The Old Colonial Church.
The original church at the Falls is said to have been built in 1709. This is only tradition, as no satisfactory evidence has been obtained relating to its exact location or the date when first erected.
Court records establish the fact that there was a church on the present site of the Falls Church in 1746. On March 20th of that year John Trammell, in consideration of the sum of fifty shillings sterling, transferred, by deed of bargain and sale, to the Vestry of Truro Parish in Fairfax County a certain parcel of land containing two acres "where the Upper Church now is." John Trammell owned at that time the greater part of the land upon which the town of Falls Church is now situated. In June, 1745, he leased to Walter English his plantation of 244 acres "near the head of the north of Holmes' Run extending to Four Mile Run, excepting two acres for the use of the church."
Mrs. C. E. Mankin's Store
The vestry book of Truro Parish commences about 1732. This book is in the possession of Mr. H. H. Dodge, of Mt. Vernon, a vestryman of old Pohick Church. Through the courtesy of Mr. Dodge, the Editor was permitted to make a careful examination of its pages, and to copy from the minutes of the vestry meetings therein such entries as appeared to throw any light upon the early history of the Falls Church.
Some apparently trivial entries have been copied, such as the payment of a sexton's salary for a number of successive years, but the name of the sexton in such cases has an important bearing upon the subject, when it is not improbable that the churches indicated as the "Upper Church," the "New Church," etc., may be the church later designated as "The Falls Church."
Mr. Charles A. Stewart
In addition to religious matters, the duties of the church vestry in these early times embraced many secular affairs. Under the direction of the Parish Vestry tithes were collected from the land owners, and "processioners" were appointed by them to survey and establish all land boundaries within the parish. Such matters as related to the relief of the poor, the medical care of the sick, charges for burial of the dead, the maintenance of the blind, the lame, and the maimed, also of foundlings and vagrants, now looked after by the county government, were then a part of the duty of the vestry of each parish.
By a general law passed in the Colony in 1667, Act IV, 19th Charles II, the right was vested in the county courts, when expedient, to set aside and appropriate not more than two acres of land for church and burial purposes; ministers' salaries had been fixed the year before at 16,000 pounds of tobacco, or about $650.
As early as October, 1734, John Trammell was paid by the Vestry of Truro Parish 320 pounds of tobacco for grubbing a place for a new church, for which Robert Blackburn had drawn plans.
Mrs. Charles A. Mankin
In November of the following year, Thomas or James Bennitt was paid 150 pounds of tobacco as sexton of the New Church. Record of the payment of 400 pounds of tobacco to James Bennitt, Sexton of the New Church, appears under date of October 6, 1740, and again May 21, 1745. On the latter date the Vestry decided to build a church "at or near the spring nigh Mr. Hutchinson's on the mountain road ... with doors, windows & seats after the manner of the Upper Church." The deed from Andrew Hutchinson to the Vestry of Truro Parish for two acres of land upon which this new church was to be erected, recorded in Liber A. No. 1, page 464, Fairfax County Land Records, does not show this land to have been in the vicinity of Falls Church.
On October 12, 1747, the vestry records indicate that Mary Bennitt was sexton of the Upper Church, supposed to be the same which was called the New Church before this date, and that Wm. Grove was sexton of the more recently built church on the mountain road near Mr. Hutchinson's. Mary Bennitt's salary as sexton of the Upper Church was 400 pounds of tobacco until 1749, when it was increased to 460 pounds. Her salary was again raised to 560 pounds in 1752, and so continued until 1755, when James Palmer became sexton at "Falls Church," so designated in the records. James Palmer appears to have been succeeded by Gerard Trammell, the Vestry at a meeting held November 12, 1759, having allowed the latter 560 pounds of tobacco as sexton of Falls Church.
Mrs. Annie Eells
In February, 1749, the Vestry decided to build an addition to the "Upper Church," and the contract for the improvement was given to Charles Broadwater, Gent., who undertakes to complete the work by the laying of the next parish levy for the sum of 12,000 pounds of tobacco. Mr. Charles Broadwater was at that time one of the vestrymen, and among those present at the meeting were George Mason and the Rev. Charles Green. The vestry meeting held October 25, 1762, elected George Washington a Vestryman in place of Wm. Peake, Gent., deceased, and at the same meeting it was ordered that the sexton at Falls Church be allowed 560 pounds of tobacco for his services.
The Vestry of Truro Parish met on March 28, 1763, at the Falls Church. Those present were: Henry Gunnell, Wm. Payne, Jr., Church Wardens; John West, Wm. Payne, Charles Broadwater, Thomas Wren, Abraham Barnes, Daniel McCarty, Robert Boggers and George Washington.
"Eastover" Mr. Pickering Dodge
It appears that this meeting was called for the purpose of deciding whether to repair the old church, then greatly in decay, or to erect a new building. It would seem that the matter of abandonment of the site of the old church was also to be acted upon, and the erection of a new one in a more convenient place.
The Vestry decided that the old church was too dilapidated to repair, and resolved that a new church be built at the same place. It was ordered that the Clerk of the Vestry advertise in the Virginia and Maryland Gazettes for workmen to meet at the church on the 29th of August next following, to undertake the building of a brick church, to contain 1,600 feet on the floor, with a suitable gallery. The record of the vestry meeting of October 3, 1763, shows that 30,000 pounds of tobacco had been levied toward building Falls Church, and was to be sold by the Church Wardens for the best cash price obtainable. George Washington was not present at this meeting; but as an evidence of his interest in the contemplated improvements he copied in his diary under date of 1764 the advertisement published in the Maryland Gazette for "undertakers to build Falls Church."
