St Johns Episcopal Church in Hampton, Virginia - Oldest continuous Protestant Church in America

-

This is the oldest continuous Protestant church/parish in America. St Johns Episcopal Church in Hampton, Virginia was founded in 1610 less than 3 years after the first settlement was established in nearby Jamestown. This 4th building was erected in 1728 with 2-foot thick walls which helped it survive extensive damage inflicted during the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and unCivil War. The 1618 Communion Silver used today is the longest continuously used church silver in America. Needless to say, some of the earliest colonists in America and Revolutionary war vets are buried in this graveyard. Near the front door is a 20-foot monument with the inscription “Our Confederate Dead”, dedicated as a memorial to the 145 local American military veterans buried there.

Included are photos of the church from both my visit and century old historic postcards.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ADDITIONAL READING:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._John%27s_Episcopal_Church_(Hampton,_Virginia)

St John's Historic Marker:
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=33858

Founders and Patriots Buried in this cemetery:
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=166542

War of 1812 vets in this cemetery:
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=166543

Hampton Confederate Memorial: Unveiled 1901:
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=33872

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

PHOTOS & COMMENTARY:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Photo 01:


Excerpt from the historical marker: Henry Cary, Jr. built St. John's Church, the oldest building in Hampton, in 1728. It is the fourth such structure to serve Elizabeth City Parish, established in 1610, and is America's oldest active parish in the Anglican Communion. St. John's has the oldest communion service in continuous use in America; it was made in London in 1618 and assigned to the parish in 1627. The church's cruciform plan features fine Flemish-bond brickwork with glazed headers. St. John's suffered greatly from wars. It was damaged during the bombardment of Hampton in 1775, and British troops ransacked it and used it as a barracks during the War of 1812. Renovated in 1830, the church faced its greatest threat during the Civil War.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Photo 02:


This is the oldest continuous Protestant church/parish in America. St Johns Episcopal Church in Hampton, Virginia was founded in 1610 less than 3 years after the first settlement was established in nearby Jamestown. This 4th building was erected in 1728 with 2-foot thick walls which helped it survive extensive damage inflicted during the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and unCivil War. The 1618 Communion Silver used today is the longest continuously used church silver in America.

Hampton Confederate Monument:
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=33872
The 20-foot monument with the inscription “Our Confederate Dead”, was dedicated as a memorial to the 145 local American military veterans buried here.

Some of the earliest colonists in America and Revolutionary war vets are buried in this graveyard.
War of 1812 Veterans Interred in this Historic Cemetery plaque:
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=166543

The plaque reads: Private Thomas Bradley 1774-1826 • Sergeant Major Mark L. Chevers 1795-1875 • Sergeant William Face 1770-1855 • Lieutenant James M. Glassell 1790-1838 • First Sergeant Timothy Green 1782-1847 • Private Richard S. Hicks 1793-1868 • Private William P. Hope 1792-1845 • Private Rix Jordan 1791-1857 • Captain Walter Kating 1779-1822 • Sergeant Edward King 1792-1879 • Private Thomas Latimer 1776-1837 • Private James Powell 1778-1853 • Major Arthur Simpkins UNK-1820 • Captain John Simpkins 1773-1860

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Photo 03:


The historical marker reads: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=33858

The oldest Anglican parish in continuous existence in America. Established in 1610, this is the fourth church built in the parish. It was erected in 1728 in the shape of a Latin cross. Its walls are two feet thick. The bricks are laid in Flemish bond. Its communion silver bears the hallmark 1618 and has been termed "the most precious relic in the Anglican Church in America." These venerable walls have suffered during the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the War Between the States.

Map Coordinates: (37° 1.541′ N, 76° 20.802′ W)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Photo 04:


Excerpt from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._John%27s_Episcopal_Church_(Hampton,_Virginia):
St. John's is an Episcopal church located in Hampton, Virginia, United States, within the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia. Established in 1610, St. John's is the oldest English-speaking parish in continuous existence in the United States of America.

English settlers from Jamestown established a community and church on the tip of the Virginia Peninsula on July 9, 1610, one month after Lord De La Warr arrived at Jamestown with supplies that effectively ended the Starving Time in that settlement. This new settlement was named after the Algonquian-speaking Kecoughtan who lived in the area.

