University of Virginia Library

BRISTOL PARISH.

I am now brought, in the order of time and geography, to
Bristol parish. This parish was formed in 1662, on either side
of the Appomattox River, beginning at its junction with James
River, at City Point, and extending to the Falls. By the Falls

we presume must be meant those at or a little above Petersburg,
though, as we shall see hereafter, the vestry, in the course of time,
seem to have acted for a much larger territory.

It was called Bristol parish, because the river was then called
Bristol as well as Appomattox. Within the bounds of this parish
was the old settlement of Sir Thomas Dale, in 1611, called Bermuda
Hundred, at the junction of James River and Appomattox.
Settlements were, from time to time, formed along the river up to
the Falls, where is now the town of Petersburg. The mother or
parish church was at Bermuda Hundred, opposite to City Point,
and it was desirable to organize a parish and provide for those who
were settling higher up the Appomattox or Bristol River. That
the mother-church was at this place is evident from an early entry
in the vestry-book, where, for the first and only time, the mother-church
is mentioned,—and then in connection with the ferry at the
Point, (City Point,) which is directed to be kept in good order for
persons, on Sunday, going over to the "mother-church," called,
in the Act of Assembly, the "Parish Church." The next place
of worship in the parish was probably the "Ferry Chapel," near
the Falls, and not far from the Old Blandford Church, which took
its place in the year 1737 or 1738. From the year 1720, when
the vestry-book begins, to the year 1737, the vestry-meetings are
invariably held at the Ferry Chapel, and afterward at the Brick
Church, on Wills's Hill, or Blandford Church. There was a church
built, it is believed, in 1707, according to some marks on it, and
called Wood's Church, about five miles from Petersburg, on the
north side of the Appomattox. Of this we shall speak when
treating of Dale parish, in Chesterfield, in which it now stands.
The first and most accurate account we have of Bristol parish is
from a letter to the Bishop of London, by its incumbent, the Rev.
George Robertson, in the year 1724. He had been, at that time,
its minister for nearly thirty-one years, and so continued for sixteen
more, making in all forty-six years. The extent of the parish
was twenty-five miles wide and forty miles long. It, of course,
must then have extended up the Appomattox into Brunswick and
Amelia. He complains that but a few of the masters send their
servants to be catechized, as he exhorts them to do, though some
do it at home and then bring them to baptism. He had one church
and one chapel, at which he alternately preached, and had full
congregations in good weather,—sometimes more than the pews
would hold. His tobacco being of inferior quality, his salary was
not more than forty-five or forty-six pounds sterling. His glebe

had forty acres of barren land, with no house on it, and not cultivated.[120] No public school nor library. His services were confined
to the Ferry Chapel, at Petersburg, and to the mother-church, at
Bermuda Hundred. Although Mr. Robertson had only these two
places at which he officiated in 1724, we find the vestry determined
to build chapels in the year 1721, three years before, at Saponey
Creek and Nansomond Creek, a considerable distance up the river.
These, however, were not built until the year 1727. Meanwhile, a
chapel was built elsewhere—and, as we believe, lower down the
parish—in the year 1723. The person contracting for it was a
Mr. Thomas Jefferson; and we suppose it to be the same building
spoken of by Mr. Stith, in his "History of Virginia," in 1740, as
being in Chesterfield, and which was so near to James River that a
minister of Henrico parish connected it at a later period with his.
It was called Jefferson's Church,—probably after the builder: I
am not sure but that there are remains of it to this day.

In the year 1727, it appears that four surplices were ordered,
which shows that there must have been at least four churches then
in the parish. In the year 1729, additions are made to each of the
churches recently built at Saponey and Namoisen Creeks. In the
year 1730, another church—between Smacks and Krebbs—is determined
upon, for "the remote inhabitants" of the parish, on Flat
Creek, near Samuel Cobb's, to be built by Richard Booker, with
the privilege of putting up a pew for his family by the side of the
communion-table. In 1733, a committee is appointed to examine
the Ferry Chapel and see whether it is worthy of being repaired.
The report being unfavourable, in 1734 it was determined to build
a new one, on Will's Hill, of the best materials and workmanship,
—sixty feet by twenty-five,—the aisle to be laid of white Bristol
stone. Thomas Ravenscroft contracted to build it for four hundred
and eighty-five pounds sterling. The building of this church
involved the vestry in great pecuniary difficulty, so that the minister,
Mr. George Robertson, agreed to serve them gratuitously until
they were relieved. The vestry seems also to have been tempted
to resort to very doubtful means of discharging their engagements.
The Assembly had established two new parishes in the year 1735,
—viz.: Dale parish, in Chesterfield, taking in that part of Bristol
parish lying north of the Appomattox, and Raleigh parish, now in
Amelia, but then parts of Bristol and St. Andrew's parishes. After

the passage, but before the execution, of the law, a levy was made
on these new parishes for the means of paying for Blandford Church.
Complaint being made, the next Assembly declared the levy improper,
and ordered it to be refunded.