Mr. W. A. Ball
The accounts of the Clerk of the Vestry at this date show Truro Parish credited with 1,807 tithables at 37 pounds of tobacco each, or a total of 66,859 pounds. The expenditures debited against this amount include 17,280 pounds of tobacco for salary of minister, 560 pounds each to the sexton at Pohick Church and Falls Church, 500 pounds to the sexton at Alexandria, 3,000 pounds to Clerk of Vestry, besides sundry payments toward the support of the indigent of the parish.
The record of the vestry meeting for Truro Parish April 26, 1765, states that Truro Parish has been divided from Colonel Washington's mill to John Monroe's and thence to Difficult Run, the upper parish being called Fairfax. The Parish of Fairfax in which was situated Falls Church or the "Upper Church" and Alexandria or the "Lower Church" was created February 1, 1765, by virtue of an Act passed the previous year, being the 4th George III. Falls Church was evidently the Parish Church, and Alexandria "The Chapel of Ease" as indicated by the comparative emoluments of the office of sexton.
Mr. T. B. Snoddy
Earnest efforts have been made to locate the Vestry Book of Fairfax Parish containing information relating to Falls Church after the division of Truro Parish in 1765. This book was in charge of the rector of Christ Church, Alexandria, at the outbreak of the civil war and is supposed to have been lost or destroyed.
A few facts relating to Falls Church have been gathered from an address delivered by the rector of Christ Church in 1873 upon the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the consecration of the latter church.
The Vestry elected for Fairfax Parish March 28, 1765, consisted of the following: John West, Charles Alexander, William Payne, John Dalton, George Washington, Charles Broadwater, George Johnston, Townsend Dade, Richard Sanford, William Adams, John Posey, Daniel French.
Rev. Townsend Dade, ordained by the Bishop of London in 1765, was the first minister of Christ Church, and it is presumed that as minister of the Parish he also officiated at the Falls Church. His salary was 17,280 pounds of tobacco, and 2,500 pounds were added to this for the deficiency of a glebe. He served as minister until 1778.
Dr. T. M. Talbott
In November, 1766, the Vestry ordered a levy to be made upon the inhabitants of the parish of 31,185 pounds of tobacco, for the purpose of building two new churches of brick; one at the Falls, the other at Alexandria.
The new brick church which the Vestry decided to erect in place of the old wooden structure was built, according to reliable information, by Mr. James Wren, for about 600 pounds sterling. Bishop Meade states in his book on old churches of Virginia, that a most particular contract was made for him as also for James Parsons, the contractor for the Alexandria church.
The mortar was to be two-thirds lime and one-third sand; the shingles were to be of the best cypress or juniper and three-quarters of an inch thick. The contract for building Falls Church called for a gallery, but this was never put in.
The Alexandria church was begun in 1767 by James Parsons, 600 pounds sterling being the contract price. Parsons failed to complete his contract and the building was finished for an additional sum of 220 pounds sterling by Col. John Carlyle, and formally delivered February 27, 1773.
Mr. C. L. Blanton
In 1770 a tract of about 500 acres was purchased from Daniel Jennings at 15 shillings per acre, and upon this in 1773 the Fairfax Vestry caused to be erected a glebe house, or rectory, with a dairy, meat house, barn, stable and corn house for 653 pounds sterling.
During the Revolutionary War, Falls Church is said to have been the recruiting headquarters of Col. Charles Broadwater, one of Fairfax's first patriots.
In 1775 there were in Virginia 95 parishes, 164 churches and chapels, and 91 clergymen. At the conclusion of the war for Independence only 72 parishes remained, and 34 of these had been deprived of ministerial help. Churches and chapels had gone to ruin; soldiers having turned them into barracks or stables.
In 1778 the Rev. Mr. Dade was succeeded as Parish minister by the Rev. Mr. West, who served for a few months, and he in turn was succeeded by Rev. David Griffith who it is recorded exercised his ministry with fidelity in his Parish, preaching both at Alexandria and at Falls Church from 1780 to 1789. He had been chaplain in the 3rd Virginia Regiment during the revolution and was to the time of his death, in 1789, a close personal friend of Washington.
Mr. Geo. W. Hawxhurst
From 1790 to 1792 Rev. Bryan Fairfax directed the affairs of Fairfax Parish, selecting for his assistant Rev. Bernard Page. Before the revolution, being an ardent royalist, he endeavored to dissuade from the war with the mother country his friend George Washington whose confidence and esteem he continued to enjoy to the last. Bryan Fairfax was the son of William Fairfax of Belvoir. He was ordained to the ministry in 1786 by Bishop Seabury. His title as Eighth Lord Fairfax was confirmed to him by the English House of Lords in 1800.
The civil functions of the Vestry ceased in 1784. Thereafter, in the struggle following the disestablishment, having to depend upon voluntary contributions, many churches succumbed.
It was about this period, or not long after the death of Dr. Griffith in 1789, that Falls Church was abandoned as a place of worship, fell into a state of dilapidation, and was not used for many years. Chiefly at the expense of Henry Fairfax, grandson of Rev. Bryan Fairfax, formerly its rector, the building was repaired and young Mr. Minor, as a lay reader, organized a congregation of worshippers.
