Depends on what year you're talking, and there was more than one church in
Bristol Parish. Bristol Parish was in Charles City County until Prince
George was formed in 1702.
After the parish was formed in 1643, the "mother" church was at Bermuda
Hundred. The first church on the east side of the Appomattox River was
probably City Church, there being strong evidence of a mision in the
vicinity of City Creek below Broadway Landing. The location of City Church
was marked on the original plat for the town of Broadway when Thomas
Broadway laid the land off in 1700. (See Francis Earle Lutz, THE PRINCE
GEORGE-HOPEWELL STORY, 1957: p. 31-32).
A second church was built in the parish around 1693. Known generally as the
Ferry Chapel, it stood near Bollings Point. (Lutz, pp. 49).
In the 1730's the vestry considered replacing Ferry Chapel. In 1734, the
vestry purchased an acre of land on Wellses Hill from John Low. A new
church of brick was ordered built on 11 March 1734. It was first called
Wells Church and is now called Old Blandford Church. The site was called
inconvenient by parishoners. In addition to Lutz, see the VIRGINIA
HISTORICAL INVENTORY website and search "Old Blandford Church."
Another church, Jones Hole Chapel, was ordered built one mile north of Reams
Station just east of the Dinwiddie line. There were three changes in
location before it was completed. The last ordered that it be built at the
Harricane - and so it is sometimes referred to as Harricane Church. (Lutz,
pp. 64-65).
Jim Greve
Archivist
The Library of Virginia
800 E. Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
(804) 692-3752
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Janet Hunter [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, September 27, 2002 2:00 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Query Re Bristol Parish 1730s
Hello Everyone,
In the 1730s there is a John Bentley, with wife Mary, in Bristol Parish, as
shown in the register and the vestry book.
I believe he is the same John Bentley who serves a period as Sexton for the
church with payments recorded in the vestry book.
I have two questions.
First, am I correct in assuming that the individual chosen to be Sexton
would
probably have to live within a reasonable distance of the actual church
building to be able to adequately perform his caretaking duties? I'm not
quite sure what a reasonable distance would be, but I'd think under ten
miles??
Second, can anyone place for me on today's map (town, etc.) the likely
location of the Bristol Parish church in the early 1730s. I understand that
it was within then Prince George Co., but that was an extremely large county
then.
With my best regards,
Janet (Baugh) Hunter
To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at
http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html
To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at
http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html
|
