Historic TIMES Christ Church Brought to you by the Foundation for Historic Christ Church &

VOLUME 1 I FALL 2017 I EXCITING TIMES CHRISTCHURCH1735.ORG

truth be told, there’s lots of momentum – the “Big Mo” – as we The “Big Mo” move into 2018. By Steven D. Harris, President I appreciate the opportunity to serve as your President during his year is nearly over. Where’d these exciting times. It’s impossible to summarize everything in Tthe time go? At the Foundation the works for 2018. But here are some of the new programmatic for Historic Christ Church, it went developments that are especially noteworthy: into building on the wonderful work • We have begun to address the concerns about rising damp in of volunteers not just this year, but the church through some initial soil and hydrology testing. from years long past. Consider this • We will expand our “Hands on History” event for children 1971 citation from the National Trust into a 3-day camp in the summer. for Historic Preservation: • New exterior signage and a visitor’s guide are in the works.

“Christ Church is of all extant buildings by far the most • And most significantly, I am pleased to announce that UVA historian Elizabeth Varon examines the life evocative of the great but vanished world of 18th century Virginia. the state has added the Foundation to the American Evolution of Union spy and Richmond abolitionist Elizabeth That this evaluation remains true today is in no small measure Digital Trail. We are among a select group of “significant Van Lew (above) in our Sunday Speaker Series a consequence of the unceasing dedication of this Foundation, historic and cultural sites that tell the story of the first 400 which since 1958 has exemplified the ideal program and years of Virginia’s dynamic history.” 2018 SPEAKER SERIES objectives for a preservation group.” Yes, we’ve got the “Big Mo” – more exciting things to come! “Equalled by few, excelled by none:” In 2017, we have focused on building a solid infrastructure for Virginia Women in History organizational operations. The Board selected Doug Walker to be our new Executive Director. A phenomenally successful craft rom Pocahontas to a Union spy in war beer fest served as a gateway for many new visitors to come onto Ftime Richmond, our 2018 Sunday Speaker our campus, some of whom have since become volunteers and Series explores the profound ways women financial supporters. Production of a children’s video has started, shaped Virginia history. Virginia Women with completion anticipated before next season. A well-received in History opens March 25 with Helen lecture and music series also served to expand our reach into the Rountree, a noted scholar of the Powhatan community. Indians, who will discuss Powhatan wom- The 2017 season at Historic Christ Church formally ends with en and English colonists in 17th-century the beautiful Holly and Ivy celebration on December 4. But the Virginia. In April Cassandra Newby- important work of the Foundation goes on all year long. And, Alexander of Norfolk State University looks at the experiences of black women in colonial Virginia. Mary Ferrari of Radford EXCITING TIMES Committee member Patrick Heffernan, Dr. Kathleen Galgano and the Research University joins us in October with the By Doug Walker, Executive Director Ph.D. is now a noted author. Read his Committee are exploring ways to share remarkable story of Mary Draper Ingles, amazing story on page 3. their research and our collections through who escaped captivity from the Shawnee n June the Dr. Pamela A. Ward and the education our website. A new on-line blog will allow Indians by traveling over four hundred IBoard of committee have announced a three-day our researchers to interact with fellow miles back to Virginia. Elizabeth Varon Directors Hands-on History Camp for next summer researchers everywhere. Researchers blog- of the University of Virginia wraps up the appointed and are working on a new interactive ging researchers – that’s truly exciting! series in November with the fascinating me Executive children’s exhibition for the museum. Page Gift Shop manager Gail Knisely is tale of Elizabeth Van Lew, a Richmond Director. I 3 highlights our school programs, chaired stocking the shelves with creative new abolitionist who spied for the Union during served as Acting by Carol Poundstone, who hosted 100 items, many locally sourced, that will the Civil War. Each talk begins at 2:00 p.m. Executive Director since June 2016 and fourth graders recently for some exciting attract the eye of tourists and locals alike. and features a wine-cheese reception and as Director of Finance & Administration hands-on history lessons. The Gift Shop is becoming a destination! book signing with the author. since 2009. I am excited about this new The Cultural Resource Committee under 2018 brings a traveling exhibition from opportunity and its challenges and thank Betsy Woods’ leadership is developing the Library of Virginia “Virginia Women the Board for their continued support. our first visitor guide and corresponding In History” that complements next year’s 2017 has been an active and successful campus signage to enhance guided and interpretive theme. We are looking at year. I’d like to thank the volunteers for self-guided tours. We’re looking at the new temporary exhibits for the museum their incredible efforts, the thousands who development of a virtual tour for our online possibly using large flat screens which “The holly visit our campus and attend our many visitors or as an app for those smart phones provide multiple interactive displays in the he vy events, the businesses who partner with that seem to be attached to everyone’s same space as a static wall exhibit and best & T I ” us, our donors for their financial support hands these days. of all, exhibits can be changed out quickly. A Traditional Carol Sing and those who share our dedication to the Russell Mait and the Preservation This is all happening due to the efforts of Monday, December 4, 2017 – 3:30 pm mission of preservation and education of Committee are working with soil scientists our community of talented, dedicated and Christ Church and its legacy. and engineers to identify the causes of the hardworking volunteers and the support elebrate the season at Historic Christ CChurch & Museum with traditional We have been busy planning and doing “rising damp” threatening Christ Church of our donors, business partners, grant songs, carols, and music. Join in this seasonal some exciting things. Robert Teagle is and to develop plans to mitigate it. The soil organizations, and the thousands who songfest in the beautifully “greened” church. producing, directing and writing our studies have been completed. Read more visit our campus and events. Thank you! Featuring members of The Chesapeake Chorale and the Christchurch School Children’s Video with a cast of talented on page 4. An archaeological dig connected We welcome all to join us. Tour, Cantorion. Dress warmly. Refreshments volunteers. We anticipate a spring premiere. with this project presents special opportu- shop and enjoy our special events. Visit follow in The Bayne Center. Noted scholar and Research nities for research and public “dig” days. our website often and connect with us. Cost: Two (2) non-perishable items per person for the Northern Neck Food Bank

