USA > Virginia > Old churches, ministers and families of Virginia, Vol. I > Part 49
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IV. In the providence of God, who can bring good out of evil, it has also come to pass that the banished Huguenots have been bene- factors to all countries where they have gone, by contributing to the improvement of the same, not only in religion, but in all the arts and sciences,-being remarkable for their industry, skill, and integrity. The very best of the old ministers of Virginia were from this stock. Moncure, Latane, the two Fontaines, the two Maurys, and others who might be mentioned, were among them. To these, I am told, may be added one of recent date,-the pious William Duvall, of Richmond. If we extend our view, and look to the patriots and statesmen of the Revolution, where shall we find better men than Chief-Justice Jay, of New York, Elias Boudinot, of New Jersey, the Bayards, Legare, the Laurenses, the Grimkys, Marion, Neuvilles, Gervais, Rutledge ?
THE FONTAINE AND MAURY FAMILIES.
In connection with these notices of the Manakin settlement, some account of the Fontaines and Maurys may very properly come in, not merely because they were descendants of the Hugue- nots, but because one of them-the Rev. Francis Fontaine-was at one time its minister. Whoever would see a full and most inte- resting account of the ancestors of these families must examine that deeply-touching history of them, entitled "The Huguenot Family," prepared by the Rev. Dr. Hawks and Miss Ann Maury, of New York. I can only briefly refer to some of the children and grandchildren of those remarkable persons, James Fontaine and his wife, who were so signally rescued from destruction on the coast of Ireland. Their five sons and two daughters were well educated. John entered the army, and came over to this country to explore it for his brother. He returned, and with Morris re- mained in England. Peter, Francis, and James settled in Virginia. Peter became minister first, for one year, at Weynoake, Martins Brandon, and Jamestown, then settled in Westover parish. Fran- cis lived for one year at Manakintown, then settled in York- Hampton. Their sister, Anne Fontaine, married Strother Maury, from Gascony, in England. They came to Virginia, and settled in King William. Their son, James Maury, was ordained in 1742, and was for one year minister in King William county, then went to Louisa to Fredericksville parish, which was afterward added in part to Albemarle. He married a daughter of Mr. Walker, of Albemarle. He had numerous sons and daughters, of whom more hereafter. His son Matthew succeeded his father as minister.
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I will now speak more particularly of those Huguenots who set- tled in Virginia. As early as the year 1660 some few came over, fleeing from the earlier persecutions. They were sufficient in number to induce an Act of the Assembly granting them the privi- lege of citizens. Toward the close of the century we read of some settling themselves on the Rappahannock. In the year 1790, so many had settled on the south side of James River, in Henrico county, (which was then on both sides of the river,) that the As- sembly passed an act giving them a large tract of land along the river as their possession, exempting them from all county and State taxes for seven years, and then extending the privilege in- definitely. They were required to support their own minister in their own way. Accordingly, in dividing the grant into farms, all running down to the river in narrow slips, a portion of the most valuable was set apart for the minister, and continued for a long time to be in possession and use of the minister, while one was resident in the parish, and after that to be rented out, and the proceeds paid for such occasional services as were rendered by neighbouring ministers. At length, as it could not be seized and alienated by the act for selling the glebes, it got into private hands, and has been thus held for many years. As service is now regu- larly held in the old church in Manakintown settlement, it is be- lieved that the glebe originally consecrated to the support of a minister will be restored to its first design and long use. The service of the Episcopal Church was used, and sermons preached for some time in both French and English, as some of both nations attended the church at Manakin .* In the year 1714 a list of the little Colony was sent to England of men, women, and children, amounting to nearly three hundred. The list is before me. The minister was the Rev. Jean Caison. In the year 1728 the Rev. Mr. Niern, who had been their minister for a year or two, left them and took with him to London a letter showing that there had never been more than thirty tithables in the parish, and that they could not support a minister by themselves. Dr. Hawks speaks of a body of six hundred coming over with their minister, Philippe de Riche- bourg, and settling there. It may be that these are the same of whom we read as first settling at Manakin and then moving to South Carolina. I have the old register of baptisms, &c. of this
* The name Manakin is derived from the Indian word Monacan, -the name of a warlike tribe of Indians whom the great King Powhatan in vain attempted to sub- due. They resided on James River from the Falls (Richmond) to Manakin.
