Little Fork Church Notes From History – December 28, 2023
Notes from History No. 15, One of the first 12
On the second Sunday of Advent we had visit from a young couple from Utah. Tanner Cave and his lovely girlfriend were staying in Fairfax and decided to take a road trip on a Sunday they thought the Church would be open. Tanner’s story set me off on another History hunt. His Great… Grandfather Captain Benjamin Cave 1680 – 1762, Findagrave was one of Saint Mark’s first 12 Vestry members.
Searching for Cave in our Saint Mark’s Parish Vestry Book & Levies 1730-1785 Transcribed.pdf returns 47 matches for Belfield, Benjamin, David and Joseph. Page 11, On January 1, 1730 at a meeting at the church in Germanna Benjamin along with 11 others were elected the Vestry of the newly formed Saint Mark’s Parish. In March of 1731 the Vestry ordered that Benjamin be paid 100 pounds of tobacco to find someone to sweep and clean the Mountain Chapel. We are attempting to locate this but I believe this is what is referred to as the Southwest Mountain Chapel and the congregation most likely attends Grace Episcopal Church in Keswick Virginia but that’s another story.
On July 7, 1735 a Land Grant was issued to Benjamin for 200 acres in the fork of the Rapidan River Orange County see Library of Virginia. In 1736 Benjamin was paid 119 pounds for “Shirfs” fees. Benjamin’s son William Cave 1738 – 1804, Findagrave was born. In May of 1740 Saint Mark’s was divided and St. Thomas Parish was created. Benjamin’s land was now in the newly formed Parish.
After Culpeper was formed from Orange County in 1749 Landowners were required to survey and file Grants in the newly formed county and on October 25, 1750 another Land Grant was issued to Benjamin for 439 aces in Little Fork. Wonder if he decided to move back to Saint’s Mark’s Parish.
Land grant 25 October 1750 from Library of Virginia, 439 acres in the Little Fork Culpeper County. Surveyed by George Hume on August 4, 1749.
Working on placing this on the map. What was Hedgman’s River in 1750 is the Rappahannock River today
It is adjacent to land owned by Robert Green but doesn’t line up with my records of Green, there are probably some I have missed and will keep searching