Mr. W. W. Biggs
In 1827 Bishop Meade visited this church and the description of it in his book "Old Families and Churches of Virginia" will be of interest.
"The exercises of the Seminary being over, I next directed my steps to the Falls Church, so called from its vicinity to one of the falls on the Potomac River. It is about eight miles from Alexandria, and the same from Georgetown. It is a large oblong building, and like that near Mount Vernon, has two rows of windows, being doubtless designed for galleries all around, though none were ever put there. It was deserted as a house of worship by Episcopalians about forty years ago. About that period, for the first, and it is believed for the last time, it was visited by Bishop Madison. Since then it has been used by any who were disposed to occupy it as a place of worship, and the doors and windows being open, itself standing on the common highway, it has been entered at pleasure by travellers on the road and animals of every kind. Some years since, the attention of the professors of our Seminary, and of some of the students was drawn towards it, and occasional services performed there. This led to its partial repair."
Mr. C. C. Walters
Bishop Meade in this account of his visit to the old church states that he visited the same day an interesting school for young ladies at Capt. Henry Fairfax's where he delivered an address to the students. This school was located near Fairfax Court House. Mrs. Chichester, widow of the late Major John H. Chichester and a communicant at the present time of Falls Church, was a pupil of this seminary before the death of Capt. Fairfax, and recalls the incidents connected with his death in the Mexican War and his burial near the old church door 57 years ago.
From the time Bishop Meade preached in the old church in 1827 to the beginning of the war of 1861 much that might be of interest is lost with the records of the Parish.
The damage to the church by soldiers during the civil war was later repaired at the expense of the United States Government at a cost of about $1,300. None of its ancient furniture has been preserved, the gray stone urn-shaped baptismal font alone remaining.
Mr. J. W. Garner
The rectors of Falls Church since the civil war have been Bishop Horatio Southgate, Rev. John McGill, Rev. Frank Page, Rev. J. Cleveland Hall, Rev. R. A. Castleman, Rev. Dr. John McGill again, and the present rector Rev. George S. Somerville.
The present vestry book begins November 27, 1873. The vestrymen for the year 1904 are S. D. Tripp, S. W.; J. T. Unverzagt, J. W.; C. A. Marshall, Wm. E. Parker, A. H. Barbor, E. A. Ballard.
In connection with the name, it may be of interest to state that, previous to the Revolution, there being no bishop in Virginia, church buildings were not consecrated, generally being called after the parish in which situated, or from some other geographical name; hence the New Church, the Upper Church, the Falls Church. The simple name suggesting only its location as first bestowed upon the church near the Falls has now, after the lapse of years, become irrevocably fixed. Around it cluster so many memories of the early days that the name "Falls Church" must continue unchanged to the last.
Town Sergeant John N. Gibson
Extracts from Records of Vestry Meetings.
June 10, 1733:
Capt. Francis Aubrey, towards building the chapel above Goose Creek, 2,500 pounds of tobacco.
October 13, 1734:
To Mr. Robt. Blackburn, for his plans for building church, 16,750 pounds of tobacco.
To John Trammell, for grubbing a place for the church, 320 pounds of tobacco.
To Jos. Johnson, to read at the chapels, 1,300 pounds of tobacco.
November 18, 1735:
Jos. Johnson, Clk. of the New Church, 1,000 pounds of tobacco.
Thos. (?) Bennitt, sexton at the New Church, 150 pounds of tobacco.
Oliver Roe, sexton Pohick Church, 300 pounds of tobacco.
August 19, 1736:
At a Vestry held for Truro Parish this 19th day of August, 1736; present Jeremiah Bronaugh, Ch. Warden; Denis McCarty, Augustine Washington, Robt. Osborn, John Thurman, Wm. Godfrey, Jas. Baxter, and Thos. Lewis, Vestrymen.
Mr J. C. Elliott's Store
Mr. Cha. Green being recommended to this vestry by Capt. Augustine Washington as a person qualified to officiate as a minister in this parish, as soon as he shall receive orders from His Grace, the Bishop of London, to qualify himself for the same, it is, therefore,
Ordered by this Vestry that as soon as the said Green has qualified himself as aforesaid he be received and entertained as Minister of the said parish, and the said Vestry do humbly recommend said Cha. Green to the Right Honorable Thos. Lord Fairfax, for his letters of recommendation and presentation to his Grace, the said Lord Bishop of London, to qualify himself as aforesaid.
August 8,——:
At a vestry held for Truro Parish the 8th of August, for appointing processioners.
Ordered, That John Trammell and John Harle procession all the patented lands between Difficult Run and Broad Run, and that they perform the same sometime in the month of October or November, next, and report their proceedings according to law.
Ordered, That Anthony Hampton and Wm. Moore procession all the patented lands between Broad Run and the South Side of Goose Creek, as far as the fork of Little River, and that they perform the same sometime in the month of October or November, next, and report their proceedings according to law.
Miss Ada Rhodes
October 6, 1740:
Nicholas Carroll, sexton Pohick Church, 400 pounds of tobacco.
Jas. Bennitt, sexton at the New Church, 400 pounds of tobacco.
John Aubrey, sexton at Goose Creek, 400 pounds of tobacco.
May 21, 1745:
At a vestry held for Truro Parish, May 21, 1745, present Rev. Mr. Cha. Green, minister, and church wardens and vestrymen.
