Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-04-02
N SPECTATOR AND GENERAL ADVERTISERS

James H. Burgess has sold his farm
near Winchester, Va, for $50 per acre,
to gentleman from Michigan.
Governor Holiday, of Virginia, after
apleasant sojourn with his friends in
Winchester has returned to Richmond.
For the SPECTATOR.
Presbyterian Church in WaynesborO'.
MIR. EDITOR :-Inasmuch as our vii
lage will, in few weeks, be the point
OF rendezvous of the oldest Presbytery
In Virginia west Of the Blue Ridge, it
will be matter of interest to publish
minute account of the church in which
it will assemble. The writer had an OPP
portunity, some days ago, of looking
through it, and he heard the remark
made by one, competent to judge, that,
take it as whole, he deemed it the
incest specimen of a church he knew.
The facts given, we are indebted for, to
perhaps the oldest member and one of
the officers of the church. The walls
were erected in 1874, covered in and
windows glazed, and the basement plas-
tered. The work was carried on, from
time to time, as funds could be secured.
The rule of net doing anything, until
the funds were in hand to finish it, was
strictly adhered to.
The contractor had abundance of time
to complete the contract, as money
sometimes, at others lumber, was wait
ed for, and as the objective point was a
finished eclj6ce, free from debt, patience
and perseverance had their complete
reward, and the Spring of 1873 finds a
handsome finished church, neatly en-
| closed, with graceful tower and sweet
toned bell. Not a jar or discord in the
entire history of its erection. Its wise
building committee, from first to last,
saw eye to eye, and the congregation
was done. The committee consisted of
Geo. A. Bruce, Thos. H. Antrim, DR..
J. st. P. Gibson, S. II. Bell, and T. J.
Lambert. The brick work was done
by Capt. Nath. L. Shepherd; the franz
ing, roof, &C., by T. w. Lambert; much
of interior finish, spire, &C., by T. J.
Clarke; the pulpit, stands for lamp, and
communion table by VIM. B. Alexan-
der & Son, and their contribution to the
building; painting by J. G. Wilton, late
of London; finishing for pews. oiling,
vanishing, &C.. by Chas. Areson, late
of New York City; frescoing by Mr..
Rupp, of Woodstock.
Mr.. Editor, few of our people have
proper appreciation of the great vari-
ETY., beauty, and value of our native
woods. You have no where. in all your
ljourneyings, seen any ash to compare
with that used in the backs and ends of
the pews of this. church. It was OBJ
tanned at the village of Hinton, on the
Ches. & Ohio Railroad. The poplar,
| yellow forming the seats of fine quail
ity, is from the vicinity of Sherando,
but whether from the east or west side
of the Blue Ridge the writer could not
learn. On the east side, on the farm of
the late Mr.. Nick Martin, on the North
ern part of which Mr.. Lewis OFT has
planted his vineyard, he informed the
writer he had cut up into frewood a
yellow poplar that was four feet over
the stump, because there was no saw
mill near. Can't some enterprising
eight miles to the railroad. Some of
this poplar is hauled to Sherando, by
the Howardsville pike, and sawed Did
you suppose there was any difference in
comfort of different woods to sit on p
Mr.. Wilton, the intelligent Englishman
who painted this church, told me that
poplar had a velvety feel, to use his ex-
preston, and made much more COM
Portable seat than any other wood. The
idea was novel one. This gentleman
has had an eventful life. He sailed from
London, some years since, for Australia,
the vessel was wrecked some fifty miles
this side of Rio Janeiro. He, with the
majority of passengers, were saved. He
resided at Rio for some time, thence
went to Pernambuco, Para, and other
prominent points in Brazil. Thence he
came to New York, from there to Rich
mond, and four years since to Augusta.
He married Miss Croft near Chris
tian's creek, has found home near
Waynesboro', and, besides other paint
ing, told the writer this was the four
tenth church he had painted since
coming to this village. His grandfather
and father were painters. He evidently
is master of his trade. Charles Areson,
a boyish-looking young man, though
p, as he told the writer, is a native of
Long Island; learned his trade with
the famous house of Hamlin & Mason,
of New York but pointing to. the hand
ing, said: II have also worked for the
firm, in Detroit of Clough & Warren,
| from whose establishment this instru-
ment came. I aided in making set of
furniture at Wilmington, N. c., that
took a premium at the Centennial, and
is now in hotel at Norfolk. worked
some time in Richmond and at Char
lottesville, where l came near being
killed by the falling of scaffold, hav-
ing had my arm broken and badly LAGER
ated."
| I have extended this article beyond
what had intended, Mr.. Editor; but
before finish will say that this church
and the handsome Methodist church
were much stained and the frescoing
injured by the big storm of November,
that beat through the eastern walls. I
think the authorities committed blum
der, in the building of both these
churches, in not putting good limestone
foundations beneath them.
MORE ANON.