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| XLIX. |
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| LVI. | ARTICLE LVI. |
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| LVIII. |
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| LXIII. |
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| LXXIII. |
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| LXXVI. |
| LXXVII. |
| LXXVIII. |
| LXXIX. |
| LXXX. |
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| XXV. |
 | Old churches, ministers and families of Virginia. |  |
ARTICLE LVI.
The Genealogy of the Madisons and Taylors—President Madison's
religious character—Churches in Madison and Rappahannock.
The following documents will give you the ancestry of President
Madison. You may be aware that he married Mrs. Dolly Todd:
her maiden name was Payne. She was, as I am informed, a Quakeress,
and was born in the county of Hanover, but at the time of
her marriage resided in Philadelphia. It was, if I mistake not,
while he was a member of Congress, sitting at the time in Philadelphia,
that he made her acquaintance. She was a lady of exceedingly
attractive manners. During the latter years of her life
she resided in Washington, and in her old age was baptized and
became a member of St. John's Church in that city. Mr. Madison
died without children. Mrs. Madison had one child, a son, by her
former marriage.
I have thought it best to furnish you with a transcript from the
record of James Madison, Sen., as it will give you some further information
respecting the family. It was transcribed in great haste,
and was intended only for my own eye.
A.—James Madison (the late President) is the eldest of twelve children—eight
sons and four daughters—of whom but one brother and one
sister are now living. He was born on the north bank of the Rappahannock,
at Port Conway, opposite the town of Port Royal, on the 5th of March, 1751.
His father's name was James, the son of Ambrose Madison and Frances
Taylor. He lived to the age of seventy-eight years, and died in February,
1801. The father of Ambrose was John, the son of John Madison, who
it appears took out, by a statement of a patent now in possession, certain
lands on the shores of the Chesapeake, between North and York Rivers,
in Glocester county, near Colonel Taylor's creek, in the year 1653,—6th
Charles II.,—Richard Bennet, Governor and Captain-General of Virginia.
The ancestors of Frances Taylor are traced one remove further back, and
were residents of the same district of country. The name of his mother
was Nelly Conway, descended from some of the early settlers. Her father,
Francis, lived near Port Royal, in the county of Caroline, whose father,
Edwin Conway, married Elizabeth Thompson. Her mother, Rebecca, was
the daughter of E. Gaines and John Catlett, whose father, John, was born
in Virginia and educated in England. He was killed by the Indians in
defending the fort of Port Royal,—being a first settler. A great-aunt of
his was likewise killed by the Indians lower down the river. It appears
that all the ancestry just traced were natives of Virginia, and, it is believed,
In both the paternal and maternal line of ancestry they were planters, and
among the respectable though not the most opulent class.[18]
B.—From the Record of James Madison, Sen., father of the President
Ambrose Madison was married to Frances Taylor, August 24, 1721.
Ambrose Madison was father of James Madison. Frances Taylor was
sister of Erasmus Taylor and daughter of James Taylor.
James Madison, Sen. was born March 27, 1723, and was baptized April
21, and had for godfathers Thomas Madison and James Taylor, and for
godmothers Martha Taylor and Elizabeth Penn.
Frances, wife of Ambrose Madison, departed this life October 25, 1761,
and was interred the Sunday following at Montpelier in Orange. Her
funeral sermon was preached on Wednesday, the 30th of December following,
by the Rev. Mr. James Marye, Jr., on Revelation ch. 14, v. 13.
James Madison, Sen. was married to Nelly Conway, September 15, 1749.
The following are their children:—
James Madison, Jr., the President, was born on Tuesday night at 12
o'clock, being the last of the 5th and beginning of the 6th day of March,
1751, and was baptized by the Rev. Mr. Wm. Davis, March 31, and had
for godfathers Mr. John Moore and Mr. Jonathan Gibson, and for godmothers
Mrs. Rebecca Moore, Miss Judith, and Miss Elizabeth Catlett.
[James Madison, Jr. was born at Port Conway, in King George, and
was baptized there,—his mother being on a visit there to her mother at
the time of his birth.]
Frances Madison was born on Monday morning at 7 o'clock, June 18,
1753, and was baptized by the Rev. Mr. Mungo Marshall, July 1, and
had for godfathers Mr. Taverner Beale and Mr. Erasmus Taylor, and for
godmothers Miss Milly Taylor and Mrs. Frances Beale.
