Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-01-14
The Churches Of Staunton.
L Glance at the Past-Early History Of the
Churches ard their Preachers struggles
and Success -Number of Members
now-Fenaale Schools Sunday
School Scholars & Teachers.
Value of Property, &c.

Even the slight sketches of the history OF
our churches that we have gathered from the
fast fading past, will, We hope, not prove unin-
tefestiug to our readers. Their history is al
most the history of cur city from 1888 one
hundred and thirty-four years ago-and GER
| tainly the best part of it, 1t has been no small
labor to search it out, amid the few and musty
| records kept, but it has been Labor of love-
and OF duty to our growing city, and one in
which all have encouraged and aided US. II
we have omitted anything or incorrectly stated
facts it is not intentional, and we will gladly
make corrections. We will also be pleased to
publish similar sketches of every church in
| augusta. So much for preface and now for
| step back wards to 1746 when
Trinity Episcopal Church
| was established, one hundred and twenty-siZ
| years ago, and eight years after the county was
organized in 173S The frs: election ever held
| in the county was for vestrymen: John Patton,
John Buchanan, John Madison, Patrick Hays,
John Christian, Col. John Buchanan, Robert
Alexander Thomas Gordon, James Lochart,
| John Archer. John Mathews and John Smith
In 1747, the Rev. John Hindman was chosen
minister. He preached in the G. H. and pri-
| vate buildings The Vestry this year purcha-
| sed the "Glebe," and built house for the
preacher and q church, on Harris plantation
| Of which no remains now exist.
| In April, 1850, a small church was built
nearly On the ground nov occupied by the pres
ent one. Wm Beverly, Esq, in consideration
| of six pounds, Virginia money, conveying to
| John, Madison and James Lochart, church
wardens of Augusta parish, two and quarter
and half quarter acres for church purposes
In l773 Rev Alex. Ramine was chosen Rec
tor, and In ITS he was a stanch Rebel and
wrote the Augusta resolutions for Liberty. and
afterwards served as chaplain throughout the
| Revolutionary war. From this time till 1881
| the church was closed except when Tarleton
| ran the Virginia Legislature over here, and
| they proposed making Dictator.
In 1888, Mr.. Chambers was Rector but he
| soon left for Kentucky. After the Revolution
ed; then it took up Mr.. VIM. King, adevoted
Methodist, for Rector. La 1920, Vincent Tapp,
Chapman johnson. John IL. Peyton, Briscoe
G. Baldwin, Dabney Cosby, William Young,
Erasmus Stribng, L. L. Stevenson. Jacob
Fackler, Alexander McCausland. Armistead L.
| Mosby and n. G. Kinney were elected Vestry-
men. and Dr. Daniel Stevens chosen Rector.
| This gentleman taught most of the old gentle
men Of from 80 to 65 now living here, and was
very popular-as we'll as his daughters with the
then boys
In May. 1924. the church had ri communi-
cants, and the first Convention met here. AZ
ter Dr. Stevens came Rev. Ebenezer Boyden,
and next, 10 1888, Rev, W. &. Jackson and
next Rev Mr. Goodwin, till lS43, when Rev.
| T. T. Castleman took charge, He built the
present beautiful church, encouraged thereto
by the gift of silver dollar from bright little
| five year old, who had heard him express a
wish for q new church That hey was John
Willis McCue the gallant Confederate and da-
ring partisan under Mosby, who came near To-
slug bis life. by packed court martial, in Bal
timore in 1865. for raid in Md, and whose
pardon from Albany penltsntlary, Grant forced
| from Andy johnson soon after the war, saying
he was a regular soldier, &c Mr.. MoCue is
tlernap left ia 1856, and was succeeded by Rev.
J. A. Latane, who successfully preached till
called to Wheeling, III July, 1871, and was sue
ceeded by the present Rector, Rev. Mr.. Hull
hen, in Feb, 1872
Since 1924 four Conventions Of the Diocese
of Va. have met in Staunton-ln 1884, 1912,
1851 and 1866
The church is large and beautiful, capable Of
accommodating 800 people.
The Trinity Mission Sunday School. Gear the
Buttermiik spring, was started IN 1858 by MISS
Augusta Stuart, Miss Anna Powers, and JAS;
w. Baldwin and ct its last festival numbered
100 scholars aud IL teachers.
During the past year beautiful Rect0ry has
been built on the churchyard, and paid for,
and it is the intention Of the church vestry and
ladies to beautify and adorn the old graveyard
where sleep the fathers Of all denominations
with fir-trees, evergreens, flowers, fountains,
and walks, in the Spring. The number o
members is 225. and So joined in 1872. Mum
Der of Sunday school scholars on roll, 1876; av
erage attendance, 1914; teachers, SO; average
attendance, %. Contributed by Sunday schoo
in 1872, $3.50. Value Of the church property
$45 600; of school property. 100000. Sala
~ of preacher $500 and house furnished
Sexton pay, $l20.
The Vestry of Trinity church is now com
posed as follows Major FL. NJ. Bell. Capt. j
Fl. Waters, Dr. B. N. Atkinson, Mai Thos
G. Elder, DIR. F. 7. Striblng, Hugh L. Powell
Col. j. Il. Skinner, n. P. Catlett, George E
Price, Judge f. W. Shehey, Pike Powers an6
r. FL. Catlett.
The history of Trinity would not be half tolt
did we not tell that OF the Virginia Female
Institute, whose foundation may be called th'
starting point Of higher and nober education
of women in our Valley, and, we might say
the State, and around which has grown up tina
brighs galaxy of Female Colleges that now af
ford such unparalleled advantages to every de
nomination and make Staunton the great Fe
male Educational centre Of the South. On
January I3th 1874 Thomas J. Niche, N. G
Kinney, Alex. Fl. Il. Stuart, VIM; Kinney, j
! FL. Peyton, James Points, j. B. Breckinridge
Francis {. S,riblipg, Benz. Crawford, Edwart
Valentine, T. S. Brook, Edmund Berkeley
) George Eskridge, William b. Donaghe, Johl
: and Armistead Moshy were Incorporated as
body polite, with capital of $4,000 in share
of $1OO each, for the purpose OF starting tn
: Virginia Female Institute at Staunton. 1t wa
opeped at Kalorama and Mrs Maria Shefe
was first principal, thea came the Rev. MI
McAlroy, but Benz. Minor was first principa
/. in present building, in lS47. The school wa
not great success until Rev. r. Fl. Phillip
was called to its head, bringing with him th
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