University of Virginia Library

ARTICLE LIV.

St. Mark's Parish, Culpepper County.

This parish was originally in Spottsylvania, when that was the
frontier county, and was a part of St. George's parish. The
vestry-book, from whence I derive my information concerning it,
thus begins in 1730:—"In pursuance to an Act of the General
Assembly holden at Williamsburg the 21st day of May, 1730,
entitled An Act for dividing the parish of St. George, in the county
of Spottsylvania, and that all the other parts of the said parish
be known by the name of St. Mark: according to the said Act,
the freeholders and housekeepers of the said parish of St. Mark
did meet at the church at Germanna, in the said parish, on the 1st
day of January, and there did elect and choose twelve of the most
able and discreet persons of their parish to be vestrymen,—viz.:
Goodrich Lightfoot, Henry Field, Francis Huntley, William Peyton,
James Barber, (now Barbour,) Robert Slaughter, John Finlason,
Francis Slaughter, Thomas Staunton, Benjamin Cave, Robert Green,
Samuel Ball." Robert Slaughter and Francis Slaughter were the
first churchwardens, William Peyton clerk, and William Peyton,
William Philips, and John MacMath were continued lay readers
at the several churches and chapels they formerly read at.

At the meeting of the vestry in March, 1731, the church at
Germanna is ordered to be repaired and the roof tarred; the Fork
Chapel and the Mountain Chapel ordered to be swept and kept
clean. Three houses of worship are recognised as being in use
before the division, that at Germanna being the church, the others
the chapels. The church seems to have required repairs. This
was doubtless the house built by Governor Spottswood for the
German settlers, who, like the Huguenots on James River, had
been patronized by Government and allowed certain immunities.[15]
By this time, however, they had removed higher up the river, into
what is now Madison county. Colonel Byrd, in his visit to General
Spottswood in 1732, speaking of Germanna, says, "This famous

town consists of Colonel Spottswood's enchanted castle on one side
of the street and a baker's dozen of ruinous tenements on the
other, where so many German families had dwelt some years ago,
but are now removed some ten miles higher up the Fork of Rappahannock,
to land of their own. There had also been a chapel about
a bow-shot from the Colonel's house, at the end of an avenue of
cherry-trees, but some pious people had lately burnt it down, with
intent to have one built nearer to their own homes." Mr. Byrd's
writings being full of such remarks, we may conclude that he does
not always expect us to receive them as historical verities. No
doubt the locality of the church was inconvenient, and many did
not lament its destruction, as another would be built nearer to the
body of the congregation.

Before we proceed further in the history of this parish, it may
be well to state what information we have in relation to this German
settlement which Governor Spottswood had cherished on his estate
at Germanna, which estate, it is said, was only a part of a tract
of forty-five thousand acres on which he worked a number of iron-ore
furnaces. From the letter-book of the Venerable Society in
England for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, we obtain
the following document, headed—

Whether they did succeed in their effort, and how long after this
they continued at Germanna, and what was their history after their
removal, we are not able to state. One thing we have ascertained
from one of the oldest men now living in Culpepper,—that within
his recollection, their descendants, when without a Lutheran minister,
would come a long distance to receive the sacrament from an
Episcopal minister at Buckrun Church, not many miles from Culpepper
Court-House. It is very certain that at one time they had a large
church, a flourishing congregation, a fine organ, and good music.

In passing on to our notice of the churches and ministers of
St. Mark's, we cannot but express some surprise at not finding the
name of General Spottswood among those of the vestry, although
it is mentioned in the vestry-book, as he always appeared while
Governor to be much interested in Church affairs. It may be that,
as he lived on the outskirts of the parish, and the new church
was now removed so far from him, he declined an active part in
its concerns. In a few years after this he died. His widow and
children continued to live at Germanna, and were within the pastoral
charge of its ministers. We shall see hereafter that Mrs.
Spottswood became the wife of one of them.

