tion being accompanied by Mr. Durand's earnest solicitations, it was granted. He was not, however, permanently settled in the Cure till 1753, when conformably to a Precept from the Church Commissioners, the Parishioners assembled March 14, and elected Mr. Durand, Rector of the Parish. The Parish Church having been accidentally destroyed by fire, Feb. 17, 1755, the Assembly were petitioned for their aid in building another. An Act was accordingly passed, March 19, 1756, "for building a new Church in the Parish of St. John, in Berkley County." The Act directed it to be built on any part of the three acres, which had formerly been given for a Church and Churchyard. Thomas Cordes, William Moultrie, Alexander Broughton, James Cordes and Stephen Mazyck, were appointed Commissioners, to receive subscriptions, build the Church, and sell the Pews. The Rev. Mr. Durand informed the Society, Nov. 18, 1757, that he and his family had been sick, but, through the mercy of God, were recovering. He stated that, his Parishioners were zealous in the cause of religion, and had subscribed £3000 Cur. towards building a new Church. In 1761, Mr. Durand went to the Northward with the Rev. Mr. Garden, Rector of St. Thomas'. A constant residence in the country, and the heavy duty of the Missions, had so impaired their health, that the Physicians prescribed a change of climate for their recovery. The Rev. Mr. Harrison and the Rev. Mr. Keith, officiated, occasionally, in the Church, during Mr. Durand's absence. In a Letter to the Society, Jan. 1, 1761, he gave them an account of his journey, and stated how much he was gratified on his return, to see collected in the Churchyard, the materials for a new church. Mr. Durand wrote to the Society, Nov. 28, 1763, and again Oct. 1, 1764. He informed them that since the 12th Jan. 1763, he had baptised 22 Infants; one of them a Negro child born of Christian parents; that his Communicants were reduced by deaths and removals to 30, and that he had been severely afflicted with illness in the autumn for many years. But although his constitution had been greatly injured, he should endeavour to perform the duties of his office; and he flattered himself with the hope, that his labours for 24 years had not been without success, in the sphere in which Divine Providence had placed him. His congregation consisted of 24 families, who were regular in their attendance on public worship. They had began the new Church; for which £3000 Cur. had been subscribed by the Parishioners, and £1000 had been granted by the Assembly. The Parish Church is usually called Biggin Church, being near Biggin Creek.* It is 60 feet by 40 in the clear. Until the Church was finished, Divine Service was performed in a small wooden building erected for that purpose, in the Churchyard, at the expense of Mr. Cordes. The poor settlers, about 25 miles from the Parsonage,† had raised a Log-house, 30 feet by 20, for a place of worship, and allowed their Schoolmaster a small salary, to read for them, on Sundays, the Liturgy of the Church, and a Sermon. Once in two months, Mr. Durand officiated there, and baptised their children; and he generally had more hearers than the building could contain. At the other end of the Parish, was a neat, well-finished chapel, established by Law, where he was obliged to officiate every fourth Sunday, to a regular and devout congregation. Mr. Durand complained that he found his duties very fatiguing, from his increasing infirmities, and the scattered situation of his people; but although his body was much emaciated, he would cheerfully go through the labours of his ministry so * Biggin Church, and the upper Glebe, are described in the title deeds as being situated on Tipicop-Haw Hill. This has been corrupted into Tippy-cutlaw hill. ↑ Now called Chapel Hill. Strawberry Chapel. long as it should please God to support his tottering frame. He died in 1765. The Society gave notice, in 1765, that as St. John's Parish had become vacant by the death of Mr. Durand, it would, in future, be supplied without any allowance from that Institution. The provision of £100 Stg. made by law, with other emoluments, were deemed a sufficient support, for the country clergy. During the vacancy, the Rev. Messrs. Garden, Keith, Harrison, and Smith, officiated occasionally, and received the salary allowed by Law. The Rev. John Hockley, A. M. arrived in the Province in 1765, and Nov. 10, took charge of the Parish. His health soon began to decline, and he resigned his Cure, May 10, 1767, and returned to England. The neighbouring Clergy were invited to supply, occasionally, the vacant Pulpit, when the Rev. Messrs. Smith, Garden, Keith, Turquand, and Pearce, performed that duty. The Rev. Richard Farmer, A. M. was engaged in England for this Parish. He arrived Feb. 26, 1769, and immediately entered on the duties of his Cure; but died the same year. He was succeeded by the Rev. Samuel Hart, A. M. Assistant Minister of St. Michael's, Charles-Town; who entered on the duties of the Cure, June 2, 1770. The Inhabitants represented to the Assembly, that the Church and Chapel being both at the lower end of the Parish, were too distant for many of the Parishioners to attend Public Worship in either, and requested, that a chapel might be built in the upper part of the Parish. An Act was therefore passed, April 7, 1770, for building a Chapel of Ease, at or near Markley's Old Field;* and Henry Ravenel, Peter Gourdin, Job Marion, Peter Whitten and Samuel Littell, were appointed the Commissioners. The Rector or Minister of the Parish, was required to perform Divine Service in this Chapel every fifth Sunday: "Provided, Behind the 45 Mile House. That on every Easter Sunday, Whitsunday and Christmas Day, the Rector or Minister of the said Parish, do perform Divine Service at the said Parish Church." The Rev. Mr. Hart died in this Parish in 1779. The Sacramental Plate, with the exception of the French Chalice, was, probably, purchased by the Parish. It has the following inscription on each piece: St. John's Parish, South-Carolina in America. A Chalice of Silver, gilt, was presented to the Parish. It had been used by the Protestants in France, before the revocation of the Edict of Nantz, and was brought to Carolina by the Rev. Mr. Lessou, formerly Minister of a French congregation in this Province. Biggin Church was garrisoned by a party of British troops, in 1781, under the command of Lt. Col. Coates. When they were compelled to abandon it, they set it on fire, to prevent the stores it contained from falling into the hands of the Americans. It has since been repaired. After the War, the Rev. Joseph White, a native of Virginia, and the Rev. Andrew M'Cully, officiated here for some time. The Rev. Peter Manigault Parker was invited to this Cure, April 3, 1796, and resigned it in 1802. The Rev. Christopher Edwards Gadsden, was elected Jan. 1808, and resigned Feb. 2, 1810, to enter upon the duties of Assistant Minister of St. Philip's Church. He was succeeded by the present Rector, the Rev. John Jacob Tschudy, A. M. formerly Rector of Claremont, who entered on the duties of the Cure, Dec. 1811. An interesting account of this gentleman's exertions and success, in communicating religious instruction to the Negroes, will be found in the Journals of the Convention of 1819. The church was Incorporated in 1794, by the name of "The Vestry and Churchwardens of the Episcopal Church of St. John's, Berkley county." The late Elias Ball, Esq. presented the Parish in 1809, with a Glebe of 63 acres, on which is a frame house of three 274 PAROCHIAL Register of ST. JOHN'S, BERKLEY. stories, which he purchased for the purpose, and put into complete repair. This is the residence of the Rector. This Parish continues to be a highly respectable and flourishing Cure. Divine Service is performed on alternate Sundays, at Biggin Church, and Strawberry Chapel, from Nov. to June. During the summer, the inhabitants reside either in Charleston, or at Cordes ville, a Pine Land settlement, where, from its elevation and aridity, health is generally enjoyed. LIST Of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials in St. John's Parish, Berkley, The Parochial Register extends no further back than 1752. Reported to the Convention in 1819, for the year preceding: Baptisms 11. Marriages 3. Funerals 6. Communicants, 43 Whites and 14 |