Ordered, that a church be built at or near the spring nigh Mr. Hutchinson's on the mountain road, of the following dimensions: 40 feet long, 32 feet wide and 13 feet pitch. To be weather boarded with ¾-inch feather-edge plank, quartered and beaded; shingled with 18-inch pine shingles; sawed frame, and frame work ceiled with quartered plank, beaded, and floored with 1¼-inch plank, with proper cornice under the eaves, with pulpit, desk, communion table, etc. With doors, windows & seats, after the manner of the Upper Church, and all the proper facings and mouldings; and window shutters, to be shingled with single tiers, weather boarded with eights, and filled with tens or brads; locks and hinges that are necessary for the same.
Ordered, That the Clerk of the Vestry prepare deeds for Mr. Andrew Hutchinson conveying two acres of land to this Parish for house of the Church to be built thereon, and church yard.
Hugh Thomas undertakes to complete the aforesaid church and to enclose it by the last day of October, next, and to finish and complete it by the last day of October, then next following, for 24,500 pounds of tobacco, to be paid him at two payments, and the clerk of the vestry is ordered to prepare articles of agreement and bond for the performance of the same.
Cha. Green, }
John West, }
Ch. Wardens.
Teste: { Wm. Henry Terrett,
{ Clk. Vestry.
October 12, 1747:
Philip Howell, sexton, Pohick, 400 pounds of tobacco.
Mary Bennitt, sexton, Upper Church, 400 pounds of tobacco.
Mary McDowell, sexton, Goose Creek, 400 pounds of tobacco.
Wm. Grove, sexton, New Church, 172 pounds of tobacco.
Mr. W. W. Kinsley
October 10, 1748:
Bennitt, clk., 1,200 pounds of tobacco. Wm. Chautneys, clk. at the New Church, 1,200 pounds of tobacco.
Mary Bennitt, sexton at Upper Church, 400 pounds of tobacco.
Alexander, sexton at Goose Creek, 400 pounds of tobacco.
Wm. Grove, sexton at New Church, 400 pounds of tobacco.
October 10, 1749:
Truro Parish divided.—Upper Parish called Cameron.
John Wiber Danty, clk. Upper Church, 1,000 pounds of tobacco.
Mary Bennitt, sexton, Upper Church, 460 pounds of tobacco.
Mr. H. A. Fellows
February 19, 1749-50:
Present: Rev. Mr. Cha. Green, Minister, Mr. Hugh West, Mr. Geo. Mason, Mr. Jas. Hamilton, Mr. Cha. Broadwater, Mr. Danl. McCarty, Wm. Payne, Abra. Barnes, Thos. Wren, Robt. Boggers, and John Turley;
Ordered: That an addition be built to the Upper Church according to the plan produced to the Vestry; and Cha. Broadwater, gent., undertakes to do the same and finish and complete it by the laying of the next parish levy, for the sum of 12,000 pounds of tobacco, which is then to be levied for him.
October 9, 1749:
John Wiber Danty, clk. at Upper Church, 1,000 pounds of tobacco.
Mary Bennitt, sexton, ditto, 460 pounds of tobacco.
Jacob Remy, for paling in the New Church, making horse blocks and tarring church, etc., our proportionable part, 1,950 pounds of tobacco.
Ordered: That the Vestry do meet the third Monday in February next, at the Glebe house, in order to see what repairs are wanted to it and the New Church, and the Church Wardens are ordered to give notice to workmen to appear there to undertake the work and also to repair the Pohick Church and the Vestry House.
October 8, 1750:
John Wiber Danty, clk. Upper Church, 1,000 pounds of tobacco.
Mary Bennitt, sexton Upper Church, 460 pounds of tobacco.
Residence of Mr. G. A. L. Merrifield
October 14, 1751:
John Wiber Danty, clk. Upper Church for 7 months attendance, 581 pounds of tobacco.
Mary Bennitt, sexton, Upper Church, 560 pounds of tobacco.
October 2, 1752:
John Wiber Danty, clk. Upper Church, 1,000 pounds of tobacco.
Mary Bennitt, sexton, Upper Church, 560 pounds of tobacco.
Ordered: That the clerk of the Upper Church read prayers every intervening Sunday, and that he be allowed 1,200 pounds of tobacco per annum for his salary.
Mr. Cha. Broadwater and Mr. Abraham Barnes are appointed Church Wardens for this parish for the ensuing year.
October 22, 1753:
Mary Bennitt, sexton at the Upper Church, 560 pounds of tobacco.
John Wiber Danty, clerk at the Upper Church, 1,100 pounds of tobacco.
November 22, 1754:
Wm. Donaldson, Clk. Upper Church, 1,000 pounds of tobacco.
Mary Bennitt, sexton at the Upper Church, 560 pounds of tobacco.
September 17, 1755:
Ordered: That the several tracts of land that have their beginnings between Hunting Creek and the Potomac, the road that leads from Aubrey's Ferry to the Upper Church, and the road that leads from Cameron to the Upper Church, be processioned sometime in the month of December, next, and that John Dalton, Thos. Harrison, John Hunter and Nathan'l Smith attend to see the same performed, and that they take an account of their proceedings therein and return the same to the next Vestry after the same shall be performed.
Cottage of Mr. G. A. L. Merrifield
November 27, 1755:
Wm. Donaldson, Clk. at Upper Church, 1,000 pounds of tobacco. James Palmer, sexton at Falls Church, 560 pounds of tobacco.