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parish, written in French, and beginning in the year 1721 and continuing to 1753, from which it would appear that a Rev. Mr. Fontaine was minister in 1720 and 1721, baptizing a child by the name of Morris, establishing that to be a Huguenot name. In the year 1726 a Mr. Murdock, minister of St. James Northam, Goochland, officiated by baptizing at Manakin. In the year 1727 the Rev. Mr. Brooke, of Hanover, did the same. In that same year and the next Mr. Niern was the minister. In the year during which Mr. Niern went to England Mr. Massamm was minister. In the years 1728 and 1729 the Revs. Mr. Swift and Deter baptized. In the years 1731 and 1732 the Rev. Mr. Marye was minister. In the year 1739 the Rev. Mr. Gavin baptized in the parish. From the year 1750 to 1780 the Rev. Mr. Douglass, of Goochland, and other ministers around, occasionally served it. After this the Rev. Mr. Hopkins, of Goochland, was their minister. Since the revival of the Church in Virginia, it has been partially supplied by various other ministers to the present time, when the Rev. Mr. Tizzard, of Chesterfield, is the pastor, in connection with the Church in Ches- terfield. One thing is worthy of remark in relation to the baptisms in this parish,-that those of the negro children are far more in number than those of the whites. Their names are regularly regis- tered. This shows their sense of duty as to the religious dedication of the children of Africa. To the foregoing brief statistics I can- not forbear adding the following extract from a letter received from one of the descendants of the family of Dupuys. She writes :-
" From notes written at the base of our ancestral tree I copy the fol- lowing :- Bartholomew Dupuy (my paternal Huguenot ancestor) in 1650 or 1653. At eighteen years of age he entered the army, where his in- telligence and fidelity soon won him the confidence of the King, Louis XIV., who promoted him at an early age to be an officer in his household guard. He so far trusted and honoured him as often to select him to perform duties so important as to require his own signature to some of the orders. One of these papers was the means under God of saving this officer and his wife from arrest and most probably from death. But a short time before the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, he married a Countess (Susannah Lavillon) and retired to his villa for a short respite from his military duties. Very soon after his retirement, they were called on by one of the King's messengers, who communicated the startling in- telligence that the revocation of the Edict of Nantes was to take immediate effect, and that he had been sent by the King from motives of esteem to save him and his wife from the impending fate of all heretics. He urged their submission (that is, their renunciation of the Protestant faith) with all his eloquence, and with all his promises of great benefits from the King if they would show them fidelity by obeying their orders. Dupuy replied that the demand was so sudden and important that he would beg a few
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hours for consideration. The priest said that this request was reasonable, and he would grant it cheerfully. As soon as he had retired, Dupuy sent for the village tailor, and asked whether he could have a suit of livery made for his page in six hours. He replied in the affirmative, and at midnight they were completed and delivered. In this suit he immediately disguised his wife as his page, and putting on his best uniform, and gird- ing on his sword, took what money and jewels they had, together with a few clothes and their Bibles and Psalm-Books, and, mounting two good horses, set out for the frontier of the kingdom. They travelled either four- teen or eighteen days, and, though stopped almost daily, always escaped by saying that he was the King's officer, until near the line, when he was arrested. He showed the officer the paper with the King's signature; and, immediately snatching it back, he drew his sword and fiercely asked by what authority he was thus insulted, and demanding an escort for his pro- tection to the line, which was