In proof of an increasing population and desire for places of
worship, we state that petitions for two new chapels were addressed
to the vestry in the year 1737. In the year 1738 one was ordered
to be built on the north side of Hatcher's Run, which was undertaken
by Isham Eppes for one hundred and nineteen pounds and fifteen
shillings; and in the year 1739 one was ordered to be built for the
convenience of the lower parts of the parish, and Mr. John Ravenscroft
undertook to build it for one hundred and thirty-four pounds
and ten shillings, on Titmassie's land. That on Hatcher's Run
being burned down, another is ordered in 1740. Another at Jones's
Hole was also completed that year. An addition being found necessary
to Blandford Church, in the year 1752 it was ordered that one,
thirty by twenty-five feet, be put to it, and that a brick wall be
placed around it. Since the completion of Blandford Church in
1738, the vestry appears to have been duly attentive to the wants
of the minister as to a glebe and glebe-houses. In the year 1761
we find another entry of an order for building a small church in
the outward part of the parish. Again, in 1769, we find an order
for one sixty feet by twenty-eight, in the upper part of the parish
that lies in Dinwiddie county. On the approach of the war the
vestry resolved to pay a salary of one hundred and forty-four
pounds, instead of tobacco, and Mr. Harrison, their minister, agrees
to wait three years for a balance due him, on account of the distress
of the country.

In the year 1789 we find Jones's Hole Church forcibly entered,
through the windows and doors, for the purpose of worship,—the
vestry giving notice that if this be again done, or the church entered
without leave, the offending persons shall be dealt with according
to law, which proves that the Episcopalians were the subjects
of some persecution at that time. This forcible entry of some of
our churches has continued ever since. Surely, in view of such
forcible entries, when the Legislature confiscated the glebes, it
would have declared the churches common, in the plainest manner,
had such been the design of the law. Mr. Chapman Johnson once
told me that, after the fullest investigation of the subject, he was
well convinced that the law never contemplated any interference
with the entire right of Episcopalians with the Church buildings.
Nevertheless, we have not, like the dog in the manger, refused to

use them ourselves or let others do it, but when reduced in numbers
so as to have only irregular or infrequent services, or having
utterly failed in the neighbourhood of many of the old churches,
have either allowed the partial use of them, or quietly surrendered
them to others. With the above act in 1789 the records of the
old vestry-book of Bristol parish terminate. To other sources we
must be indebted for any information touching the churches in this
parish after this. As to the numbers which, as we have stated,
were built in different parts of the parish, without the towns of
Petersburg and Blandford, we are unable to give any account of
them, save that, with the exception of Old Saponey Church,—Mr.
Jarratt's Church, as it has been often called,—they are gone, and
the places thereof know them no more. Being of framework, they
were not destined to much duration, and, being occupied and abused
by all, soon came to desolation. Old Blandford Church also began
to experience the effects of age, and the increasing prosperity and
numbers of Petersburg, standing on the adjoining hill, made it expedient
to begin to think of deserting her, and preparing a place
of worship more convenient to the majority of the worshippers.
Accordingly, in the year 1802, measures were taken for building a
church in Petersburg near the court-house. This answered the
purposes of the congregation until the year 1839, when another
and larger one was built in a more convenient place. That having
been consumed by fire a few years since, another larger and more
expensive one has recently been erected. Two other churches have
also been built in Petersburg under the auspices of the Rev. Mr.
Gibson within a few years past, the first of them being disposed of
when the second was erected. A small missionary chapel was also
erected in another part of the town, but has failed of its object.

We have thus, contrary to our usual order, given in the first
place an account of the churches of Bristol parish, and now proceed
to state what we have been able to collect of the history of
its ministers. After the early mention of Alexander Whittaker,
Mr. Wickham, and Stockam, who, from the year 1611 and onward,
officiated at Bermuda Hundred, in connection with the church at
Henrico City, about five or six miles off, on the north side of James
River, we have no record of even the name of a minister until the
year 1693, when Mr. Robertson came to it, and continued to be the
minister till 1740.

At the death of Mr. Robertson in 1740, an agreement was made
with a Rev. Mr. Hartwell to become the minister; but, misunderstandings
taking place as to the terms, it was never carried

