18th Century Port of York
Imagine the thriving port of York in the 18th century, chief port for the Virginia Colony. The Port of York was created on July 15, 1691, when the Virginia Burgesses passed the Act for Ports. At peak prosperity (1740-1770). Yorktown became an important tobacco port, exporting crops from area plantations. Later in the 1700s, more diversified cargoes went out of the town's warehouses. Incoming freight included clothing, wines and liquor, furniture, jewelry and silver plate, riding gear and coaches, swords, firearms, books, and slaves. Yorktown had several hundred buildings and almost 2,000 residents, making it a substantial 18th century community and rivaling the size of the nearby colonial capital, Williamsburg. There were men of all types and classes along the streets and on the wharves - merchants, planters, prosperous yeomen, shopkeepers, indentured servants and slaves, travelers and seamen. Prominent families were united by birth and marriage with the wealthy gentry of the region.
In 1736, an English visitor to the town wrote:
“You perceive a great Air of Opulence amongst the Inhabitants, who have some of them built themselves Houses, equal in Magnificence to many of our superb ones at St. James's ... Almost every considerable Man keeps an Equipage ... The Taverns are many here and much frequented ... The Courthouse is the only considerable public building, and is no unhandsome structure ... The most considerable Houses are of Brick; some handsome ones of Wood, all built in the modern Taste; and the lesser Sort, of Plaister. There are some very pretty Garden spots in the Town.”
Communion Service – 1649/50
Grace Church’s ancient and beautiful communion service is worthy of considerable note. It is one of the oldest Anglican-Episcopal communion service in the commonwealth of Virginia.
The flagon and chalice inscribed with “Hampton parish in Yorke County in Virginia” has adorned the altar table almost consistently from the earliest days to the present in York County. Hampton parish was one of the very early Anglican churches in York County dating back to 1634 and was originally called Chischiak (sometimes “Cheescake”), a place first noted on John Smith’s 1624 map. The parish was later termed the Hampton Parish in 1643 (not to be confused with the city of Hampton). According to nineteenth century Virginia Episcopal Bishop William Meade, the silver was the gift of Col. Nathaniel Bacon, Sr. (1620-1692), whose plantation was at Kings Creek, York County, and who served as a colonial government official including acting Governor of the colony. He is not to be confused with his relative of Bacon’s Rebellion fame. Bishop Meade’s account, unfortunately, cannot be substantiated.
Soon after the establishment of Yorktown in 1691 as a major port town, the parishes of Hampton and Yorke (present day Coast Guard Training Center) were combined to form the York-Hampton Parish ca 1704. In 1848 the name of the church was changed to Grace Church. We will never know the complete story of how the communion service survived the American Revolution, the dissolution of the Anglican Church, and the Yorktown fire of 1814. The communion service’s survival is a testament to the strong faith of the people of York County.
The initials T.G. engraved on the service stand for Thomas Garrett, a London silversmith, whose first recorded silver work is 1618. The maker’s date of 1649/50 is engraved on the silver. The minister at Hampton Parish at that time was Oxford University-trained Rev. Thomas Hampton, who is recorded as coming to Virginia in 1637.
Today the ancient communion service is used for communion at Grace Church monthly and for other special occasions as a Christian link between the small, frontier church of the 1st century and the populous, ever-growing suburban church of today.
Margaret Cook and Jean Kirkham
The Nelsons of Yorktown
Scotch Tom Nelson. - 1677-1745
The first Thomas Nelson to arrive in the colony was born in Penrith, England on February 20, 1677, and immigrated to Virginia in the late 1600s. Since Penrith is on the border near Scotland, he is often referred to as “Scotch Tom” Nelson. Scotch Tom’s forte was trade, and his mind focused on making money. As a former sea captain, he had accumulated some capital, and an adequate purse opened many doors. The enterprising immigrant tried out his versatile talents and became a merchant, operator of a ferry and a mill, a farmer, gentleman jurist, and trustee of the port landing. In 1710, Scotch Tom married into the first family of York when Margaret Read, daughter of Elizabeth Martiau and George Reade became his bride. In about 1730, he built the impressive Nelson House on lot 52 where he raised his 3 children; William, Thomas, and Mary. Believing that his boys would benefit from studies offered in the schools overseas, Scotch Tom sent his sons to study in England. After receiving their educations, William and Thomas Nelson returned in 1732, and became active in the political and civic activities of the colony. Scotch Tom lived in the Nelson House until his death in 1745 at the age of 68.