November 29, 1756:
Mr. Lumley, Clk. at Upper Church, 1,000 pounds of tobacco. James Palmer, sexton, Upper Church, 560 pounds of tobacco.
November 28, 1757:
Jas. Palmer, sexton at Falls Church, 560 pounds of tobacco.
November 27, 1758:
Jas. Palmer, sexton at Falls Church, 560 pounds of tobacco.
November 12, 1759:
Thos. Lewis, Clk. at Falls Church, 1,050 pounds of tobacco. Gerard Trammell, sexton, at Falls Church, 560 pounds of tobacco.
Mr. Frank M. Thompson
October 25, 1762:
Ordered that Geo. Washington, Esq., be chosen and appointed one of the Vestrymen of this parish in the room of Wm. Peake, gent., deceased.
Ordered that the sexton at Falls Church be allowed 560 pounds of tobacco.
October 3, 1763:
At a Vestry held for Truro Parish, October 3, 1763, present: Rev. Mr. Green, minister; Wm. Payne, jun'r., and Henry Gunnell, Ch. Wardens; Geo. Wm. Fairfax, Thos. Wren, Wm. Payne, Abra. Barnes, Cha. Broadwater, John West, and Geo. Mason, Vestrymen.
Mr. Thomas Hillier
Truro Parish.
Mr. J. S. Riley
Ordered: That the Clerk of the Vestry proportion the parish levy when he shall receive the list of tithables.
Ordered: That Geo. Wm. Fairfax, & Geo. Washington, Esqs., be appointed Church Wardens for the ensuing year.
Ordered: That the Vestry meet at Alexandria on the third Tuesday in March, next, in order to agree with workmen to undertake the building a church at or near the old Falls Church, and that the Church Wardens advertise the same in the Virginia and Maryland Gazettes, to be continued six weeks, and that it will be then expected of each workman to produce a plan and estimate of the expense.
Cha. Green,}
G. W. Fairfax.}C. W.
Truly Recorded:
Teste—John West, junr.,
Cl. Vestry.
Mr. O. H. Billingsley
March 28, 1763:
At a Vestry of Truro Parish held at the Falls Church March 28, 1763; present: Henry Gunnell, Wm. Payne, jr., Ch. Wardens; John West, Wm. Payne, Chas. Broadwater, Thos. Wren, Abra. Barnes, Dan'l McCarty, Robt. Boggers, and Geo. Washington; who being there met to examine into the state of the said church, greatly in decay and want of repair, and likewise whether the same shall be repaired or a new one built, and whether at the same place or removed to a more convenient one, and likewise to view the addition built by Mr. Chas. Broadwater, and what he hath been deficient in the work.
Resolved: It is the opinion of this Vestry that the Old Church is rotten and unfit for repair, but that a new church be built at the same place.
Resolved: That Jas. Wren and Owen Williams do view the work to be done by Mr. Broadwater on the new addition, that is, the price of glazing three windows, plaistering the said house, together with the materials necessary for the same, and make report to the next Vestry.
Ordered: That the Clerk of the Vestry advertise in the Virginia and Maryland Gazettes for workmen to meet at the church on the 29th day of August, next, if fair, if not the next fair day, to undertake the building of a brick church to contain 1,600 feet on the floor, with a suitable gallery & bring plan of the church and price, according to the same.
Ordered: That the Church Wardens employ workmen to repair the windows of the north side & the east end of the old church & repair the shutters of the new addition.
Mr. A. O. Von Herbulis Henry Gunnell,
Wm. Payne.
(N. B.) This Vestry was held when I was sick and could not attend—above orders were sent as above, signed by Messrs. Gunnell and Payne, and I thought fit to record the same, tho in point of time it should have been before the last one.
Mr. Andrew M. Smith
April 26, 1765:
Vestry records of this date state that Truro Parish had been divided from Col. Washington's mill to John Monroe's and thence to Difficult Run, the upper parish called Fairfax.
February 3, 1766:
In the record of a Vestry meeting held for Truro Parish at Wm. Gardner's the 3rd and 4th of February, 1766, is the following: It appearing from an order of the Vestry bearing date the 25th day of March, 1763, that there was a deficiency in the work which ought to have been done on the Falls Church, by Mr. Chas. Broadwater, and that persons were appointed to view the same and report and no report appearing upon the records of this parish, it is ordered that the Church Wardens do inquire into the same and report accordingly. [Geo. Washington was present at this meeting. Ed.]
July 10, 1766:
At a Vestry held for Truro Parish July 10, 1766, Mr. Edward Payne, one of the Church Wardens, having reported to this Vestry that he had applied to the persons formally appointed to view the work which ought to have been done on the Falls Church by Mr. Chas. Broadwater, and that they denied having any order to view the same and refused to concern themselves;
Ordered: That Thos. Price do view the work done to the Falls Church and report what deficiency appears in the same, and that Mr. Edward Payne do apply to the Vestry of Fairfax Parish to appoint a workman to view the same and that the said do report as aforesaid, and that Mr. Edward Payne attend the viewing on behalf of this parish and to apply to the said Vestry to appoint one of their members to attend the same on behalf of their parish.
February 23, 1767:
At a Vestry held for Truro Parish at the Glebe the 23rd day of February, 1767, at which Geo. Washington was present, it was ordered: A report being made to this Vestry by Jas. Wren and Thos. Price, two workmen empowered by a formal order of this Vestry to view the work done to the Falls Church and to report what deficiency appeared in the same, etc., by which report there appears to be a deficiency of 9 £ 14 s. 6 p.