into execution. Mr. Robert Ferguson was then chosen, and continued
to be the minister for ten years,—until 1750. He was succeeded
by the Rev. Eleazer Robertson, who continued two years,
and was succeeded by the Rev. Thomas Wilkinson, who resigned
in 1762, and was succeeded by the Rev. William Harrison, who
resigned in 1780, though continuing to reside in Petersburg until
his death in 1814, being eighty-four years of age. The parish
being advertised as vacant, the Rev. Mr. Kennedy and the Rev.
Dr. Cameron were candidates in 1784. The latter was chosen, and
ministered in the parish until 1793, when he resigned. Of him I
shall speak in another place. In the following year the Rev. Andrew
Syme was elected, and continued until his resignation in 1839,
—a period of forty-five years. He continued to reside in Petersburg
until his death, esteemed and beloved, by all who knew him, as "an
Israelite in whom there was no guile." For further particulars of
him the reader is referred to my article on South Farnham parish,
Essex county, from which he removed to Bristol parish, and to the
Rev. Mr. Slaughter's full and very interesting pamphlet on Bristol
parish. For some years previous to his resignation of the parish,
Mr. Syme, on account of increasing infirmities, had called for an
assistant, and obtained the services of the Rev. Hobart Bartlett,
from New York, whose fine talents, popular preaching, and agreeable
manners contributed much to the increase of the congregation.
In the year 1839 I was induced, under peculiar circumstances, to
take the temporary charge of the congregation, but soon accomplished
the object had in view, and procured for the congregation
the services of the Rev. Mr. Cobbs, now Bishop of Alabama. His
ministry, during the few years of its continuance, was very prosperous
in all respects. During that period a general awakening of
the souls of the people of Petersburg took place, and the ministers
of all denominations laboured faithfully in prayer, and sermons,
and exhortations, private and public. Instead of discouraging such
extraordinary efforts for so extraordinary an outpouring of the
Spirit of God as was granted, Mr. Cobbs came behind none, and
went beyond some, in the frequency and continuance of his religious
exercises. The result was, that no congregation was more highly
blest in the results thereof. I laid my hands on the heads of ninety-three
at that time, who, for the last three months, had been receiving
the daily instructions of their minister, either public or private,
and of such other ministers as he was able to bring to his help.
During Mr. Cobbs's ministry the ladies of the Wilmer Association—
who had for so many years been the most active of all in supporting
beneficiaries at our Seminary, sending at times to the amou
of five and six hundred dollars to the treasury—began to divert their
funds from this to the promotion of missionary labours in the town
of Petersburg. The result has been the establishment of the prosperous
church under the care of the Rev. Mr. Gibson. In the year
1843 the Rev. Mr. Slaughter accepted a call to this parish, after
the resignation of the Rev. Mr. Cobbs. His services were so acceptable
to the people, that at the end of the six months which he
had proposed to himself as a trial, he agreed to continue, nor did
he cease to labour there until his health so failed as to make it
improper to add further efforts. He was succeeded by the Rev.
Horace Stringfellow, who continued until the year 1854. His place
has been supplied during the present year (1856) by the Rev. Mr.
Platt, from Alabama.

A few words concerning Petersburg and Blandford will close my
remarks. We naturally like to know the origin of the names of
places in which we take interest. In looking over documents which
have been furnished me, I find the name of Petersburg ascribed to
the fact that a great number of persons by the name of Peter,
especially of the family of Jones, were among the first settlers.[121]
As to Blandford, which was, as to the time of its settlement, considerably
in the advance of Petersburg, the name is supposed to
have been given it because so much of the property around was
once in the possession of the family of Blands. Concerning the
venerable old church at Blandford, now and for a long time past
only used for funeral services of those who are buried around it,
and which reminds the traveller of the "moss-grown battlements
and ivy-mantled towers" of our fatherland, I need only present
to the reader the following lines of some unknown one, which are

OLD BLANDFORD CHURCH, PETERSBURG, VA.

"Lone relic of the past! old mouldering pile,

Where twines the ivy round its ruins gray."

engraven on its walls, and refer them to the not less exquisite ones
to be found in Mr. Slaughter's pamphlet,

The following is a list of the vestrymen whose names are in the
record from the year 1720 to 1788. For the continuation of the
list, reference is made to the fuller sketch of this parish by the Rev.
Mr. Slaughter:—Robert Bolling, Robert Munford, A. Hall, L.
Green, Henry Randolph, Thomas Bott, William Kennon, G. Wilson,
Peter Jones, George Archer, Robert Kennon, I. Herbert, Drury
Bolling, William Poythress, Theophilus Field, A. Bevell, Charles
Fisher, William Starke, D. Walker, F. Poythress, J. Bannister,
William Hamlin, Theodoric Bland, T. Short, W. Eppes, G. Smith,
L. Dewey, J. Gordon, J. Boisseau, J. Murray, A. Walker, T. Williams,

Alexander Bolling, William Eaton, Roger Atkinson, G.
Nicholas, Sir William Skipwith, N. Raines, John Ruffin, R. Bolling,
William Kall, Dr. Theodoric Bland, (afterward Colonel Bland of
the Revolution,) Richard Taylor, Thomas Jones, Peter Jones, J. P.
Wheat, Robert Skipwith, W. Brown, William Robertson, John
Kirby, R. Bolling, James Field, William Diggs, B. Kirby, R. Turnbull,
John Shore, T. G. Peachy, A. G. Strachan, J. Hull, J. Geddy,
R. Gregory, J. Bonner, E. Harrison, A. Gracie, T. Bolling, J.
Campbell, R. Williams, D. Hardaway, John Grammar, Sr., George
Keith Taylor, Thomas Withers, A. Macrae, W. Prentiss, E. Stott,
J. Osburne, R. Moore, D. Maitland.

To this we add, that, on examining the list of baptisms from 1720
and onward, we find the following names, among many others:—
Birchett, Bolling, Hardaway, Jones, Poythress, Buchan, Peebles,
Hinton, Vaughan, Pegram, Peterson, Walthall, Sturdivant, Stith,
Rowlett, Bragg, Batte, Bannister, Guilliam, Hammond, Bland,
Chambliss, &c.