University of Virginia Library

LEEDS PARISH, FAUQUIER.

This parish, as we have seen already, was taken out of Hamilton
in the year 1769. The first and only minister, before the Rev.
Mr. Lemmon took charge of it in 1816, was the Rev. James Thomson,

from Scotland, born near Glasgow, in the year 1739, and who
died in February, 1812. He came to this country in 1767 or 1768.
He lived at first in the family of Colonel Thomas Marshall, of
Oakhill, and instructed his sons, John Marshall, afterward Chief-Justice,
James Marshall, and others. In 1769, he went to England
for Orders. On his return, he married Miss Mary Ann Farrow,
sister of the late Nimrod Farrow, of Leeds Manor, and settled
at the glebe, near Salem, where he had a school, to which some of
the sons of Mr. Thomas Marshall were sent to him again. Mr.
Thomson, at the coming on of the Revolution, partook largely of
the spirit which animated Colonel Marshall and his son, the Chief-Justice.
In a sermon preached at the time of the first difficulties
at Boston, he thus speaks:—

Mr. Thomson, from the memoranda on a number of sermons
or fragments of sermons I have seen, seemed to have been punctual
in preaching in four churches,—Taylor's Church, not very far from
Warrenton, Goose Creek Church, near Salem, Old Bull Run
Church, whose location I cannot specify, and Piper's Church, in
Leeds Manor, not one of which are now standing. They were, I
suppose, all badly-built wooden churches, which soon came to ruin.
I never saw Mr. Thomson, though he lived in a neighbouring parish
and did not die until the year after I entered the ministry. From
an examination of some of his sermons, or parts of sermons, I
should say that they were marked by more taste and talent than
most of those which have been submitted to my perusal. But the
Episcopal Church from various causes failed, and almost disappeared,

under his ministry. Other denominations took possession
of the ground which was once entirely ours.

My nearness to Leeds parish, and its position being such that
I must pass through it on my numerous visits to other parts of
Virginia, caused me to preach more frequently there than in any
of the surrounding parishes. Mr. Thomas Marshall, eldest son of
the Chief-Justice, lived at the old homestead of the Marshalls,
Oakhill, on the road to Warrington and Fredericksburg. He was
one of my earliest and dearest Christian friends. He became a
communicant at an early period. He often begged that, in any
efforts I might make for the promotion of religion, which required
pecuniary aid, I would consider him as ready to afford it. Mr.
Thomas Ambler, a nephew of Judge Marshall, and an old schoolmate
of my early years, lived in the same neighbourhood. Cool
Spring Meeting-house lay between them. At this I often preached,
and it was the place where Mr. Lemmon officiated until perhaps the
close of his labours in that parish. The Marshalls and Amblers
continued to settle in this neighbourhood, until they have become
two small congregations, or rather important parts of two congregations.
The children of my esteemed friend, Mr. Thomas Marshall,
six in number, settled in sight of each other, on the estate
of their father, and are all living.[36] The Peytons, Turners, Beverleys,
Hendersons, and others, descendants of Episcopal families,
still adhere to the old Church, and are active in seeking its resuscitation.
In the year 1816, the Rev. George Lemmon, of Baltimore,
who graduated at Princeton College a year or two before
me, took charge of both Hamilton and Leeds parishes, and continued
to be the minister, with the exception of a few years spent
in Hagerstown, Maryland, until his death. In my report to the
Convention of 1847, I find the following notice of him:—

