 | Old churches, ministers and families of Virginia. |  |
ARTICLE XLIX.
Parishes in Cumberland, Buckingham, and Fluvanna.—St.
James Southam, Cumberland.
In 1745, Southam parish was cut off from St. James Northam,
in Goochland county, which county then extended over James
River and to the Appomattox. That on the south side of James
River was called Southam parish. Southam parish is now in Powhatan
county, which was separated at a later date from Cumberland.
A vestry-book of this parish, whose record began in 1745 and
continued until 1791, furnishes the following particulars. On June
30, 1746, the Rev. John Robertson enters upon his duties in this
parish, being recommended by Governor Gooch and Commissary
Dawson, having been ordained the previous year by the Bishop of
London. He ceased to be minister in 1751. Mr. McClaurine is
then received on probation for twelve months, and continues until
his death in 1772. Mr. Jarratt, in his autobiography, speaks of
him as a pious man.[5]
The Rev. Jesse Carter, James Oglesby, and
Hyde Saunders, at the death of Mr. McClaurine, became applicants
for the parish, each preaching some time. Mr. Saunders is chosen
in November, 1773, and continues so to be until the year 1791,
when the record ends. In the year 1793 he also appears on the
journal of the Convention for the first and only time. Nothing
more is heard of the parish until the Rev. Mr. Lee took it under
his care in connection with Goochland and Amelia, in the year
1827. The Rev. Farley Berkeley, who succeeded Mr. Lee, has
also connected a new church at Genito, in Powhatan, with the
church in Amelia. For the last eleven years the Rev. Mr. Fisher
has been the minister of Southam parish, preaching at Emanuel
and St. Luke's Churches, each of which have been built since the
care of one of them, which has connected itself with a congregation
in Littleton parish, Cumberland, St. Luke's being in Powhatan.
THE CHURCHES IN SOUTHAM PARISH.
The first church determined on was on Tear or Tar Wallett Hill.
The church has long been called Tar Wallett. It was built on the
land of Daniel Coleman, in what is now Littleton parish, Cumberland.
The next was ordered to be on James River, on Thomas
Carter's land. The next to be at or near the reading-place called
Worley's. At the same time Peterville Church is spoken of as
having a reader, and another chapel, called Ham, is ordered to be
examined. These last were doubtless built before the division of
the parish. Additions are made at different times to some of these
churches, as to those of Tear Wallett and South Chapel. Mr.
Alexander Trent is allowed to build a gallery for his family. Nicholas
Davies and Carter Henry Harrison are allowed to put additions
to Ham Chapel for their families. John Mayo and Benjamin
Moseby are allowed to build galleries in Peterville Church for their
families.
The vestry appears to have performed their duty in regard to a
glebe and glebe-houses for the ministers, and to have complied with
a law forbidding a vestryman to be a lay reader, by displacing two
who were lay readers, or rather by accepting their resignation.
A lay reader of disorderly behaviour is also summoned to answer
to the vestry.
The following is a list of the vestrymen:—William Randolph,
probably the second of that name; George Carrington, probably
the first of that name who settled on Willis Creek; (these were
the first churchwardens;) Alexander Trent, James Barnes, James
Terry, Benjamin Harrison, Charles Anderson, Samuel Scott, Stephen
Bedford, Thomas Turpin, John Baskerville, (in 1748, in room
of William Randolph, removed,) Benjamin Harris, (in place of
Benjamin Harrison, resigned,) Archibald Cary, Thomas Davenport,
(in place of Archibald Cary, removed in 1750,) Abraham Sally,
William Barnit, Creed Haskins, Wade Netherland, Alexander
Trent, Jr., John Fleming, Thompson Swann, Littlebury Moseby,
Henry Macon, Roderick Easly, John Netherland, Maurice Lang
horne, John Railey, George Carrington, Jr., Edward Haskins,
John Mosely, John Hughes, Edmund Logwood, William Mayo,
Richard Crump, George Williamson, William Ronald, Edmund
Brett Randolph. The clerks or lay readers were Messrs. Hubbard,
Anderson, Terry, Turpin, &c.
LITTLETON PARISH, CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
This was separated from Southam parish in the year 1771. Its
early history is very brief,—at least such of it as has come down to
us. The Rev. Christopher Macrae appears on our lists of clergy as
minister of Littleton parish, Cumberland, in the years 1773-74-76,
and 1785; after which he appears no more. In the next year Mr.
