The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-06-09


lgl0us liberty had been fought, and this wa
the almost final surrender OF the Stat
forces TO the warriors for soul freedom
Joshua Morris could now receive and bIes
the wedding. vows OF members of his ew,
congregation, without liability to legal pen
alties, In the first year Of his pastorate O
this church. f33
WAR MINISTER'S IN RICHMOND.
In 1850 the only preacher regularly Off
ciating in Richmond, OF whom 1 can fns
any trace, was Joshua Morris. This wa
the only organized church In the town, 4
we except the parish church OF ST. John
which was without any resident rector, an(
had service only at long intervals. The
small rear section OF the present building
on Church Hill was the only church edific,
In the village. Five years later lin 1885
the first meeting OF the Episcopal parish
oners was held. and appointed vestry
for st. Johns church, who elected Rev
John Buchanon rector. That he very
seldom officiated in the church 1:
clearly indicated in the following ex
tract from letter written by Mrs
Colonel Edward Carrineton to a friend
In London in the year 1892, as quoted in
Bishop Meade's "Old Churches, &C."
"We have not left in our extensive State
three churches that are decently supported.
Our metropolis even would be left destitute
OF this blessing but for the kind Offices oil
our friend Buchanon, whom you remember
well as an inmate OF our family. He, from
sheer benevolence, continues to preach In
our capital, TO what we now call the New
School-tbat is to say, set OF modern phi
l0sophers-- who merely attend because they
know not what else TO do with themselves.
| But, blessed be God, in spite OF the enlight-
ened-as they call tbemselves-and in spite
OF Goodwin, Paine, DC, we still at times,
and particularly on our great church days,
repair with q choice few to our old church
| on the hill (St. John's), and, by contributing
our mites, endeav0r TO preserve the religion
OF our fathers. Delightful hours we some
| times pass there" &c.
EARLY HISTORY OF RICHMOND.
In 1880, as we learn from fuckers Life
OF Jefferson, Richmond was but village,
containing scarcely 1880 inhabitants, half
Of whom were slaves. 1t had been desig-
mated the seat Of government only the year
before Q779), after lively competition with
Hanovertown-the question being decided
by majority OF one.
An act OF the General Assembly in 1850
connecting, by passable roads up the steep
hills, what is now Main street with Broad
street, setting apart the rugged grounds
upon which the Capitol now stands for the
government buildings. The General AS
sembly met in a large one-story wooden
structure at the foot OF Council Chamber
Hill. Mordecai says, "on Fourteenth OF
! Pearl street, below Exchange alley, where
Mr.. Fry has erected some fine stores"
(page 53.) Howe says: "Tbe old Capitol,
which was private property, stood on the
site which is now occupied by the custom
house and some OF the adjacent buildings"
(page 305.) Perhaps, as he wrote in 1845,
he refers to an older custom-house, before
the present ediice was built. Antiquarans
must decide.
A PICTURE or TUE VILLAGE.
Mrs. Colonel Darlington thus humorously
| lmns a picture OF the village about this
time: 1t is indeed a lively situation, and
may at some future period be a great city,
but at present it will afford scarce one COM
fort of life. With the exception OF two OF
three families this little town is made up oi
Scotch factors, who inbabit small tenements
here and there from the river to the hill,
some OF which looking-as Colonel Mar
shall (afterward judge Marshall observes =
as il the poor CaledoniaEs had brought theiI
houses over on their backs, the weaker OF
whom were glad to stop at the bottom oi
the hill others a little stronger proceeded
higher; while few of tho stoutest and
boldest reached the summit, which, once
accomplished, affords situation beautifu
and picturesque. One Of these hardy Scots
mas thought proper to vacate his little
dwelling on the bill, and though our whole
family can scarcely stand up all together in
it, my father has determined to rent II a:
the Oply decent tenement on tue 1lll.'
Meade, vol. /, page lao.
II is TO be regretted that the earliest re
cord book OF the church has been lost. L
iptelljgently kept ii enrolled the names o.
the fourteen disciples who entered into th'
organization. We might trace the infu
epce of their piety upon their descendants
some of whom 1t may be are still liylni
among us. They were probably in humble
position in society, little known beyon(
their own circle. The names OF multitude
of saints-godly and useful-are nowher
recorded save In the Lambs Book 0
Life.v But they sowed few seeds iron
which successive and ever-incT Teasing bar
vests have sprung. They put a little leavel
in the mass, which has been working for al
hundred years. Who can foretell wba
grand results may flow from little causesl
We know one name Of the fourteen-MT
Franklin, Of Union Hill. He or his wife
perhaps both, were probably constituen
members, as the earliest meetings were he'll
at his house.
EARLY CHURCH HISTORY.
The nearest resident pastor OF the churc
| Wphhpr
church. Goochland county. In the slashe
of Hanover lived John CLAY, the father @
Henry Clay and the pastor OF Chickabomin
church-a plain but sincere aud devout ma
of God. There were at that time sewers
travelling evangelsts, who held meeting
and organize churches throughout this re
gion. Among these were Elijah Baker
joseph Anthony. John Leland Daniel, tn
Murphy boys, Stuebael Stearns. Quito
Lane. John Courtpev, Theoderick Noe
John Wright, John Young, James Greer
. wood, Lewis Lunsford, Eieazer Clay, WI
liam Hickman, Jeremiah Hatcher, Davi
Tinsley, James Shelburn, John Yves
therford. John Williams, Samuel Ha
ris. Rene Christian. John Waller, Lew
; Craig. Alonzo Dudley, Elijah Wins
low. John Taylor, James Garnet
John Pickett, Daniel and William Trista
William Marshall, Richard Major, Davl
Thomas. James Ireland, John KoontZ.
THE FIRST PLACES OF MEETING.
The church gradually but slowly II
creased under the ministration OF Key
Joshua Morris, beginning with fouriee
members. In 1885 Mr.. Morris removed
Kentucky. The first place OF meeting wa
. on Church Hill in a private house. Aitel
wards building was erected or procure
at or near the northeast corner OF Cary an
, Second streets.
II nordocai In his Interesting rem