St. George’s History comprises individual articles, documents and collections around the 300 year history of St. George’s Episcopal Church, located in Fredericksburg Virginia. This site is unrelated to St. George's main website.
Supplementing them are a category-based search, a content index and a timeline. We have two tour documents - a building summary and a 15 minute walking tour you can take in the church.
If this is your first visit, check out the 2 tours - building summary and a 15 minute walking tour.
Recent articles
The Rev. Thomas G. Faulkner took life as a spiritual journey
An appreciation on the death of the Rev. Tom Faulkner.
Faith & Family – Charles Sydnor’s farewell, 2003
Free Lance-Star, Posted: Sunday, May 4, 2003 1:08 am By JANET MARSHALL NEAR THE END of his farewell sermon last Sunday, the Rev. Charles Sydnor of St. George’s Episcopal Church said he had one last, important thing to pass on. For nearly 30 years, Sydnor had tended to the spiritual needs of his parishioners, baptizing … Read more
The History of the ECW Bazaar – “It’s Bazaar”
Growing up in Fredericksburg, the St. George’s Episcopal Bazaar was one of the earliest signs Christmas was on the way. Recently, I was noticing how many churches hold a special money raising activity involving the entire church. In this region of the Diocese, there is a car show, a silent auction, yard sale and a … Read more
FIRE! 1854
5 years after the church is consecrated a potentially devastating fire could have destroyed it.
The Creation of the Third Church 1848-49
Several documents surrounding the creation of the third church.
At the conclusion of the construction, Rev. McGuire reported to the Annual Convention of the Episcopal Church in 1849:
There is still reason for acknowledging the good hand of our God, in the condition of this parish. We have shared the encouraging tokens of his grace and goodness. The undertaking reported to the last Convention has issued in the completion of a new Church, large and commodious, gratifying the taste in its architectural beauty and promising much advantage to us in prosperity and growth. The builders have been paid, leaving us without debt.
The 1849 Church Builders
More support for Robert Cary Long as St. George’s architect who practiced in Baltimore with examples of workers for St. George’s hired from Baltimore: During the 1981 renovation, Barbara Willis noted the following names written in chalk and covered on the right hand stair wall in the narthex, June, 1981. William Gilill (W H G) … Read more
Robert Cary Long, Jr, Book of Common Prayer presented to John Metcalfe
Another proof of Long being our architect. A letter and title page to a Book of Common Prayer presented to John Metcalfe. Metcalfe was a businessman in Fredericksburg in the first half of the 19th century serving as a notary public and book keeper for Farmers Bank as well as President Fredericksburg Aqueduct Company,Commissioner of … Read more
FredericksburgNews – May 9, 1848 – erection of the 3rd church
This was before the church was consecrated in 1849. In the 1849, Annual Convention,the Rev.Edward McGuire reported “There is still reason for acknowledging the good hand of God, in the condition of this parish. We have shared the encouraging tokens of his grace and goodness. The undertaking reported to the last Convention has issued the … Read more
Broadside – “To the Pewholders and friends of the Protestant Episcopal Church, Residing in the towns of Fredericksburg, Falmouth and vicinities, June 27, 1846”
Quenzel introduction – “The congregation was so greatly enlarged by an unusually successful but non-sensational revival in 1831 that the vestry seriously considered enlarging the church building. By 1846, the urgent need of a new building was so generally recognized that a broadside soliciting funds was addressed to the pewholders. A frank admission was made … Read more
1. Carrol Quenzel's History of St. George's
Quenzel's 1951 history is still the standard for the church. He was a librarian for Mary Washington College as well as being active at St. George's, helping to create the St. Georgian newsletter as well as a part of the Vestry. We have the entire book online which was published by St. George's
2. The Three Churches of St. George's - Barbara Willis
Barbara Willis was a local historian and writer and long time St. Georgian with her husband Mac. This paper is a detailed summary of the evolution of St. George's church from its wooden colonial church to the impressive 1849 brick building we have today.
The Civil War may be the most popular historic topic in all of our history. The church served in 3 capacities - as a fortress, center of revival and as a hospital. We have a 9 part series on our role and relationship to Fredericksburg.
McGuire served all 3 churches over the course of 45 years. He is probably the most influential of all our rectors in all phases of ministry from preaching, teaching, and outreach. Trip Wiggins, our archivist, wrote this for a Sunday school class and has been teaching classes for years
5. Charles Syndor on Social Policy
Charles Sydnor served St. George's from 1972-2003 and was responsible for furthering Thomas Faulkner's outreach ministries and creating new ones. This paper he wrote in 2009 was for an adult forum in that year.
6. Tom Faulkner confronts the Vestry on race
Faulkner served St. George's for 30 years from 1946-1976. During these years racial policies were paramount, especially 1954, in the year of Brown vs. Board of Education, Faulkner was challenged by the Vestry on the role of Blacks in our service. He was able to move St. George's toward racial justice that other rectors would further
