Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-02
ST. JOHNS CHURCH
MECCA OF ALL WHO
COME TOR|CHMOND
William Byrd Donated an
Acre of Ground Where
Edifice Now Stands.
VITAL PARTS OF NATIONS
HISTORY WRITTEN THERE
Original Cost was s BIT, Paid
For by 10000 Pounds To-
!, bacco Annually.
ny VERA PALMER.

mond before journeying across the
Siaduct to take look at old st.
Johns Church, regardless OF how
prlef their stay or how pressing their
engagements. IL is not only = pleas
ure to walk In the spacious church
yard and. in summer. to enjoy the
trees and flowers. but "A certain thrill
must come to ali who gaze on the last
resting places OF so many men and
women who have helped to found this
capital of the Old Dominion. and TO
stand within the historic cdince
\ where democracy had its birth.
st. Johns is not only a sacred spot.
but also romantic one. for looking
back TO those stirring times when the
little building was the largest audi
torium In the town. one cannot help
wondering about the individual lives
OF those who gathered within It's
walls. number OF whom, are now
buried under the sod in the surround
ing yard. Many OF them may have
led comparatively placid and diEni-
fed existence, so In keeping with that
fRr-on day, but We know that to
others who assembled there !or pa
,triotic as we'll as religious Purposes
x life was fun OF struggle and respon-
sib!l!ty, and all the loyalty and genius
|, OF the great leaders were required 10
guide the State into safe and wise
channels.
Donated by byrd.
1t was william Byrd himself who
gave the acre OF ground for the
church. although another site was
deemed more desirable by the vestry.
but as the lot under consideration
\ was in what is now tho northern Sec
of q In al, q, IA l.
brsitated the cutting OF a road through
the Byrd property. the owner OBJ
jected, saying there were too many
roads there already. lie thought also
that tho land on the hill was more
suitable. considering the great mum
Der OF people who lived below {. and
would pay their devo,ions there" A
Epot on the plantation OF Thomas
Williamson OH Brook Road was voted
on. but the James River site won by
large majority.
Records show that Richard RAN
do!ph, gentleman, built the church.
! which In thought to have been COM
pleted June 10. lItl. almost $50 years
ago. The structure then was only
sixty feet long and twenty feet wide
and the pulpit was In the east end.
where door has since been cut in
what is now the east ,ransept. But
Notwithstanding the fact that Rich
mond then was not the churchgoins
y, place 1t is today. the Tiny building
twas found to DO too small fpr tho
needs OF Henrico Parish.
AS 1t had cost only 1917. which
sum was paid 10 Richard Randolph
- by the amount OF tho sales OF co.
900 pounds OF tobacco annually to be
|, levied on the parish and sold until
( the whole payment be complete" the
/ matter OF enlargement was not SO
\ overwhelming.
1 John Enders. worthy citizen and
patriot. Is said to have had u large
share In making possible the addition
OF forty feet on the north side. which
was finished In time for Christmas.
!. far from the cart door, was one of
7 the pillars, for he is known to have
been senior warden, and. incident
| ally a rich man. whose word was law
unto his. brethren. 1t was about that
l time that lightning rods came into
tyogue, and u man Is said to have
pseliing the. rods for the safety Of the
! remodeled editice:
I With the exception OF Mr.. Endcrs,
new device. but he was bitterly OPP
posed; Having supplied most OF the
opinion carried, and the reason he
gave was that he had enlarged the
church for the worship of God and it
had oeen dny tho IeTs to Him
destroy His church with fire. man
should place no obstacle In the way.
For. many years s,n the building Blu was
Hill. the name OF ST. Johns being
given much later.
Long before this initial church in
4 10 fnt To-
7 graveyard began TO gather its har-
vest. The first person TO be inferred
4 in the acre Of God was Robert Rose.
2 who, according to his epitaph, wac
man whose like we seldom Ana for
tho granite slab above the old fash
Toned bricked-over grave gives the
following intimate glimpse into his
character:
Rector of Albemarle Parish
"His extraordinary Genius &c Capacity.
in all the polite and useful Arts of
Life, tho equalfd by few. were vet
exceeded by the great goodness of his
Charity ran through the whole course
OF his Life. Ynd was exerted with
uncommon penetration and judgement
h Noise. or ostentation.. In his Friend.
ship he was warm & steady; in his
Manners gentle E easy; in his con-
jWitn-the most tender plety he dis
Y charged all the domestic Duties OF
= Husband, Father Son & Brother. In
short. no was a friend to the whole
human Race. and upon that principle
strenuous Asscrtor and Defender OF
Liberty.
"He, died the s0th day of June. 1851.
in the 18th year Of his age"
4 Scene OF Convention.
Then came the epoch making year
Of 1775, when the Boston massacre
had so stirred the colonies to the ced
for concerted action against British
misrule, and Dabney Carr, of Char.
Y lottf, County. offered series OF re-
qlf4iona for system OF intercoloniall