Trinity Episcopal Church (Chocowinity, North Carolina)
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Trinity Episcopal Church is an Episcopal parish established in 1774 by the Reverend Nathaniel Blount in Chocowinity, North Carolina, U.S..
History
editIn 1773, Nathaniel Blount sailed from Bath, NC to London, England to be ordained a priest. The Bishop of London ordained Mr. Blount to the priesthood in Saint Paul's Cathedral, London. Upon his return to Bath, "Parson Blount," as he was known, had a church built. Giles Shute and John Herrington served as carpenters, according to a signed wooden panel in the sanctuary.[citation needed] The little building became known as Blount's Chapel.[citation needed]
In 1826, the Right Rev'd John Stark Ravenscroft consecrated the building as Trinity Church, a parish in the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. During the 19th century, the Grimes family were active in this parish.[citation needed] The Grimes held large tracts of land in Beaufort and Pitt Counties.[citation needed]
The nearby town of Grimesland was named for them.[citation needed] Major General Bryan Grimes of the Confederate Army was a member of the parish. The parish's centennial in 1874 was marked by the addition of a formal chancel and sanctuary with stained glass windows. In 1883, Trinity Church became part of the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina, following the subdivision of the Diocese of North Carolina.
During the first half of the 20th century, the Rev'd N. C. Hughes, Jr, Trinity's rector, was influential in encouraging Chocowinity's citizens to retain the name of their town. There were citizens who desired to change the name. Belview was one of the names considered. Hughes is also credited with learning the meaning of the name of the town from an Indian in South Carolina who offered a translation, "fish from many waters." By keeping this Indian word, the town has retained a unique name for itself.[1]
In 1939, the church building was moved on log rollers drawn by horses from its original location to a plot of land owned by the parish. The parish hall (built ca 1900) already stood on this site, and the church was placed alongside that building. A two-story addition was built in 1949 to provide room for Sunday School, offices, a kitchen, and general purpose space. The historic chapel has remained in continuous use since it was built in 1774. Trinity Church is located at 182 NC Hwy 33 West in Chocowinity.[citation needed]
Trinity Episcopal Cemetery
editTrinity Cemetery | |
 Trinity Cemetery, September 2013 | |
   | |
| Location | NC 33, .07 miles west of junction with NC 1157, Washington, North Carolina |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 35°30′57″N 77°07′09″W / 35.51583°N 77.11917°W |
| Area | approximately one acre |
| Built | c. 1860 |
| Architect | Couper, J. D.; Walsh, C. M. |
| Architectural style | Funerary art |
| NRHP reference No. | 11000545[2] |
| Added to NRHP | August 19, 2011 |
In the mid-19th century, land was given to the parish to serve as a cemetery. Many notable town leaders and Beaufort County citizens were buried therein, including Revolutionary and Civil War veterans. Penelope and Aspley Grist (sisters) donated further tracts of land to expand the cemetery. The Major General Bryan Grimes cenotaph was erected in the center of the cemetery in his memory and has remained a popular site for Civil War enthusiasts and historians to visit.[3]
The cemetery has continued to serve the parish and community to the present day. In August 2011, the cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places.[2]
List of Priests and Deacons
edit- The Rev'd Nathaniel Blount[citation needed]
- The Rev'd Israel Harding[citation needed]
- The Rev'd Nathaniel Harding[citation needed]
- The Rev'd Nicholas Collin Hughes[citation needed]
- The Rev'd Nicholas Collin Hughes, Jr. (later served as Archdeacon of Raleigh)[citation needed]
- The Rev'd Alexander C. D. Noe[citation needed]
- The Rev'd Charles Malone[citation needed]
- The Rev'd Samuel Black[citation needed]
- The Rev'd James Alves[citation needed]
- The Rev'd Richard Ottaway[citation needed]
- The Rev'd Fred Ferris[citation needed]
- The Rev'd Kenneth Townsend[citation needed]
- The Rev'd Irwin Hulbert[citation needed]
- The Rev'd Jeremiah Day[citation needed]
- The Rev'd Lawrence P. Houston[citation needed]
- The Rev'd William Bomar Etters[citation needed]
- The Rev'd Michael C. Nation[citation needed]
- The Rev'd James Cooke[citation needed]
- The Rev'd J. M. Browne, III[citation needed]
Deacons
- The Rev'd Deacon Susan Moody DuVal[citation needed]
- The Venerable Joy Morgan Dosher[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ Town of Chocowinity website
- ^ a b "National Register of Historic Places Listings". Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 8/15/11 through 8/19/11. National Park Service. 2011-08-26.
- ^ Laura Blokker (July 2010). "Trinity Cemetery" (pdf). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved 2014-08-01.
Further reading
edit- Parish Records, Trinity Episcopal Church, Chocowinity, NC, USA
- Beaufort County Courthouse Deedbooks
- A History of the Episcopal Church in North Carolina
- East Carolina University, Joyner Library, Repository for the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina
