History: Saint Paul's Heritage
For the past year and a half the Virginia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) and the Society of the War of 1812 in the Commonwealth of Virginia have been researching Revolutionary War patriots and War of 1812 veterans known to be interred or memorialized in our historic burial ground. This major effort has been coordinated by the Norfolk Chapter of SAR. Revolutionary War patriots include not only those with military service but also those who made documented contributions to the Revolutionary cause, such as providing material aid to support the war effort or serving to keep the basic civil functions of local government operating. War of 1812 veterans are those with military service. On December 3 two bronze plaques to be mounted on the south wall of the church tower will be dedicated. The Revolutionary War plaque will list 24 patriots and the War of 1812 plaque will identify 22 veterans. Bill Miner
Did you know...
. . . that Saint Paul’s has a tradition, at least a recent tradition, of using music not only to support and enrich our services but also for outreach to the community. Perhaps the best current example is our annual Lessons and Carols service in December. It is greatly anticipated and well attended each year. The church has been the venue for numerous performances both as part of the Virginia Arts Festival (established in 1997) and independently. A few examples include the Debut Recital Program of the Ambrosia String Quartet, the Miami String Quartet, the Sidney Sussex College Chapel Choir of Cambridge University in 2003, and the Adagio Trio in 2008. A unique event was the Dedication Concert for our new Brock Memorial Organ in November, 2007, featuring Thomas Trotter, City Organist for Birmingham, England. We have also produced outdoor music festivals, primarily offering lunchtime concerts. The largest and longest was the Festival in the Yard, which ran for six weeks in June and July from 1970 through 1981. A physical by-product of this event was our permanent covered stage built in 1979 in the north churchyard (Earlier performances used a temporary wooden stage.). This musical theme was repeated in the mid-1990’s with the Cannonball Music Festival. It ran one week each June from 1994 to 1998 and featured such well known local artists/groups as Lewis McGehee, Jae Sinnett Trio, Dramtreeo, Tommy Newsom Quintet, and Jim Newsom and the PorchRockers. The 1996 poster invited our visitors to “Pull up a tombstone and commune with the spirit while you soak up a few rays and take in the musical offering of the day.” Bill Miner
Did you know . . .
. . . that we reported incorrectly in our April/May article about the construction of the Parish House. Based on a note in the 1951 Vestry minutes, we concluded that it was completed in 1911; we were unable to find the referenced news article at that time. Recently, however, a staff member in the Sargeant Memorial Room did come across the article by accident. It was in the March 12, 1910 Ledger-Dispatch and stated that the Parish House “will be occupied in the next two or three weeks”. So this spring was the 101st anniversary of its completion, not the 100th. The article also provided some additional information. The basement and top floor were left unfinished to be completed later. The first floor was set up for the Sunday school “arranged to have the adult and primary departments separate. Later it will be arranged for individual class rooms.” The Saint Paul’s sewing school was to use the first floor on Friday afternoons. The second floor was “fitted up for the work of the various guilds and clubs of the parish.” Bill Miner
Did you know...
… that taking hostages and using them as human shields has been a practice around the world for centuries. It was practiced here in the Old Dominion for years during war times. In our very own churchyard is a large tombstone of a woman who was kidnaped and used as a human shield here in Virginia.
Affixed in an upright position to the inner East wall of our church is a rather large gray tombstone. This unusual tombstone, although broken in three sections, is English in origin bearing the elaborately carved Coat of Arms of the Taylor & Kingsmill family. Beneath the Coat of Arms is this inscription:
"Here lyeth the Body of Elizabeth wife of the Honorable Nathaniel Bacon, Esq. Who Departed his life the second day of November one thousand Six hundred ninety One in the Sixty Seventh years of her age."
The woman whose inscription is on this large tombstone was Elizabeth Kingsmill Bacon, born 1625, a daughter of Richard Kingsmill of James City County. Her first husband was William
Tayloe whom she married at the age of 15. After his death before 1676, she married Nathaniel Bacon, Sr., 1620-1690, of Kings Creek plantation in York County, VA. Nathaniel Bacon was president of the Virginia Council and acting governor of the colony. Most importantly he was the first cousin of Nathaniel Bacon, the rebel
How did this old tombstone get here? For what reason we really do not know. All we do know is that Rev. Nicholas Okeson, minister of St. Paul’s from 1856-1882, happened to see this rather large old stone and had it transported to our cemetery. Unfortunately her body was left behind at Kings Creek.
During Bacon's rebellion in 1676, Governor Berkeley retook Jamestown Fort. However, Nathaniel Bacon, the rebel, decided to erect fortifications of his own; but before doing so he
decided to take a few important hostages to serve as temporary restraints if Gov. Berkeley decided to attack him.
