important point of view; and a signal tower was erected on top of it. The brick wall was taken away and the church dismantled. It is hoped that damages will be obtained for this military destruction also.
After the war the late Dr. Wharton was very much interested in the restoration of the church and worked hard to keep the build- ing from falling into the hands of some other denomination which would gladly have paid for repairing it for the sake of possessing a historical church.
The ministers who have served there since 1835, probably in connec- tion with some other charge, are: Dr. Minnigerode, Rev. Thomas Ambler, Dr. L. B. Wharton, Rev. A. Y. Hundley, Rev. F. M. Burch, Rev. William B. Lee, 1877-99. Rev. Floyd Kurtz, 1899-1901. In 1901 Rev. William B. Lee resumed charge of the parish, in connection with the churches in Gloucester county. Hampton church and that of Charles Parish have disappeared from the face of the earth; and the
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long roll of their communicants is called now in the heavenly courts. Grace church alone in its dual character of York-Hampton, stands as it has stood for two hundred and seven years.
This article has already outrun its limits, so space fails in which to go over the list of prominent families who once filled these three churches. Three generations of Nelsons lie in the graveyard there, who by their strong individuality and sterling character impressed themselves on the early history of Church and State. The evidence of the strong Christian spirit of these ancestors of the Nelson family can be seen in the number of faithful clergy who have borne the name in the last fifty years.
In either the first or second volume of the William and Mary Quarter- ly is a list of the estates and families in the county of York during the years of its prosperity, which makes you feel as if you were riding past plantation after plantation; and some of the names are so closely connected with the stirring history of the Colony, that you feel as if you personally knew the owners of those well kept places. No doubt there are many items of interest that could be added to this article, but the main purpose in writing it was to connect the early history of these three parishes with the imperfect sketch of Bishop Meade in 1854. That has been accomplished, and also pretty strong proof has been adduced to show that York-Hampton was really the name of the church at Yorktown itself-a hyphenated name for the united church of old Yorke and Hampton.
CHRIST CHURCH, MIDDLESEX COUNTY, VA.
CHRIST CHURCH, MIDDLESEX COUNTY, VIRGINIA.
BY THE REV. JOHN MONCURE, D. D.
T HE county of Middlesex is a narrow peninsula, lying between the Rappahannock and Piankatank rivers. Its eastern boun- dary is washed by the waters of the historic Chesapeake Bay, and it was therefore easily accessible to the earliest settlers of the country.
Originally, Lancaster county embraced the territory on both sides of the Rappahannock for many miles. From this Middlesex was form- ed on the southern shore. Records in the Virginia Land Office in Richmond show that this division occurred as early as 1669. The original county-seat of Lancaster was located in what is now Mid- dlesex.
The settlement of this section was probably as early, or even earlier, as it is nearer the ocean, than the present county of Lancas- ter. Many of the original settlers coming from Middlesex, in Eng- land, transferred the name of the old home to the new, thus bringing the mother land closer to them. The county is one on which nature has smiled benignly. Rich soil, salubrious climate, beautiful scenery, in which the water forms a very attractive feature, and every facility known in Virginia for living comfortably. Some of the best people in our land in early days established their homes in this county. And some of the old-time mansions are still to be seen, retaining vestiges of former grandeur and reminding the contemplative of the attrac- tiveness of old-time Virginia life.
Until separation of the territory into two counties, one minister served the whole, though there were two parishes on either side of the river. Those on the south side were called Lancaster and Pianka- tank, and in 1666 they became one again, under the name of Christ church, Lancaster county.
Very fortunately the original Vestry Book has been preserved, and from it much valuable information has been obtained in reference to the early Church history of the county. This book Bishop Meade had access to when preparing the article on the Parishes in Middlesex, in
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his "Old Churches, Ministers and Families of Virginia," and for most of the information in this article the writer is indebted to the matter which he obtained therefrom.
In 1650 the churches in the district now covered by the two coun- ties were in charge of the Rev. Samuel Cole. In 1666 the name of the Rev. Mr. Morris appears as minister. It was during his rector- ship, or a short time thereafter, that some dissensions arose as to the bounds of the two parishes, which led to their reunion.
The first entry in the old Vestry Book states that Mr. Henry Cor- bin had been appointed to keep the register of the parish, according to a late act of Assembly.
The vestry oath is an item of great interest. It is as follows:
"I, A. B., as I do acknowledge myself a true son of the Church of England, so dc I believe the Articles of Faith therein professed, and oblige myself to be comformable to the doctrine and discipline therein taught and established, and that as a vestryman of Christ church, I will well and truly perform my duty therein, being directed by the laws and customs of this country, and the Canons of the Church of England, so far as they will suit our present capacity; and this I shall sincerely do, according to the best of my knowledge, skill and cunning, without fear, favor, or partiality; and so help me God."
In 1666 the vestry resolved to build a mother church, after the model of that at Williamsburg, the glass and iron to be imported from England. This was done at a point midway between Brandon and Rosegill, the seats of the Grymes and Wormley families, not far from the Rappahannock. This was used until 1712, when a new one was built in the same place.
On the 29th of January, 1666, it was resolved to continue the Rev. Mr. Morris as minister, but that he be not inducted. On the next day he was paid his salary and dismissed, probably because of a natural objection to the terms of his call.
In the same year a glebe was purchased and the Rev. John Shephard called as minister for six months. At the expiration of that time he was called for twelve months, and then permanently. Mr. Shep- hard was evidently a man of piety and ability, for at his death the following minute was recorded in the Vestry Book:
"It is ordered by this present vestry, that whereas it has pleased Almighty God to take out of this life Mr. John Shephard, our late Worthy minister, and this vestry and the whole parish desiring to have his place supplied with a gentleman of good life and doctrine
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and a true son of the Church of England; and they knowing of none such at present in this country, but have benefices-it is therefore unanimously agreed by the vestry that the Hon. Ralph Wormley, Esq., and Mr. Robert Smith be desired and empowered to write, in the name of this vestry, to the Hon. the Lady Agatha Chichely, and Major General Robert Smith-who, it is hoped, are now safe in London-to request them, or either of them, that they will please to take the trou- ble to procure a fit minister in England to come over and supply the place of Mr. Shephard."
In this resolution the vestry pledged themselves not to employ any one except temporarily until the clergyman came from England, whom they agreed to accept as their minister, offering for his support the use of the glebe lands, which contained four hundred acres, and an annual allowance of sixteen thousand pounds of tobacco and caske, besides all perquisites and other profits.
During the vacancy the parish was supplied by the Rev. Superiors Davis.
In November of that year Major General Robert Smith returned from England with the new rector, the Rev. Deuell Read. Mr. Read served the parish seven years, and proved a worthy successor to Mr. Shephard. He arranged for a monthly administration of the Blessed Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in the mother church. "And, more- over, that this great solemn mystery might as well worthily as fre- quently be observed, he did frankly and freely promise a sermon at the said church monthly, that is to say, on the Saturday in the after- noon, for the guiding the Communion-Not doubting that all parents and masters of families, who ponder the everlasting welfare of souls committed to their charge, would readily comply, and allow convenient liberty to their children and servants to repair to church at such times, there to be instructed and prepared for this religious duty."
This act was a very important step in religious growth, inasmuch as by act of Assembly, which was a renewal of one of the Canons of the Church of England, it was only required that the Sacrament be administered twice a year, and in this case it was proposed to have it in the mother church, which was but midway of a parish forty miles in length. There were two other churches, at either end of the county. At a later date, however, the communion was administered in all of them.
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