The circa 1730 Nelson House was built by "Scotch Tom" Nelson in Yorktown, Virginia. The house is now designated as a National Historical Landmark and is maintained by the Colonial National Historical Park of the U.S. National Park Service.
The Nelson House
501 Main Street
William Nelson, President Nelson 1711-1772
Elizabeth Burwell Nelson
William joined his father on the York County Court and entered actively into his father’s mercantile business, which included a store, a waterfront warehouse, and wharf, several lots in Yorktown as well as great acreage in York County, mills on a nearby river, and a ship called the Nelson.
William and his wife, Elizabeth Burwell Nelson, lived in their home in Yorktown, across the street from Williams’s father, Scotch Tom. Entertainment and social activities played an important part in the Nelson’s lives. Like most Virginia families of their standing, they were most hospitable. A contemporary commenting on this laudable characteristic stated: “all you had to do was to ride in were two chimneys showed there would be a spare bed, lodging and welcome.” The main meal was generally around 2:00 in the afternoon and included five courses: usually pork and greens, chicken of oner tame fowl, beef, mutton, veal and lamb, pudding, and wildfowl or fish, all accompanied by Medeira wine, English beer, or cider. Virginia ham, fattened on chestnuts, chinquapins and corn was even then famous and exceeded any in England.
In 1742, William Nelson was elected to the House of Burgesses, beginning his long career of service to the Colony under the Crown. He served on the Committees Trade and of Propositions and Grievances. October 7 1745, Thomas Nelson Senior died, leaving William a vast estate including his business, homes, land, and cash. Eight days later, William was sworn in as a member of the Council, joining eleven of the most distinguished men in the colony as an advisor to the governor, a member of the upper house of the General Assembly, and a judge of the General Court. Nelson served many years as president of the Council, thus earning the title ‘’President Nelson.”
October 15, 1770 - Governor his Excellency the right Honorable Baron de Botetourt died. John Blair, the representative of the Bishop of London, was 83 years old at the time and decided to give up his influential position in the colony. It was at this point that William Nelson stepped in to serve as Governor.
William died on Thursday, November 19, 1772.
Thomas Nelson Jr.
William’s eldest son, General Nelson 1738-1789
The eldest of five sons, Nelson was born in Yorktown, Va., in 1738. At the age of 14, he sailed to England to supplement his initial tutorial education. In 1761, after graduating from Hackney School and Cambridge University, he returned to Virginia to help his father manage his Splantation and mercantile business. The next year, young Nelson married Lucy Grimes. He and his wife were to have 11 children. Thomas and his family moved into the house across the street from his father’s, the Nelson House built by his grandfather Scotch Tom.
When William died in 1772, Thomas Nelson Jr. was prepared to follow in the footsteps of his father and uncle. Early in 1773, at age 34, Thomas Nelson Jr. was chosen vestryman for the York Town Church. In May, the Court of directors of the Eastern State hospital elected Thomas president. Tom’s interest in the hospital along with his uncle, Secretary Nelson, never flagged, and they were to serve as trustees all their lives. That year and the next, Nelson attended three of the Virginia provincial assemblies, where he worked closely with Patrick Henry. The last assembly elected Nelson to the Continental Congress. In Congress, Nelson was outspoken in his desire to sever the bonds with England. He spoke at St. John’s Church in Richmond in 1775, the same meeting in which Patrick Henry delivered his famous message. In July 1776, Nelson cast his affirmative vote on the issue of independence and to become included with the immortal fifty six signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Jefferson’s term as governor expired at the beginning of June 1781 and he did not intend to serve again. At such a crucial moment, he insisted, it was best for Virginia that he be replaced by someone with military qualifications. He suggested that militia leader Thomas Nelson be appointed governor. General Nelson succeeded Jefferson and served as both Civil Governor and Commander in chief of the Virginia Militia.