Knowing that the governor’s chief advisers were at Jamestown with him, he and his mounted troops stopped by their homes and kidnaped their spouses. One of the spouses was Mrs. Elizabeth Bacon from our tombstone in the yard. After rounding up the spouses, he sent one to Jamestown to inform Berkeley of the hostages that he had taken. These women were used as human shields. Bacon’s plan worked and after his fortifications were completed the women were set free. Gov. Berkeley was forced to abandon Jamestown and Bacon gave the orders to burn Jamestown down.
This was Nathaniel Bacon's final triumph, but he died shortly afterwards and was secretly buried. After Bacon’s untimely death, Gov. Berkeley seized power again as Virginia’s Royal Governor. Bacon’s followers were tried and hanged.
Do you know . . .
. . . that 2011 is the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible? James VI of Scotland (1566-1625) became King James I of England and reigned from March 24, 1603 until his death on March 27, 1625. He is remembered for authorizing a new translation of the Bible from Greek and Hebrew to English and publishing what became known as the King James Version. It became the most popular and widely published book ever; over a billion copies have been printed. James commissioned the new translation in 1604. Forty-seven scholars, organized in six groups and directed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Richard Bancroft, did research and translations in 1605-1606. Their work was reviewed and coordinated in 1607-1609; final editing of the manuscript was completed in 1610. The King James Bible was printed in England by Robert Barker in 1611. King James, of course, reigned during the English colonization of Virginia. The settlement at Jamestown and the James River were named for him. The King James Bible was the Bible of the Anglican Church, the established church in Virginia during the colonial period, and would have been used in the Elizabeth River Parish/Borough Church. In 1782, Robert Aitken printed the first English language Bible in America, a King James Version. This was the only Bible printed with the authorization of the U.S. Congress. Bill Miner
A few months ago I was asked by our rector Scot Hennessy why the Union forces took over St. Paul’s Episcopal Church during the Civil War and not Christ Episcopal Church.
To know the answer one has to examine the characters of these two Episcopal ministers here in Norfolk, Virginia. During the war years when Norfolk was occupied by Union Soldiers (1862-1870), you had two ministers, both born in the North. However, they married Southern women from Virginia. The Rev. Okeson (1819-1882), a native of Pennsylvania, had married Lucy Gilliam of St. George County, Virginia. At Christ Church there was the Rev. Erskine Mason Rodman (1830-1908), a native of New York, who was married to Anne Selden of Northern Virginia. Both women were devoted Southerners.
Mr. Rodman and Mr. Okeson were adopted sons of the South. Both ministers came to Norfolk in 1856 after the horrible yellow fever epidemic that took away 1/4 of our population.
Mr. Rodman was a graduate from Columbia University, class of 1850 and a graduate from Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia. During the Union occupation, Mr. Rodman liked to argue with
General Viele and General Butler over their military rule and authority. He was arrested several times for not taking the Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America. General Butler, being a little
frustrated, closed Christ Church. His Army officers placed the Rev. Erskine Rodman and his family on a train bound to New York. General Butler and General Viele had had enough of Mr. Rodman.
Mr. Okeson, a more diplomatic individual, was ordered to take charge of Christ Episcopal Church. Thus the Union Army took over St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.
However, up in New York, Mr. Rodman had plans of his own. He came back to Norfolk by way of a blockade runner from Liverpool and Nassau. Mr. Rodman came back home to his flock and became a Chaplain in the Confederate Army.
After the war was over, Mr. Okeson and his members returned to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and were compensated by the Union forces for damages to the church property. The Rev. O. S. Barten became rector of Christ Church. He was well loved and highly regarded. The Rev. E. Rodman became a minister in Union, New Jersey, where he died in 1908. He was survived by his three children and his second wife Sarah.
Robert Hitchings
Our Historic Burying Ground
The Norfolk Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution is researching burials of Revolutionary War Patriots and War of 1812 Veterans in our burying ground. The Virginia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, Virginia Society of the War of 1812, the Virginia Society of the Order of Founders and Patriots of America, and the Saint Paul’s Heritage Committee are assisting in the project. The product of this effort will be a plaque or plaques honoring the patriots and veterans to be dedicated in December 2011. Part of the research is to see if we can find any family Bibles or other old documents that might verify such burials in our churchyard. If you have such a Bible or know someone who does, please get in touch with Robert Hitchings. Thank you. Bill Miner
Did You Know...