immediately granted. On their safe ar- rival the guard was dismissed, and, crossing over into Germany, they there sang the praises of God in the fortieth Psalm, and offered up prayers and thanksgivings to their great Deliverer for their escape from a cruel death. They remained in Germany fourteen years, then stayed two years in Eng- land, from whence they came to America in the year 1700, and settled at Manakintown, on James River, in King William parish. The sword used by Bartholomew Dupuy while in France is now in possession of Dr. John James Dupuy, of Prince George, and was used by his grandfather, James Dupuy, Sr., of Nottoway, at the battle of Guilford, where he sig- nalized himself.' "
From the family of Dupuys I have gotten the old church register, which, though rotten and torn and in fragments, has been kept so as to enable me to obtain the statistics given in this article. The foregoing account of the escape of Bartholomew Dupuy and his wife is a true picture of the methods resorted to by the per- secuted Huguenots to fly from the kingdom. Nothing now remains but that I mention the names of those families still remaining in Virginia who derive their descent from the Huguenots. From information coming through books and individuals they are as follows :- Marye, Fontaine, Dupuy, Harris, Sublett, Watkins, Markam, Sully, Chasteen, Duvall, Bondurant, Flournoy, Potter, Michaux, Pemberton, Munford, Hatcher, Jaqueline, Bernard, Barraud, Latane, Moncure, Agie, Amouet, Chadouin, Dibrell, Farrar, Fuqua, Jeter, Jordan, Jouette, Le Grand, Ligon, Maupin, Maxey, Pasteur, Perrou, Thweatt, Maury, Boisseau, Fouche, Lanier, Le Neve. Concerning a few of these it may be questioned whether they be not of Welsh descent, while there are doubtless others who might be added.
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ARTICLE XLIV.
Parishes in Dinwiddie and Brunswick Counties .- Bath Parish.
THIS parish was established in 1742, being cut off from Bristol parish. Its dividing-line, however, was changed in 1744, so as to enlarge Bristol parish. Dinwiddie county was taken from Prince George in 1752. A part of Bristol parish-that in which Peters- burg lies-is still in Dinwiddie. The first minister of whom we have any account was a Mr. Pow, once a chaplain of his Majesty's ship Triton, who was succeeded in 1755 by the Rev. James Pasteur, who was also the minister in 1756; whether after this, and how long, is unknown. In 1763 the Rev. Devereux Jarratt, who had been ordained in London on Christmas-day the preceding year, became minister of the parish. In his autobiography he says,-
"Several ministers have been my predecessors in the parish. From them," he says, "I suppose they had heard little else but morality and smooth harangues, in no wise calculated to disturb their carnal repose, or to awaken any one to a sense of guilt and danger. . . . My doctrine was strange and wonderful to them, and their language one to another was to this effect :- ' We have had many ministers, and have heard many before this man, but we never heard any thing till now of conversion, the new birth, &c. We never heard any of our ministers say any thing against civil mirth, such as dancing, &c .; nay, they rather encouraged the people in them,-for we have seen Parson such an one, and Parson such another, at these mirthful places, as merry as any of the company. This new man of ours brings strange things to our ears.' ... At this time," he says, "I stood alone, not knowing of one clergyman in Virginia like-minded with myself."
It is to be feared that about this time, and some years before, a number of the clergy of Virginia were not only wanting in serious- ness, but were immoral and ignorant. A pious member of the Church, from somewhere in this region, I believe, writes to the Bishop of London of the gross ignorance of four clergymen, men- tioning. them by name, and the immorality of one of them, com- paring them with the learning and piety of two Presbyterian ministers who had just come into the State, and prophesying the result of these things unless arrested. He, however, adds that there were some of a different character. With one of these Mr. Jarratt himself soon became acquainted.
