The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1893-06-17
MAD ANTHONY'S GRAVE.
IN ST. DAVID'S CHURcHYARD
IN PENNSYLVANIA.
A weich Church Built In 1715-A Ro-
mantle History-Named After tho
Weich Patron saint-Aged
aud Sequestered.

from adnorshire. Wales in 1855, and
named after their patron saint, st.
David. The church is in sheltered
dale. the quiet peace Of the locality
being undisturbed by any march OF
improvement. The aged walls are
covered with luxuriant growth OF
ivy AMI are surrounded by venerable
oaks, whose shadows have crossed its
roof for over two centuries.
Tradition points to church built
of logs on the site of the present
edifce early in the seventeenth CEN
fury, and in tho old parish regis ter
are recorded births as early as 1906.
Mention is made Of the parish in Old
miXon's British Empire in America. :"
In 1907 the Welsh OF Radnor adj
dressed petition to the English
Society for the Propagation of the
Gospel in Foreign Parts by minister
who understood the English lam
guage. Mr.. John Chubb. who had
ofiiciatcd as lay reader for some
time, was called to London, and
after taking orders was formally APP
pointed the society's first missionary.
After his return to America sub.
scription was started to erect stone
church in this section, says the New
York Herald. Opinions differed as
to the location, many desiring its
location on lot of fifteen acres on
the Sugartown road. near Washing
tons headquarters; but after a
lengthy debate the present location
was decided upon, it is said. mainly
owing otis proximity to a good spring
of water. The owner of the lot hav-
ing given the congregation the right
to ''fencc off five acres in one corner"
on May Is, 17l5. the congregation
and visiting clergy marched in pro-
cession to the site, and each of the
latter. under the direction of the
master mason laid one of the stones
The edifice was completed during the
same year.
For some time after its completion
no provision was made for seating
the congregation, individual MEM
bers providing their own chairs and
bcnches but in 17G5 the church was
foored anG. rcu-n settces rented to
the parishiors - On the venerable
register we fns that William Evans
and Hugh zones are to have yc upper
bench above ye doorc for e." A later
custom appears to have been to sell II
floor space within the church on which
the owner might erect a pew to suit
that the vestry granted to Robert
Jones the privilege to build pew on
piece of ground in St David's
church adjoining Waync's and Hun
tcr's pew, he paying for ye ground
"a los.
Tradition speaks of other uses than
divine worship to which old st.
David's was accustomed. for in 1863
the residents convened here at the
request of Mr.. Culrie to provide a
guard system to protect their homes
from an expected attack from the In
dams under Pontiac. At the begin
ming of the revolution the rector an
nounced his determination to CON
tinue the use OF the liturgy, includ-
ing the prayers for the king and the
royal family; this met with such pro-
tests from the patriotic colonists that
he was forced to resign under the
plea of 'age and inrirmities. The
historic edifcc was then occupied by
various denominations, and among
others General Anthony Wayne's
chaplain, Baptist exhorter, aroused
his hearers to patriotic deeds.
During the occupancy Of this Sec
4: H.. hA . l. l.. 4
diamond shaped sashes were convert
cd into bullets and the silver com
munion service, the gift of Queen
Anne, mystcriously disappeared. 1t
is stated that sixteen unknown dead
from the battlefield OF Brandywine,
who had died at farmhouses in the
neighborhood, were buried in hol-
low near the gallery steps, and resi-
dents in the vicinity tell of ghostly
visitors clad in tattcred regimentals
seen wandering at uncanny hours in
the ancient churchyard. 1t is also
related that Major General Gray. be-
fore his attack on Wayne's division
at Paoli, marshalle1 his troops in the
thick cedar growth which stood on
the site OF the present parsonage.
Rev. FlaytOr Clay was ordained
rector in 1888. 1t is said that he
always rode to church on horseback,
preached in flowing gown and de-
livered a long oxtemporaneous SER
mon During the latter's incumbency
the remains Of General Anthony
Wayne were removed from the for
tress at Prcslu'isle to the church
yard at Radnor, and on July 4, 1890,
the handsome monument over the re-
mains was dedicated with appropriate
ceremonies.
Longfcllow's poem. "Old st.
David's at Radnor," has made the
historic place famous. Regarding his
visit he says: zone day drove over
to Radnor. Old St David's with its
charming and picturesque surround
ings, attracted my attention. Its di-
minutive size. peculiar architecture,
the little rcctory in the grove. the
quaint churchyard where Mad An
l. Ell