As we approach this year’s Lenten Lecture Series, have you ever wondered what we did in the past? Our archives includes a Lenten program from almost 120 years ago, in 1892. Our then Rector (and later Bishop of Southern Virginia) Beverly D. Tucker set out an ambitious program. While we have one lecture a week for six weeks, he offered daily topics for six weeks. Each weekday followed a particular theme. Morning services were held Mondays and Thursdays at 7:30. The theme these days was “Hindrances and Helps to the Spiritual Life.” The hindrance topics, presumably on Mondays, were: Selfishness, Sloth, Engrossed with Business, Cowardice, Worldliness, and Evil Company. The help topics, presumably on Thursdays, were: Self-Denial, Prayer, Study of God’s Word, Watchfulness, Christian Activity, and The Holy Communion. Noon Services were held on Wednesdays with the theme “Christian Virtues, as exemplified in the Women of the New Testament.” Topics were: Humility-The Blessed Virgin, Faith-Lydia, Love-Mary of Bethany, Helpfulness-Priscilla, Good Works-Dorcas, and Constancy-Mary Magdeline. Afternoon services were held Tuesdays and Fridays at 5:00. Tuesday’s theme was “Principles of the Protestant Episcopal Church,” with these topics: Her History, Her Doctrine, Her Orders, Her Liturgy, Her Customs, and Her Relation to Other Christian Bodies. The Friday theme was “The Example of Christ.” The topics were: In the Family, In Society, In the Church, In the World, In the State, and In Suffering. Bill Miner
Americans love royalty. We have had royalty living in the Norfolk area at different times, one in
particular who worshiped here at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. He is buried in a cemetery plot (Elmwood Cemetery) for its indigent worshipers. Here is his story.
On January 12, 1878, The Norfolk Virginian ran an obituary on the front page of a famous portrait painter who was found dead at his residence on Main Street. A neighbor had found Edwin Bonneau de St. Marcel, lying stretched out on the floor of his living room with a newspaper in his hand. The gas light was still brightly burning at the time of his discovery. How long had he been dead the corner Dr. James D. Galt would have to decide.
Just after the Yellow Fever Epidemic 1855, a portrait painter aged forty-three and a native of Poland arrived here in Norfolk from New Orleans. He would build his reputation on being a honest portrait and landscape artist. In an exhibit dated September 13th 1860, at the D. Ghiselin Book and Stationary store his three oil paintings were exhibited. The portraits were of Dr. Hugh B. Grigsby, Lieut. Milligan, U.S.R.S and the artist T. W. Clark. St. Marcel was labeled as a Superior Portrait Painter, worthy to be classed among the great artist of our country. Among his many works was a panorama of the Russian war in our area that was destroyed by fire many years ago in 1856. Mark Twain was very fond of St. Marcell and mentioned him in his writings. For years he has gained a scanty livelihood from sales of his portraits. At the end of the obituary Edwin Bonneau de St Marcel true identity was told.
He was born a Polish Count, banished from his country with 13 others of high rank by the Imperial Russia Emperor in 1837. A royal Russian frigate brought him into New York. What could he have done? Why was he banished? Was it for political reasons? Had he fought against the Russians? We may never find out.
Edward St. Marcel arrived in America a stranger, without friends or means, and being unable to speak the language was reduced to near poverty. However, before his death, he had told a young lad his secret about his history. He also stated that the edict of banishment had been annulled.
The Rev. Nicholas Okeson stepped forward to do the service. In our Parish Death Book, the Rev. Okeson put the pen in his hand and wrote the following inscription,
January 12th 1878: Edward Jablonisky, a native of Warsaw Poland and a Count before his banishment, he was known in this community as M. Bonneau de St. Marcel, his mother’s maiden name.
Interesting, a Polish Count, a man of noble birth attended our church and lies in a pauper’s grave belonging to our church in Elmwood cemetery.Robert Hitchings
Did you know . . .
. . . that, while we generally refer to the Parish House as being built in 1909, it was completed in 1910. Curiously, reviews of both Vestry minutes and of newspaper files found no mention of the completion date nor of any events that may have been associated with finishing such a major project. The Journal of the Eighteenth Annual Council of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Southern Virginia reported in May 1910 that “Since the last report, the Parish House or ‘Memorial Hall’ has been built at a cost of between $18,000 and $19,000.”
In November 1908 the Vestry decided on the location for a new Parish House and named it Saint Paul’s Memorial Hall. A building committee was appointed to oversee construction (Rev. James M. Owens, Caldwell Hardy, Adam Treadwell, C. McI. Tunstall, George L. Arps, and H.N. Castle). Finlay F. Ferguson of Ferguson and Calrow was the architect, and George T. Banks was the contractor. A note in the May 2, 1910, Vestry minutes states, “The erection of St. Paul’s Parish House was begun in the summer of 1909. . . . The old Sunday School house stood partly on the site of the present hall.” In the same minutes, “The Treasurer also submitted to the Vestry an interesting summary of the cost of Memorial Hall, showing the amount of money raised, how raised, and how expended, amount still due and to whom due, etc. The report was received and ordered filed.”