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As Mr. Jarratt was the minister of this parish from this time (1763) to the time of his death in the year 1801,-thirty-eight years, -and was a man of no ordinary character, it is proper that we give some sketch of him. The only difficulty in doing this will be the selecting, from the materials furnished by himself and the Rev. Mr. Coleman, to whom he addressed his autobiographical letters, the most important, so as not to exceed the bounds prescribed by the character of this work. Devereux Jarratt-so called, as to his Chris- tian name, from Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, in whose army his grandfather served -- was born in New Kent county, Virginia, January 6, 1732-3. His father, like the reputed father of our Emmanuel, was a carpenter. "We were accustomed," he says, "to look upon what were called gentlefolks as being of a superior order. My parents neither sought nor expected any titles or great things either for themselves or their children. Their highest ambi- tion was to teach their children to read and write and to understand the fundamental rules of arithmetic. They also taught us short prayers, and made us very perfect in repeating the Church cate- chism." When he was seven years of age his father died, and he was left to the care of his elder brother Robert, who inherited all the landed estate, as there was no will. The share of the other children was twenty-five pounds current Virginia money. At an early age Devereux discovered a turn for books, and was sent to a plain school. But, when not at school, his time was spent in keeping race-horses, taking care of game-cocks, and working on the farm. He seldom went to church, where he says old Mr. Mos- som preached "wholly from a written sermon, keeping his eyes continually fixed on the paper, and so near that what he said seemed rather addressed to the cushion than to the congregation." At the age of nineteen, after spending some time in learning the trade of a carpenter, and disliking it, he determined to become a teacher of what he did know. Hearing of a place in Albemarle- now Fluvanna-at a Mr. Moon's, he set out,-his all, excepting only one shirt, being on his back, and that which was in his hand was lost soon after. In Albemarle there was no minister of any persua- sion,-the Sabbath being spent in sporting. His salary was nine pound and seven shillings. Being sickly on that part of James River where he lived,-near Bremo Creek,-he changed his place of labour, and got still less the second year. The third year he lived with a Mr. Kennon, whose wife was a pious woman and greatly promoted his spiritual welfare. His reading and intercourse with Mrs. Kennon strongly inclined him to the Presbyterian Church,
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which was then gaining ground in those parts. After some back- slidings, and many doubts and misgivings, and some severe contests with the evil one, he determined on the ministry. Having mean- while examined some excellent Episcopal writers, and considered well the question of Churches, he resolved to take Orders in the Established Church. Having improved himself much in literature, especially in the languages, during his engagements as a teacher, and having obtained commendatory papers, and a title to some parish, in October, 1762, he sailed for England to obtain Orders. There he was detained until the spring,-not being able to obtain Orders at once,-and being attacked by the smallpox. During this time he placed all his money in the hands of the friend with whom he stayed, who spent it. Other and better friends being raised up by Providence, he was supplied with the means of re- turning to Virginia. In that year he entered upon the duties of the ministry in Bath parish. There were three churches in it,- Saponey, Hatcher's Run, and Butterwood,-to whose congregations he devoted himself. Of his preaching he speaks thus :-
"Instead of moral harangues, and advising my hearers, in a cool, dis- passionate manner, to walk in the primrose paths of a decided, sublime, and elevated virtue, and not to tread the foul track of disgraceful vice, [the language of the pulpit in that day,] I endeavoured to enforce, in the most alarming colours, the guilt of sin, the entire depravity of human nature, the awful danger mankind are in by nature and practice, the tre- mendous curse to which they are obnoxious, and their utter inability to evade the sentence of the law and the strokes of divine justice by their own power, merit, or good works. A religious concern took place, and that great question, 'What must I do to be saved?' was more and more common, especially among the middle ranks. Not that I supposed nonc of the poorer sort were convinced of sin and truly concerned for their souls, but they did not make me acquainted with it, because, at that time, people in the lower walks of life had not been accustomed to converse with clergymen, whom they supposed to stand in the rank of gentlemen and above the company and conversation of plebeians. . . . As soon as I discovered a religious concern in my parish, I no longer confined my la- bours to the pulpit on Sundays, but went out by night and by day, and at any time in the week, to private houses, and convened as many as I could for the purpose of prayer, singing, preaching, and conversation. The religious concern among the people of Bath soon enlarged the bounds of my preaching. The sound of it quickly reached to the neighbouring parishes, and thence to the counties and parishes at a greater distance. This moved many scores from other parishes to come and see for them- selves. Butterwood Church soon became too small to hold one-half the congregation. One large wing, and then another, were added to it, but yet room was wanting. I was now earnestly solicited by one and another from a distance to come over and help them. Thus commenced the en-
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largement of my bounds of preaching, which, in process of time, extended to a circle of five or six hundred miles, east, west, north, south."