Ordered: That the Church Wardens of this parish apply to Maj. Chas. Broadwater, the undertaker of said work, for the said sum, and account with the Vestry of Fairfax Parish for their proportion of the same when it is received.
Ordered: That a Vestry House be built at the New Church of the dimensions and in manner following * * (Capt. Ed. Payne agreeing with the Vestry to build said house).
Major Jos. T. Hiett 
Mr. George Stambaugh
September 9, 1768:
At a Vestry held for Truro Parish September 9, 1768, at which Geo. Washington was present, the following entries appear:
That the Vestry being convened at the New Church in order to view and examine the work, and having done so do find the same completed and finished according to the articles of agreement between Capt. Ed. Payne, the undertaker * * *
Ordered: That Col. Geo. Mason pay him the sum of 193 pounds out of the money in his hands belonging to the parish the same being the last payment due to the said Payne, for the said church. (This was probably known as Payne's Church; the church near the Fairfax C. H.)
November 28, 1768:
At a Vestry held for Truro Parish November 28, 1768, at which Geo. Washington was present, it was ordered: That Geo. Washington, Esq., pay to Alex. Henderson the sum of £. 8, being the balance of £ 9 14 s., 6 p., received from Maj. Chas. Broadwater for a deficiency on the Falls Church.
February 24, 1784:
At a Vestry held for Truro Parish at Colchester, the 22nd day of February, 1784, John Gibson, gent., is elected for a member of this Parish in the room of his Excellency General Washington, who has signified his resignation in a letter to Dan'l McCarty, esq.
Falls Church in the Civil War.
The Old Church from a war-time Photograph
In May, 1861, the Union troops moved into Virginia and occupied Arlington Heights and Alexandria. On June 1 an engagement at Fairfax Court House between a company of Union cavalry and Confederate troops resulted in the loss of six Union and twenty Confederate soldiers. The Union forces under General McDowell occupied the town of Fairfax about the middle of July, inaugurating the first Bull Run Campaign. The battle of Bull Run was fought July 21, 1861.
After the first battle of Bull Run, a systematic plan for the defense of the National Capital began to take shape. At that time the commanding heights four miles west of Alexandria and six miles from Washington were occupied by the Confederates, Falls Church being the headquarters of General Longstreet.
In October, 1861, the hills were again taken possession of by the Union troops. The system of works for the defense of Washington on the south began with Fort Willard below Alexandria, and terminated with Fort Smith opposite Georgetown, comprising in all twenty-nine forts and eleven supporting batteries, besides Forts Ethan Allen and Marcy at the Virginia end of Chain Bridge, with their five batteries of field guns.
Mr. Charles A. Marshall
Falls Church was the most advanced post of General McDowell's corps, when on August 3, 1861, a correspondent of Harper's Weekly writing from here to that paper described the old Church as it appeared at the beginning of the Civil war as follows:
"On this page we illustrate Fall's Church, Fairfax County, Virginia, from a sketch by our special artist with General McDowell's 'corps d'armee.' This is the most advanced post of our army in Fairfax County, and has been the scene of several picket skirmishes. Falls Church was built in 1709, and rebuilt, as an inscription on the wall informs us, by the late "Lord" Fairfax, whose son, the present "Lord" Fairfax, is supposed to be serving in the rebel army. The title of "Lord," we may observe, is still given to the representative of the family. The inscription on the old church reads as follows:
'Henry Fairfax, an accomplished gentlemen, an upright magistrate, a sincere Christian, died in command of the Fairfax Volunteers at Saltillo, Mexico, 1847. But for his munificence this church might still have been a ruin.'
Service was held in the old church two Sundays since, Rev. Dr. Mines, Chaplain of Second Maine Regiment, officiating, and most of the troops in the neighborhood being present."
Mr. John S. Garrison
Captain Henry Fairfax, to whose memory the tablet alluded to was placed in the old church, was a graduate of West Point. At the outbreak of the Mexican War, he organized a company called the Fairfax Volunteers sailing to Mexico with the regiment of Virginia volunteers under command of Colonel John F. Hamtramck. Upon arriving in Mexico, Captain Fairfax fell a victim to the climate and died at Saltillo, August 16, 1847. His body was brought home and buried near the church he loved so well, and it is thought that the grave which may be seen in the foreground of the war-time picture of the church on page 62 may be his. The tablet to his memory has long since been destroyed, and every vestige of his tombstone has disappeared, but nature, not forgetting his generous gifts to the old church, has sent up a spire-shaped cedar to mark his grave. Colonel Hamtramck died April 21, 1858, at Shepardstown, Va.
Mr. F. A. Niles
The damage to the old church, according to one of the oldest citizens of the town, Mr. George B. Ives, was done by a company of Union cavalry on picket duty under command of a captain of the regular army. He permitted his men to tear out the floor of the church and use it for a stable. The building might have been damaged beyond repair had it not been for Mr. Ives and the late Mr. John Bartlett, who reported the matter to General Augur, the Military Governor of this district, by whose orders the captain was arrested and further desecration prevented.
About three miles from Falls Church, on the Alexandria turnpike, is Bailey's Cross Roads, where in November, 1861, President Lincoln reviewed the Union forces preparatory to the Peninsular Campaign.
The story of the most important events occurring during those stormy times around the old Colonial church is best told by the "Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies," extracts from reports therein following:
Dr. T. C. Quick
Skirmish at Munson's Hill August 31, 1861.
