MANCHESTER PARISH, CHESTERFIELD COUNTY.
This parish was taken from Dale parish in 1772. The dividingline
commenced at the mouth of Falling Creek, on James River,
and ended at the mouth of Winterbock Creek, on the Appomattox.
In the following year the line was altered; the upper part, including
Manchester, was Manchester parish. At Falling Creek there
are, I believe, still the remains of an old and venerable church,—
whether built before or after the division I am unable to say, but
most probably before. I presume there must also have been one in
or near Manchester. The troublous times of the Revolution being
at hand when it became a parish, it is probable that nothing was
done toward building churches in it after the division.
As to ministers, we read of the Rev. William Leigh, who took
charge of it in 1773 and kept it until 1777; how much longer we
cannot say, as we have no lists of the clergy after that until 1785,
and in 1786 he was minister of Dale parish. In 1785, the Rev.
Paul Clay is minister for one year. In the year 1790, the Rev.
William Cameron, brother of Dr. John Cameron, was minister, and
continued so for four years. In the year 1799, the Rev. John
Dunn is the minister. After this there is no delegation from this
parish, except when the names of Mr. David Patterson and James
Patterson appear as laymen in 1805. I remember the former well,
as a constant attendant at our Conventions in Richmond after their
revival in 1812. He took a deep interest in all the movements of
the Church until his death. If not a reader at Falling Creek
Church before, he was appointed such by Bishop Moore, and continued
to the last to officiate to the few who remained in our communion
around the old temple.
I conclude the little I have to say of the parish of Manchester
and Falling Creek Church with the following notice of it by a
young brother in the ministry, who visited them both a few years
since:—
