Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-16

fax that Washington bequeathed "a Bible
in three large folio volumes with notes. pre-
scented TO me by the Right Reverend
Thomas Wilson. Bishop of Sodor and Man"
So far as known, the first Pohick pastor
the Rev. Charles Green. He was q
physician. and was family doctor to the
Washingtons before DIR. Craik of AleXan-
dria came to hold that relation. Mr.. Green
continued pastor OF Pohick TIL 1865. when
he was succeeded by the Rev. Lee Massey,
of whom Bishop Meade says: ~
His sermons evince talent and are sound
In doctrine but like most of that day want
evangelical life and spirit and would never
rouse lost sinners to sense OF their cond!-
ton. He was man of great wit ana
humor, the indulgence OF which was the
fault of many of the clergy OF that day
DR.. n. B. hewitt OF Accotink who is held
in high regard q Virginia antiquary.
says that Massey continued to preach at
Pohck till he lost his teeth. He then took
up the practice of medicine, having been
graduated in medicine. law and theology.
After the erection OF Christ Church and
Falls Church the Importance of Pohick de-
clined. Occasional services were conducted
there by the Rev Mr.. Weems, who came
eccentricities Bishop Meade writes. Then
there was a preacher, the Rev. Charles
O'Neill, who often appeared IN a yelveteen
suit cast off by Washington and given by
Messrs. Kemp and Moscrope. well known as
preachers at Dunfries, who sometimes
filed the pulpit at Pohick. From 1ISo 10
1885 so little care was bestowed on Pohick
that 1t fell into great neglect. Cattle
graZed In the church yard and sheep took
shelter among the pews. About 1888 Rector
Johnson, who had been married to the
daughter Of Judge Bushrod Washington, q
son Of George Washington's brother, John.
brought Pohtck into reasonable repair. and
services were held regularly till the out
break of the civil war.
When the confederate troops. after the
defeat OF Mcdowell. fell back to meet the
Peninsula campaign OF Mcclellan. Pohick
Church was occupied as Union picket
post. Every bit of woodwork, except the
| roof timbers was used for flrewood The
old high-back pews were destroyed. The
stones In the aisles, which Washington
| caused to be brought from the Isle OF
| Wright, were torn up. The sandstone fac
! ing of the doors and windows are deeply
/ SCARED with initials, names and dates
| rudely carved by Union soldiers. The post
bellum rectors were the Rev. Mr.. Wallace
| and the Rev. Mr.. Kloman. Two years ago
| a new roof was put on and the interior OF
| the church is being renovated services be-
| ing held in a nearby frame building called
| Hearst Hail." after Mrs Phoebe Hearst.
Several years ago. when the church was
| leaky and draughty, that lady proposed to
give the congregation temporary place
| of worship. The pastor, after consulting
| builders, said it would cost 800. This
amount was given by Mrs. Hearst The
| building really cost 81, 300, and the congre-
| cation raised the 500, no small tax on their
resources.
The congregation bought some of the
! chairs used on the Inauguration review
stands these have been placed in old
| Pohick, and services will be held there in
May when the ladies of the Mount Vernon
Regents Association will attend.
No vestige of the first Pohck church re-
mains Lewis Chapel stands on the site.
! In the woods near this church the
sunken and unmarked graves of eighteenth
century colonials. In the woods about the
present church are hundreds of sunken,
marked graves Of the revolutionary period.
1t Is disheartening to walk among the
ancient graves without seeing a stone or
inscription to tell who was buried there
DR.. hewitt explained that In this region 1t
was the custom to inter bodies In the fam
lily cemetery. Each plantation. and even
small farm. had a private buryfng ground
So that, as rule, to which of course there
are exceptions only the very poor and hum
BILE found burial in the churchyard- Many
OF these graves never were marked. some
were marked by wooden slab or cross.
some by piece OF rough-hewed stone and
a few by the conventional tombstone. Most
of these stones have fallen, and lie buried
under the mould OF leaves. twigs and dirt.
Some have been carried away by vandals,
and many were removed for various pur-
poses by troops during the civil war.
A claim is pending in the Court of Claims
for damage done Pohick church by Union
troops during the war.