The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-08-02
St. John In The Wilderness, 100
-0ldEpiscopal Church, Began
Life With 70 Members In Parish
sdics COnsecrated August u, 1885, Day After Chas.
Barring Decided Property to Bishop Ives

was appointed. to proceed with
the least delay.
After the completion of this
building, all the rectors resided
there until the time of Rev. John
Grimke Drayton's incumbency, he
having a place of his own in Flat
Rock.
The original church building
was small, having only 10 pews
on each side of the middle aisle.
1t had a chancel at the west end
and a gallery at the back, and a
tower. but no side aisles and door
as at present. Due to the in
crease of the congregation,
move was made to enlarge the
church. This movement began as
early as 1S48, but owing to the
lack of funds and other causes,
the enlargement was not finished
until 1854, when, on October ",
1854, the enlarged church was
formally consecrated by Bishop
Atkinson
The first minister of this
church, as stated before, was Rev.
Mr.. Mott, who served from 1886
to 1843. He was succeeded by
Rev. Mr.. Singletary. who lived
only a year and is buried in the
church yard. He was succeeded
by Rev. Mr.. Reed and then by
Rev. C. C. Pinckney. Mr.. Pinck-
ney was followed by Rev. John
Grimke Drayton, who was rector
of the church for % years, until
his death in 1891.
At first the incumbent was ex-
pected to serve the year round
and Mr.. Mott in his first report
to the convention. says, che con-
tinued to officiate regularly in
summer, and always at such time
in winter as he can collect an
audience"
Upon the resignation of Mr..
Mott in 1S43, the vestry appoint
ed a committee to make arrange
ments for procuring a minister,
who should reside near the church
throughout the year and with
that view that they be authorized
to offer him the privilege of
keeping a school and a salary of
$400. 90. This plan seems to have
lasted for some years, but was
finally abandoned and only sum-
mer services were required of the
rector. .,-.
But again in 1891 when Rev:
Rathbone was elected rector, 1t
was attempted to have all year
services. This lasted, only, about
10 years and again the church
was opened only in. summer, and
has so continued to the present
day. The salaries of these rec
tors seem to have varied from
$400 to $1,000. So,
The origin of the name OF the
church, viz-"St. John in the VIII
dernesss," is uncertain.
The. earliest mention Of the
name is in the resolution Of the
congregation, August 81, 1886,
and in the deed from Mr.. Barring
to Bishop Ives of same date, in
which he conveys the brick
church, thereon called "The
Church of st. John in the Will
derness," and this was before the
Conservation, as Mr. and Mrs.
Barring built the church and had
it for two years for their pri-
vate chapel before it became a
parish of the diocese, and from
the wording of his deed to the
Bishop, it would seem to indicate
that previously to the congrega-
tional Resolution and the Conse-
Grafton, it was known to him by
that name and he must have been
the originator of the name.
The church register, of bap-
tisms, deaths, and marriages,
dates only from 1S47 and seems
to have been kept in rather de-
sultory manner. Two deaths, of
prominent members of the church
are known before that date, Rev.
Singletary, rector of the church
in 1916, who was buried in the
church yard in that year, and
Mrs. Barring, who died in 1S45
and is buried in the Barring vault
under the church. The first mar
riage on record is that of Caesar
and Venus, servants of Mr.. and