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The first York
Parish church was "...located at the York Settlement that came
into being at the point where Wormely Creek enters the York River....
The first church there seems to have been in use by 1642 and was
likely a frame structure. The second church, which replaced it about
1667, seems to have been built of brick: 46' (N-S x 55' (E-W)....
The fact that a 1655 tombstone (that for Major William Gooch) is
within the foundation walls of this church indicates that both the
first and second church occupied the same site." Grace
Church, by Charles E. Hatch, Jr. 1970
The 1655 tombstone, protected
by a glass covering, can be seen in this photograph taken at the
2001 annual Pentecost service and picnic, held on the grounds of
the Yorktown Coast Guard Training Center, where the original church
foundations may be found. The 1649 communion silver can be seen
on the altar.
The land comprising
York-Hampton Parish remains; one must look out of the corners of
the eye to catch a glimpse of its early inhabitants. Parish records
prior to the 1930's have for the most part been lost. But there
are brief revelations of the life of the parish in county records,
including wills and inventories and marriage records. The tombstones
of early parishioners also speak poignantly of their faith and their
struggles.
The tomb of
Major William Gooch of York Parish, who died October 29, 1655, is
one of the oldest surviving markers in the country. Though only
29 when he died, Gooch was already a justice of York County, member
of the House of Burgesses, and shortly before his death was made
a Councillor by the General Assembly. This inscription on his tomb
attests to the importance of the church in his life:
Within this tomb there doth interred
lie
No shape but substance true nobility;
Itself though young in yeares but twenty nine
Yet graced with vertues morall and divine;
The church from him did good participate;
In councill rare fit to adorn a State.
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The life stories
of women are more fragmented. In 1657, the will of John Broadnax
of York Parish lists a bequest to his daughter, Elizabeth, "my
Bible book." Can we infer from this that Elizabeth Broadnax
was educated beyond the standard of her day, since it was uncommon
for women to be able to read?
The will of
Laurence Hulett of York Parish, probated in 1658, bequeaths more
than 3000 pounds of tobacco, an enormous amount of wealth at that
time, divided up between his sons and several neighbors. To his
wife, Elizabeth, however, he leaves only a black cow, calling her
"unkind and unnaturall"!
The 1675 will
of Elizabeth Lockey of York Parish shows that she had considerable
property at her disposal, an unusual situation in a society where
property rights were generally reserved to men. Her will directs
the disposition of "a negro man Silver"; "a white
horse"; "a negro called Black Betty" and her child;
"a negro woman named Jullyan"; four cows, another horse,
and extensive household goods. She also seems to have been in the
position of guardian for a young relative named Mary Hansford, for
whom she arranged, in her will, a term of indentured servitude.
These men and
women lead a long line of people who put the church in the context
of their lives within these parish bounds.
In
the past, parishes were as much political as religious entities.
New Virginia settlements had to include courthouse, jail, and parish
church. A network of parishes with set boundaries was established
and maintained by the government.
The Virginia
Assembly established the bounds of Chischiak (Hampton) Parish in
January 1640, along with orders to build church and parson's house.
This was to accommodate the growing settlement begun ten years earlier
with prodding from the Council at Jamestown, which had offered 50
acres of land to any person settling on Charles (York) river.
By 1646
records indicate the boundaries of York County parishes as follows:
"York Parish, extending form Back Creek to Yorktown Creek,
and Hampton Parish from Yorktown Creek to Queen's Creek, which was
then the westerly limit of the settlements.... In 1706 York and
Hampton Parishes were, by an order of the Council, united to make
York-Hampton Pariish." [William
& Mary Quarterly, XX, 142.]
Parish vestry
members walked the boundary lines of the land every fourth year
until 1786.
Time
Line of Significant Events
- 1632 - York
County formed and divided into four parishes
- 1637 - Census
shows ten churches in a cordon below Jamestown
- 1642 - English
Civil War begins
- 1644 - After
an Indian massacre, it is a felony for an Englishman to go to
Gloucester "without good reason"
- 1649 - Hampton
Parish's chalice and flagon made in London
- 1660 - The
Rev. Philip Mallory preaches in York Parish in support of the
Restoration
- 1662 - New
Anglican Book of Common Prayer. "Act of Uniformity"
compels every minister to use it.
- 1676 - Bacon's
Rebellion
- 1689 - William
& Mary crowned. "Toleration Act" grands freedom
of worship, except to Catholics.
- 1691 - Yorktown
lots laid out; lot #35 set aside for a church; original town plat
shows a hand-drawn church.
- 1693 - College
of William & Mary founded. Colonial clergy at York and York-Hampton
all had ties to the college.
- 1696 - York
County court house built in town.
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