Greene County, NC - Churches File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Martha Mewborn Marble LITTLE GOSHEN EPISCOPAL CHURCH The original information is found in the William Murphy Collection at East Carolina University in Greenville and was transcribed by Ima Mewborn. Bobby Boykin sent me another copy, having misplaced mine, for posting. He also included a rendering done by an architect based on the description and if possible that will also be posted. Bobby stated that the church looked a lot like the church at Williamsboro, NC which is the oldest wooden church still standing in NC. Of course, this was not called an Episcopal Church at the time, but Church of England. The minister was William Miller and someone is sending some information on the Rev. Miller who was sent by the Church from London to Dobbs County. At the Vestry held for St. Patricks Parish the 3 day of May 1770 – Present The revd Willm Miller Simon Bright, Drew Aldrige, William Bell, Robert Williams, Martin Caswell, Major Croom, John Tilmon, Thomas Edwards – Vestrymen To the Hon. Abraham Shepherd & Capt. John Murphrey Trustees It is agreed that a Chapel should be built on some part of the old field belonging to the said Shepherd & Murphry called Little Goshen to be 60 feet long & 30 feet wide in the Clear, the Foundations to be begun 5 bricks thick & so continued to the surface of the earth & from thence 4 bricks thick to the water table which is to be 4 foot above the top of the earth. The walls are to be well framed of Pine or Cypress timbers well seasoned to 25 foot pitch from the surface of the earth. The Doors in the North & South sides to be 12 foot high & 6 foot wide from onte, a door in the West End 16 foot high & 3 foot wide, 5 Cumpass Windows in each side and 2 at the East Side 13 foot high & foot wide to be glazed with best London crown and to contain 32 lights in the square part and 2 windows in the West End convenent to the Gallery. The flooring of the pews & Isles to be laid with well seasoned quarter pine plank cleared of sap on good White Oak sleepers, the wainscot for the pews to be well seasoned pine or sypress plank raised on one Diameter at the bottom of the Sharft to be fluted & the capitals of a good Order. A Gallery to be at the West End 10 foot wide to be divided into sets of pews with stairs to go up on each side. The roof to be well framed with Pine or Cypress, the girders to be 12 inches squared the summers 12 inches squared, the joists to be 12 by 3 the principal rafters to be 10 inches by 3, the purloines to be 10 by 8 & the smaller rafters to be 10 by 4, to be covered over with plank cyphered & lapped 1 ½ inches & covered with shingles of good cypress 20 inches long ¾ inch thick & not to show more than 6 inches. The Chapel to have a neat Madilioned cornick on the sides & each end, the pews to be the same height as them now in the present Parish church to be primed with white lead & to be painted with a wainscot colour. All the outside of the doors & windows & cornish to be primed or painted four times over with a neat straw colour and the walls all about primed or painted with white lead. A neat altar piece of walnut with handrails & banisters of the same with a neat pulpit and desks. The Church is to be completely finished by the last of May 1772. One hundred pounds to be paid to the undertakers on the last of May next. Two hundred pounds to be paid on May last 1772. Jesse Jones nad William Mackenny are herewith appointed to see that the said work is forward & faithfully done with good materials. It is also agreed by the Vestry that Abraham Sheppard & John Murphrey shall underwrite with Thomas Edwards for the building of the aforementioned chapel according to the plain & that they shall pay 200 pounds current money for same. Truly recorded Jas. Lindsay, V. Clk To the