A BRIEF HISTORY OF ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
1914 Ballenger Creek Pike, P.O. Box 216
Point of Rocks, Maryland 21777
1998
Derived from the 1984 Parish Profile written by Virginia Cully, Consultant,
and members of St. Paul's, Russell Brewer, Toni Lake, Bill Rodgers, Helen
Rodgers, and Anne Slater. Edited on the basis of oral sources, 1998.
The Setting
St. Paul's Church is located in rural Frederick County, Maryland, on the
northern edge of the town of Point
of Rocks. The Potomac River is the southern boundary of the town. A
railroad line runs adjacent to the river. The Point of Rocks train station
is unique, a Maryland landmark, and serves as a commuter station. The graveyard
surrounding the church building is thought of by the community as the Point
of Rocks' cemetery, rather than solely the resting place for parishioners
of St. Paul's. St. Paul's Church is on the National Register of Historic
Places.
In 1984, Point of Rocks was described as "a small community of approximately
750 population, located 15 miles south of Frederick, Maryland. The population
is about equally divided between blue-collar and white-collar workers.
Minorities make up about one per-cent of the population." There are five
churches in the area, including St. Paul's. Point of Rocks' proximity to
commuter rail service and good highways make it an ideal location for those
who work in Washington, D.C., as well as the Rockville and Gaithersburg,
Maryland, areas.
The Beginning: 1842-1882 St. Paul's, a mission of St. Mark's, Petersville
On October 26, 1843, the present building of St. Paul's Church, Point of
Rocks, Maryland, was consecrated by the Rt. Rev. William Whittingham, Bishop
of Maryland. Two years before, in 1841, several members of the Church petitioned
the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland to form a separate parish from St. Marks,
Petersville (St. Mark's congregation no longer exists), for the convenience
of having a church closer to the Point of Rocks area. The church was built
by slaves belonging to the Duval plantation in 1842 on land donated by
Messrs. Duval and Wirtz, one half acre each, using bricks made on the property.
The location was then "in the country," a mile north of the small town
of Point of Rocks. The timbers used in the church's construction were cut
from trees on the land. The clergy of St. Mark's parish continued to serve
St. Paul's Church for forty years.
During the Civil War, St. Paul's Church was used by Union troops of
the United States Army. The building and its interior furnishings were
used as barricades and for firewood. The building also served as a hospital
and for cooking purposes. Following the war, the Vestry sued the United
States Government for compensation and was awarded $1,000 by the 59th Congress
for war damages. The payment was used for restoration purposes.
1887 St. Paul's Chapel built in Point of Rocks after the Civil War
The first resident minister of St. Paul's was the Rev. Thomas S. Bacon,
D.D., who came during the 1880's. Church members decided to build a more
accessible chapel in the town of Point of Rocks, and in 1887, the cornerstone
of St. Paul's Chapel was laid. The first service was held in 1889, with
the consecration being held in 1890. In June 1889, a severe flood placed
the chapel under twelve feet of water. When several more minor floods invaded
the building, it became obvious that higher ground was needed.
1911 Holy Trinity Church built to replace the Chapel
The cornerstone of Holy Trinity Church, Point of Rocks, was laid in 1911,
with consecration being held in 1912. Holy Trinity was built with bricks
hauled to the site from St. Paul's Chapel by horse and wagon. The furnishings
and twelve stained glass windows were also moved from St. Paul's Chapel
to Holy Trinity. Funds for the erection of this church were chiefly received
from public subscription in a drive spearheaded by the Rev. Richard W.
Trapnell, an active member of the Order of Masons, who was later interred
beneath the altar. Holy Trinity was closed by the Bishop of Maryland in
1966 when it was decided that two Episcopal church buildings were not needed
in the area. The building was later sold to a Baptist congregation.
1966 The restoration of St. Paul's
There are eight other Episcopal churches in Frederick County, but a void
existed in the southern area for Sunday worship. The four-member congregation
at St. Paul's had only bi-monthly evening services. The closest churches
are in Brunswick, a larger railroad town with a strong sense of community,
and in Frederick, where the traditional "Mother Church" of the county All
Saints,' Frederick has a large, diversified congregation. A need existed
for another choice because of location and churchmanship. St. Paul's was
the logical choice. The building was well established in the area because
of its age and recognized significance in local history.
In the 1960s, St. Paul's Church was used only twice a year -- Memorial
Day and Parish Day (Homecoming). In fact, until 1980, St. Paul's had never
had regular Sunday worship services. In 1966 the decision was made to restore
the original St. Paul's building.
St. Paul's Church in 1966 was in need of extensive restoration. The
joints, floor, walls, pews, altar rail, and sacristy all needed repairs
from termite damage. The work was undertaken with the oversight of the
Rev. Dick Salmon, then rector of Grace, Brunswick and later rector of All
Saints, Frederick, and with funds solicited by Miss Cornelia Hickman, Point
of Rocks Post Mistress and long-time member of St. Paul's.
In 1969, with the completion of the repair work, a revitalization of
membership began. A slow but steady increase of members added new life
and spirit to St. Paul's. Weekly Sunday morning worship at St. Paul's began
in May 1980, led by priests and lay readers. A parish house, Hickman Hall,
was erected in 1983 and consecrated by the Rt. Rev. Theodore Eastman.
During the 1980's, Sunday services were conducted by the Rev. William
Fallowfield, then Director of the Bishop Clagget Conference Center, in
nearby Buckeystown.
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