Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-22

Gated In Westmoreiand county, Va. has
lived since the year 1706, and during that
long period loyal Episcopalians and Vlr-
sinfans have paid tribute TO the Most High
within the edifice.
It is really and truly quaint relic OF
colonial Virginia. and during the two CEN
turtles Of changing scenes the church has
on more than one occasion fallen Into the
hands OF those whose piety was not suf-
ficientiy pronounced to carry out the
usages contemplated by those who builded
In the beginning. In the years after the
country from the Potomac to the James
bad been coded to Thomas Fairfax and In
turn he had delegated the management to
the Carriers and Fitzhughs Yeoeomico was
founded and through the vicissitudes of the
times intervening between then and now
the membership has come and gone.
The lone fact that Mary. the mother of
Washington. came often to the old church
to worship. and upon many of the visits of
her later life conveyed the infant George.
lends beautiful tinge to the old parish
church In the minds of all loyal Americans.
birth of the father Of his country, Yeo-
comfco has long been landmark of the
section as well as all Virginia. In the quiet
ytstas that surround 1t on all sides genera
tons have passed In joyous review. and il
the solemn pines that stand in the church
yard as silent sentinels could but tell their
stories OF the past, no one doubts but that
the glory Of the section would be told In
radiant beauty such as has not been the
fortune OF the generations to hear.
y
In the beginning and extending for three
quarters OF a century, so 1t Is told, loyal
subjects Of his Britannia majesty were re-
quired to assemble In the old church upon
each Sabbath and there to perform divine
services under penalty OF the forfeiture Of
a goodiy quantity Of tobacco. which was
then grown in all parts OF the parish.
The early members of the families of the
Lees, Eairfaxes, Carriers and others, to-
gether with their descendants, have always
worshiped at the church during the time
they have resided in the parish-and In these
lines OF descent both paternal an maternal
have come many OF the men who have ig
ured prominently in the glorious annals of
Virginia and the nation. Later, during the
revolutionary period, the edifice for time
was used as a barracks for the soldiers OF
house. After being abandoned for these pur-
poses the doors were allowed to remain
open. and the birds Of the air as well as
the creeping things of creation wended their
way through the portals where for time
they held merry carnivals within the sacred
walls.
During the civil war the vicinity was the
scene OF conflict between attachments from
II was that the victors always camped and
u is related that they seemed to be par
ticularly pleased when they might be al
lowed to rest for time amid the sacred
precincts. The home guard. composed OF
Virginians of the section who were In
tensely loyal to the stars and bars of the
confederacy, was afforded shelter In the
old church. If Is also said that though
they We're all southerners their efforts to
guard and protect the section were upon
more than one occasion suddenly termi-
mated by the conscript officer of the con-
federacy. whose unexpected arrival seem
ingiy made 1t incumbent upon them to seek
the gentle shades and comforting seciusion
of the nearby forests.
So Yeocomico has lived down the long
pathway of Joy and pathos that has marked
the time since the establishment of the old
church Only a few short months ago IL
was brought to the attention OF the Right
Rev. Robert A. Gibson. bishop of Virginia.
that as the year 1905 marked the 2OOth an
niversary of the existence of Yeocomico
Church, 1t would be well to hold BIZ
centennial celebration on July Is. The pur-
pose was to begin a movement to raise an
endowment fund for the preservation OF
the church. Bishop Gibson assented, and
in his letter to the members of the congre-
cation said 1t gave him great pleasure to
commend the work Of endowing Yeocomico
Church.
He also said the colonial churches are
historic landmarks of the very highest in
terest. In speaking of the history of the
old church the bishop said: "Yeocomico has
q 'oinan1io slois anu o.e miien - ~ - -
OF It's aspects palmetto. In conclusion ne
said he hoped the care Of the old church
would be insured and that I'VE OF this gen
GRAFTON can do our part in one way, and in
one way only-that is. by collecting money
for the preservation OF the church and pro-
viding for the wisest possible expenditure
&l,ef fund hue az
A committee of the members OF the
church was formed, consisting of. Messrs.
Wat Tyler Mayo. 8. Downing Cox and
Walter r. Crabbe. The committee at once
took active charge of the movement in con-
junction with Bishop Gibson and Rev. John
Poyntz Tyler, the archdeacon OF Virginia,
and on July Is the bicentennial was cele-
brated with morning and afternoon serv-
ices.
The services were followed by those held
on the following Monday and Tuesday,