St.
James's History
by E. Randolph Trice
St. James’s was the third Episcopal church to be established in Richmond. In 1831 a group of Episcopalians living on Shockoe Hill, in what was then the western edge of the city, petitioned Bishop Richard Channing Moore seeking permission to start a new church on Shockoe Hill. In 1835 a small lot at the corner of Fifth and Marshall streets was acquired and a small Sunday school building was erected on the property. In 1837 the Reverend Adam Empie, president of the College of William and Mary, was called to be rector. The first service was held in November, 1837 in the Sunday school building and the cornerstone was laid on April 2, 1838. Consecration services were held on June 23, 1839.
In 1854, following the rectorship of Dr. Empie and that of his successor, Dr. George B. Cummins, the vestry elected the Reverend Joshua Peterkin. Dr. Peterkin, who served for thirty-seven years, was active in establishing other churches in Richmond, among them Holy Trinity, St. Mark’s and St. Philip’s. During the days of racial segregation he taught African Americans to read and during the Civil War he ministered to Confederate soldiers. Two windows in the present church are memorials to communicants General J. E. B. Stuart, whose funeral service was held at the church, and Captain Sally Tompkins, who was the only woman officer in the Confederate Army. The attractive brass pulpit used today was given as a memorial to the beloved Dr. Peterkin shortly after his death in 1892.
His successor, the Reverend John K. Mason, advocated moving the church to what was then the west end of Richmond, a move intended to follow the gradual
Western movement of many communicants. His dream was realized under the rectorship of the Reverend William Meade Clark. On May 7, 1912 the cornerstone of the present church was laid at Franklin and Birch streets.
In April 1915, the vestry called the Reverend G. Freeland Peter, who remained until 1928. In 1926 the St. Andrew’s Chimes were given to St. James’s by Mr. Henry Lee Valentine. In addition to calling worshipers to church on Sunday, they ring daily at noon, 3:00 in the afternoon and at 6:00 in the evening – signaling neighborhood children that it is time to hustle home for either lunch or supper.
Dr. Churchill J. Gibson began his ministry at St. James’s in October 1929 and severed as its rector until April of 1957. His joyful faith, happy nature, and acute sensitivity endeared him to his congregation and to the community. Under his leadership the church continued to grow. Additional space was added to the Sunday school building. It was designated the Churchill J. Gibson Building and was opened in 1956.
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