The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-23
Christ Church, Middlesex County, Virginia

The county of Middlesex is narrow
peninsula, lying between the Rappa-
hammock and Piankatank rivers. Its
eastern boundary is washed by the
waters of the historic Chesapeake Bay,
and 1t was therefore easily accessible
to the earliest settlers OF the coun-
try
The settlement of this section was
probably as early. or even earlier. as
ii is nearer the ocean. than the present
county of Lancaster Many of the
original settlers coming from Middle
sex, In England, transferred the name
/ of the old home to the new, thus bring
4 ing the mother land closer TO them.
The county is one on which nature
has smiled benigniy. Rich soil. salubri-
GUS climate. beautiful scenery. In winch
the water forms q very attractive feat
ure, and every facility known in Fir-
glnia for living comfortably. Some OF
the best people In our land In early
days established their homes in this
county. And some OF the oid-tlme
mansions are still to be seen. retain
ing vestiges OF former grandeur and
reminding the contenplative of the
attractiveness of old-time Virginia life.
Until separation of the territory into
two counties. one minister served the
. NDOie. tEDukn lUtTA were IVY ktkit i4Ait7s
on either side OF the river. Those on
the south side were called Lancaster
and Piankatank, and IN 1865 they be-
came one again. under the name OF
Christ church. Lancaster county.
Very fortunately the original Nestry
Book has been preserved, and from 1t
mach valuable information has been
obtained in reference TO the early
, church history OF the county This
book Bishop Meade had access To when
preparing the article on the Parishes
In Middlesex in his "Oid Churches,
, Ministers and Families OF Virginia"
and for most OF the information in
this article ahe writer is indebted to
the matter which he obtained there
from
In the year 1855 q glehe was ptr-
chased and the Rev. John Sheppard
called as minister for six months.
At the expiration of that time he was
called for tweIe months. and then per-
. manentIy. Mr. Sheppard was evidently
/ a man of piety and ability.
I In November OF the year of Mr..
Shephart's death Major -General Rob
/, ert Smith returned from England with
the new rector, the Rev. DEUEL. Read.
Mr.. Read served the parish seven years.
: and proved worthy successor to Mr..
! Sheppard.
After his resignation Mr.. Read re-
turned to England
The ministry OF the church in these
: early days, as shown by the records
OF this parish. viii compare favorably
with that of any period and of any re-
. ligious body. Baw men there were
then, as there are now, Among all
e church bodies. but they were the ex-
g ception.
HI In 1869 the Rev. Robert Yates be-
!. came rector. and continued so until
q about 1fo5, when i'll health compelled
/ his return to England. His record was
evidently that OF a good and true man.
for his vcstry continued hts salary FOR
some time in hope of his return the
|, Rev. bartholomew Yates tsupposed to
: be his SOM succeeded hip. He served
the parish as minister Nor eighteen
years, when he was called to York
Hampton parish. His vestry increased
! his salary to two Thousand pounds sof
tobacco. in order to retain his services,
Z and on the vestry book is the copy OF
q petition 70 the General Assembly,
Q signed by John Robinson, to take meas
:, ures to have him remain where he was
s SO highly esteemed. He continued In
Middiesex, therefore, until his death
S which occurred In 1874, thus conplet-
$ ing a rectorship of thirty years.
i Mr. Yates had sons in England al
n college. and the vestry decided TO wall
: two years until his son, bartholomew
n was rdained. IN the meantime the
\ parish was served by Rev. Messrs. John
n Reade and Emmanuel Jones, from par
: .sbes near by. Rev. Bartholomew
i Yates I'd was rector for twenty 1--WE
!. years, serving the parish until 1857.
. Nine years before this date the Kew
!, william Yates and the Rev. Robert
4 Yates were ministers in the adjoining
{ parishes of Petsworth and Abingdon
Z In Gloucester county, and thy were
I either grandsons or great grandsons O
! the Rev Robert Yates. the family thus
). contributing great strength 70 TINS
= church In It's early days Tn Virginia
: A large tombstone was placed over
g the grave of the Rev, Bartholomew
: Yates In the church yard. II 10 stiH II
i Its place
q The descendants OF Mr.. Yates are
!. many and honored in different parts O
g the State.
: In 1857 the Rev. John Qlug became
E rector. and, It Is Thought, continued $
IS until his death, In 17sE. His minixtr,
was also marked by deep piety and
L earnestness, and his works lived after
: him. He was succeeded by the Rev
M. Heffernon, whose ministry was on'
r OF shame and dishonor. He was rec
4 tor for eighteen years. the church sur
i fering from his presence. At the TIM
! Fof his death, in 1918. the condition
\ Of the church was depressing in tn,
q extreme; indeed. as Biahop Meade says
= cts prostrati0n was complete" Thi'
: was brought about largely by poiitica
conditions, the church generally hay
ling suffered greatly at that period. bn
an unworthy minister Is responsible To-
J. much OF the sin and carelessness .alnoni
!: HIN people. = - = d II sa
: t. From 1913 to 1910 there Ii little re
. cord OF church work In Midd1esex
a though the parish was represented h
y the Diocesan Council n 1881 by Mr.
i James Chewing a. lay delegate. ant
i IN 11l0 the old mother church was
= ruin. m rAlls alone standing. 4