Mayo Carrington appears as the lay delegate, without any clerical
representation. In the year 1790 he appears again with the Rev.
Elkanah Talley as the minister. He continues the minister for
three years, and then removes to Ware parish, Gloucester. In
1797 the parish is represented by two laymen,—Alexander Brand
and James Deane. In the year 1799 the Rev. James Dickenson
and Mr. Alexander Trent are in the Convention. There being no
journal, and perhaps no Convention, between 1799 and 1805, and
none between 1805 and 1812, and having no other means of information,
we are unable to say how long Mr. Dickenson continued
in the parish, or whether he had any successor until some time after
the revival of the Church commenced. Still, there were laymen
there who, at the first signs of reviving life, came forward to declare
their readiness to help on the good cause. In the first of
our renewed Conventions—that of 1812—Mr. Codrington Carrington
is the delegate, and, in 1813, Mr. Samuel Wilson.
A long interval again appears where all seemed hopeless. At
length, in 1843, the Rev. Mr. Kinckle takes charge of it in connection
with some other of the waste places around. He is succeeded
in 1844 by the Rev. Mr. Bulkley, who, after some years,
was succeeded in part by the present minister, the Rev. Mr. Meredith,
who, in connection with the church in Buckingham, serves
the congregation at Ca-Ira. Of the ministers yet alive it is not
my purpose in these sketches to speak. Of those whom we have
named as the ministers of this parish before 1800 we know nothing,
either by report or otherwise, with the exception of Mr. Elkanah
Talley and Mr. Macrae. Of the former we have spoken elsewhere
in terms which it was our regret to use. Of the latter the testimony
of those who ought to have known him best is most satisfactory. He
was by birth and education a Scotchman,—probably ordained about
1765 by the Bishop of London. He was a man of prayer, retiring
from his family three times a day for purposes of private devotion
in his notions and habits of governing his children and the boys
committed to his care, and was therefore complained of as too
strict. He did not enter with spirit into the American Revolution,
and was suspected of favouring the other side, though he said and
did nothing, so far as we can learn, to give just offence. He had
a right to a conscientious opinion on the subject; but the temper
of the times did not allow this, and some violent young men either
waylaid him at night or took him out of his bed, and severely
chastised him, leaving him naked in the woods. Tradition says
that he was prudent in the affair, and never opened his lips in the
way of complaint or sought to find out his nocturnal and cowardly
assailants, well knowing that it was too good a story to be kept
secret, and that if he did not they would reveal it. Accordingly,
in due time, they boasted of the deed and were witnesses against
themselves. They were summoned before a tribunal of justice,
which did not allow any patriotic feeling to prevent the punishment
of such an outrage. A heavy fine was accordingly inflicted upon
them. Patrick Henry, who was then in the Legislature, being
well acquainted with Mr. Macrae, took some public occasion to
animadvert upon the conduct of these young men, and spoke in
the highest terms of Mr. Macrae. The sons of Mr. Macrae, I believe,
are all dead, but three daughters and grandchildren are yet
alive, and love the Church and the religion of their fathers.[6]
I have no record from which to derive the names of vestrymen
or their doings in this parish. I know nothing of its former
of other denominations. Two new ones, one at Ca-Ira and another
near Cartersville, have been erected of late years, and are in constant
use.
The following is an extract from a letter received from one of the daughter,
of Mr. Macrae —
"We were young at the time of our father's death, and regret not being able to
give a more satisfactory history of his life. He was educated in Edinburgh, I believe,
at the same college with Beattie, author of the celebrated Hermit. They
were classmates, and corresponded in after-life. A professorship was offered him
as soon as he graduated, and he was told all that would be required was that he
should sign his belief in the Confession of Faith. He said he had never read it, but
would do so immediately. On perusing the volume, there were portions he could
not conscientiously subscribe. He therefore came to America, and settled in Surrey
county, Virginia, where his health failed, and during that attack he became interested
on the subject of religion, returned to England, and was ordained by the
Bishop of London, came back to Surrey county, (where he married Miss Harris, in
1778, the daughter of Mr. John Harris, one of his vestry,) where he laboured for
several years. His own and family's ill health determined him to remove to Cumberland
county, where he preached for many years at Tar Wallett and Turkey
Cock. During the Revolutionary War he was called out to visit (the messenger said)
a dying neighbour who was anxious to see him. He had not proceeded a mile from
home, when three men, armed with clubs, assailed and knocked him off his horse.
