The following year brought hostilities with the Indians and the French. Probably the vestry helped fleeing refugees or made provision for orphans and widows, although those parish records are lost. Records show that Virginia militia colonel George Washington arrived and set up camp in September 1755 and that with the assistance of vestryman Charles Smith, he was elected to represent Frederick County in the House of Burgesses in 1758, as well as that three of Gordon's horses were conscripted for the war effort. Gordon probably died in April, 1757, and his place was taken by the Rev. William Meldrum, who had arrived earlier that year and contracted to share ministerial duties with Gordon. By 1760, Meldrum had joined with Jones to petition the Burgesses for their salaries, since King George II repealed the act setting clergy salaries at £100, perhaps not realizing that the default was then only £50 (although in 1767 the legislature fixed clergy salaries at £91).