 | Old churches, ministers and families of Virginia |  |
ARTICLE XXXIII.
Parishes in King and Queen and King William.—Stratton Major.
This is one of our oldest parishes, being established in 1664-65.
Of the ministers previous to the year 1724 we know nothing. In
that year the Rev. Mr. Skaife, who had been its minister for thirteen
years, and continued to be so for twelve years longer, informs
the Bishop of London that his parish was eighteen miles in length
and thirteen in breadth; that there was only one church, and that
open every Sunday; that there were three hundred attendants, two
hundred and twenty communicants; that his salary was eighty
pounds. In answer to the question, Are there any infidels in your
parish? the reply is, Generally negroes are unbaptized; they
that desire it have it; the church is open to all. In 1736 the Rev.
John Reade becomes minister, and either dies or resigns in 1743.
The following year the Rev. Mr. Robinson becomes the minister,
and so continues until his death in 1767 or 1768. Of him we shall
speak more in a little while. On the 4th of April, 1768, the Rev.
William Dunlap is received as their minister. In the year 1773 a
letter is received from Mr. Dunlap,—in the West Indies,—asking
leave of six months' absence longer, which is granted, and the Rev.
Mr. Dixon, from a neighbouring parish, is employed every other
Sabbath. In the year 1778 the vestry and their minister, Mr.
Dunlap, seem to be involved in a difficulty. The Rev. Mr. Dunlap
writes them a letter, which they wish to consider as a resignation,
and so record it, directing the churchwardens to advertise his resignation
three times in the Virginia Gazette. This is in April;
but in September of the same year we find the following record:—
"Ordered that churchwardens make application to the Rev.
William Dunlap and the Rev. Arthur Hamilton about moving from
the glebe; and, provided they refuse to move, the churchwardens
are hereby authorized to commence suit against them." In the
following year I find the following order:—"That the churchwardens
wait on the Rev. Mr. Hamilton, offering him the use of the
glebe, house, garden, &c., on condition that he preach once a month
and be ready to remove whenever required, and that the churchwardens
rent out the glebe." These unhappy notices are the last
There are subsequent records of vestry-meetings and proceedings,
but not a word is written about even an effort to secure the services
of a minister. The last entry was in 1783. In vain do we turn
over the pages of our journals of Convention from the year 1785
and onward in search of some clerical or lay delegate from this
parish. The name of Stratton Major is nowhere to be found upon
them.
About twenty-five years ago, for the first and last time, I passed
through that part of the county where I think it probable that this
old church, of which I shall soon speak, stood. At a little distance
from the road I saw (for I had not time to stop, having to travel
thirty-five miles that day across three counties to my appointment)
a large and venerable old church, which had long been in possession
of others. One of the noble trees which almost touched its walls,
and gave shade to the house and those around and within, had a
short time before been cut down, by some idle and wanton ones,
merely to obtain a small quantity of wild honey which was supposed
to be in some hollow part of it. Whether its walls are still standing,
or what is its condition, I know not.
There never were, so far as the vestry-book shows, but two
churches in this parish, called in the entries of the book the Upper
and the Lower. In the year 1768, as soon as the new church of
which we are about to speak was finished, the vestry order that
the Upper Church should have the doors and windows studded and
boarded if necessary. It is probable that, after this, the new church,
which may have been in some central position, was the only one used.
This new church was probably the largest and best church built
in Virginia before that time, and for years after. That in Petsworth
parish, built a few years before, cost eleven hundred pounds,
and far exceeded any thing before seen; but this was contracted for
with Mr. Henry Gaines, for thirteen hundred pounds. Its dimensions
were fifty by eighty feet, and of corresponding height, with
galleries. When finished, the pews were not rented or sold as now,
but were assigned by the vestry to the individuals and families of
the parish. On two pages of the large folio vestry-book are the
names of two hundred and seventy-five individuals or heads of
families to whom these pews, or seats in them, are assigned. The
Hon. Richard Corbin's and John Robinson's (Speaker Robinson,
though he was just dead) families seem to be assigned the highest
seats. Commissary Robinson and family had one near the pulpit.
Then come the Merediths, Roots, Shacklefords, Gaines, Whitings,
&c., though it does not appear whether the aristocratic
principle was adopted in the general distribution. Whoever would
see the names of half the families in King and Queen one century
ago would probably find them on this vestry-book.