Some debt was still unpaid a year later. The Easter Offering appeal in April 1911 stated, “In the last two years we have built, as is well known to you, a Parish House or Memorial Hall, at a cost of about nineteen thousand dollars, and upon it we owe two notes, one for four thousand dollars, and the other for nine hundred dollars.” In August 1911 an inventory was completed of “movable property contained within the precincts of St. Paul’s Church, Parish House, and grounds.” The Parish House contained the following spaces: Library, Infants’ Classroom, Large Room, Vestibule, Room No. 1, Room No. 2, Room No. 3, Kitchen, and Basement. Bill Miner, with some research assistance from Robert Hitchings
Did you know . . .
While the President was enjoying his meeting in the afternoon, Mrs. Helen Taft (1861-1943) along with her sister, Mrs. Thomas K. Laughlin of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, enjoyed an automobile drive throughout our fair city. She too stopped to see our historic St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. The Reverend James M. Owens (1907-1912) and a few ladies of the church greeted the first lady and her sister. After the tour she was presented with several sprigs of ivy from small vines that covered the walls of our church.
Upon arriving in Norfolk, Mrs. Taft had been recuperating from a severe stroke which had occurred on May 17th, 1909. As the President’s wife, she was the first wife of the President to be called “First Lady.” She was a very fashionable First Lady during her White House years. In her official First Lady’s portrait Mrs. Taft is wearing her famous gold tiara.
Mrs. Helen Taft left us all a wonderful legacy that so few people know. She was instrumental in having the three thousand cherry trees planted around the tidal basin in Washington D.C.
According to the Portsmouth Star newspaper, “It was a brilliant and imposing pageant in Norfolk to honor of the President and his company.” However, it was a brilliant day for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church to welcome not only the President of the United States, but a beautiful first lady by the name of Mrs. Helen Taft to our church and churchyard. Robert B.Hitchings
Did you know . . .
. . . that, during the colonial period, the Wardens and Vestry of the established Church undertook many functions that today are handled by governmental agencies and charitable organizations. Early budgets, for example, included payments to individual parishioners to care for orphans, the elderly, and the poor. In 1750 Elizabeth River Parish built a workhouse to lodge, maintain, and employ the poor. It cost 20,000 pounds of tobacco and, upon completion, it was supervised by a Dr. Archibald Campbell. In 1756 this structure accidentally burned down. The Vestry ordered “That another House be Built for the use of the Poor of the said Parish near the place where the other stood….” What is interesting is that the Vestry was very specific about the details of design and construction. The new structure was to be built of brick, 34 feet long and 28 feet wide. Walls were to be a brick and a half thick, with interior partitions being 9 inches. There were to be two windows in the front and two in the back. The first floor was to be tiled and the upper floor “laid with plank”. Each room was to have a fireplace at the ends. “The Bricks were to be well burnt and the mortar to (be) made of three bushells of Lime to one of sand.” (Minutes of December 17, 1756). Bill Miner
Have you ever wondered how many individuals are buried under the floor of our St. Paul’s Episcopal Church? Three centuries ago it was the common custom to bury the dead under the floor of the church. To be buried near the altar was a high honor, only reserved for wealthy, prominent citizens. One example of the church burials in the floor can be seen in the church at Jamestown, VA. Today, one sees the small marble squares in the floor that mark such graves. In Bruton Parish Church, Williamsburg, VA, near the altar lie the remains of Martha Washington’s grandparents.
While doing research for a patron, I happen to see an unusual obituary in the Norfolk Virginian newspaper, dated March 14th, 1883. A Mrs. Annie M. Newman, wife of Doctor W. A. Newman of Norfolk passed away. What was so interesting about this obituary is that it clearly stated that she was the granddaughter of the Reverend Walker Maury (1752-1788), whose remains were buried under the pulpit of our church.
Who was this Reverend Walker Maury? The Reverend Walker Maury was minister at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, then known as the Borough Church 1786-1788. He passed away at the age of 36 after a short illness. Born in Albemarle County, Virginia, he was the son of the Reverend James Maury and Mary Walker Maury. The Reverend Maury was first appointed Head Master of the Borough’s public school, now called Norfolk Academy. He was a graduate of William & Mary College and won the 1775 Botetourt Prize Medal for excellence in the classics. The Reverend Maury must have been a dynamic speaker to be buried so close to his pulpit. Whether his body has been removed or not we do not know. However, it would be nice to be able to place a brass plate in remembrance to this man, the minister who sleeps under the pulpit.
O Death, where is thy Sting? O Grave, where is thy victory? Robert B. Hitchings
Did you know . . .