Children’s Video Patrick Heffernan Preservation 420 Christ Church Road· Weems, Virginia 22576 2 Production 3 Scholar and Author 4 2018 Calendar ChristChurch1735.org· 804-438-6855

Historic Christ Church & Museum | christchurch1735.org 1 ore than twenty volunteers heeded the call on June 24 to help recreate a colonial churchyard Mscene and church service during filming for our children’s video. Funded by a generous Children’s Video gift from volunteer Susan Stuart in memory of her husband, Col. James R. Stuart. Jr., the video features narrator Hailey Didion (granddaughter/great-granddaughter of volunteers Kathie Galgano/ Marge Page) strolling among the colonial crowd as she transports children back to the year 1735. Volunteers portrayed everyone from the minister and clerk to wealthy tobacco planters and lower PRODUCTION to middling parishioners. Costume Chair Pam Ward outfitted the actors with period costumes loaned by volunteer Regina Thek or selected from HCC&M’s collection. Filming also took place at Colonial Williamsburg and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown to portray the many at HCC&M trades people (free, indentured and enslaved) who built Christ Church and to show life on a typical Virginia farm at the time.

FILMING ON CAMPUS, COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG AND YORKTOWN

Vaughan Crittenden (above, far left) captures volunteers as they recreate a typical Sunday in the churchyard.

HAILEY DIDION, NARRATOR

CHILDREN’S VIDEO IN FINAL PRODUCTION TO PREMIERE IN SPRING Richard Thek portrays a colonial planter Vaughan Crittenden of Riverdale 24 Productions is completing the final edits of our placing an advertisement on the church door children’s video. Thanks to a generous grant from volunteer Susan Stuart, HCC&M while minister Pete Knight looks on. is producing an orientation video that contrasts life in 18th-century Virginia with life today. Join us for a premiere party in the spring to celebrate!

FOUR GENERATIONS OF A HCC&M FAMILY

It’s a family affair. Four generations gather after filming: (from left) Colonial Williamsburg carpenter Ayinde Martin. Reese Didion joins her sister Hailey with their great-grandmother Marge Page, mother Amy Didion, and grandmother Kathie Galgano. Richard and Regina Thek are pictured right.