Ambrose Madison was born on Monday night between 9 and 10 o'clock,
January 27, 1755, and was baptized by the Rev. Mungo Marshall, March
2, and had for godfathers Mr. James Coleman and Colonel George Taylor,
and for godmothers Mrs. Jane Taylor and Alice Chew.
Catlett Madison was born on Friday morning at 3 o'clock, February
10, 1758, and was baptized by the Rev. Mr. James Maury, February 22,
and had for godfathers Colonel Wm. Taliafero and Mr. Richard Beale, and
for godmothers Mrs. Elizabeth Beale and Miss Milly Chew.
Nelly Madison (afterward Mrs. Hite) was born February 14, 1760, and
was baptized March 6, by the Rev. Mr. Wm. Giberne, and had for godfathers
Mr. Larken Chew and Mr. Wm. Moore, and for godmothers Miss
Elizabeth Catlett and Miss Catharine Bowie. The said Nelly was born on
Thursday morning just after daybreak.
William Madison was born May 1, 1762, baptized May 23, by the Rev.
James Marie, Jr., and had for godfathers Mr. Wm. Moore and Mr. James
Taylor, and for godmothers Miss Mary Willis and Miss Milly Chew.
He was born on Saturday morning, about twenty-five minutes after 10
o'clock.
Sarah Madison, (Mrs. Thomas Macon,) born August 17, 1764, and
was baptized September 15, by the Rev. James Marye, Jr., and had for
godfathers Captain Richard Barbour and Mr. Andrew Shepherd, and for
godmothers Mrs. Sarah Taylor and Miss Mary Conway. She was born
forty-five minutes after 5 o'clock P.M., on Friday.
Elizabeth Madison was born February 19, 1768, half an hour after 12
o'clock, and was baptized February 22, by the Rev. Mr. Thomas Martin,
and had for godfathers Major Zachariah Burnley and Captain Ambrose
Powell, and for godmothers Miss Alice and Miss Milly Chew.
Reuben Madison was born September 19, 1771, between 5 and 6 o'clock
in the evening, and was baptized November 10, by the Rev. Mr. John
Barnett, and had for godfathers Mr. Thomas Barbour and Mr. James
Chew, and for godmothers Miss Alice and Miss Milly Chew.
Frances Taylor Madison (afterward Mrs. Dr. Robert H. Rose) was born
October 4, 1774, and was baptized October 30, by the Rev. Mr. John
Wingate, and had for godfathers Mr. Thomas Bell and Mr. Richard
Taylor, and for godmothers Miss Frances Taylor and Miss Elizabeth
Taylor.
THE TAYLOR FAMILY.
The Taylors of Orange trace their ancestry back to James Taylor,
of Carlisle, England. The time of his emigration to Virginia is
not known. It appears he settled on the Chesapeake between the
North and York Rivers, (Doc. A.) He died in 1698. He had
several children,—one of whom (Mary) was the mother of Judge
Edmund Pendleton. His son John (who married a Pendleton) is
the ancestor of Colonel John Taylor, of Caroline. His son James
took up lands in Orange, and was a first settler. He was the father
of Frances, wife of Ambrose Madison and grandmother of the
President. He had four sons,—James, George, Zachary, and Erasmus.
From James are descended the Taylors of Kentucky.
George had fourteen sons, seven of whom served in the Revolutionary
War, and thirteen of whom held offices under Government at
the same time. Some of his descendants are now residing in
Orange, and are members of the Episcopal Church. Zachary had
seven sons and three daughters. He was grandfather of General
Zachary Taylor. The latter was born at Hare Forest, about four
miles from Orange Court-House. Erasmus had two sons and five
daughters,—viz.: John and Robert, Mildred, (married Wm. Morton,)
Frances, (married — Burnley,) Elizabeth, (married — Glassel,)
Lucy, (married the Rev. A. Balmaine,) Jane, (married Charles P.
Howard.) John was father of the late Judge John Taylor, of Mississippi.
Robert married Frances Pendleton, and from them are
descended most of the Taylors now residing in Orange,—all of
whom retain their attachment to the Church of their fathers.
PRESIDENT MADISON'S RELIGIOUS OPINIONS.
In the neighbourhood of Orange Court-House, at Montpelier,
lived Mr. James Madison, once President of the United States, and
relative of Bishop Madison. Having been often asked concerning
his religious sentiments, I give the following, received from the Rev.