. . . that Saint Paul’s has the desk of Nicholas Okeson, our Rector from 1856 to 1882 (see article in the November Newsletter)? It is on display in the reception room in the Parish House. But the interesting story is how we acquired it. In late 1992 or early 1993 the Rev. Hugh White was contacted by a person who had bought the desk from the Salvation Army. He found numerous Okeson family documents in a compartment in the desk and offered the desk and its contents to the church. As reported in the Vestry minutes of March 17, 1993, we paid $500 for them. An inventory of the contents by Doug Greene includes Okeson sermons, photographs, copies of his obituaries, resolutions and letters of condolence, and various items added later by his wife Lucy D. Okeson. One item of special interest is a September 1886 letter to Mrs. Okeson from the Rev. Phillips Brooks, then Rector of Trinity Church in Boston and later Bishop of Massachusetts. Brooks was well known as a preacher but is perhaps remembered most today for having written “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” A still unanswered question: where were the desk and its hidden contents from Mrs. Okeson’s death in 1916 until they were “discovered” in 1993? Bill Miner, with thanks to Hugh White for sharing his recollections.
Dr. Nicholas Albertson Okeson came to Norfolk, Virginia, after the 1855 Yellow Fever Epidemic. He arrived in Norfolk on April 20, 1856, and preached his first sermon from the pulpit on Easter Sunday of that year. From April 1856 to the time of his death on September 20,, 1882, he was the minister of St. Paul’s Church. He died of malaria. Mr. Okeson became a household word around Norfolk. A gifted speaker, he had a talent to get along well with many kinds of individuals.
Okeson was born in Perry County, Pennsylvania, Nov. 5,, 1819. His father was of Dutch descent and his mother was of Scottish descent. Being the oldest child, Okeson assisted his father on the family farm, going to school in the winter as was the custom in those days. At the age of eighteen he prepared for college. He studied for the ministry at Union College, Schenectady, NY, under the presidency of the then celebrated Dr. Knott. Afterward he came south, residing in Georgia and various southern cities. His first charge was in Charles City County, where he met and married his first wife, Lucy Ann Gilliam of St. George County, VA. She died here in Norfolk, Dec. 27, 1873. They had no children.
On October 6, 1874, Mr. Okeson married his second wife Miss Lucy D. Tabb, daughter of the late Judge Thomas C. Tabb of Norfolk, in St. Paul’s Church. Mrs. Lucy Dillard Tabb Okeson died on July 8, 1916. She is buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery on the Tabb’s lot next to her beloved parents.
During the Civil War Mr. Okeson had to turn over St. Paul’s Church to the Union troops. Afterwards he moved the congregation over to Christ Church and ministered to both parishes. After the war he returned to St. Paul’s.
Mr. Okeson was an able preacher who did not seek honors. He refused the great honor of serving as bishop of his state. He was a large fine man of commanding appearance but had a very retiring disposition. For twenty-six years he was a faithful and beloved servant to our church. When Mr. Okeson died on September 16, 1882, he died in the same room and same bed in which he had been born fifty-three years earlier. The church wardens got permission from city council to have Mr. Okeson buried in St. Paul’s churchyard. All Norfolk went into mourning.
He was surely one of the best ministers St. Paul’s Episcopal Church ever had. Robert B. Hitchings
Do you know . . .on November 27, 1935, the Virginian-Pilot ran an interesting article asking readers for help on reading and deciphering a particular tombstone in the churchyard of St. Paul’s. No one knew how to read this stone. After the story appeared in the newspaper, a layman and former stonecutter by the name of Wilfred H. Crosby was able to read and decipher the inscription within minutes. The mark of anonymity was lifted from this early residence of old Norfolk Borough. The name was Henry Caven, a native of Scotland, who had died on December 7, 1804. On his marble slab in the churchyard was an inscription that defied deciphering. In 1902 the Bishop Randolph Chapter of the Daughters of the King engaged in cataloged the old burials in the churchyard (later recorded in the Altar Guild’s 1934 book). This one stone, so very lovely, was dedicated to the memory of a person no one knew. Many had tried in the past to decipher the fancy script and all had failed. However, Mr. Crosby came to the rescue. He had been an apprentice to an old stonecutter up in New England for many years. According to Mr. Crosby the stone was carved in an old German text. And he said, “What made it difficult to read was that the stonecutter in 1804 used a lot of flourishes in carving out Mr. Henry Caven’s name.”