During his years of travelling, when he visited twenty-nine counties in North Carolina and Virginia, he regularly attended the three churches in his own parish on Sundays, devoting the days of the week to itinerant labours, except on occasions when his visits were very distant. The journal of his labours shows that for some years he averaged five sermons a week. He was, of course, very obnoxious to many of the clergy. One of them charged him with violating an old English canon by preaching in private houses. To this he replied that no clergyman refused to preach a funeral sermon in a private house for forty shillings, and he preached for nothing. Moreover, that many of the brethren transgressed the 75th canon, which forbids cards, dice, tables, &c. to the clergy, and yet were not punished. Some complained of his encouraging pious laymen to pray in his presence, which he answered by re- minding them how often they permitted ungodly laymen to swear in their presence, without even a rebuke. Mr. Jarratt adduces in proof of the low state of religion the small number of communi- cants,-none but a few of the more aged-perhaps seven or eight at a church-attending. The rest thought nothing about it, or else considered it a dangerous thing to meddle with. The first time he administered it there was only that number. About ten years after he entered the ministry, there were, at his three churches, including a number who came from other parishes, about nine hundred or one thousand, although he endeavoured faithfully to guard the table against unworthy receivers. For many years this happy state of things continued; but, after a time, a melancholy change appeared. During the war, the clergy, deprived of their salaries, had in great numbers deserted their parishes. Dissenters were multiplying through the State. An irresistible tide was sweeping away the Episcopal Church. What could the single arm of Mr. Jarratt do to avert its ruin ? The Baptists made the first inroads on his flock. The Methodists came on soon after, and Mr. Jarratt availed him- self of their aid to oppose the former. They professed to be, and doubtless at the first in sincerity, the true friends of the Episcopal Church, who only desired its reformation; but, when increased in numbers, they established a separate and rival communion. Mr. Jarratt encouraged their private meetings, and, not deeming it right or canonical to throw open his churches to their lay preachers, tendered his own barn to their use, and was present at some of
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their meetings. The issue of this is well known. His own services were after a time deserted for the more popular modes of the Me- thodists. But the same result occurred throughout the State, only that those who adopted a different mode, and made violent oppo- sition to them, were the sooner deserted. The fact is, that a thousand circumstances contributed to render the downfall of the Church at that time inevitable. Had there been such men as Jar- ratt from the first, it would not have been. Had there been a hundred such men as Jarratt in the Church of Virginia at that time, numbers would have remained in it, who would have made the Episcopal Church at this day the largest, instead of the smallest, of the Churches of Virginia. Mr. Jarratt, though thus deserted and discouraged, continued steadfast, predicting, even to the last, the resuscitation of the Episcopal Church, believing that it had the Divine favour, and the redeeming principle in it. In his letter to his old friend Mr. McRoberts, who was like-minded with himself for many years, and with whom he had taken sweet counsel, but who at length abandoned our ministry and sought to establish a Church in Virginia on the Independent plan, he writes like a true descendant of the English Reformers as to the doctrines and policy of the Church, assuming, as to the latter, the ground taken in our Articles and Ordination Services, affirming its apostolic origin, though not denouncing others as destitute of authority. Mr. Jarratt, though looked upon with an evil eye, as he says, by the old clergy, and having little intercourse with them, still attended some of their Conventions. At one, in 1774, held in Williamsburg, he says that he was treated so unkindly, and heard the true doctrines of Chris- tianity so ridiculed, that he determined to attend no more of them. In the year 1785, however, he attended one in Richmond, which was called for the purpose of organizing a Diocesan Church and adopting canons ; but he was again so coldly treated, that, after remaining a few hours, he returned home. In the year 1790, the Convention which elected Bishop Madison was called, and he, being present, was better received. On the following year he was ap- pointed to preach the opening sermon at the Convention of 1792. That noble sermon stands first in his volume of sermons. On his return home he stopped in Petersburg, where Bishop Madison had appointed an ordination. Mr. Jarratt, being requested to take part in the examination, refused two of them as unfit for the office. "But what did that avail ?" he says : "another clergyman was called in, and I had the mortification to hear both of them ordained the same day. I say hear, for it was a sight I did not wish to see."
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