Dr. Balmaine, who married his near relative, and by whom Mr.
Madison himself was married. Mr. Madison was sent to Princeton
College,—perhaps through fear of the skeptical principles then so
prevalent at William and Mary. During his stay at Princeton a
great revival took place, and it was believed that he partook of its
spirit. On his return home he conducted family worship in his
father's house. He soon after offered for the Legislature, and it
was objected to him, by his opponents, that he was better suited to
the pulpit than to the legislative hall. His religious feeling, however,
seems to have been short-lived. His political associations
with those of infidel principles, of whom there were many in his
day, if they did not actually change his creed, yet subjected him
to the general suspicion of it. This was confirmed in the minds of
some by the active part he took in opposition to every thing like
the support of churches by the Legislature, in opposition to Patrick
Henry, Governor Page, Richard Henry Lee, and others. This,
however, ought not to have been sufficient to fix the charge upon
him, as George Mason and others, whose faith was not questioned,
agreed with him in this policy. A reference to a memorial against
any such act by Mr. Madison, at the request, it is affirmed, of some
non-Episcopalians, will show his character and views. It is by
far the ablest document which appears on that side of the question,
and establishes his character for good temper as well as decision.
It is drawn up on the supposition of the truth of Christianity. It
must indeed have done this in order to be acceptable to those by
whom it was solicited. Whatever may have been the private sentiments
of Mr. Madison on the subject of religion, he was never
known to declare any hostility to it. He always treated it with
respect, attended public worship in his neighbourhood, invited ministers
of religion to his house, had family prayers on such occasions,
—though he did not kneel himself at prayers. Episcopal ministers
often went there to see his aged and pious mother and administer
the Holy Communion to her. I was never at Mr. Madison's but
once, and then our conversation took such a turn—though not
designed on my part—as to call forth some expressions and arguments
strictly regulated by the Bible. At his death, some years after
this, his minister—the Rev. Mr. Jones—and some of his neighbours
openly expressed their conviction, that, from his conversation and
bearing during the latter years of his life, he must be considered as
receiving the Christian system to be divine. As to the purity of
his moral character, the amiableness of his disposition toward all,
his tender affection to his mother and wife, kindness to his neighbours,
and good treatment of his servants, there was never any
question.
Among the many orations called forth by the death of Mr.
Madison, there was one—now before me—by Mr. Philip Williams, of
Winchester, Virginia. From this I select the following passages:—
"His parents were both pious, and instilled into his youthful mind the
moral and religious principles which were the strong foundations of his
future greatness. His father died before he was elevated to the Presidency,
but his mother lived to see him advanced to that office, and enjoying all
of worldly honours that the fondest mother's heart could wish. He received
his classical education from Mr. Robertson, a Scotchman, who
resided in King and Queen, and the Rev. Mr. Martin, an Episcopal clergyman,
who lived for many years in his father's family. Under their instruction
he prepared himself for college, and entered at Princeton in 1769.
When he arrived at Princeton, he found that in his literary acquirements
he was behind many of his juniors, and, with praiseworthy emulation,
determined to learn twice as much each day as was usually acquired in
that time. He persevered in his determination until he graduated on the
last Wednesday in September, 1771. He continued at Princeton until
1772, from a desire to learn Hebrew and to extend his other studies under
the superintendence of Dr. Witherspoon, then President of the College, to
whom he was sincerely attached."
From his early training in pious principles, and from the testimony
of his minister and others as to his later years, Mr. Williams
expresses his conviction that Mr. Madison was an humble believer
in Christianity. Mr. Williams, though a zealous Episcopalian,
agrees with Madison in his opposition to the law advocated by Mr.
Henry for the support of religion, and quotes the following passages
with some others from his argument on the subject, introducing
them with this statement:—
"The free exercise of religion was protected by the Bill of Rights; but
there were many of our most distinguished men, who not only insisted
upon the right of the Legislature, but urged the expediency of compelling
every man to contribute to the support of some Church, but giving him
the liberty to prescribe to which Church it should be paid. At the preceding
session a bill for a general assessment `for the support of Christian
with the double view of enlightening the public mind and ascertaining
more accurately the public will, succeeded in passing a resolution that the
bill should be printed and submitted to the people, that it might be examined
by them, and passed or rejected at the ensuing Legislature as they
might dictate.