Now for you interested parishioners who want to see this old stone with its flowery German text, you can find it between the church and parish house, near the walkway under the large holly tree. Do take a look, and enjoy. Robert B. Hitchings
Do you know . . .
where Ye Chappell of Ease was located? First, some context. Elizabeth River Parish was established about 1636-37, originally covering a large area encompassing Norfolk County (present Norfolk and Portsmouth) and Princess Anne County (now Virginia Beach and Chesapeake). Historians agree that around 1638-41 the first Elizabeth River Parish church was built at “Mr. Sewells Pointe,” somewhere in the vicinity of Naval Base Gate 2 on Hampton Boulevard, to serve the Norfolk County area. (The first Lynnhaven Parish Church was built in the Thoroughgood area about the same time to serve what became Princess Anne County.) Because the residents were spread over large areas, chapels of ease were soon established to bring church services closer to them. Their function was described in 1705: “If a parish be of greater extent than ordinary, it hath generally a chappel of ease; and some of the parishes have two such chappels, besides the Church, for the greater convenience of the parishioners. In these chappels the minister preaches alternately, always leaving a Reader, to read Prayers and a Homily, when he can’t attend himself.”
But where was Ye Chappell of Ease to serve parishioners further up the Elizabeth River? On this records are inconclusive (and missing), and historians disagree. Some argue that it was located on the present Saint Paul’s property, probably at the southeast corner. These include Beverly D. Tucker, Bishop Coadjuter of the Diocese of Southern Virginia (1907); George Carrington Mason, Historiographer of the Diocese of Southern Virginia (1945), Charles Vache, then Rector of Trinity Church, Portsmouth (1962). Generally the publications of Saint Paul’s and of the Diocese of Southern Virginia place the chapel on our site. This is also reflected in the records of the Virginia Historic Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places. Other authors have repeated this view as well. Noted local historian Rogers Dey Whichard argued in a 1940 paper, drawing from property and court records, that the chapel was located not at Saint Paul’s but at Robert Glascocke’ property on the Western Branch. However, when Whichard published his impressive History of Lower Tidewater Virginia in 1959, he had changed his mind and suggested that the chapel of ease was located between Lamberts Point and Town Point. George Holbert Tucker (Norfolk Highlights, 1972) agreed with the Lamberts Point-Town Point option. Edward S. Ferebee (Norfolk’s Borough Church, now St. Paul’s, 1977) strongly argued for the Western Branch location and refuted the positions of Whichard and Mason. The best conclusion for now is Whichard’s comment that “As to the location of the Elizabeth River Chapel, it has not been determined beyond a reasonable doubt.”
There is general agreement among historians, however, that the chapel of ease (wherever it was) was replaced by the second Elizabeth River Parish Church on our current property in 1698-1700 and later by the Borough Church in 1739. Bill Miner
Have you ever wondered how many postcards were made over the last 100 years of our church, St. Paul’s? I was going through the Sargeant Memorial Room postcard collection and I found at least 10 different postcards of our church. And each one is a beauty, reflecting its time frame. However, there is one in particular that I liked best. It is one of the oldest in our collection dated 1909, showing a white bearded old man with a straw hat strolling through the cemetery with his cane. Most people do not know who this man is. This is Thomas B. Rowland 1825-1918, a Norfolk native at his best, a local historian who was the first to have a newspaper column on Norfolk history in the Norfolk-Virginian, now Virginian-Pilot newspaper. He was the George Tucker of the 1890s. A gifted writer and raconteur, he was always writing about his beloved Norfolk and especially St. Paul’s church. As a historian, I have learned so much about our church and our city through the eyes of this man. And although he was a member of Christ Episcopal Church, now Christ & St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, he had great reverence for old St. Paul’s church. We here at the library are the recipients of three of his old scrapbooks and one only has to looked in the index to see so many references of our church.
So the next time you are in an antique shop or shopping on E-bay, look for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church postcards. You will be surprised how many are out there. And do not forget to check out the framed postcard display in the vestibule of our new Parish House. They are fantastic gems! Robert Hitchings
Did you know ...
...that we have a Dutchman buried in our small cemetery? Several years ago, while working on my dissertation at The College of William & Mary, I found a interesting document in the collection of Moses Myers papers signed by Mayor Maxwell and the Common Council allowing a burial in the old burying ground. Moses Myers, Consul for the Netherlands and a merchant here in Norfolk, asked and got permission from the Borough’s Council to have this Dutchman, a Lieutenant L. C. Haringman, to be buried in our church yard. On November 5th, 1825, permission was granted for Lieutenant L. Haringman of the Royal Navy of the Netherlands to be buried in the old church yard of St. Paul’s.
The Pallas, a Dutch ship (Korvet), had left Hellevoetsluis, Netherlands, on the 26th of April 1825, to visit the coast of North American. They came into Hampton Roads in October not only for a visit, but to study the new invention called, “the Steamboat.” Lieutenant de Vaisseau Joost Cornelis Haringman had a lingering illness of pulmonary disease. He was highly respected by all who had sailed with him. He came from a highly respected family back home in Holland. He was only 45 years old.
According to the American Beacon Newspaper, November 7th, 1825, the body of Lieutenant Haringman left the ship at 4 PM for his funeral and final resting place. When the body reached Town Point, Mayor Maxwell and other members of common council met Captain Ryk , the marine guards, and seaman of the ship HMS Pallas. In the distance one could hear the sound of cannon firedfrom HMS Pallas as a final salute to their lost comrade.