The following list of vestrymen, commencing in 1739, will show
who were the leading men in all the civil and ecclesiastical matters
of the parish and county:—Richard Roy, Richard Johnson, Henry
Hickman, Edward Ware, Thomas Foster, Thomas Dudley, John
Collier, Gawin Corbin, Valentine Ware, Roger Gregory, Richard
Anderson, John Robinson, Benjamin Needler, Robert Dudley, John
Livingston, Robert Gaines, Philip Roots, John Ware, Richard
Shackleford, William Taliafero, John Strakey, William Lyne,
Charles Collier, Thomas Thorpe, Thomas Langford, John Shackleford,
John Foster, Philip Roots, Francis Gaines, John Whiting,
Thomas Reade Roots, John Whiting, James Prior, Thomas Dillard,
Lyne Shackleford, Hon. Richard Corbin, William Hall, John Taylor
Corbin, Benjamin Robinson, Humphrey Garrett, Richard Bray,
James Didlake, Philip Taliafero, Lyne Shackleford, Jr., Thomas
Dillard, John Kidd.
It is painful to see in this and other vestry-books, how, as the
Church began to decline and dissent to increase, and some of the
old friends disappeared from the vestries, it was difficult to supply
their places. Some who were elected refused to serve, and even
some who had served resigned their places. It must be said, however,
of the vestry of Stratton Major, from its first beginning to
its close, that it seems to have been attentive to all its duties, especially
in providing for the comfort of its ministers. While most
of the vestries purchased miserable glebes for eighty or a hundred
pounds, and were content with glebe-houses in proportion, this vestry
gave seven hundred pounds for one glebe, and when it was expedient
to dispose of that bought another for six hundred pounds,
and provided all necessary houses upon them of a comfortable kind,
even to a hen-house twenty feet long, and a dairy suitable for the
purpose. Mr. Richard Corbin is the first instance I have met
with who furnished the bread and wine for sacrament gratuitously.
He also presented a marble font to one of the churches, and the
land on which the new church was built was his gift. It was built
on a place not far from his residence, called "Goliath's Field." Its
size and walls were answerable to that name. The walls began
with five bricks at the foundation, and ended with four at the top,
and were twenty-seven feet high.
The Rev. William Robinson, as appears by the following extract
of a letter to the Bishop of London, and the records of the vestry-book,
was ordained in 1743, and became minister of Stratton Major
in 1744, continuing to be so until his death in 1767 or 1768. He
became Commissary in the year 1761. Governor Fauquier was
much dissatisfied with his appointment, and so expressed himself
in a letter to England. The opposition of the Governor was no
sure proof of the unworthiness of Mr. Robinson. He was an arbitrary
and high-tempered man, who could not brook opposition, and
Mr. Robinson was no negative submissive character to crouch before
authority. They had had one or two serious rencounters. During
the six or seven years of his Commissaryship, his correspondence
with the Bishop of London on the affairs of the Church was lengthy
and able. He espoused the cause of the clergy on the occasion
of the Two-Penny Act, or Option Law, with zeal and fearlessness,
though without success. He had an independent fortune of his
own, and was therefore the less liable to be charged with mercenary
motives. The following extract from a letter to the Bishop of London
in 1765 shows that he had reason to believe that he still had
enemies whose communications to the ears of the Bishop were unfavourable.
The continuance of his labour during the whole of his
ministry, for twenty-four years in the same parish, and where there
was much of character and wealth and talent, and such zeal and
liberality in regard to all Church matters, speaks well in his behalf.
Extract of a letter from Mr. Robinson to the Bishop of London, dated
May 23, 1765.
"My Lord:—I have some reasons to apprehend that endeavours have
been made to prejudice your Lordship against me, but in what particular
I know not. I must therefore beg your Lordship's patience while I give
some account of myself. I was born in Virginia. At ten years old I was
sent to England for my education, which was in the year 1729. I continued
at school in the country until the year 1737, at which time I was
admitted a member of Oriel College, in Oxford. After I had taken
my B.A. degree, I was chosen by the Provost and Fellows to one of Dr.
Robinson's Bishop of London's exhibitions, (who was my great-uncle,)
which I enjoyed for three years, the term limited by his Lordship. In
June, 1743, I was ordained Priest by Dr. Gibson, Bishop of London. I
returned to my native country in the year 1744, (October;) the November
following I was received into Stratton Major parish in King and Queen
county, where I have continued rector ever since.