Previous to the year 1728, we ascertain that a Rev. Mr. Staige
had officiated at Germanna, and after him a Rev. Rodham Kennor.
Between the years 1731 and 1733 we find a Rev. Mr. De Butts and
a Rev. Mr. Pruit often preaching in St. Mark's, but neither of
them was elected. In May, 1733, the Rev. Mr. Beckett was regularly
elected and continued minister until the year 1739.

In the year 1732, the vestry built a church at the Two Springs,
on the Germanna Road, at the cost of thirty-six thousand-weight
of tobacco. In the year 1633, the choice of a pew in the new
church is offered to Colonel Spottswood. In the same year twenty-seven
thousand pounds of tobacco are voted for building a new
church in the Southwest Mountains; also, another, "twenty feet
square, near Batley's Quarter, where David Cave be lay reader."

In the year 1735, a chapel is ordered between Shaw's Mountain
and the Devil's Run. Ordered the same year "that the ministers
preach as the law directs at every church and chapel."

In the year 1739 we find the following order:—"That the churchwardens
agree with the Rev. Mr. McDaniel, if he please to serve
the parish, and if not, some other minister, except Mr. Beckett."
From something on the vestry-book a year or two before, there
would seem to have been a serious cause of complaint against Mr.
Beckett. In the year following—1740—the Rev. John Thompson
comes, recommended by Governor Gooch, and is accepted. In this
year also the parish of St. Mark, which was still in the county of
Orange, was divided, and St. Thomas formed out of it. Mr. James
Barber and William Cave being in the new parish of St. Thomas,
Mr. William Triplett and William Russell were chosen in their room.
Mr. John Catlett had been previously added to the vestry in place
of one deceased. The estimate in which Mr. Thompson was held
appears at once by the increased attention paid to the glebe-houses.
In the year 1741, Mrs. Spottswood presents a velvet pulpit cloth
and cushion to the church, and Goodrich Lightfoot is chosen vestryman
in place of Thomas Stanton, deceased. In 1742, a church
was resolved on in Tenant's old field. In the year 1743, an addition
of twenty-four feet square is ordered to the Fork Church. In
1746, Benjamin Roberts and Philip Clayton appear on the vestry.
In the year 1747, Robert Slaughter, Jr. is appointed vestryman
in place of W. Finlason, deceased, and William Green in place of
Robert Green, deceased. In the year 1750, a chapel is ordered at
the Little Fork, where an old chapel stood. In the year 1751, Abraham
Field is on the vestry, also Thomas Slaughter in place of
Robert Slaughter, Jr., who removed out of the parish, and James
Pendleton in place of Samuel Ball, deceased. In 1744, large additions
are made to the glebe-houses. In 1752, Bloomfield parish
cut off from St. Mark's, and services at the court-house instead
of at Tenant's Church. In 1752, Thomas Stubblefield and John
Hackley on the vestry. In 1752, the site of the new chapel, which
was ordered on the Little Fork, is changed to one in Freeman's old
field, and to be called a church. In the same year,—1752,—a church
ordered on Buckrun upon Colonel Spottswood's land, to cost fifty-four
thousand pounds of tobacco. Some leaves being torn out, the
next meeting of the vestry is in 1757,—Mr. Thompson still the
minister. Nathaniel Pendleton and James Pendleton are each clerk
of one of its churches. In 1758, Thomas Slaughter and Anthony
Garnet elected vestrymen. In 1760, an addition ordered to the