Report of Colonel Geo. W. Taylor, 3rd N. J. Infantry, dated September 2, 1861.
General: The pickets of the enemy having for some time been extremely annoying to outposts on Little River Turnpike and on the road leading from thence to Chestnut Hill, I decided on making a reconnaissance in person with a small force with the view of cutting them off. Accordingly I marched with 40 men, volunteers from 2 companies of my regiment, on the morning of Aug. 31, at 3 a. m., and keeping to the woods arrived soon after daylight at or near the point, a little beyond, at which I desired to strike the road and cut them off.
Miss Ellen W. Green
Here we were obliged to cross a fence and a narrow corn field where the enemy, who had doubtless dogged our approach through the woods, lay in considerable force.
While in the corn we were suddenly opened upon by a rapid and sharp fire which our men, whenever they got sight of the enemy, returned with much spirit. Scarce two minutes elapsed when I found 3 men close to me had been shot down. The enemy being mostly hid, I deemed it prudent to order my men to fall back to the woods, distant about 30 yards, which I did.
At the same time I ordered enough to remain with me to carry off the wounded, but they did not hear or heed my order except two. With these we got all off, as I supposed, the corn being thick, but Corporal Hand, Co. 1, who, when I turned him over, appeared to be dying. I took his musket, also the musket of one of the wounded and returned to the woods to rally the men. I regret to say that none of them could be found, nor did I meet them until I reached the blacksmith shop, three-quarters of a mile distant.
Here I found Capt. Regur, Company I, with his command. Re-enforcing him with 25 men of the picket, then in charge of Capt. Vickers, 3rd regiment N. J. volunteers, with the latter he immediately marched back to bring in Corporal Hand, and any others still missing. He reports that on reaching the ground, he found the enemy in increased force, and did not re-enter the corn field, in which I think he was justified. I should have stated that quite a number of the enemy were in full view in the road when we jumped the fence and charged them, and that each man in the charge, Capt. Regur leading by my side, seemed eager to be foremost; nor did one to my knowledge flinch from the contest until my order to fall back to the woods, which fortunately they misconstrued into a continuous retreat to our pickets. The enemy seemed to have retreated very soon after, as the firing had ceased before I left.
Mr. Jno. D. Payne
The 3 wounded men are doing well except one. As near as I can ascertain there were 3 of the enemy shot down.
The whole affair did not last 10 minutes.
The officers with me were Capt. Regur, Co. I, 1st Lieut. Taylor and 2d Lieut. Spencer, both of the same company.
All of which I have the honor, respectfully to report.
Geo. W. Taylor,
Colonel, 3rd Regiment N. J. Volunteers
Brig. Gen. P. Kearny,
Commanding Brigade.
The Rectory—Rev. George S. Somerville
Sept. 12, 1861: Longstreet states that Colonel Stuart has been at Munson Hill since its occupation by the Confederate troops; that he had driven the enemy from Mason's, Munson's and Upton's Hills.
Sept. 25, 1861: Reconnaissance at Lewinsville and skirmish near that place with Stuart's cavalry. Union force 5,100 infantry, 16 pieces of artillery and 150 cavalry, under Brig. Gen. Wm. F. Smith, commanding at Chain Bridge.
Sept. 25, 1861: Report of General J. E. Johnston, Headquarters Army of Potomac to Secretary of War, Richmond, states that an advance guard of 11 regiments of infantry and Colonel Stuart's calvary is stationed at Falls Church, Munson's and Mason's Hills, at Padgett's and at Springfield Station on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad in a strong defensive position.
Dr. L. E. Gott
Sept. 28, 1861: Affair at Munson's Hill, near Vanderburg's House. Union force attacked at night on march to Poolesville. Lieut. Col. Isaac J. Wistar, Commanding California Regiment, reported 4 killed and 14 wounded.
Nov. 16, 1861: In General Orders No. 45, Headquarters Army of Potomac, Major General McClellan gave Fort on Upton's Hill name of Fort Ramsay.
Nov. 18, 1861: Skirmish on road from Falls Church to Fairfax Court House, about a mile south of Falls Church, between a detachment of 1st Va. Cavalry under Lieut. Col. Fitz Lee, and 14th N. Y. S. M., under Lt. Col. E. B. Fowler. Union loss 2 killed, 1 wounded, 10 missing. Confederate loss, Private Tucker killed and John C. Chichester, Lee's guide, mortally wounded; 2 slightly wounded. Col. Lee's horse killed under him during action.
Sept. 2, 1862: Skirmish near Falls Church. F. J. Porter, Major General Commanding, Headquarters Army Corps, Hall's Hill, in his report to General Marcy states that a battery supported by cavalry suddenly appeared on Barnett's Hill and opened fire upon Pleasanton at Falls Church, while dismounted cavalry fired upon and killed 3 of his mounted pickets, who, armed only with sabers and pistols, could not contend with the enemy protected by timber. Pleasanton replied with his battery but the shots fell very short. The enemy supposed to have come from direction of Hunter's Mill returned toward Vienna. He states that the country beyond his picket lines affords every facility for such attacks, and that the commanding general must expect them to be frequent so long as the enemy continues in large force in his front and wishes to divert attention from other movements, that from the opposite hills his camp and movements are open to view of the enemy.