Never was there a minister more esteemed and beloved by his

people of all ages and characters. His preaching-talents were not
attractive, on account of the harshness of his voice, but he was faithful
to the truth, and understood how to present it experimentally
to the people. His forte was in private intercourse as a pastor
and gentleman. Though strict in his views of fashionable amusements,
in which the young are apt to delight, yet so tender, courteous,
and loving was he, that the young were ever pleased with
his company and conversation. It is delightful to hear him spoken
of to this day by his old parishioners. His health was very imperfect
for many years, and his ministrations very irregular; yet
such was the attachment of his people in both congregations, that
they bore it almost without complaining. The active friends of the
Church and Mr. Lemmon were Colonel Randolph, of Easternview,
(who was always sure to be at the minister's house on the first day
of each year with his subscription of one hundred dollars,) the
Horners, the Bells, the Withers, Smiths, Paines, Edmonds, Hendersons,
Fitzhughs, Digges, and others, in Hamilton parish, and
the Marshalls, Amblers, Scotts, Adamses, Carters, Chunns, and
others, in Leeds parish. In Hamilton parish Mr. Lemmon was succeeded
by the present rector, the Rev. Mr. Norton, in the year 1847,
under whose ministry the congregation has greatly increased, and
by whose enterprise, aided by the zeal of some untiring ladies, a
new church has been built at the cost of seven or eight thousand
dollars. I have mentioned before that Judge Marshall had no
hope of the revival of the Church in Virginia, though contributing
liberally to the efforts made for it. He lived to see himself mistaken,
and to unite with his children and grandchildren in the
services of our resuscitated Church in the very place of his nativity
and amid the scenes of his early life. In my frequent visits to
Coolspring and Oakhill, I often met with him, as I had done at my
father's house, and other places in Frederick, in more boyish days.
Though not a communicant, he was the sincere friend to religion
and the Episcopal Church. I can never forget how he would prostrate
his tall form before the rude low benches, without backs, at
Coolspring Meeting-House, in the midst of his children and grandchildren
and his old neighbours. In Richmond he always set an
example to the gentlemen of the same conformity, though many of
them did not follow it. At the building of the Monumental Church
he was much incommoded by the narrowness of the pews, which
partook too much of the modern fashion. Not finding room enough
for his whole body within the pew, he used to take his seat nearest
the door of his pew, and, throwing it open, let his legs stretch a
little into the aisle. This I have seen with my own eyes. He was
a most conscientious man in regard to some things which others
might regard as too trivial to be observed. It was my privilege
more than once to travel with him between Fauquier and Fredericksburg,
when we were both going to the lower country. On one
occasion, the roads being in their worst condition, when we came
to that most miry part called the "Black Jack," we found that
the travellers through it had taken a nearer and better road through
a plantation. The fence being down, or very low, I was proceeding
to pass over, but he said we had better go round, although each
step was a plunge, adding that it was his duty, as one in office, to be
very particular in regard to such things. As to some other matters,
however, he was not so particular. Although myself never much
given to dress or equipage, yet I was not at all ashamed to compare
with him during these travels, whether as to clothing, horse,
saddle, or bridle. Servant he had none. Federalist as he was in
politics, in his manners and habits he was truly republican. Would
that all republicans were like him in this respect! He was fond of
agriculture, and to gratify himself, and for the sake of exercise, he
purchased a small farm a few miles from Richmond, to which he
often went. On one of my visits to Richmond, being in a street
near his house, between daybreak and sunrise one morning, I met
him on horseback, with a bag of clover-seed lying before him, which
he was carrying to his farm, it being the time of sowing such seed.
But the most interesting and striking feature in the domestic character
of this truly great and good man was the tender and assiduous
attentions paid to his afflicted companion. Mrs. Marshall was
nervous in the extreme. The least noise was sometimes agony to
her whole frame, and his perpetual endeavour was to keep the house
and yard and outhouses as free as possible from the slightest cause
of distressing her; walking himself at times about the house and
yard without shoes. On one occasion, when she was in her most
distressing state, the town authorities of Richmond manifested their
great respect for him, and sympathy for her, by having either the
town-clock or town-bell muffled. I am sure that every Virginian
will excuse this digression.[37]

As to the religious opinions of Judge Marshall, the following extract from a letter
of the Rev. Mr. Norwood may be entirely relied on:—

"I have read some remarks of yours in regard to Chief-Justice Marshall, which
have suggested to me to communicate to you the following facts, which may be useful
should you again publish any thing in relation to his religious opinions. I often
visited Mrs. General Harvey during her last illness. From her I received this statement.
She was much with her father during the last months of his life, and told
me that the reason why he never communed was, that he was a Unitarian in opinion,
though he never joined their society. He told her that he believed in the truth of
the Christian revelation, but not in the divinity of Christ; therefore he could not
commune in the Episcopal Church. But during the last months of his life he read
Keith on Prophecy, where our Saviour's divinity is incidentally treated, and was
convinced by his work, and the fuller investigation to which it led, of the supreme
divinity of the Saviour. He determined to apply for admission to the Communion
of our Church,—objected to commune in private, because he thought it his duty to
make a public confession of the Saviour,—and, while waiting for improved health to
enable him to go to the church for that purpose, he grew worse and died, without
ever communing. Mrs. Harvey was a lady of the strictest probity, the most humble
piety, and of a clear discriminating mind, and her statement, the substance of which
I give you accurately, (having reduced it to writing,) may be entirely relied on.

"I remember to have heard Bishop Moore repeatedly express his surprise (when
speaking of Judge Marshall) that, though he was so punctual in his attendance at
church, and reproved Mr. —, and Mr. —, and Mr. —, when they were absent,
and knelt during the prayers and responded fervently, yet he never communed. The
reason was that which he gave to his daughter, Mrs. Harvey. She said he died an
humble, penitent believer in Christ, according to the orthodox creed of the Church.

"Very truly, your friend and brother in Christ, Wm. Norwood.

"P.S.—Another fact, illustrating the lasting influence of maternal instruction,
was mentioned by Mrs. Harvey. Her father told her that he never went to bed
without concluding his prayer with those which his mother taught him when a
child,—viz.: the Lord's Prayer and the prayer beginning, `Now I lay me down to
sleep.' "

I have nothing more to say of Leeds parish, but that during the
few years of Mr. Lemmon's stay at Hagerstown, the Rev. Mr.

Barnes took his place both in Leeds and Hamilton, and that after
Mr. Lemmon's death the Rev. Mr. Slaughter officiated in Leeds
parish in conjunction with Upperville and Middleburg. At Mr.
Slaughter's resignation of the charge, the Rev. Wm. H. Pendleton
became the minister, and so continued until the year 1854. The
present minister is the Rev. Mr. Callaway. The parish has recently
been subdivided. There are two new churches under the care of
the Rev. Mr. Shields, in the part recently cut off, and one in the
other under the care of Mr. Callaway. An excellent parsonage is
now being built.