Blog Some Genealogy

The Richmond Daily Dispatch is the result of a National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and collaboration between the University of Richmond, Tufts University’s Perseus Project, and the Virginia Center for Digital History. There are currently 1384 issues of the paper available online, ranging in date from November 1860 through December 1865.

Laurel Hill circa 1766, as it appears in 2006

The Lindsay family home, Laurel Hill, circa 1766, stands about 100 yards southeast of the Lindsay Family Cemetery in Lorton, Virginia near the old Washington DC prison.

The image, Laurel Hill circa 1766, was originally uploaded by barneykin. It is posted here from Neddy’s favorites.

At a young age, Christopher BRANCH, the immigrant ancestor of the BRANCH family of Virginia, along with his wife Mary, sailed on The London Merchant from Tilburyhope, England. The sailing vessel of 300 tons carried 200 colonists and arrived at Virginia in the springtime of 1620. By February of 1623/1624, Christopher BRANCH was recorded living at “ye College Land” in present day Henrico County, Virginia.

In England, Christopher’s BRANCH forebears had been very involved with Christ Hospital (The Fraternity of the Holy Cross). His grandfather BRANCH had served as Governor, Treasurer and Master of the Fraternity at various times. These Medieval hospitals were not medical establishments but existed as a means for Christians to help the poor and needy, as had been commanded by the teachings of Jesus.

This family heritage of Christian service and devotion was likely the impetus for Christopher Branch’s involvement in the ‘College Land’ project. “Fifty good persons”, two of whom were Christopher and Mary, were sent to Virginia. Every person had agreed that half of his labor would go to himself and the other half to provide for the work and maintenance of tutors and scholars. College Land was an extensive tract of 10,000 acres and several thousand more set aside by the Virginia Company, who had dispatched the settlers on the London Merchant, to erect and built a college in Virginia in order to Christianise and educate Indian children and to provide a school of higher learning for the families of the settlers.

The College Land of 1619, is considered the site of the first university in America, the University of Henrico. However, the grand plan was temporarily abandoned after the great Indian Massacre of 1622, when 500 settlers were murdered. Christopher and Mary BRANCH were amongst only sixty survivors of the settlers at College Land. Eventually, the funds from the University of Henrico went into the coffers of the College of William and Mary, which school is now more than 300 years old.

That is the Christian heritage of the College of William Mary, a public institution of higher learning that was built upon the blood and sweat of early Christian colonists. On the college grounds in Williamsburg is the Wren Building, the oldest and most famous of William and Mary’s buildings. It was designed by Sir Christopher Wren, completed in 1699, and has burned and been reconstructed three times since then. At the southern end of the Wren building lies the Wren Chapel, an institution of the Church of England in colonial Virginia, and later the Episcopal Church of America. During colonial times regular church services were held there. Now the chapel is used only for special occasions, such as weddings.

In the year 2006, the public college has deemed the golden cross which displays in the Christian chapel to be ‘offensive’ to some. Therefore, the offending Cross of Christ has been banished to a locked closet, to be brought forth only amongst those who would not be offended at the sight of a Christian cross in a Christian chapel. The college president himself, Gene R. Nichol, explained in an email:

“Let me be clear. I have not banished the cross from the Wren Chapel. The Chapel, as you know, is used for religious ceremonies by members of all faiths. The cross will remain in the Chapel and be displayed on the altar at appropriate religious services”.

VIDEO of the Wren Cross Being Removed to a Locked Closet

Christopher BRANCH and his wife, who played a part in the early establishment of a Christian college in Virginia, which became the College of William and Mary, were the ancestors of my great grandmother, Sallie Betty BRANCH of Buckingham County, Virginia.

There is more at “Putting Christ in the Closet” by Baron Bodissey.