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
Henry Willis (1691-1740)
Willis was from Gloucester County and obtained a patent for land in Spotsylvania. When Fredericksburg was laid out in 1727 he became one of the trustees. He was a key leader. Col. Byrd, when he visited Fredericksburg in 1732 spoke of him as the “Top man of the place.” People seemed to have differing opinions … Read more
Mary Jane O’Neill (1946- )
Mary Jane is a cradle Episcopalian and has been a member of St. George’s since 1988. She has been a major contributor to both the operating portion of St. George’s , Nave Renovation Capital Campaign and the renovation of the Kitchen in 2013. She was a member of the Vestry 2009-2011. She has served as … Read more
Casper Wistar Wallace (1834-1907)
He was son of John Wallace (1793-1872) and grew up with his brothers, A. Wellington Wallace and Charles H. Wallace, Howson Wallace in Fredericksburg Wallace was an attorney before the Civil War and served in Company C, 30th Va during the Civil War During the last eight months of the war Captain Wallace was Acting … Read more
Duff Green (1792-1854)
The Green family was from Culpeper and was lured to Falmouth due to the developing flour industry in Famouth. By 1830’s he was an inspector of flour at the port of Falmouth. This was a significant position. Reports sent to Richmond and published in Va. Herald show more barrels of flour deriving from Falmouth than … Read more
Peter Myers (1927-2016)
Pete was a northerner from Long Island who came to St. George’s some 60 years ago in 1956 before he was 30 years old. He carried with him from New York a love of the sea and owned several boats in his life time. He journeyed to Richmond early in his career where he sold … Read more
Bill Greenup (1934-2015)
From his obituary “He was born on Sept. 9, 1934, the youngest son of Murray and Gretta Greenup of Lorain, Ohio. He was an alumnus of Brookside High School in Sheffield, Ohio, The Ohio State University in Columbus and The University of Oklahoma in Norman. He retired as director of the Marine Corps Research Center … Read more
Mary Downman (1833-1926), William Yates Downman (1830-1864)
Mary Hayes Downman gave the “Road to Emmaus” stained glass window to St. George’s in 1912 which was the church’s first Tiffany windows. It was given in honor of two sons who predeceased her –Rawleigh W. and James H. Downman. James Downman died of a gun accident in 2011 and left Mrs. Downman all of … Read more
Zachary Lewis (1702-1764)
Zachary Lewis was one of the very early leaders of St. George’s. He served on the Vestry from 1727-1764 and was clerk of the Vestry from 1727-1746. Paula Felder writes in her book Forgotten Companions that at his death he left 2,000 pounds which he had earned though “good judgment and hard work. But he … Read more
Martha Embrey (1921-2015)
I talked with Martha on May 18, 2015 about two months before her death. She was spry, alert and of course very opinionated! She said she served 40 years on the Altar Guild which is certainly a record for longevity. She stressed that she always followed the orders of the priests. She said the job … Read more
Edgar Woodward (1905-1990)
Woodward was from Akron Ohio a graduate of Ohio State and spent 33 years at Mary Washington College in the financed area. In 1950 he was the Bursar and by 1967 Comptroller. He served on the Vestry in the late 1950’s, 1960’s and into the 1970’s. Russ Roberts remembered him this way – “The main … 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