"I can with truth assure your Lordship, I have always lived in the greatest
harmony with my parishioners, and I believe no minister can be more
respected by them than I am. I have always studiously avoided giving
any just cause of offence to any one, especially those in authority. Your
Lordship, I hope, will excuse my saying so much in my own behalf; but
the truth of what I have said, I can appeal to my whole parish."[105]
ST. STEPHEN'S PARISH, KING AND QUEEN.
This parish was probably established in 1691, there being no
certain account of it.[106]
In the years 1754 and 1758, and again in
the years 1773-74 and 1776, the Rev. Mr. Dunbar was minister of
this parish. No minister appears on our journals to represent this
parish until the year 1793, when the Rev. Thomas Andrews appears
from St. Stephen's parish, but whether St. Stephen's of King
and Queen, or of Northumberland, does not appear; but there
were some faithful laymen in that parish, who steadily adhered
to its falling fortunes. Anderson Scott and Henry Young appear
as lay delegates in 1785 and 1786. Mr. Thomas Hill and William
Fleet are lay delegates in 1796. Mr. Thomas Hill had attended
alone, without minister or associate layman, during several of the
preceding Conventions; but, after 1796, St. Stephen's parish appears
to be deserted.
Of the churches in this parish I know nothing, unless the following
is a description of one of them:—"In the northwest of the
county, in an old and venerable grove, stands St. Stephen's Church,
I think in the form of a cross. There is no wall around it, but it
is in good repair. It is principally used by the Baptists, but Episcopal
services have sometimes been held in it of late years, and
one of the Bishops has visited it, I believe."
From this whole county Episcopalians have nearly disappeared,
either by death, removal, or union with other denominations.
In 1724 the Rev. John Goodwin was minister. The parish was thirty miles
long, had three hundred families, sixty communicants, a very poor house and glebe,
two or three little schools, unendowed. The parish-library consisted of three
books,—the Book of Homilies, the Whole Duty of Man, and the Singing Psalms.
KING WILLIAM COUNTY AND THE PARISHES IN IT.
King William was taken out of King and Queen in 1701. At
that time St. John's parish was the only one in the county. In
1721, St. Margarett's parish was established. A part of this
being in Caroline, when that county was established in the year
1744, St. Margarett's was divided, and that part in Caroline was
called St. Margarett's still, and that in King William called St.
David's, so that the two parishes in King William were henceforth
St. John's and St. David's. In the year 1754, the Rev. Alexander
White, afterward minister in Hanover county, and one of those
St. David's, and Mr. John Robertson of St. John's parish. The
same continued in these parishes in 1758. In the years 1773-7476,
the Rev. Alexander White is still the minister of St. David's,
and the Rev. William Skyren of St. John's. At the first Convention
in 1785, the Rev. William Skyren is still the minister of
St. John's, attended by Mr. Carter Braxton as lay delegate, Mr.
William Temple being the lay delegate from St. David's. In 1786,
the Rev. Mr. Skyren is still in St. John's; Mr. Carter Braxton
the lay delegate from the same, and Mr. Benjamin Temple and
William Spiller from St. David's. In 1787, Mr. Skyren still from
St. John's, and his lay delegates, William D. Claiborne, William
Spiller, and Benjamin Temple, from St. David's. In the year
1790, Rev. Reuben Clopton appears in Convention from St. David's,
with Nathaniel Burwell as lay delegate. There was no
representative from St. John's, the Rev. Mr. Skyren having removed
to Hampton. In 1791, Mr. Clopton is still the minister of
St. David's; also in 1792, with Mr. Nathaniel Burwell as lay delegate.
St. John's is once more represented by Carter Braxton, Jr.
as lay delegate, in 1792. In 1794, St. David's is represented by
Mr. Joseph Guathney as lay delegate, and in the following year
by Mr. Thomas Fox and Mr. William Dabney. In the year 1797,
the Rev. Thomas Hughes and Mr. Benjamin Temple represent St.
David's, and the Rev. John Dunn and Mr. James Ruffin represent
St. John's. In the year 1799, the Rev. Thomas Hughes and Mr.
Thomas Fox represent St. David's, and Mr. Edward Chamberlayne
and John Lord represent St. John's. In the year 1805, the Rev.