The United States Navy and a large detachment of U. S. Marines from the Portsmouth Navy Yardfrigate Constellation, and theschooner Grampus were on hand to pay their respects to this Dutch Lieutenant They all formed a procession to the churchyard. The four main pall-bearers had white scarves on the left arms. Music was given by men and officers of the Constellation. At the end of the procession marched Captain Ryk, Commodore Barron, H.N.M. Consul to the Netherlands, Moses Myers and Rev. Ducachet of the Episcopal Church.
The grave service was very impressive. After the service three rounds of small arms were fired by the Marines of the Pallas and sailors of the U.S. Navy.
Where in the church cemetery was Lieutenant Haringman laid to rest? We do not know. His was not recorded in the 1902 survey of tombstones in our burying ground. Did he have a stone? We do not know. However, it has been 183 years since his burial and our two countries, The Netherlands and the United States, have always had a mutual respect for each other. We have always been old allies and longtime friends. Robert B. Hitchings
Do you know . . .
. . . what is portrayed in our five stained glass memorial windows? As the Virginia Arts Festival
continues to celebrate stained glass art in the region this spring, let's review what our publications and files reveal about the content of our windows. The Okeson window (left of altar) illustrates Saint Paul preaching on Mars Hill. The Jackson window (right of altar) shows Saint John on Patmos receiving the revelation from an angel. The backgrounds of these two windows are similar. Notes in our files (author and date unknown) indicate the buildings are "suggestive of a city 'Whose Builder and Maker is God' (Hebrews 11:10)." The flames of fire at the top are "symbolic of 'The Lord is my Light and my Salvation' (Psalm 27:1)." Other quotes are: "The fish are an ancient sign of the Christian faith. . . ." "The Lamb is a favorite Christian symbol, and our Lord is constantly referred to as 'The Lamb of God'. The most precious sacrifice of the Jews was 'unblemished' lamb whose blood represented 'perfect life' as an offering or sacrifice to God. The lamb, therefore, in symbol, prepared for the perfect Life, that in reality is 'The one, true, pure, immortal sacrifice', which our Lord made in His living and in His dying (the shedding of His blood on the cross)." "The fleur-de-lis represents God the Three-in-One."
The Grandy window (south wall of chancel) memorializes Cora Ella Grandy who, according to legend, died shortly before her wedding and was buried in her wedding gown. An article in the Norfolk Virginian about her funeral noted that she taught Sunday school at Saint Paul's. Neither that article nor her obituary two days earlier mentioned her planned wedding.
The image in the Lamb window (north wall of nave) is based on Bordenhausen's "Madonna Ambilis"; her face, however, is a portrait of Mrs. Lamb's daughter.
Our Tiffany window, the Leigh window on the south wall of the nave, portrays three women at the entrance to the empty tomb on Easter morning. A handwritten note in the files (author not identified) calls this the "Resurrection Window" and describes it as follows: "The tomb opening dominates the scene viewed by Mary, Mother of Jesus, Joanne or Salome, and Mary Magdaline. In the distance are the three crosses."
Bill Miner and Robert Hitchings
Do you know . . .
. . . that the Virginia Arts Festival will be promoting appreciation of stained glass windows as public art? This spring the Festival is publishing "an annotated guide to the stained glass treasures of Southeastern Virginia" in conjunction with the Art of Glass focus of several local museum exhibits. Saint Paul's has five stained glass memorial windows, installed during our periods of Victorian décor. The church windows then were made of Austrian colored glass, some of which were gradually replaced by memorial windows. The first was the Grandy window, installed in 1877 on the north side of the nave (where its original sill remains). It was relocated to the south side of the chancel in 1994 when the Austrian glass was
replaced by the clear glass windows appropriate to our colonial heritage. The Okeson and Jackson memorial windows flanking the altar and reredos were probably part of the overall Victorian renovation of 1892. The Lamb window, made by the Hermann Company, was placed on the north side of the nave in 1892. The last, and most notable, of our memorial windows is the Leigh window on the south side of the nave. It was designed by Tiffany Studios (signed lower right) and installed in 1906.
Do you know . . .
. . . the symbolism of the Saint Paul's crest? The information here is adapted from an undated and unsigned description found in the church files.
Saint Paul's crest is based on the shield of the Episcopal Church of the United States. It is divided by a cross, the most basic symbol of Christianity. The red cross on a white field is the Cross of St. George, indicating our descent from the Church of England. The St. Andrew's Cross outlined in the blue section (upper left) recalls our indebtedness to the Scottish Church which consecrated our first American Bishop in 1784. The nine crosslets symbolize the nine original dioceses that met in Philadelphia in 1789 and adopted the Constitution of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States. The red, white, and blue colors represent our country and stand for the American branch of the Anglican Communion.
