St. James' Parish (Lothian, Maryland) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. James Church
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St. James' Parish, March 2010
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 Location in Maryland
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Bristol, Maryland |
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| Built | 1763 |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000565 |
| Added to NRHP | May 7, 1972 |
St. James' Parish is a historic church found on Solomons Island Road in the small community of Tracys Landing, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. This church has a long and interesting history, dating back to the late 1600s. It's a special place that has seen many changes over the centuries.
Contents
A Look at St. James' History
How the Church Began
In 1692, St. James' Parish, also known as Old Herring Creeke, was officially created. This happened when the Maryland General Assembly, which was like the state's government back then, followed orders from Sir Lionel Copley. He was the Royal Governor of Maryland. They passed a law called the Act of Establishment. This law divided the area of Maryland into 30 Anglican parishes. An Anglican parish is a church area for the Church of England. Even before this, people were already worshiping in the area. We don't know the exact spot of that very first church.
In 1695, the church's leaders, called the vestry, decided to build a new church. They chose the spot where the church stands today in Lothian.
Early Milestones
A few years later, in 1698, St. James' Parish opened the first church library in America for the Church of England parishes. A kind person named Rev. Dr. Thomas Bray gave 118 books for this library that year.
The first main pastor, or rector, was Reverend Henry Hall. He stayed at St. James' until he passed away in 1722. By 1763, the old church was too small for everyone. So, the vestry decided to build a new, bigger church. This new church was finished in 1765. It's the same building that people still use for worship today!
Later, in 1768, Rev. Walter Magowan became the rector. He was a friend of George Washington and served the church until 1784.
A Bishop from St. James'
In 1792, the seventh rector of St. James', Rev. Dr. Thomas John Claggett, left his position. He became the first Bishop of Maryland. A bishop is a high-ranking church leader. What makes this even more special is that Bishop Claggett was the first Episcopal bishop to be officially appointed in America.
Growing the Church Community
Over the years, St. James' Parish helped start several smaller churches, called chapels, in nearby towns:
- St. Mark's Chapel in Friendship was dedicated in 1850.
- The Chapel of St. James the Less in Owensville started in 1853. Today, it is known as Christ Church, West River.
- St. James' Chapel in Tracys Landing opened in 1876.
- Another St. Mark's Chapel was built in 1924.
In 1972, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of important historical sites in the United States. The church property also has a cemetery. It's believed to have the oldest dated grave in Maryland, from 1655!
Gallery
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St. James Parish Episcopal Church in 1936
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St. James' Parish Historic Marker, March 2010
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St. James' Parish Belfry Detail, March 2010
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