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
Angel of the Resurrection (1914)
This was a popular subject – symbol of purity. Famous Angel of Resurrection window in Indianpolis commissioned by Benjamin Harrison’s 2nd wife. Inscription: “Whosoever Liveth and Believeth In Me, Shall Never Die” Dedication: In memory of Alexander Keene Phillips, 1805-1892 and Annie Douglas Phillips, 1835-1913 Given by children of Alexander Keene Phillips in memory of … Read more
10 Tiffany techniques present in St. George’s Windows
Opalescent Glass – fusing of colors From “Angel of Victory” Opalescent glass is a generalized term for clear and semi-opaque pressed glass, cloudy, marbled, and sometimes accented with subtle coloring all combining to form a milky opalescence in the glass. This opalescence is also created in the glassmaking by alternating heating and cooling of the … Read more
Louis Comfort Tiffany
St. George’s has three Tiffany windows though one is a double window with two distinct scenes, one below the gallery level and the other at gallery level. All were installed in the Church during the years 1912-1917. Tiffany’s significance in art was that he was the creator of an American glass. Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933) … Read more
Phillips Brooks at St. George’s 1859
It is appropriate that when we re-hung the plaques after the renovation the Phillips Brooks plaque was moved from the back wall of the Church to the front next to the pulpit. From the time he preached at St. George’s in July, 1859 until his premature death in 1893 at age 57 Phillips Brooks … Read more
Reuben Thom (1782-1868)
There are two marble plaques inside the Church toward the front. One of the individuals is well-known – Rev. Edward McGuire who served the Church for 45 years from 1813-58. The other plaque on the right or south side of the Church honors a gentleman less well known – Reuben Thom. Together they dominated St. … Read more
History and Tradition in St. George’s Renovation 2002-2010 – the Chancel
When we think of communication during our church service, we immediately think of a minister’s sermon or a choir performing a well-rehearsed anthem. While the priests and musicians obviously communicate, so does the interior space. The buildings we worship in teach us theological truths about God through symbols and arrangement of various objects. This idea … Read more
The Three Churches of St. George’s Fredericksburg- Barbara P. Willis
BARBARA P. WILLIS The first church built in Fredericksburg was by action of the Vestry of St. George’s Parish at a meeting on March 13th, 1732. Col. Henry Willis contracted to build it and the new church at Mattapony for 150,000 lbs. of tobacco. George Home, who surveyed the newly established town of Fredericksburg (1728) … Read more
Edward McGuire
Part 1 – The Builder
Edward McGuire is arguably the most important figure in St. George’s almost 300 year history. He served as rector for 45 years, 1813-1858 the longest in our record and served in all three St. George’s Church buildings and helped to build two of them. That alone makes him a pivotal figure in this Church. But, his influence stretched beyond the confines of St. George’s
Walking Tour
Text of the tour Stops 1. Narthex 2. Chancel 3. Plaque to Edward McGuire 4. Plaque to Reuben Thom 5. Plaque to Phillips Brooks 6. Pews, Part 1 7. Organ 8. Architecture Barbara Willis – Three Churches of St. George’s 9. Stained Glass Windows—Angel of the Resurrection, 1914 10. “Angel of Victory of Guardian of … Read more
Christmas, 1883
Most of the church bulletins in our archives are post 1970’s. One exception is the one below from 1883 which is wonderfully preserved. Christmas from at least the 1880’s through the 1920’s featured only one Christmas Eve service which was a Sunday School celebration around 7pm with a single service at 11am on Christmas day. … 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
