University of Virginia Library

CAMERON AND SHELBURNE PARISHES.

Cameron parish was cut off from Truro parish in 1749, and until
1769 included Shelburne parish. A few words will suffice for all
the information I have to communicate concerning it. In the year
1758 the Rev. John Andrews was its minister; whether before or
after this, or how long, is not known. Whether he was the minister
who was subsequently the professor at Williamsburg, and after the
war discontinued the ministry and moved to Philadelphia, is not

known. He was ordained in 1749, and the Rev. Archibald Avens,
who probably succeeded him in Cameron parish, in 1767. In the
years 1773, 1774, and 1776, the Rev. Spence Grayson was the
minister; whether before or after, or how long, not known. We hear
nothing of this parish after the Revolution. There was a church
in it near the Gumspring, the traces of which are yet to be seen.
There was, I think, another not far from the junction of the roads
from Georgetown and Alexandria to Leesburg.

In addition to this brief notice of Cameron and Shelburne parishes,
we are able to furnish the following facts concerning the latter,
taken from an old vestry-book, or rather fragment of one, commencing
in 1771 and ending in 1806. On the 10th of April, in the
year 1771, the churchwardens—John Lewis and Thomas Shore—
are directed to employ some minister to perform divine service once
in every three months during pleasure, and that the preference be
given to the Rev. Mr. Scott, and that the minister employed do
preach at Leesburg and the other chapel (called the Mountain
Chapel) in the parish, as also at some convenient place near the
gap of the Short Hill, to be fixed on by the churchwardens. On
the 27th of July of that year, at the meeting of the vestry, it appears
that the Rev. Archibald Avens, who was no doubt the minister
in the parish of Cameron in the year 1769, two years before, when
Shelburne was cut off from it, and who was living in the part which
was assigned to Cameron, had moved into Shelburne and claimed
to be its minister. This the vestry resisted, and advertised for a
minister in the Virginia Gazette. In the month of August of the
same year we find the following entry:—

At a meeting in November of the same year, five thousand three
hundred and twelve pounds of tobacco were levied for the Rev.
James Scott, who had been officiating for them. He was doubtless
the minister of Prince William parish, of whom we have formerly
written, and who had been engaged to visit this parish during the
last six months.

In the next month we find the Rev. David Griffith elected and
unanimously recommended to the Governor for induction, which

was a striking proof of their confidence in him. Five thousand-weight
of tobacco were added to his salary in place of a glebe,—
there being none at that time. Mr. Griffith continued their minister
until May, 1776. During that year he engaged in the Revolutionary
struggle as chaplain. There is no record of any meeting
of the vestry after May the 22d, 1776, until April 27, 1779. In
1780 the vestry advertise for a minister. From 1776 to 1792 the
vestry was unable to obtain a minister. Indeed, it was impossible
to collect any thing for that purpose. The glebe which had been
purchased for Mr. Griffith was rented out during that time for a
very small sum. In the year 1794 the Rev. Alexander Jones is
minister for one year on a salary of fifty pounds. In 1796 the
Rev. Alexander McFarlan becomes the minister, on the written
condition that he may be removed at any time according to the
canons of the Church of Virginia. He engaged to preach two
Sundays at Leesburg, one at the Pot-House, and one at Middleburg.
In the year 1801, Mr. McFarlan, in a letter to the vestry,
resigns the parish and gives up the glebe, on the express condition
that they choose the Rev. John Dunn as his successor. The vestry
accept his resignation, adding that they have no regard to his conditions,
which he had no right to make. They, however, elect Mr.
Dunn, who was their worthy minister until his death in 1827. He
was ordained Priest by Bishop Madison. Mr. Dunn was suddenly
seized with paralysis while performing service in Middleburg, and
died in Leesburg shortly after.