The servant that accompanied him rode with speed to friends, who came immediately
to his rescue. They left, supposing he would not survive. One of the men was
killed, on that very spot, by a tobacco-hogshead, and another revealed the whole
matter just before he was hung for some capital offence. A petition was sent to
the Legislature, then in session at Williamsburg, praying that he, Mr. Macrae,
might be banished. Patrick Henry instantly rose, and said that there were many
fictitious names on that paper; that he knew Mr. Macrae intimately, and that if he
was banished they would lose one of their best citizens; he hoped nothing would
be done till he could send an express to Cumberland, who returned with a counter-petition,
signed by the most respectable portion of the community, praying that he
might remain with them; which was granted. Letters were put in the pulpit
threatening his life if he ever dared to preach there again, but he knew no fear
when in the path of duty, and never in a single instance omitted going to church.
The Rev. Christopher Macrae died at his residence in Powhatan county, on the 22d
of December, 1808, in the seventy-fifth year of his age. Dr. Cameron preached his
funeral sermon."
Parson Buchanon has often lamented to us that his brother Macrae would not
consent to be nominated as Bishop. He gave his advanced age as the reason for
declining.
We have received an old manuscript sermon of Mr. Macrae, on the death of
Colonel George Carrington and his lady, who died in the year 1785, within a few
days of each other. We have already spoken of this, the first of Carringtons in
Virginia, and of his wife Anna, daughter of Mr. William Mayo, one of the two
brothers who first came to this country; but it is due to departed worth and piety
to add the following testimony from the pulpit. The text is from the 35th Psalm,
37th verse:—"Mark the perfect man and behold the upright, for the end of that
man is peace." The sermon itself, I am very sorry to say, is too much like those
so common at that day, which, while containing no heretical doctrines, and sometimes
having passages recognising the true ones, yet are of the moralizing rather
than of the evangelical cast. For instance, although in one place, and in one only, he
speaks of "a firm affiance and unshaken confidence in the mercy of God through
Christ," yet he often speaks in a manner well calculated to encourage the belief that
virtue and integrity must be our reliance. He quotes from Pope, "The soul's calm
sunshine and the heartfelt joy are virtue's prize;" says that "Heaven is our reward for
a well-spent life;" that "peace is the result of integrity of life;" that "peace and
serenity of mind can only be secured by a virtuous life;" of the "reward due to
our actions." Now, I doubt not but that some had juster views of the plan of salvation
than the language used by them would seem to indicate, and that they intended
more by virtue, and goodness, and integrity, than is due to such words; but, after
all the allowance that charity can make, we must acknowledge that there was a
dreadful deficiency of the Gospel in such preaching, and that sermons of that cast
would never awaken sinners to a sense of their lost condition and conduct them to
a Saviour. With these remarks, which truth and fidelity require of me, I proceed
to the close and application of the sermon —
"Having now done with the text, give me leave to observe, that though I very
rarely say any thing concerning the character of a departed friend [an honest example,
worthy of imitation] on any occasion, I thought it not consistent with duty
to pass over the character of persons so eminently distinguishable for the practice
of piety and virtue, as our worthy departed friends, Colonel Carrington and his
lady, without recommending their exemplary life as a pattern of imitation to those
who survive them. I have had the pleasure of being personally acquainted with them
both for more than twelve years past, and can confidently affirm that they have always
appeared to me to be as punctual and exact in the performance of the duties of their
several stations, as it is possible for persons clothed with flesh and blood to be.
And I have reason to believe, from general report and the relation of their acquaintances,
that the same uniformity of conduct and regularity of life had always
secured to them an unexceptionable good character in the opinion of all good men
of their acquaintance, of which they have left sufficient proof in the world in a
numerous offspring, (eleven children,) who all behave themselves as children of
such worthy parents. They were generous and charitable without ostentation, and
religious without noise. The gentleman filled the chair of a legislator with the
integrity of a Cato, and that of a magistrate with the justice of an Aristides. All
the public offices which he undertook (and they were many) he filled with credit
and discharged with honour. His benevolent disposition enabled him to serve the
public with so much punctuality and exactness, when there was no prospect of any
other reward but the pleasure of doing good, that it is rare to meet with an instance
of the same kind in an age. I have reason to conclude that both our departed
friends had many friends, and no foes—if any—but such as a good man would be
ashamed to number among his friends. They had as many virtues and as few failings
as we can expect to meet with in any of Adam's fallen race, and, in short, I
know not whether I ever knew two characters more perfect that were heads of the
same family. It is certain they were both an ornament to human nature, an
honour to their country, and a blessing to their neighbourhood. Time would fail me
to enumerate their good qualities: suffice it, therefore, to observe that their lives
were truly exemplary, and that it is our duty to imitate their virtues, that we may
after death partake of their felicity, which, I firmly hope, they do now, and ever
will enjoy through the endless ages of eternity.' "
TILLOTSON PARISH, BUCKINGHAM COUNTY.