2 Historic Christ Church & Museum | christchurch1735.org Patrick J. Heffernan, Ph.D., Scholar and Author COLLECTION

“What led me to knock on the door at with research on the indentured servants Spotlight Christ Church was wanting to learn more and a detailed account of the transition about Corotoman.” Patrick said. That from them to enslaved laborers as the first knock led him to join the HCC&M workforce at Corotoman. Research Committee and a pursuit of Patrick compiled his extensive records historical research that has taken him into two searchable databases that are now from William and Mary to the University accessible from the HCC&M website. of Virginia to the Library of Congress. Knack, the company who developed the Patrick is no stranger to libraries. He database software Patrick used, was so earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy at the impressed by his work that it ran a feature University of London before spending article about his project on its website hat began with a request to see a three decades in education, including (https://www.knack.com/case-studies/ Wfew records has turned into a new seven years as a Lecturer at Homerton christ-church). passion. Patrick Heffernan just wanted to College, Cambridge University. At Returning to Mary Walker Carter and know who had lived on the land before HCC&M, his investigations moved Joseph Cabell, Patrick found in the letters him. He never intended to become a quickly from reviewing historic maps they and their friends and family members historian of Christ Church and colonial of the Corotoman estate to reading exchanged a rich account of Cabell’s Virginia. (literally) hundreds of letters from courtship and marriage to Mary in 1807. In 2010 Patrick and his wife Karin Corotoman’s heirs, Dr. Charles Carter, Published this year, Patrick’s On Palace purchased property along the Corotoman Charles’ sister Mary Walker Carter, and Green: A Wedding in Williamsburg, 1807, River. Curious about its history, Patrick Mary’s husband, Joseph Cabell—Thomas in the letters of those who were there reveals used county records to trace the land back Jefferson’s friend. the hopes, concerns and love of a cast of to part of the Corotoman estate. At that From here Patrick began to examine the characters that included St. George Tucker point, Patrick recalled, “Corotoman was enslaved and indentured servants who and other prominent Virginians. little more than a name to me.” lived and worked at Corotoman, from For Patrick, who also serves as a docent Flagon - London 1720-21 Seven years later, Patrick has become an John Carter’s settlement of the property and has done extensive research on David Thomas Folkingham expert on Corotoman, a newly published in 1652 to its sale out of the Carter family Miles (marker lies at the crossing in Christ author and a scholar who is using ground- in 1862. He began with the enslaved Church), the work has been extremely n July 1720, Robert Carter sent breaking databases to uncover the lives of community, using estate inventories, rewarding. For most of these enslaved ILondon merchant William Dawkins the plantation’s tithables lists and other records to uncover persons identified in his Corotoman Slaves two hogsheads of tobacco levied by enslaved and some 4,000 references to 1,200 enslaved Database, for example, Patrick notes “we the vestry of Christ Church Parish to indentured people who lived on the plantation over have gained a good idea of their lifespans. purchase communion silver. Acting as populations. those two centuries. He followed this For many, we have learned of family churchwarden, Carter directed that relationships or events from their lives. Set the “Church plate” cost £20 or “there- against the complete silence surrounding Want to learn more? Visit our Research Page at abouts” and include a flagon and the lives of most slaves, these findings are christchurch1735.org/research for links to the Corotoman Slave Histories communion plate engraved with “Christ and Corotoman Servant Database. remarkable.” Remarkable might be just the word to Church Parish Lancas[te]r County & On Palace Green: A Wedding in Williamsburg, 1807, in the letters of those ye Date of the Year.” Carter authorized who were there – available through Amazon.com or in the HCC&M Gift Shop. describe the work Patrick is doing here at HCC&M. Dawkins to charge his account for any costs not covered by the revenue from the two hogsheads, which Carter noted had sailed aboard his ship The Carter and were marked “CCP.”

t is always a challenge how to present Today this flagon and communion Ihistory to 21st century children so they don’t see it as a chore but fun. School plate, along with a paten and chalice, children who visit HCC&M participate shine proudly in the museum in the in several hands-on stations to learn about Carter Reception Center. Housed in the history of Christ Church and life in a beautiful, vertical case located on colonial Virginia. My wife Regina and access with the museum entrance, the friends Patti and Bill Voigt are members silver is a favorite stopping point for of a Revolutionary War reenacting visitors. group (First Maryland Regiment of the Continental Line). Each fall we join the A Hands-On That the silver survived is yet another School Programs docents and lead several hands-on activities that bring this history remarkable chapter in Christ Church’s by Richard Thek to life. History Experience history. Captain William Tell Chase and If we tell children that we are going his family used a wooden box (also on to school today at Historic Christ display in the museum) to guard the Church they are not likely to be 100 Northumberland Elementary School then and how they studied. They always silver in the nineteenth and twentieth too interested, but if we say that 4th-grade students, teachers and parents. have a great reaction when we teach them centuries. At some point the silver we are going to play games like After a brief introduction, the students that boys and girls dressed the same until made its way to a local bank vault, our great, great grandparents break into six groups, rotating between ages 5-6 in dresses. Regina made all the where it remained until 1988 when it did, wear some “cool” style different stations such as brick making, clothes the children tried on. They also was first displayed in the museum. clothing, march with a architectural drawings, and tours of play games of that century - the biggest musket (wood), and get a the church and museum. This is our hit is “Jacob’s Ladder”. Comments like “is turkey for Sunday’s dinner, fifth annual program we have done at it magic or how does it work” make the these activities increase HCC&M, and each time we learn a little exercise great fun. The children ask many the children’s interest more from the children and hopefully questions, indicating the teachers had level. Then while they they go home with a deeper appreciation prepared them well for the experience. are having “fun” we of the past as well as some tools to deal The military experience provided by Bill introduce material about with today’s issues. and me is a favorite. What is a pleasure the life style, the issues of Regina and Patti provide an experience to see is how quickly they learn how to living (survival), and the of the clothes, toys and customs of the drill, march and load their “toy” muskets Communion Plate - London 1695-96 choices one must make to 18th century. The children learn courtesies in order to get those imaginary turkeys Sam Hood enjoy life. and the importance of posture in that for grandma. We love being a part of this On October 26th we hosted century as well as what kids did for fun educational program.