Duncan McNaughton and Mr. John Hull represent St. Stephen's
parish, but whether the parish of that name in Northumberland or
King William is not known. This concludes the list of ministers
of King William county, until the Rev. Farley Berkeley was sent
there as missionary, who remained one year.
The Rev. John McGuire, while minister in Essex, often visited
one or more of the old churches in King William, and since his
removal the Rev. Mr. Temple has done the same; but the revival
of the Church in that county is at this time very unpromising, the
old Episcopal families having long since either removed or united
with other denominations.
Of the old churches in King William I have received the following
account:—
"King William has still not less than four old Episcopal churches
section. There is neither grove or graveyard now around it. The pulpit
was of the ancient and customary shape,—that of a bottle turned upside
down, the neck of the bottle representing the stem on which the body
was sustained. The stem is said to be still preserved somewhere in the
church. A new and ruder pulpit has been substituted. The second is
called Acquinton Church. It is a large old church, in the form of a cross,
having the aisles paved with flagstones. The third is St. David's, about
ten miles higher up, which is a regular quadrangular building, and is
sometimes called Cattail. Fourth, Mangochick Church, in the upper part
of the county,—which is also quadrangular. All of the churches are said
to be in pretty good preservation. The old high-back pews have in some,
perhaps in all of them, given place to benches, and the Commandments
disappeared, except in two of them, from the walls. They have been regarded
and used as common property for a long time. I have officiated
in two of them. In one of them I found the old pulpit still standing,
though a new one or a kind of stage has been erected in another part
of it, and used, I was informed, by one of two contending parties, who
officiated in the church,—the others still preferring the old pulpit.
POSTSCRIPTS TO THE ARTICLES ON THE PARISHES OF KING AND
QUEEN, AND KING WILLIAM.
Two letters from brethren who are well acquainted with these
counties enable me to correct some errors in the preceding account.
As to King and Queen, I was mistaken in supposing that I may
have once passed by the large church in Stratton Major parish,
which was built on Mr. Corbin's land, called Goliath's Field. The
one I saw was in St. Stephen's parish, and is still standing, being in
possession of the Baptists. The Stratton Major Church has been
sold, some years since, and the bricks entirely removed. There is
still one church standing in Stratton Major parish. A third was
destroyed by fire. There was also another church in St. Stephen's
parish, called the Apple-Tree Church. Among the families belonging
to St. Stephen's parish may be mentioned the Temples,
Hoskins, Scotts, Youngs, Hills, and Fleets.
The following account of the Rev. Henry Skyren, the last of the
ministers who regularly officiated in the churches of King William
and King and Queen, will be read with deep interest:—
"The Rev. Henry Skyren was born at White Haven, England. The
date of his birth I am unable to give, as the family Bible was lost, though
it may be seen on his tombstone at Hampton. The exact time of his
arrival in this country is not known; but the first field of his ministry
was in King and Queen and King William counties, preaching alternately
in two or three of the old Colonial churches, and residing in the family
of Colonel Corbin, of Laneville. In 1774, he married Miss Lucy Moore,
the youngest of the three daughters of General Bernard Moore and Kate
father's family for several years previous to his marriage. He continued
in the same parish for four or five years; afterward removed to Hampton,
where, after officiating for six years, he died universally beloved and lamented.
It is much to be regretted that his widow, who was too amiable
to refuse a favour, no matter how unreasonable, allowed the ministers of
the neighbouring parishes to pick over and take away the best of his sermons,
which were never returned; so that when her brothers-in-law, Mr.
Walker, of Albemarle, and Mr. Charles Carter, of Shirley, sent to her for
them for publication, only a few fragments could be collected.
"He was said to be an elegant scholar and accomplished gentleman,
who was alike remarkable for his eloquence and piety, never participating
in any of the worldly amusements so common in that day with the clergy.
"These last facts we have learned from the elder residents in Norfolk
and Hampton, many of whom a few years back were living, who retained
a perfect recollection of him; and there is a lady living in this place,
(Fredericksburg,) Mrs. John Scott, Sr., who recollects to have heard him
spoken of in her early youth as the most eminent divine of the age in this
diocese. He left three sons and three daughters. None of his sons ever
married, and the name became extinct in this country with the death of
Colonel John Spottswood Skyren. His eldest daughter first married
Mr. Frazier, of Washington, and afterward Dr. Lewis, of King William.