In September-October 1781, while taking part in the Yorktown siege, according to family tradition, he ordered troops to shell his own mansion when he learned it was a British headquarters. Nelson’s home was hit but survived, unlike the nearby residence of his uncle.
Although bothered by bad health, Thomas Nelson kept the government intact and strengthened defenses. Soon after the victory at Yorktown, overwhelmed by the burdens of office and still in poor physical condition, he resigned the governorship. In financial distress from his wartime sacrifices, Nelson lacked the money to renovate his Yorktown home where he had lived since 1767. He died in 1789 at the age of 50.
The History and the Symbolism of the Grace Church Needlepoint Kneelers
Inspired by the famous needlework of the National Cathedral and a particularly beautiful Church in Connecticut, our dream of people’s kneelers, done in needlepoint for Grace church, took form.
The work was started under the guidance of Mrs. Otto G. Ptiz, who consulted with the best of local experts on techniques. Among our parishioners at the time was Mrs. Forest M. Clingan. Helen is an artist and teacher, and it was she who created our designs based on ancient Christian symbolism, using natural motifs – preferable ones that would be found in our locality.
The project was dependent upon gifts from those who were interested. Gifts of time, work, and money from ladies such as Tiny Cole and Helga Mattson, who insisted that their enthusiasm was willing, but their eyes were weak – all this with a lot of faith to back it up.
At that time, Mrs. Pitz’ needleworkers were herself, Bertha Crockett, Eleanor Shelel, Marie Glaser; and eleven kneelers were completed.
Talk of “restoration” of Grace church again entered our church life, and the needlework came to an end.
During this same period, Jeanie Cook designed, executed, and installed kneelers for the choir as a separate and independent project. She was assisted by Bertha Crockett and Priscilla Jenkins.
In 1972, Mem Lemay revived the project for the people’s kneelers, and faith and interest again bloomed. This time the project was made financially secure by a most generous gift from Susie Shield. So, in spite of the tremendous cost rise in the cost of materials, we were off and stitching again.
Then on August 1, 1976, more than three years later and several million stitches later, the project is completed. Thanks to Junior Warden, Jack Burcher, and his crew of Waldo Harrison, Warner Robins, Birdie Burcher, and Mem Lemay, they were installed to the glory of God, the beautification of Grace Church, and the joy and comfort of our church family. May we enjoy and cherish them in the years to come!
The following ladies worked constantly and met on Tuesday afternoons for instruction and fellowship during the three years: Susie Shield, Margaret Burns, Betty Richie, Bonnie Kiermaier, Annie Laurie Crawford, Louise Gallagher, Ann Elksnin, Sara O’Hara, Margaret Garrison, J.B. Vogeley, and Mem Lemay. They produced twenty-fice more kneelers bringing the total to thirty-six.
The cushion on the Bishop’s chair was made and given by Lila German in memory of her husband, the late Captain Jack German, who died while serving as Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Base.
Because so many people have asked the same question, here are some vital statistics. Each kneeler has about 57,000 stitches, took an average of 150-160 hours to do, has a minimum replacement value of $250, and with care should last for many years.
Symbols on the Kneelers
A Symbol Reclaimed
The Grace Church Labyrinth is a 31 foot diameter canvas artwork reproducing the ancient labyrinth laid in the floor of the Chartres Cathedral in France, circa AD 1220. Labyrinths far predate Christianity and are found in almost every culture around the world. In the Middle Ages, the Christian Church appropriated the labyrinth as a symbol of a religious pilgrimage to Jerusalem, the ultimate act of devotion. The Grace Church Labyrinth allows present-day pilgrims to reclaim a spiritual expression that has been lost for centuries.
Grace Church Labyrinth Project
Since its dedication in 1995, the Grace Church Labyrinth has been offered in workshops at the church and throughout the Tidewater area. People of all ages and backgrounds have walked, danced, sung, stopped to meditate, and greeted each other in peace. They have expressed the feelings and images arising from the labyrinth walkthrough drumming, creating mandalas, journaling, and prayer.