I was called to witness his happy, triumphant death, and after
some time to make an improvement of both his life and death in a
funeral discourse, which was published. Had I a copy of it, I
would make use of some parts of it in order to convey to my readers
the impressions then resting on my own mind and on that of the
community concerning this excellent man. The text was, "Behold
an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile." And seldom
has it ever been so true of any of the frail children of men. He
was in all things a most sincere and upright man, "speaking the
truth from his heart." He was a man of a most humble and contented
mind. He lived on his glebe, and, though not much of a
farmer, and a very easy master to the few servants belonging to
himself or Mrs. Dunn, lived on its proceeds, receiving little or
nothing else, until perhaps the last few years of his life. I can
never forget his words or looks when, walking about his premises,
he told me that he had nothing to wish for more; that he had corn
enough in his granary to last until Christmas, and some hay, and

was out of debt; "and what do I want more?" he emphatically asked.
Mr. Dunn was a man of sound views of religion and an honest
preacher of them. From the time of the first efforts for the revival
of religion in Virginia until his death, he was a member of the
Standing Committee of the diocese and punctual in his attendance,
though living at some distance from the place where its meetings
were held.

He was succeeded by the Rev. Thomas Jackson, who continued
for three years to fill the place with ability and great acceptableness.
The Rev. Mr. Cutler then spent a year in the parish, and,
at the end of that time, removed to his present charge in Brooklyn,
New York.

The Rev. George Adie took charge of it in 1832, and continued
in it until his death, in 1856,—being its faithful, laborious, and
beloved minister for nearly twenty-four years,—and has been succeeded
by the Rev. Mr. Caldwell. Mr. Adie, for many years connected
with his charge at Leesburg regular though infrequent services
at Upperville, Middleburg, and Aldie. He also acted as chaplain to
the female school at Belmont, a few miles from Leesburg, kept by
Miss Margaret Mercer. For a faithful and deeply-interesting
account of this remarkable woman we must refer our readers to the
little volume by Dr. Caspar Morris, of Philadelphia, than which
there are few biographies more just, more edifying, or more pleasing.
Miss Mercer still lives in the memories and affections of her numerous
pupils, who are scattered over the land. For some years the
Sunday afternoon services of Mr. Adie were held in the large hall
at Belmont; but, as there were many poor in the neighbourhood,
Miss Mercer, at her own expense, put up a neat little chapel a
short distance from the house, for their benefit. I have spent some
interesting seasons in this house of God, preaching and administering
Confirmation. Miss Mercer was then and there to be seen in
her highest glory and happiness, in the midst of her pupils and the
poor. At her death, a tomb was erected in the churchyard by a
general contribution from her pupils, with the following inscription:—

The history of the churches in Shelburne parish, as seen on
the vestry-book, is amusing. For some years before the war, the

record states that various places were determined upon and then
abandoned, various plans agreed upon and then changed. Twice
was it ordered that a church be built at a place belonging to George
William Fairfax, once on the land of Colonel Tayloe, then at the
fork of the road leading to Noland's Ferry; sometimes it was to
be of wood, then of stone, sometimes of one size, then of another.
I am unable to designate either of the places. The war came upon
them while thus divided in sentiment, and settled the question in
favour of none. It was not until the second war with England
that an Episcopal church was begun in Leesburg, on its present
site. Services were held by Mr. Dunn in the old Presbyterian
church in Leesburg, and the free church in Middleburg.

A few words concerning the old glebe in this parish will not be
without interest to the present generation. About the year 1772,
a tract of land containing four hundred and sixty-five acres, on the
North Fork of Goose Creek, was purchased, and, soon after, a
house put upon it. When Mr. Dunn became minister, in 1801, an
effort was made by the overseers of the poor to sell it, but it was
effectually resisted at law. At the death of Mr. Dunn, in 1827,
the overseers of the poor again proceeded to sell it. The vestry
was divided in opinion as to the course to be pursued. Four of
them—Dr. W. C. Selden, Dr. Henry Claggett, Mr. Fayette Ball,
and George M. Chichester—were in favour of resisting it; the
other eight thought it best to let it share the fate of all the others.
It was accordingly sold. The purchaser lived in Maryland; and,
of course, the matter might be brought before the Supreme Court
as a last resort, should the courts of Virginia decide against the
Church's claim. The minority of four, encouraged by the decision
of the Supreme Court in the case of the Fairfax glebe, determined
to engage in a lawsuit for it. It was first brought in Winchester,
and decided against the Church. It was then carried to the Court
of Appeals, in Richmond, and, during its lingering progress there,
three out of four of the vestrymen who engaged in it died, and the
fourth was persuaded to withdraw it.

The vestry-book from the year 1806 to this present time having
been mislaid or lost, a friend has sent me from recollection the
following list of vestrymen in addition to the above:—