Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-21
OF COLONIAL DAYS IN
WAS ERECTED IN 1874
\ Glimpse of Some OF the Early
eff Fine stock and High
Character Description Of the
House OF Worship

With giant oaks and pines standing
as silent sentinels around it, the old Fork
church stands in Hanover as q landmark
and connecting link between the present
| and the dim and almost forgotten past.
| When the soldiers of Grants army crossed
| the North Anna river, at Jerico Mill, and
| overran the country round. this ancient
editice was exactly as it is now. Long
| prior to that. when the American clippers
| were marrying the British ships in the
| war of 1872, this was an old church. When
| the fiery eloquence Of Patrick Henry was
| sounding through the country Fork
| church was growing venerably old, along
| with George Washington, Thomas Nelson,
| and the first patriots of Virginia.
| Here within twenty-five miles Of the
! falls Of the James river (the future site
of Richmond), where the wavy outline of
| the Blue Ridge can be seen, General
! Thomas Nelson obtained grant Of land
| from the crown in the reign Of Queen
| Anne of England. Here, too, in the forks
, of the Pamunky river, where the Indians
! said there grew tobacco that made men
bury the Ratchet, and happy as the sing
| inE BIRDS was established the first out
! post Of civilization in its onward march
from the deep water of the James and
York rivers, towards the distant hills.
| On Little river General Nelson built
"Oifley Hon. as it is spelled on a tomb
stone in the churcl1-yard. On the banks
| Of the North Anna river Peter .Fontaine,
! son of the rector of Westover, builded
Rock Castle. Near the future site Of the
F.! church. Nelson Berkeley built -Airwell.
| Scotcl1town, built by John Forsyth, a
Scotch iron master. in 1888, was establish
ed about the same date, or possibly a lit
tie earlier.
WE'RE OF STERLING STUFF.
Let US note here that these pioneers
were not the adventurous spirits usually
found in 3 new country, but were some OF
the best stock OF The old world-nen
sifted from the nations, as it were, on
account of their devotion TO principle or
religious faith: as the Scotch Covenant
ers the Royalist followers of the unfortu-
nate Stuarts or the Huguenot refugees
from France.
The drinking and diceing parson. and
swe sh- bucllling Adventures depicted in
Miss Johnston's novels. were not much III
evidence outside OF Williamsburg and the
rich plantations Of the lower James. Here
we find first a frugal "canny'- Scott, John
Forsyth, who built an iron furnace on
his land to develop a vein of ore. Next,
Peter Fontaine. whose ancestors We're
foully murdered and deprived of their
prcperty prior TO the massacre of st.
Bartholomew. in the reign Of Francis I.
of France.
MRS. BERkELEY'S COURAGE.
III Nelson Eerkeley e.tind g scion OF the
noble Berkeley family of England. It was
n Mrs Berkeley. OF lAirwell, who saved
the communion silver now used in Saint
Martins parish. II is related of her that
when the glebe lands OF the Church of
ENGLAND in Americazwerc coniiscated after
the Revolutionary. war, commissioners
were appointed to collect the church silver
and other property. Mrs. Berkeley was
the custodian OF this massive silver
chalicc and paten, which Is said to have
been presented to the parish by Queen
Anne, and bears the date 1859. The COM
,nissioners being ashamed to ask torsthe
silver in person, sent a messenger to re-
quest the lady to give it up. She replied.
Come and take 1t; butt will never give
it to you" They never came.
The Marquis de ChasteluS, in his tray
els through Virginia, gives an, account OF
his stay at Ofley. Says he: Tighlman.
landlord of the Ordinary at Hanover
Courthouse, says Lord CORVALLIS paid
nothing for himself and retinue-met
there Henry Lee (Light Horse Harry,
who distinguished himself In the war
starting at 3 A. NJ. fromsHa Court