Little Fork Church, thirty-two by twenty-two feet. William
Williams vestryman in 1761. In the year 1763, William Ball vestryman
in place of James Pendleton, deceased. Henry Field, Jr.,
in place of Henry Field, Sen., resigned. In the year 1764, the
Rev. Mr. Thompson obtained leave to build a gallery in the church
(that nearest Germanna) for the use of his family and friends. In
the year 1766, Samuel Clayton vestryman in place of Philip Clayton,
resigned. In 1768, Buckrun Church enlarged. In the year 1770,
the old glebe sold to Samuel Henning, and Mr. Henning allowed
to build a pew in the gallery of Buckrun Church. Cadwallader
Slaughter chosen vestryman, and John Green in place of William
Green, deceased. In the same year new glebe of three hundred acres
bought of Francis Slaughter for one hundred and ninety-nine pounds
and ten thousand-weight of tobacco. In 1771, Philip Pendleton appointed
clerk of the vestry in place of William Peyton, deceased. He
was also lay reader, as two others of the name had been, and others
have been since elsewhere. In the same year French Strother and
John Gray vestrymen, in place of Goodrich Lightfoot, resigned, and
Henry Field, removed. Another addition to the Little Fork Church
of the same dimensions with the last. In 1772, a glebe-house ordered,
forty-eight feet long by thirty-two,—eight rooms,—for thirty-five
thousand nine hundred weight of tobacco. In the midst of these
preparations for the comfortable entertainment of the Rev. Mr.
Thompson, his labours were ended by death, after a ministry of thirty-two
years of uninterrupted harmony with his parishioners, and of laborious
duty in a most extensive parish. Judging from the number
of churches and chapels, and their frequent enlargement, and the
benches we read of as placed at the doors, he must have been a most
acceptable minister. His is one case added to a number which might
be adduced, from the vestry-books, in proof that where the minister
is faithful to his duty the people do not wish to exchange him.
Some few exceptions doubtless there were. Of so exemplary a
man as Mr. Thompson the reader will desire to know as much as
can be furnished. Mr. Thompson was from Scotland, and took the
degree of Master of Arts in the University of Edinburgh. On
the 28th of October, 1739, he received Deacons' Orders in Duke
Street Chapel, in the parish of Westminster, from the hands of
Nicholas, the Bishop of St. David's. On the 4th of November of
the same year, he received Priests' Orders from the same Bishop
in the Chapel of St. James, within the palace royal of St. James
of Westminster. On the following year we find him settled as
minister in St. Mark's parish, where he continued until his death,—
knowing, as a minister, one only love. On the 9th of November,
1742, he married the widow of Governor Spottswood, who was one
of his parishioners and living at Germanna. By this marriage he
had two children, Ann Thompson, who was born at Germanna, in
1744, and married Mr. Francis Thornton, of Fall Hill, near
Fredericksburg, at the early age of fifteen years, eight months.
The other is Mr. William Thompson, of whom I have as yet received
no certain information. In the year 1760, Mr. Thompson married
a second wife, Miss Elizabeth Roots, by whom he had three
children,—Mildred Thompson, John Thompson, and Philip Roots
Thompson. The last married the daughter of old Mr. R. Slaughter,
one of the vestrymen of that name in St. Mark's parish, and
moved many years since to Kanawha, where his descendants for
the last forty years have formed a little congregation of zealous
Episcopalians.

But although Mr. Thompson was so good and amiable a man,
and, as tradition informs us, one of the most imposing of men in his
person, he did not easily succeed in securing his first wife, in consequence
of the family pride of the children, which objected to the
union of the widow of Governor Spottswood with a minister of the
Gospel. Such was the opposition that, after an engagement, she
begged to be released. This caused the following letter, which all
must agree is a masterpiece of its kind. Its effect has already
been told in the fact of their marriage in a few months. An entire
reconciliation of all parties, however, was not effected until many
years after, by the intervention of the Rev. Robert Rose, the friend
and executor of Governor Spottswood, as I have said elsewhere.

While we entirely agree with all that is written above as to the
respectability of the ministry, we would caution against an ill use
that is sometimes made of the principle advocated by Mr. Thompson.
No matter how high the birth, how complete the education,
of a lady, if she be truly pious, humble, and devoted to good works,
she may be a suitable helpmate to a minister; but it is not often
that one very delicately brought up in the higher walks of life can
accommodate herself to the circumstances of many of the clergy.
As to those who are born to large fortune, let the ministers of religion
rather avoid than seek them as companions, taking warning
from the many unhappy failures which have resulted from such
experiments.

