Evening star., 1921-04-06
ST. PAUL'S Church,
ERECTED IN 1776,
DESTROYED BYF|R
Priceless Relics and Paint
ings of Historic Interest
Also Consumed.
ORIGIN OF THE BLAZE
NOT YET Determined
Edifice in Rock Creek Cemetery
Was Classed Among Oldest
in United States.


st. Paurs Parish Church, in Rock
Creek cemetery, the oldest church
in Washington and one of the oldest
in the United States, was destroyed
by fire of mysterious origin early
today. The interior of the building,
valuable memorial windows, old
relics and paintings were burned, and
the four walls of the structure, erect
ed in 1776. are all that is left of the
historic edifice. The loss is variously
estimated. one sum being named at
more than 100000. but the records
DESTROYED are considered priceless.
The fire was discovered this morn
ing little after o'clock by Mrs
F. H. Littell. a relative of Rev.
Joseph Fletcher. rector of the
church. at whose home she is a
guest. She had barely given the
alarm when T. L. Wiltburger, super
lntendent of the cemetery. saw the
blaze and sounded a call from boxes
S121 and S12S. Engine companies a.
II and 22 and truck company re-
sponded. but when the apparatus ar
rived the flames had gained such
headway that efforts to save the
property were practically useless.
Lack OF Water Plugs Hampers.
Work of the firemen was rendered
doubly difficult by the fact that no
fire plug is located within the i'm
mediate vicinity of the church, and
by the time apparatus was connected
with those some distance away and
water brought to bear on the burning
structure the fire had been under way
for fully an hour.
The cause Of the fire is unexplained.
There were no electric wires in the
building, no fire in the furnace and
hod rnf
Monday morning.
OId-Time Bible Burns.
Among the historic relics DESTROYED
by the fire was a large folio Bible,
which was contained in a glass case
near the chancel. The Bible was
bought in 1927, was used for many
years years and and was paid for by the con-
Bible, also destroyed. were two large
folio common prayer books, the price
FOR which, according to records At.
the churchS was a quantity OF stol
nacco thsc ,x which was to bring not less
Among the memorial windows de-
s.royed weEH those erected to the
memory OF rev. ]. E. Buck. a former
rector Of the church: one to Mrs.
Mary Raymond Arms Bigelow, a
by her daughter. and one to the
memory Of the family Of Charles ].
Bell. donated by Mr. Bell, a vestryman.
First Easter Service There.
The first Easter service to be held
in the present territory of the Dis
trict OF Columbia took place at old
st; Paurs Church, Rock Creek, in
Rev. John Frazier, who was rec
tor of Broad Creek Church, in st.
Johns Parish, Prince Georges coun-
ty. in 171s, found that his parish
was growing 80 that a chapel was
necessary, and on September 1s. 171s,
the people Of the Eastern branch
and Rock creek decided to build a
chapel.
a little frame chapel was soon
tnn,,a 1Hilt and nau sonsecrated St Paul's,
today. The membership grew so
rapidly that in 1926 the colonial as
sembly passed an act separating it
from st. Johns Parish and creating
a new parish. The creation OF this
parish par n.Ii.a, marked a religious era in
years it's history was the history of
the Episcopal Church in the District
as well as of the social life of many
OF the prominent families whose we'd
dings were celebrated at st. Paurs
and whose dead were buried from
the little country church.
First Rector Served a Year,.
The first incumbent of st. PauI's
was Rev. George Murdock, sent BY
the Lord Bishop Of London, who was
rector for thirty-four years and died
in 1851. Mr.. Murdock is said to have
been the first clergyman to live in
the District, and the rectory in which
he lived stood until 1866. when it was
destroyed by fire. He was succeeded
by Alexander williams, who was rec
tor until 1915, when the brick church
burned today was begun. The body
of the church was forty by sixty feet.
but this seemed too large, and in 1920
walls were erected within walls, which
stood until 1850, when they were re-
moved and the building restored to its
original size. A gallery built in the
church in 1875 was also torn out in
1868, and since that time the present
chancel was added as well as a. yes-
tibule.
Tax on Bachelors.
The affairs Of the parish were well
administered. and in 1867 it owned its
own tobacco warehouse in George
town and seemed to do a thriving
business. During the French Indian
wars tax was laid on all bachelors
above the age Of twenty-five years. to
aid in the expenses. The bachelors Of
ROCK Creek parish did not take kind
| ly to the tax. but the vestry was zeal
Gus IN rounding them up and saw that
| none escaped except by the legitimate
path of matrimony.
Out or the seven men appointed to
establish the town Of Georgetown five
were officers of Rock Creek parish.