Old Donation Church is the
third Lynnhaven Parish Church and is the oldest Episcopal Church
in Virginia Beach. Records show that the parish’s first church
services were held in 1637 in the home of Adam Thoroughgood.
The first church building was constructed on Mr. Thoroughgood’s
land in 1639 on the location later known as “Church Point.” The
vestry, or governing body of the church, was established in
1640.
By 1691 the church building
had begun to deteriorate and the land around the church was
slowly being eroded by the Lynnhaven River. The vestry approved
the building of a new church on two acres of land purchased from
Ebenezer Taylor. The second Lynnhaven Parish Church was
completed in 1692.
As the parish grew the second
church was no longer able to meet the needs of the larger
congregation. In 1733 the vestry ordered the building of a new
church that could accommodate the parish’s needs. The third
church was accepted by the vestry on June 25, 1736.
The last colonial rector of
Lynnhaven Parish was the Reverend Robert Dickson. He served as
rector of the parish for 25 years. Upon his death in 1776, he
left his home, slaves and property to the church. This
property, which was to be used as a free school for orphan boys,
became known as “Donation Farm.” It is from this reference that
the church became known as Old Donation Church. The Reverend
Dickson was buried under the altar in the 1736 church.
Although records show that
Old Donation Church underwent repairs in 1822, it was enjoying
regular services and had a healthy congregation. In the years
that followed, however, many families moved to the area that we
know today as “Kempsville.” In 1842, the parish was reorganized
to accommodate these new outlying communities and a new church,
Emmanuel Episcopal Church, was built in Kempsville.
Soon after Emmanuel Church
was completed, Old Donation was abandoned for services. In 1882
a forest fire gutted the abandoned church leaving only the
exterior walls standing. Through the interest of Thurmer
Hoggard and his family, yearly services were held in the
roofless ruins to keep the memory of the old church alive.
In 1911 an organization was
founded to raise funds to rebuild Old Donation. Through the
enthusiastic and tireless efforts of the Rev. Richard Alfriend
and Judge B. D. White, construction was begun in 1912. The
church’s restoration was finished in 1916 and Old Donation was
once again open for services. The church’s bell tower was
erected in 1923.
The church underwent major
repairs in the 1960s to ensure the building’s structural
integrity. It was during this time that the slate floors were
installed. These renovations were completed in 1966. Old
Donation is included on the National Register of Historic Places
and is one of the stops on the Bayside History Trail.
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for articles regarding the history of Old Donation Episcopal Church.
