The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-01-14

u. 1911, only four years after the
settlement OF jamestown. Sir Thomas
Dale in that year founded Henri
oopolis, on the Peninsula, In James
river, now insulated by Dutch Gap
canal. Here he built church before
he laid the foundation of his own
residence. Not long after a more
handsome brick church was built. 1t
stood near the line of the present
Dutch Gap canal. The parish at first
Included what are now the counties
of Chesterfield and Powhatan, on the
south of James river, and Goochland
and Henrico. on the north of the
river.
Rev. Alexander Whitaker. called
the Apostle of Virginia. was the
first rector of Henrico Parish. He
was the son of DIR. William Whit
taker, master of ST. Johns College.
Cambridge Alexander Whitaker was
graduate OF Cambridge. For some
years he served a church in the north
of England. beloved and well sup
ported by his people" HE had
| handsome heritage from his parents.
He came to Virginia under the In
fuence of the highest missionary
spirit His friends opposed his com
ing A contemporary SAYS of him:
He did voluntarily leave his warme
nest. and to the wonder of his KIM
dred and amazement of them that
knew him. undertook this hard, but,
In my judgment. heroicall resolution
to go to Virginia. and helpe to beare
| the name of God unto the Gentiles."
| lie Is spoken of as the "purest OF
! men" truly pious." and most zeal
| Gus in missionary work. especially
| among the Indians to which he had
| devoted himself" He and Dale were
co-workers for the conversion OF Po-
| cahontas. He baptized her under the
name Of Rebecca. II is highly prob
able that he married her to John
| Rolfe. Rolfe owned a plantation ut
| uenricopolis, and here they lived till
she went to England. Whitaker re-
| sisted the temptation to return 10
| England in 1916 with his devoted
| friend, Dale But he wrote. exhorting
others to come over and help, and
saying: Though my promise of three
yeeres' service to my countrey be
! expired will abide In my vocation
here until | he lawfully called hence"
lie was accidentally drowned in
! James river in the spring of 1917.
/ The Glebe of the parish. consisting
| of 100 acres, on which Dale built n
rectory. was situated on the south
side of the river Whitaker also
! served a church at Bermuda Hun
sired. near CITY Point, Some years
later the Glebe was on the north
| side of the river. near Varina, MIR.
! William Wickha massisted Mr.. Whit
! taker. and IL would seem he was only
In deacon's orders. for, after Whit
takers death. there was no one to
I administer the sacraments.
/ Rev. Thomas Bargrave became rec
tor in 1919, 1t was during his ad-
ministration that the parish of Hen
rico was chosen as the site OF a great
4 university; $4,000 acres Of land. be-
tween Henricopolis and where Rich
mand now stands. was set apart as
( college lands by the Virginia Com
pany. King James. through the
! Archbishop of Canterbury. appealed
for and obtained large subscriptions
in England. Rev. Mr.. Bargrave, the
rector. donated his library. The Rev.
Mr. COPELAND was appointed president.
but he was still in England when the
great Indian massacre of 1922 swept
away Henricopolis and many other
! settlements.
For the next hundred years the
annals Of Henrico Parish are frag-
mentary.
! The Rev. James Blair was rector
! from 1856 to 1894 In 1889 he was
appointed commissary of the Bishop
of London. He resigned the parish
! to become founder and first president
| Of William and Mary College.
I Rev. George Robinson is said to
have been rector in 1925. In 1924
the Bishop of London called upon the
clergy OF the colony for report.
! The name of the incumbent of Hen
rico Parish has been torn from the
| manuscript OF his report" but there
! Is evidence that he was Rev. Jacob
Ware. He mentions that he had been
| In the parish fourteen years. It's
| bounds were IS by 20 miles. IT
contained two churches and one
chapel. There were 400 families.
The oldest extant record book of
| the vestry Of the parish begins on
| October IS. 1880. This book was
found In 1867 among the old records
fhe yestry. When this book was
! begun the principal church of the
parish was Curles church. situated a
! few miles below Richmond. on the
/ north side OF the river. The Rev.
| James Keith was rector when this
vestry book begins. and continued his
services till 1898.
I In 1T27 Goochland and Powha-
.stan were cut OF from Henrico: and
Dale Parish. in Chesterfield. wac es-
/ tablixhed In 1875. In 1875 the yes
! try arranged with Rev. David Mossom
! to preach at the church every fifth
Sunday. for which service he was to
! be allowed 400 pounds OF tobacco.
( Mr.. Mossom was rector of st.
! Peters. New Kent, for 40 years. He
married General Washington; and he
/ was the FIRST native American to be
ordained a Presbyterian In the Church
OF England. In 1915 Rev. William
stith became rector of the parish. He
was a native virginian. educated at
! william and Mary College and in Eng
land. While rector of this parish, he
wrote his history OF Virginia. 1t was
during his ministry that ST. Johns
4 church was built.
There was q difference of opinion