We now proceed with the history of the parish. After employing
the Rev. Charles Woodmason for a short time, the vestry elected
the Rev. Edward Jones, of Carolina, and had him inducted,—a thing
of rare occurrence. In this year Mr. John Waugh is chosen vestryman.
In the year 1773, it appearing that no convenient place,
having water, could be found on the land purchased for a glebe, the
vestry obtained one hundred more, at a cost of one hundred and
fifty pounds, from Mr. Francis Slaughter. One of the churches
being burned that year, the vestry determined to build one forty by
sixty of wood, on Mr. Robert Freeman's or Peter Bowman's land.
This order being reconsidered, it was resolved to build one eighty
feet by thirty, of brick, on the land of Peter Bowman. In this year
Captain Richard Yancey was vestryman in the place of Major John
Green, who had entered the Continental service. In the year 1778,
the vestry recommend subscriptions for paying the officers of the
church. In the same year Biskett Davenport vestryman in place
of William Williams, deceased. In February, 1780, Mr. Jones resigned
the parish, and the vestry advertised it.[16] Mr. John Gray
resigned his seat, Robert Pollard chosen vestryman. In April,
1780, the Rev. Mr. Stephenson was elected. The last meeting recorded
in the vestry-book is in 1784. On the journal of the Convention
in 1796, Mr. Stephenson appears as the minister of St.
George's Church, Fredericksburg, and Mr. Woodville as from St.
Mark's parish, they having changed places, as Mr. Woodville had
been the minister of St. George's. Mr. Woodville had married the
daughter of Mr. Stephenson, who was also the father of Mr. Andrew
Stephenson, our late minister to England, and of Mr. Carter

Stephenson, who died some years since in Fredericksburg. With
Mr. Woodville I became well acquainted soon after my entrance on
the ministry, being often at his house (the glebe) in Culpepper,
where he connected a school with the ministry, both of which he
conducted in the most conscientious manner, being himself a man
of unblemished character. His son James became a lawyer of distinction
in Botetourt county, and his son Walker has for many
years been supplying some parts of his father's old parish. With
his wife and two daughters, Fanny and Sarah, I became intimately
acquainted, and with purer spirits I do not expect to be acquainted
on this side of heaven. The former has long since gone to her rest.
The two latter—Fanny, who married Mr. Payne, and is the mother
of a numerous offspring, and Sarah, who is unmarried, and lives
with her—are residing in Mississippi. I often hear from them, and
rejoice to know that they still love Virginia and the old Church of
Virginia. I cannot take leave of old St. Mark's parish and vestry
without a brief reference to those who once composed them,—the
Spottswoods, Slaughters, Pendletons, Fields, Lightfoots, Barbers,
Greens, Peytons, Caves, Balls, Williamses, Strothers, Knoxes,
Stephenses, Watkinses, and others, who amidst all the adversities
of the Church have been faithful to her. Others have followed in
their path,—the Thompsons, Carters, Randolphs, Winstons, Mortons,
Stringfellows, Cunninghams, Thoms, and others; but death,
removals, and other circumstances, have sadly hindered her progress.
Perhaps no part of Virginia has suffered more in this way
than the county of Culpepper.

As I am writing of the past for the gratification and benefit of
the present, and not of the present for the use of the future, I can
despatch the remaining history of St. Marks in a few words. Soon
after the resuscitation of the Church of Virginia commenced, a new
church, called St. Stephen's, at Culpepper Court-House, was established
within the bounds of St. Mark's parish, and the Rev. William
Hawley appears on the journal during the years 1814 and
1815 as the minister. He laboured and preached zealously there
and in Orange, and with much effect. He was followed by Mr.
Herbert Marshall, who for some years laboured faithfully and
successfully. In the year 1827, the Rev. George A. Smith commenced
service and continued it for several years. The Rev.
Annesley Stewart performed some duty there after Mr. Smith's
removal.

The Rev. John Cole has now for a long term of years been
minister in Culpepper. Previously to his coming a new church

had been built at Culpepper Court-House, and since his settlement
in the parish two new ones have been built on opposite sides of the
county, near each branch of the Rappahannock, while the old brick
church in Forke is still remaining. A comfortable parsonage has
also been provided for the minister.