Honorable, The Wardens & Vestry of St. Patricks Prish We, your Humble patitioners do feel that the Chapels in the parish are at Present to distant and inconvenient to the Churchmen of this neighborhood. Therefore, we, the undersigned do agree to pay to the vestry of St. Patricks the sums listed opposite our respective names for the purpose of building and constructing a good clapboard chapel in a neat & compleat manner to be located on the lands of Capt. John Murphrey and Coll. Abraham Shepard at the lands on Contentney creek near the Publick warehouse, the said Murphery & Sheppard being sworn to undertake the building and laying off of said land. Coll. Abraham Sheppard 25.4.0 Capt. John Murphrey 20.5.0 Edwd. Coward 10.0.0 Elizabeth Murphrey 10.0.0 Needm Coward 2.5.0 John Freeman 4.6.0 Elisabeth Coward 1.0.0 David Jones 2.5.0 Willm. Acock 1.0.0 Simon Barrow 4.0.0 Bathsheby Pope 0.9.0 Benja. Shepherd 15.0.0 John Tindall 1.5.9 Drew Aldridge 11.0.5 Benja. Best 13.5.0 Margaret Best 1.0.0 James Glasgow 6.0.0 John Grainger 0.0.5 Francis Harper Senr 1.0.0 Briggs Hill 4.0.0 John Sugg 9.5.0 Sarah Jones 0.7.5 Jacob Lewis 0.0.1 Margaret Britt 0.9.5 Jacob Pope 1.0.8 Mark Smith 1.5.0 William Taylor 2.5.0 Elizabeth Sugg 4.0.0 Alexander Harper 9.0.0 Benjamin Caswell 16.0.5 Robert Hill 10.5.0 Sherod Grimsley 1.5.0 Ann Hill 7.5.0 Jno Murphrey, Junr 6.0.5 Simon Britt 1.1.1 Thomas Edwards 1.0.5 Jno Rasberry 0.8.4 Moses Fields 1.0.0 Jesse Britt 1.0.0 Thomas Williams 7.0.4 Westward Williams 2.0.0 Michl. Murphrey 1.0.4 Sarah Sheppard 0.4.0 David Ward 0.0.5 Joshua Thigpen 0.0.8 William Ormand 5.0.5 Ann Ormand 1.0.0 George Miller 0.3.0 Antony Vanpelt 4.0.0 Fredk. Jones 2.5.6 Burwell Hall 0.4.0 Absalom Sugg 0.6.5 Sarah Britt 0.0.7 Arthur Smith 1.0.0 Tomas Priggin 4.0.0 Mary Edward 0.9.0 Saml. Ruffin 8.0.0 Thomas Smith 1.0.0 Mary Smith 4.5.0 Martha Hill 5.0.0 Mary Aldridge 1.0.0 Wm. Spaight 2.5.0 Martha Caswell 1.5.0 Mary Taylor 1.0.0 Thoms. Harrison 2.0.0 LETTER Written to Captain (Jack) Murphrey to Murphrey Dixon Dear Couzin, As you have no doubt already heard the Vestry has authorized the construction of our chapel at Little Goshen for the use of our neighborhood. It is to be completed for use in the early part of 1772 or earlier. Shepheard & I are to underwrite the cost of the same & Edwards will undertake most of the building himself with but small cost to the Parish. We have need of two chairs, of good proporsion larger than table chairs and a large square table and readers desk. They are to be of walnut or cherry wood finished off in the best english manner not too plain but of a richness befitting their use. We desire also that the creed & the prayer be carved and gilded on planks to be used above the alter. The members of the Vestry spoke well of your work & feel your fee to be more reasonable than Thippen and the quality beter. If possible also it is the desire of the bord that you undertake the pulpit & bord. I will be home in the week & look forward to hearing from you then. Elizabeth sends her greeting to Mrs. Dickson and desires me to thank you for the rose bushes that she sent us. They are a most lovely addition to our arbor and will be greatly enjoyed. The races here have not been of much account because of the freshes which have kept all but those with court business away. Exum had an adventure day before when his canoe was sunk by the current & he near drowned. All his deeds & papers to be registered at the Court are by now floated to the sea & all will have to be rewritten and signed much to his worry & that of his cliants. Mine to all at your place. Yr. Obedt. Servant J. Murphry Mr. M. Dickson Grampon Hills Dobbs __________________________________________________________________________ USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. 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