Mr. R. J. Yates
Sept. 4, 1862: Brig. Gen'l A. Pleasanton from his camp near Fort Albany, Va., in his report to Brig. Gen. R. B. Marcy, chief of staff, written at 5 a. m., states that he is about to be off with the sixth cavalry and two other companies for Falls Church where he expects to make his headquarters and from whence he will scout as directed. He suggests that the telegraph be extended to Falls Church and asks that supplies for his command be forwarded by railroad to a point opposite Falls Church.
Mr. S. A. Copper
At 8:30 a. m., his message states that from reports received by him, the impression is that the enemy is going to cross the Potomac at Walker's Landing.
At 12: 45 p. m., he reports from Falls Church that the enemy's advanced pickets, on the Leesburg and Georgetown turnpike are three-fourths of a mile this side of Difficult Creek, and that a regiment of Mississippi cavalry, the Jeff Davis Legion, is at the bridge over the creek.
At 1:30 p. m., from Falls Church his dispatch to the chief of staff states that the squadron on the Vienna road reports the enemy to be approaching from that direction in some force; that one of his men had been badly wounded in a skirmish. Gives it as his opinion that the enemy is only making a show of force to conceal his movements on the upper Potomac.
Sept. 4, 1862: Major General F. J. Porter from Headquarters Fifth Army Corps at Hall's Hill, sends a message at 4:30 p. m., to Major Gen'l McClellan stating that Gen'l Morell from Minor's Hill reports that the enemy has begun an attack on the Union pickets, with artillery, infantry and cavalry.
Mrs. J. L. Auchmoody
Sept. 4, 1862: At 6:45 p. m., from Upton's Hill, Brig. Gen'l J. D. Cox, commanding division, makes the following report to A. V. Colburn, Ass't Adjutant General:
"The firing upon General Pleasanton's command was from, possibly, three pieces of light artillery. The small-arm fighting was confined to the head of the enemy's column, deployed as skirmishers, with some dismounted men or infantry, it is not certain which. The pickets of Pleasanton's command, Eight Illinois and Eight Pennsylvania Cavalry, skirmished with them. We lost 2 men shot. The force of the enemy did not come beyond the edge of the woods, one and a half or 2 miles above Falls Church, and no large numbers were actually seen. The reports sent by General Pleasanton were necessarily those brought in by his men. A regiment of cavalry, with two light pieces, rapidly handled, would account for all the demonstration I could see with my glass, but there may have been more. General Pleasanton's cavalry being ordered away, we shall not have cavalry to scout the country till General Buford arrives. Scouts report all quiet toward Fairfax and Little River pike."
Mr. Samuel Luttrell
Aug. 16, 1863: Skirmish at Falls Church; no circumstantial reports on file.
June 23-24, 1864: Skirmishes near Falls Church and Centreville, Va. Extract from report of Col. Charles R. Lowell, Jr., 2nd Mass. Cavalry, commanding cavalry brigade. Headquarters cavalry brigade near Falls Church, Va., June 24, 1864.
A patrol from the camp of 16th N. Y. Cavalry consisting of 4 men was fired upon last evening between the pike and the railroad by a party of about 10 men and 2 of the patrol captured; the other two brought word to Annandale, and Col. Lazelle sent out a party of 40 men under Lieut. Tuck, 16th N. Y. Cavalry in search of attacking party. Party halted one and a half miles beyond Centreville to feed. Party of about 60 of the the enemy dashed in upon them. Men demoralized and panic stricken scattered in all directions. Lieut. Tuck only one as yet, 6 p. m., who has reached camp; remainder either wounded, prisoners, or straggling. After Tuck had been sent out a citizen reported to Col. Lazelle that he had been stopped by Mosby last evening near Centreville and detained under guard till morning, and that he had seen small parties numbering about 100 men. Col. Lazelle, upon receiving this information, sent out 150 men to support Tuck under Major Nicholson. This party started at 8 a. m. At 2 p. m., Tuck returned, reporting attack as above at 11 a. m. He was started by Col. Lazelle with a party of 15 men to overtake party of 150 and put them on trail. Major Forbes with 100 men and ambulances has been sent out this evening to place of surprise to pick up stragglers and any wounded, and support Major Nicholson if Mosby's force is reported more than 60 men.
Mrs. C. Larner
June 25, 1864, 11 a. m.: Major Forbes just returned from Centreville and a clearer account of affairs can be given. Mosby with 200 men came down Thursday evening to near Union Mills and an iron gun drawn by 6 horses. Squad of Kincheloe's men took 2 of Col. Lazelle's patrol. Mosby returned to Union Mills Friday morning and marched his column back through Centreville about 10:30 a. m. Tuck's men feeding horses on newly cut hay, men in cherry trees, some asleep, one picket sitting on fence.
Mosby learned of Tuck and sent part of his men rapidly on. Shot man on post, causing panic among the rest.
Mr. W. H. Barksdale
July 18-21, 1864: Scout from Falls Church, Va. Col. Henry M. Lazelle, 16th N. Y. Cavalry commanding brigade, writing under date of July 21, 1864, from headquarters cavalry brigade near Falls Church, Va., to Lieut. Col. J. H. Taylor, Assistant Adjutant General and chief of staff, reports return to camp of a portion of a party of 10 men sent under charge of 2d Lieut. Gray, 13th N. Y. Cavalry on Monday evening last. About 4 o'clock a. m. to-day, while between Sangsters and Fairfax Station was ambuscaded by a party of from 50 to 60; loss 5 men taken prisoners and 7 horses.
Mr. Wm. B. Wright