The youngest married Mr. Tebbs, of Culpepper. The second, the only one
of his children now living, married the late Robert Temple, of Ampthill,
eldest son of Colonel Benjamin Temple, of King William, and is now
residing in Fredericksburg. Her children and grandchildren number
upward of fifty, many of whom still cling to the Church of their fathers
with a strong affection, mingled with veneration and love for the memory
of their ancestors; and it may be well to add that Colonel Benjamin
Temple and Parson Skyren were both members of the first Episcopal Convention
ever held in Virginia. A reliable witness says that, when Mr.
Skyren preached in King William, `the Acquinton Church was always so
crowded that the people used to bring their seats and fill up the aisle after
the pews were full. The other churches in which he preached were Cattail,
and what was called the Lower Church. The church at Hampton
was in a very flourishing condition, and it was with difficulty Mr. Skyren
could get the consent of his congregation to preach in Norfolk, where he
was frequently invited.' "
During the ministry of the Rev. Mr. Dalrymple in New Kent,
in the years 1843 and 1844, he made an effort to revive the old
churches in King William, by preaching there, and the parishes
were received into the Convention. The Rev. Edward McGuire,
who succeeded him, also officiated occasionally, I believe; but sufficient
encouragement was not afforded for the settlement of a
minister among them. We will not, however, despair.
The first of the Robinson family of whom we have any account was John Robinson,
of Cleasby, Yorkshire, (England,) who married Elizabeth Potter, of Cleasby,
daughter of Christopher Potter, from whom no doubt the name of Christopher, so
common in the family, was derived. The fourth son of John Robinson was Dr. John
Robinson, Bishop of Bristol, and, while Bishop, was British Envoy for some years at
the court of Sweden, writing, while there, a history of Sweden. He was also British
Plenipotentiary at the Treaty of Utrecht, being, it is supposed, the last Bishop or
clergyman employed in a public service of that kind. He afterward became Bishop
of London, in which office he continued until his death, in 1723. He was twice married,
but left no issue. He devised his real estate to the eldest son of his brother
Christopher, who had migrated to what was Rappahannock, on the Rappahannock
River. He was one of the first vestrymen mentioned on the vestry-book in Middlesex
county, in 1664, and married Miss Bertram. His oldest son, who inherited
the Bishop of London's estate, was John Robinson, who was born in 1683, who
was also a vestryman of Middlesex, and became President of the Council of Vir
ginia. He married Catharine Beverley, daughter of Robert Beverley, author of
the "History of Virginia" published in 1708. He had seven children; one of
them, named John Robinson, was Treasurer and Speaker of the Colony. Another
—Henry—married a Miss Waring. Another married in New York. Christopher
Robinson, who first came over to Virginia, had six children. Of John, the eldest,
we have already spoken. Christopher married a daughter of Christopher
Wormley, of Essex. Benjamin, Clerk of Caroline county, married a Miss King,
and was the father of the Rev. William Robinson, minister of Stratton Major,
in King and Queen. His daughter Clara married Mr. James Walker, of Urbanna,
in Middlesex. His daughter Anne married Dr. John Hay. Of his daughter Agatha
nothing is known. One of the descendants of the family married Mr. Carter Braxton,
and others intermarried with the Wormleys, Berkeleys, Smiths, &c. The
worthy family of Robinsons, in Norfolk and Richmond,—also those in Hanover,—
were derived from the same stock. A branch of this family moved to Canada; and
some of them have held high civil and military station under the English Government
there, and in the mother-country. The reputation of Mr. Speaker Robinson
suffered from the fact that as Treasurer he loaned to some of his friends large
sums of the public money. The Government, however, sustained no loss, as it
was all made good out of his private estate at his death. In all other respects he
stood high in the public confidence. He was never suspected of using the public
money for his own private advantage. He was held in high esteem by General
Washington, as their correspondence shows.
The following epitaph has been furnished me:—
EPITAPH.
"Beneath this place lieth all that could die of the late worthy John Robinsion,
Esq., who was a Representative of the county of King and Queen, and Speaker to
the House of Burgesses above twenty-eight years. How eminently he supplied that
dignified office, and with what fidelity he acted as Treasurer to the country beside,
is well known to us, and it is not unlikely future ages will relate, He was a tender
husband, a loving father, a kind master, a sincere friend, a generous benefactor,
and a solid Christian. Go, reader, and to the utmost of your power imitate his
virtues."
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