"Mr. Madison drew a memorial and remonstrance against the passing
this bill, characterized by his usual mildness, good sense, and close reasoning,
which was extensively circulated throughout the State, and doubtless
contributed in a great degree to defeat the measure.
"This memorial was by many attributed to the pen of George Mason.
While it admitted the divine origin of the Christian religion, and paid a
just tribute to the purity of its doctrines, it showed clearly the impolicy
and danger of any interference by the civil power with the subject of
religion.
"This able paper is so little known that I must trespass upon your
patience by some extracts from it:—
" `The bill implies either that the civil authority is a competent judge
of religious truth, or that it may employ religion as an engine of civil
policy. The first is an arrogant pretension, falsified by the extraordinary
opinions of rulers, in all ages and throughout the world; the second, an
unhallowed perversion of the means of salvation. The establishment proposed
by the bill is not requisite for the support of the Christian religion.
To say that it is, is a contradiction to the Christian religion itself, for
every page of it disavows a dependence on the power of this world; it is
a contradiction to fact, for it is known that this religion both existed and
flourished, not only without the support of human laws, but in spite of
every opposition from them, and not only during the period of miraculous
aid, but long after it had been left to its own evidence and the ordinary
care of Providence.
" `Experience testifies that ecclesiastical establishments, instead of
maintaining the purity and efficacy of religion, have had a contrary operation.
" `The establishment in question is not necessary for the support of
civil government. What influence, in fact, have ecclesiastical establishments
had on civil society? In some instances they have been seen to
erect a spiritual tyranny on the ruins of the civil authority; in more instances
have they been seen upholding the throne of political tyranny; in
no instance have they been seen the guardians of the liberties of the
people. Rulers who wished to subvert the public liberty may have found
an established clergy convenient auxiliaries, a just government, instituted
to secure and perpetuate it, needs them not. Such a government will be
best supported by protecting every citizen in the enjoyment of his religion,
with the same equal hand which protects his person and property, by
neither invading the equal rights of any sect, nor suffering any sect to
invade those of another. It will destroy that moderation and harmony
which the forbearance of our law to intermeddle with religion has produced
among its several sects. Torrents of blood have been spilt in the Old
World by vain attempts of the secular arm to extinguish religious discord
by proscribing all differences in religious opinion. Time has at length
revealed the true remedy. Every relaxation of narrow and vigorous policy,
whenever it has been tried, has been found to assuage the disease. The
it does not wholly eradicate it, sufficiently destroys its malignant influence
in the health and prosperity of the State. If, with the salutary effect of
this system under our eyes, we begin to contract the bounds of religious
freedom, we know no name that will too severely reproach our folly. At
least, let warning be taken at the first-fruits of the threatened innovation.
The very appearance of the bill has transformed that Christian forbearance,
love, and charity, which of late mutually prevailed, into animosities and
jealousies which may not soon be appeased. What mischief may not be
dreaded should this enemy to the public quiet be armed with the force of
law!
" `The policy of the law is adverse to the diffusion of the light of
Christianity. The first wish of those who enjoy this precious gift ought
to be that it may be imparted to the whole race of mankind. Compare
the number of those who have as yet received it with the number still
remaining under the dominion of false religion, and how small is the
former! Does the policy of the bill tend to lessen the disproportion? No;
it at once discourages those who are strangers to the light of truth from
coming into the regions of it, and countenances, by example, the nations
who continue in darkness, in shutting out those who might convey it to
them. Instead of levelling as far as possible every obstacle to the victorious
progress of truth, the bill, with an ignoble and unchristian timidity,
would circumscribe it with a wall of defence against the encroachment of
error.
" `Finally, the equal rights of every citizen to the free exercise of his
religion, according to the dictates of his conscience, is held by the same
tenure with all our other rights. If we recur to its origin, it is equally
the gift of nature; if we weigh its importance, it cannot be less dear to us;
if we consult the declaration of those rights which pertain to the good
people of Virginia, as the basis and foundation of government, it is enumerated
with equal solemnity, or rather with studied emphasis. Either,
then, we must say that the will of the Legislature is the only measure of
their authority, and that, in the plenitude of this authority, they may
sweep away all our fundamental rights, or that they are bound to leave
this particular right untouched and sacred; either we must say that they
may control the freedom of the press, may abolish the trial by jury, may
swallow up the executive and judiciary powers of the State,—nay, that they
may annihilate our very right of suffrage and erect themselves into an independent
and hereditary assembly; or we must say that they have no
authority to enact into a law the bill under consideration.' "
THE CHURCHES IN MADISON AND RAPPAHANNOCK.