Historic Christ Church & Museum | christchurch1735.org 3 Historic Christ Church & Post Office Box 24 Irvington, Virginia 22480

Preservation Takes On: PLEASE JOIN HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH & MUSEUM IN Rising Damp SUPPORTING OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS

From left: Preservation Committee Chair 2017 Business Partners Russell Mait, architectural historian Platinum Gold Mark Wenger and David Miles and his father David of Soil Evaluation Services

perform soil testing in the churchyard Silver on September 29th. FHCC is undertaking Bronze soil samples and a topographic survey Clements Tent Rentals Northern Neck Seamless Gutter Service to identify the sources, pathways and Hanley Electrical Services Sonabank Joseph B. Elbourn IsaBell K. Horsley Real Estate, Ltd Tri-Star Supermarket potential mechanisms causing the rising & Son Electrical Northern Neck Fence Company Urbanna Builders’ Supply

damp in Christ Church’s brick walls. Copper This critical research will guide us as Ann Carpenter Designs Matthews International Corporation Bluewater Seafood & Deli Music Publishers of America, LLC Bragg & Company Open Door Communications we develop strategies for capturing Northern Neck Burkes Fine Jewelers Rappahannock Concrete Mechanical, Inc. Currie Funeral Home Ross’s Rings & Things, Ltd HEATING • AIR CONDITIONING and removing water from the building’s Dunton, Simmons & Dunton, LLP Select Properties of Virginia Real Estate perimeter. 2018 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FEBRUARY 26 MAY 18 JULY 14

“Freedom! Or Not?” Sarah’s Story 60th Annual Meeting of the Members of the Raise the Roof Craft Beer Fest 7:00 PM Foundation for Historic Christ Church 1:00-6:00 PM Historic Co-sponsored with Mary Ball Washington 4:00 PM Our annual fun and fundraising event! Craft Museum & Library. $10 beers, featured vineyard, BBQ with fixings and Christ Church MAY 28 more. Live music by Good Shot Judy and Bobby MARCH 5-APRIL 14 “Blackhat” Walters. $45.00 per person. & Annual Memorial Day Service Virginia Women In History 11:00 AM AUGUST 4 Since 1735, as it came from Traveling Exhibition from the the hands of its builders JULY 9-11 Library of Virginia Ice Cream Social A Virginia and National Historic Landmark 11:00 AM-2:00 PM Exhibit open daily. Hands-On History Camp Listed on the Family fun with tasty ice cream treats in a historic 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM National Register of Historic Places MARCH 6, 7 & 8 setting. Children of all ages welcome. Step back in time with this exciting three-day Continuing Education Spring Workshop program in colonial Virginia history. Make a brick, DECEMBER 3 Foundation for Historic Christ Church for New and Returning Volunteers write with quill pens, dig for artifacts, join a colonial Post Office Box 24 8:30 AM - Noon militia, make a candle and more. To register, email “The Holly & The Ivy” Irvington, Virginia 22480 [email protected]. For ages 6-12. 3:30 PM 804-438-6855 APRIL 29 Pizza Party on July 11. $50 per child. Celebrate the season at Historic Christ Church. [email protected] Admission is two non-perishable items for the Annual Kirking of the Tartan Service Northern Neck Food Bank. christchurch1735.org 12:30 PM Located At 420 Christ Church Road Sunday Speaker Series: Virginia Women in History Weems, Virginia 22576 MARCH 25 OCTOBER 7 NOVEMBER 4 Staff Helen Rountree – “Powhatan Indian Mary Ferrari – “Mary Draper Ingles” Elizabeth Varon – “Elizabeth Van Lew: Douglas E. Walker Women and the Jamestown Colonists” Radford University historian Mary Ferrari Richmond Abolitionist and Union Spy” Executive Director Acclaimed historian Helen Rountree looks at recounts the incredible journey of Mary Join University of Virginia historian Robert J. Teagle Powhatan women and English colonists in Draper Ingles, who escaped captivity by the Elizabeth Varon as she reveals the Education Director & Curator 17th-century Virginia.. Shawnee Indians with a perilous 400-mile incredible story of Elizabeth Van Lew, a Trish Geeson trek. Richmond resident who served as one of APRIL 15 the Union’s most important spies during the Office & Burying Ground Manager Cassandra Newby-Alexander – Civil War. Contributors “Afro-Virginians in the Colonial Period” Norfolk State University historian Joe Moeller Cassandra Newby-Alexander explores the Open Door Communications world African and Afro-Virginian women Tickets are available at christchurch1735.ticketleap.com or at the Foundation office. Richard Thek made in the colonial period. Ticket price is $25 per person, per lecture. All lectures begin at 2:00 pm.

4 Historic Christ Church & Museum | christchurch1735.org