PARISHES IN SOUTHAMPTON.
Having exhausted our little stock of information concerning the
Isle of Wight parishes, we proceed to Southampton, which was cut
off from it in the year 1748, and the parish called Nottoway, which
was in a few years divided and St. Luke's parish established. In
the year 1758 we find a Rev. Thomas Burgess minister of the undivided
Nottoway parish; and in the year 1773, the Rev. William
Agur minister of Nottoway parish, and the Rev. George Gurley
of St. Luke's, and the same in 1774. But in the year 1776, the
Rev. William Andrews takes the place of Mr. Agur in Nottoway
parish. In the year 1785, Mr. George Gurley appears in the Convention
at Richmond as rector of St. Luke's still, and in 1786 the
Rev. Benjamin Blunt has taken his place. This is the last representation
from Southampton until after the revival of the Church
in Virginia. I have, however, some private information concerning
a portion of its intermediate history. During the war the Rev.
John Henry Burgess, who had been before ministering in Newport
parish, Isle of Wight, moved into Southampton, and there both
preached the Gospel and instructed the youth. He probably
preached at all the churches in the two parishes, and supported
himself by teaching, as the salaries of the ministers were very
badly paid during the war, if at all, and many of them ceased to
preach. There were not less than seven churches in the two
parishes, including one built under his auspices. The names of five
of them were Lecock, Oberry's, Simmons's, Jones's, and Millfield.
The latter, Millfield, was near his residence, and is now in possession
of the Baptists. All the rest have passed away. Mr. Burgess's
school was held in high esteem. Among those which were
educated in it we may mention one of the late Presidents, William
Henry Harrison. To the number of patriotic ministers we may
surely add the Rev. Mr. Burgess; for so zealously did he advocate
the cause of America, both privately and publicly, that the British
got possession of him during the war, and kept him a prisoner
until the close of it. So entire was the prostration of the Episcopal
Church in this county, that it was some time after our efforts
at resuscitation commenced before attention was turned toward it.
The Revs. Edmund Withers and Edward B. McGuire gave a portion
of their time and labours to it a few years since, and not without
effect. The Rev. Mr. Gibson, of Petersburg, and Robert, of
Greensville, have added their occasional services since then, and we
hope the time is not far distant when we shall have a regular
ministry and temples of our own.