The following letter from the Rev. Mr. Leavell, the present
minister of these counties, contains all that I have been able to
collect concerning old Bloomfield parish:—
I have endeavoured to obtain all the information to
be had respecting the old parish of Bloomfield,—embracing a section of
country now known as Madison and Rappahannock. What I have
gathered is from the recollections of the venerable Mrs. Sarah Lewis, now
and Gaineses, of Culpepper, the Vauters, of Essex, and the Ruckers.
From her I learn that there were two churches,—the brick church, called
F. T., which stood near what is now known as the Slate Mills. It took
its name from being near the starting-point of a survey of land taken up
by Mr. Frank Thornton, who carved the initials of his name—F.T.—on an
oak-tree near a spring, where his lines commenced. The other church
was called South Church,—I presume from its relative situation, being
almost due south, and about sixteen miles distant, and four miles below
the present site of Madison Court-House. It was a frame building and
stood on the land of Richard Vauters. Both buildings were old at the
commencement of the Revolutionary War, and soon after, from causes
common to the old churches and parishes in Virginia, went into slow decay.
The first minister she recollects as officiating statedly in these churches
was a Mr. Iodell, (or Iredell,) who was the incumbent in 1790 or 1792.
He remained in the parish only a few years, when he was forced to leave
it in consequence of heavy charges of immorality. He was succeeded by
the Rev. Mr. O'Niel, an Irishman, who had charge of the parish for some
years, in connection with the Old Pine Stake and Orange Churches. He
was unmarried, and kept school near the Pine Stake Church, which stood
near to Raccoon Ford, in Orange county. Mr. John Conway, of Madison,
was a pupil of his, and relates some things which I may here mention, if
you are not already weary of the evil report of old ministers. He played
whist, and on one occasion lost a small piece of money, which the winner
put in his purse, and whenever he had occasion to make change (he was a
sheriff) would exhibit it, and refuse to part with it, because he had won it
from the parson. He also took his julep regularly, and, to the undoing of
one of his pupils, invited him to join him in the social glass. Still, he was
considered as a sober man. Mr. O'Niel left these churches about the year
1800. After that the Rev. Mr. Woodville occasionally performed services
there. After the parish became vacant, and the churches had gone to
decay, the Lutheran minister, a Mr. Carpenter, officiated at the baptisms,
marriages, and funerals of the Episcopal families. It was at the old
Lutheran Church, near the court-house, that some of our first political
men in Virginia, when candidates for Congress, held meetings and made
speeches on Sundays, after the religious services. The same was also done
in other places, under the sanction of Protestant ministers.
"The Episcopal families around the churches above mentioned were the
Ruckers, Barbours, Beales, Keastleys, Lewises, Blafords, Vauters, Strothers,
Thorntons, Burtons, Conways, Gipsons, Pannells, Gaineses.
"Since the resuscitation of the Church in Virginia, although a long
time after the commencement of the same, efforts have been made to revive
the Church in the old Bloomfield parish. A new brick church has
been put up at Madison Court-House, and for a time there was a most
encouraging prospect of a considerable congregation at that place; but
emigration, the bane of so many other rising congregations in Virginia,
has sadly reduced our numbers and disappointed our hopes.
"Since the first efforts in behalf of the churches in Madison, the following
clergymen, ministers of the adjoining counties of Orange, Culpepper,
and Rappahannock, have given a portion of their time and labours to
Madison:—The Rev. Mr. Lamon, the Rev. Mr. Doughen, the Rev. Mr.
Cole, the Rev. Mr. Brown, the Rev. Mr. Earnest, the Rev. Mr. Leavell.
"Of late years the county of Rappahannock has been formed, partly, I
believe from Madison, and a parish organized in the same. Through the
zealous efforts of a few individuals, a neat brick church has been put up
at Woodville, in that county. Previous to this the Rev. Mr. Brown spent
some years in the parish, labouring there and in Madison. A few years
since the Rev. W. H. Pendleton, of Leeds parish, Fauquier, rendered them
regular though unfrequent services. For the last three years the Rev.
Mr. Leavell has been dividing his time and labours equally between the
two counties of Madison and Rappahannock.
| Old churches, ministers and families of Virginia. | |