A Portion of the Unrecorded History of the Church in the Fork
We are deeply indebted to Lieutenant-General Andrew J. Boyle (Ret.) for the compilation of The Church in the Fork: A History of Historic Little Fork Church, (Copyright 1983). This important history of our Church was gleaned from many records and written chronicles relating to our iconic brick church. Regrettably, however, the extraordinary labor and artisan skills of the many enslaved persons who were involved in the construction of the Little Fork Church during the 1773-1776 construction period is missing from the historical records. We are not aware of any written record of these enslaved persons who toiled on the creation of this Colonial House of Worship. Without specifically indicating the slave contributions Gen. Boyle, in pertinent part, notes that “… most of the materials and artisans had to come from the local area.”
The many thousands of bricks that were dug, formed, fired, and laid in Flemish Bond were undoubtedly almost entirely the labor and craftsmanship of enslaved persons as was the custom in Colonial Virginia. Similarly, the labor and skills in the cutting, shaping, transport, and erection of the huge timbers in the substantial mortise and tenon jointed attic would have been primarily a result of slave construction efforts. Even the exquisite pediment of the Little Fork Church Reredos, which mimic the design of the historic Salubria mansion drawing room, was certainly the work of artisan slaves. Using enslaved persons for highly skilled building trades and heavy manual labor was the order of the day in 18th Century Virginia.
As we look to celebrate the anniversaries of the Historic Little Fork Church (1730 St. Marks Parish and 1776 completion of the existing brick structure), we need to recognize that the only surviving Colonial Church in Culpeper County exists today not only because of the excellence of its design, but also because of the blood, toil, and sweat of the enslaved persons whose labor and skills created this estimable tribute to our enduring cultural heritage. The stories of these enslaved persons were not recorded or officially recognized, but their significant contributions to this magnificent part of our heritage deserves our abiding respect and appreciation.
G. Robert Lee, Little Fork Episcopal Church Trustee
Tags: History