The charter was repealed some years later, the petitioners for the repeal asserting that it had remained a dead letter. It was again incorporated in 1855, but seems not to have assumed any special municipal functions until the present charter of 1896 was passed by the Legislature.

CHAPTER V.

The Colonial Churches.

There appear to have been four State Churches in Orange in colonial times, the first at Germanna, built under the direction of Governor Spotswood about 1724 with the fund of five hundred pounds appropriated for that and other purposes when Spotsylvania was formed.

The next oldest was in the Brooking neighborhood near (old) Cave's ford, about three miles northwest of Somerset, and was later removed to the vicinity of Ruckersville. Capt. May Burton, a Revolutionary officer, was long a lay reader there.

In Bishop Meade's "Old Churches and Families of Virginia" is a chapter by Rev. Joseph Earnest, who was for some years rector of the church at Orange, about the early churches in the County. While his information was not exact, this chapter is the most valuable account of them now obtainable. He narrates that he had been told that the second oldest church was frequented as a place of worship as early as 1723, which is manifestly an error. Most probably it was built about 1740 when St. Thomas Parish was cut off from St. Mark.

The "Middle," or "Brick," church, stood on the hill near where the Pamunkey road crosses Church Run.

It was built between 1750 and 1758 of durable materials, and as late as 1806 time had made little impression on it. One of the first effects of the "freedom of worship" and the practical confiscation of the glebes and church properties was, that the people's consciences became very "free" also to do as they pleased with the church belongings.

This church was actually and literally destroyed, the very bricks carried off and the altar pieces torn from the altar and attached to pieces of household furniture. The ancient communion plate, a massive silver cup and paten, with the name of the parish engraved on it, came to be regarded as common property. Fortunately by the exercise of vigilance the plate was rescued, and is now in possession of St. Thomas Church at Orange.

Nor did the despoilers overlook the churchyard when the work of destruction began. Tombstones were broken down and carried off to be appropriated to unhallowed uses. The Rev. Mungo Marshall, of hallowed memory, rector from 1753 to 1758, was buried there, but his grave was left unmarked. Years afterward a connection of his bequeathed a sum of money upon condition that the legatee should not receive it until he had placed a tombstone over Mr. Marshall's grave, which condition was soon fulfilled. That slab was taken away and used first to grind paints upon, and afterwards in a tannery on which to dress hides! What an injury was done to the history of the County in the destruction of the many tombstones there! for not a vestige remains of church or churchyard.

At a meeting of the vestry of the parish Sept. 1, 1769, there were present: Rev. Thomas Martin, Erasmus Taylor, James Madison, Alexander Waugh, Francis Moore, William Bell, Rowland Thomas, Thomas Bell, Richard Barbour, and William Moore.

In 1786 the congregation in Orange, there being no Episcopal clergyman in the County, engaged the services of James Waddel, the blind Presbyterian minister, to preach for them two years. Forty pounds were subscribed, and the subscription was expected to reach sixty pounds. He not only preached for them but also administered the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

The Pine Stake Church, supposed to have been built about the same time as the last, was several miles below "Hawfield," and about a mile and a half east of Everona, near the road to old Verdiersville. It was standing in 1813. During the Revolution "Parson" Leland, as he was called, a Baptist preacher who is referred to at length elsewhere, asked to preach there, which the vestry declined to permit, James Madison, the elder, writing the letter for them.

The principal families connected with the Church in colonial times were the Barbours, Bells, Burtons, Campbells, Caves, Chews, Conways, Daniels, Madisons, Moores, Ruckers, Shepherds, Scotts, Taylors, Taliaferros, Thomases, Waughs, Whites, and Willises.

The glebe farm was near the courthouse, and is now owned by Mr. Wambersie.

In 1739 John Becket, clerk, a synonym for clergyman, was presented for not giving his attendance

according to law, and for not administering the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper at his chapel in St. Mark Parish. The presentment was dismissed.

In 1741 Rev. Richard Hartswell of the Parish of St. Thomas, lately cut off from St. Mark, was presented for being drunk on the information of one Tully Joice who had been presented the same day for swearing an oath, thus indicating spite work, as the presentment was promptly dismissed.

As early as 1763, on motion of James Madison, the loss of two duplicate bills of exchange was ordered recorded. These bills represented a subscription of twenty-five pounds sterling to the "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," and show how soon missionary work was begun in Orange.