In the lower right section of the shield is the traditional emblem of Saint Paul. Before his conversion, he was a leading persecutor of the early Church, symbolized by the sword. The open book is the Bible. After he became a Christian, Saint Paul traveled throughout the ancient world teaching the Word of God.
Below the shield is the date 1640, the year a "Chapel of Ease" was established on the Elizabeth River. The original building dated to 1641, perhaps on our current property (this will be discussed in a future article).
Above the shield a phoenix rises from a bed of flames. This is an ancient symbol of rebirth and represents the Church's fortitude and renewal despite tumultuous times. This has occurred in the case of Elizabeth River Parish/Saint Paul's on at least three separate occasions. The first was after the American Revolution when the Church literally did rise up from the flames after the bombardment and burning of Norfolk and the subsequent disestablishment of the Church of England. The second occasion was after divisive quarrel within the congregation in the late 1700s and a period of occupancy by Baptist congregations in the early 1800s. The old church was reopened as an Episcopal place of worship and reconsecrated as Saint Paul's in 1832. The third was when the church was returned to the congregation after being occupied as an Army chapel by Union forces during the Civil War.
Do you know . . .
. . what happened 233 years ago? We got our cannonball. The story is familiar to most of us. Lord Dunmore, Virginia's last royal governor, had been defeated by the colonial militia in December 1775 at the Battle of Great Bridge. He and his troops retreated to his fleet anchored in the Elizabeth River. On January 1, 1776, in retaliation for Norfolk's refusal to supply provisions, Dunmore ordered his ships to fire on the town. During the Bombardment of Norfolk, a cannonball reputedly fired from the British 28 gun frigate "Liverpool," lodged in the wall of the Borough Church. But what about Dunmore's marksmanship? At the beginning of World War II Lord Louis Mountbatten, First Sea Lord of the Admiralty, visited the old Anglican church and was shown the British cannonball. His comment was "Damn near missed it, didn't he?" But we are in a period of revisionist history. Another view was expressed in 2005. Garrison Keillor did a live broadcast of "Prairie Home Companion" from Chrysler Hall and included our cannonball in his monologue. His position was that the British were aiming at the little plaque on the church.
Did you know . . .
. . . that, in addition to being an important historic site, Saint Paul's has long been active in the collection, preservation, and interpretation of local history. When our Parish House was built in 1909, space was provided on the second floor for a museum, probably the first museum devoted to aspects of local history in Norfolk and the region. Vestry minutes refer to a man employed from 1910 to 1912 as custodian of the "valuable collection of papers, books, and pictures in Memorial Hall." Our archives contain a 1911 inventory of all the objects in the church, parish house, and museum cases. Over the years various Museum Committees organized both long term displays and special short term exhibits. In 2002 the Vestry changed the name of the Museum Committee to the Saint Paul's Heritage Committee to reflect a coordinated approach to interpreting our history. As spelled out then: "The committee's primary functions are to interpret and present our history and our historic property to our congregation and to the public. Our current activities include (1) providing tours, including establishing a training program for a volunteer team of Saint Paul's Guides and administering the tour program; (2) planning for and eventually operating appropriate 'museum' space or spaces in our expanded/renovated Parish Hall and/or the Church to help tell our stories; (3) developing an approach for dealing with the valuable archival materials in our possession; (4) continuing research on the history of Saint Paul's and its role in the community, perhaps leading to future publications; and (5) developing a small historical reference library for use by Saint Paul's Guides and others". These duties are ongoing, and the committee would welcome additional volunteer members interested in any aspects of our work program. If you would be interested in joining the Heritage Committee, serving as a tour guide, or both (or simply asking for more information), please contact Bill Miner.
Do you know . . .
. . . why Saint Paul's has a cruciform floor plan? The crucifix symbolism would be a logical guess. However, the primary reasons were probably more mundane. When Norfolk was chartered as a Borough in 1736, Elizabeth River Parish decided it needed a more significant church building. Most of the early colonial churches, especially the small ones in rural areas, were little boxes. The cruciform floor plan allows for a more imposing and visually interesting building. The first cruciform plan church in Virginia was the third Bruton Parish Church built in Williamsburg in 1715. The second was Elizabeth City Parish (now St. John's) of 1728 in Hampton. There may have been some social competition to project an image of Norfolk and Elizabeth River Parish as a comparable (or better) urban community. The primary reason would have been a very practical concern. Elizabeth River Parish was large and growing. By adding the transepts rather than lengthening the nave, many more parishioners were able to sit closer to the altar and the pulpit and thus were better able to hear what was going on and to participate in the service.
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