The 1618 Communion silver used today have the longest history of continuous use in America of any English church silver. The pieces were brought from England in 1619 and used in a church founded in 1618 located in Smith's Hundred in Virginia, which lay in the point between the Chickahominy and the James Rivers, eight miles northwest of Jamestown. The church was nearly destroyed in the Indian Massacre of 22 March 1622(NS). The silver was carried by Governor George Yeardley to Jamestown and afterward, approximately 1628, given to the second Elizabeth City Church, which had just been built. St. John's continues to use communion silver on special occasions. The chalice has inscribed the London date-letter for 1618-1619 and the text "THE COMMVNION CVPP FOR SNT MARYS CHVRCH IN SMITHS HVNDRED IN VIRGINIA". There are two patens with the same London date-letter. The first paten has the inscription "Whosoever shall eate this bread and drinke the cupp of the Lord/unworthily shalbe gilty of the body & blood of ye Lord Cor Ixith". The second paten has written: "If any man eate of this Bread he shall live for ever Jo VIth".

In 1887 the Native American students from the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute (now Hampton University) contributed to a stained glass window depicting the baptism of Pocahontas.

On the chapel wall to the left of the main altar is an aumbry. The door panel consists of pieces of the 13th-century stained glass from St. Helena Church, Willoughby Parish, Lincolnshire County, United Kingdom - the parish in which Captain John Smith was baptized. The panel was presented to the St. John's Parish by the rector of Willoughby St. Helena on Sunday, 14 July 1985, as part of St. John's 375th anniversary celebration.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Photo 05:


Nearly century old historic postcard.

This is the oldest continuous Protestant church/parish in America. St Johns Episcopal Church in Hampton, Virginia was founded in 1610 less than 3 years after the first settlement was established in nearby Jamestown.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Photo 06:


Nearly century old historic postcard showing the inside of St Johns Episcopal Church in Hampton, VA.

St Johns Episcopal Church in Hampton, Virginia was founded in 1610 less than 3 years after the first settlement was established in nearby Jamestown and is the oldest continuous Protestant church/parish in America today.


END… Many more to come

Rob Heyward

Location: Hampton, VA, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Jefferson Shields, Black Confederate – Lexington, VA

-
Image
Sharing brief stories of the ignored and forgotten. The following was published in the Nov 1, 1901 issue of the Times Newspaper in Richmond, Virginia about Jeff Shields: Jefferson (Jeff) Shields is a man of rugged character and is a great favorite among the white people, especially the old-soldier element, for Uncle Jeff counts himself one of the followers of the “Lost Cause.” Uncle Jeff entered the Confederate service as cook [and body servant] with his young master, James K. Edmondson, who became colonel of the 27th Virginia Regiment, Stonewall Brigade. Later he was cook for General “Stonewall” Jackson, and of this honor he never tires of talking. After General Jackson’s death, he cooked for General J.E.B. Stuart, then for an officers’ mess until the close of the war. He recalls many incidents of General Jackson’s colored Sunday school, taught here in the Presbyterian lecture-room several years previous to the Civil War. Uncle Jeff. was in General Jackson’s class, and he is t...
Read more

What the Yankees Did. Burrel Hemphill: loyal slave gave his life than betray a trust

-
Image
During the War Between the States (aka unCivil War), Burrel Hemphill was a slave in the household of the very wealthy bachelor, Robert Hemphill, who had been killed in The Battle of Seven Pines on June 13, 1862. Sherman’s troops had been stealing what they wanted and burning what remained. When they approached the Hemphill estate in February of 1865, they reportedly demanded that Burrell reveal the hiding places of the Hemphill family’s silverware, other valuables and money that had been hidden from them. In an attempt to coerce Burrell to talk, the Yankees tied a rope to his ankles and dragged him up and down the road by a horse, before simultaneously hanging and shooting him. Despite the Yankees best attempts, Burrell died without saying a word. This monument erected in his honor reads, "In memory of Burrel Hemphill, Killed by Union soldiers February 1865. Although a slave, he gave his life rather than betray a trust. He was a member of Hopewell." (More info found in l...
Read more

Francis Scott Key & the Ironic fate of his Grandchildren – Imprisonment at Fort McHenry and the Star Spangled Banner

-
Image
The irony of Lincoln’s armies attacking and imprisoning many of the grandchildren of our most famous Revolutionary War era Heroes and Founding Fathers (including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, George Mason, etc) was not lost on the grandson of Francis Scott Key, author of the lyrics of our National anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” His fascinating story of arrest and imprisonment follows along with my photos of famous sites related to Francis Scott Key, his parents, and many of his grandchildren, including Fort McHenry, his birthplace at Terra Rubra, his gravesite in Frederick, Maryland, his grandchildren's graves in Owing Mills, Maryland (north side of Baltimore), the Courthouse he used in Frederick Maryland, etc. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FRANCIS “FRANK” KEY HOWARD FOUND THE IRONY OF BEING IMPRISONED BY YANKEES AT THE SAME LOCATION THAT HIS GRANDFATHER FRANCIS SCOTT KEY WAS DETAINED BY THE BRITISH 47 YEARS EARLIER. AFTERALL, WHIL...
Read more