These come next in geographical order, although not taken from
Cumberland county and Littleton parish.
At the time that Albemarle county and St. Anne's parish, in
the same, were separated from Goochland, they comprehended all
that is now Buckingham, Fluvanna, Nelson, and Amherst, as well
as Albemarle. In the year 1757, Tillotson parish was separated
from St. Anne's parish, and, in the year 1761, the county of Buckingham
was taken from Albemarle.
We have a list of ministers for 1758,—the year after the parish
was formed,—but there is none belonging to it. Our next list is
for 1773, when the Rev. Mr. Peasly is minister, and continues to
be in the years 1774 and 1776. How much longer, if at all, or
who, if any, succeeded, is not known, as there are no records until
name of Tillotson disappears from the journal until the year 1830,
when the Rev. Mr. Osgood, minister of Moore parish, Campbell
county, reports some services in it. In the year 1833, the Rev.
Mr. Swift was there. In the year 1838, the Rev. Mr. Cofer,—how
long before or after we have not the present means of ascertaining.
In the year 1845, the Rev. Mr. Meredith appears as its minister,
and has continued so to the present time. A new church has been
erected in this parish, which now stands at Curdsville, having been
originally placed a few miles from its present site, but recently
removed to its present more convenient position.
No vestry-book remains to furnish the names of the old vestrymen
and families of this parish.
There were two old churches in Buckingham. At one of them,
called Goodwin, near the court-house, we have officiated. The
locality of the other we cannot specify, but think that it was
somewhere near the Methodist Female College.
PARISH OF FLUVANNA, IN FLUVANNA COUNTY.
These were separated at the same time by an Act of Assembly,
in 1777, from Albemarle county and St. Anne's parish. Just
entering on the war, during which little or nothing was done, even
in the old parishes, it is doubtful whether a vestry was elected or
any steps taken toward building a church. At any rate, there is
no record of it. The following extract, from the letter of a friend
to whom I applied for information, tells nearly all that is known
of this parish:—
"Our annals do not go far back. From 1835 to 1849 we were connected
with St. James parish, Goochland. At the Convention of 1849
we were admitted into union with it, as Rivanna parish.[7]
Our first minister
was the Rev. Mr. Pleasants in 1835, and, I think, the first who ever
preached statedly in the county. He only remained about three months.
The next was the Rev. Mr. Doughen, who remained less than two years
He was followed by the Rev. J. P. B. Wilmer in 1838 and 1839. He
was succeeded by the Rev. R. H. Wilmer in April, 1839, who continued
until the fall of 1843. The Rev. J. P. B. Wilmer returned to the parish
and continued until Easter, 1849. After our separation from Goochland,
the Rev. Lewis P. Clover was with us from October, 1850, to April, 1852.
The Rev. Mr. Bulkley succeeded him, and was with us from July, 1852,
to December, 1855. The only Episcopal Church which has ever been in
of July, 1850. The only Episcopal families prior to 1835 were the Carys
and General Cocke's.
Since that time the two Mr. Galts, Mr. Archy Harrison's, Mr.
Bryant's, Mr. Brent's, and a goodly number of other families,
have been added.
The name given it by Act of Assembly, in 1777, was Fluvanna parish. Perhaps
this fact was not known or thought of at the time of its new name.
Of Mr. McClaurine, other favourable accounts of his piety and great benevolence
have come to me. He preached at Tar Wallett, Manakin, and Peterville
Churches: beneath the chancel-floor of the latter he was buried. He was the first
of his name in Virginia. He left three sons and three daughters, two of whom
lived and died in Cumberland, and the third at Norfolk, during the last war. Of
the daughters, one married a Hobson, another a Swann, and the third a Steger.
Their mother was a Miss Blakely, from the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
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