Last week, we went for a drive and found the old historical site of the Polegreen Church not too far from our house. It was a bit hot and Molly was on her last moments of being good, so we didn't stay long. I had read about this old church site on the internet and had wanted to check it out. Here is an excerpt from that web site and the link to it for further information.
For more than a century the Polegreen Church stood as a monument to the Hanover Dissenters and Samuel Davies in their struggle for religious liberty in pre-revolutionary America. In 1864, during America's agonizing Civil War, General Grant, trying to take Richmond, made an attempt to break through General Lee's lines along the Totopotomoy Creek. Polegreen Church rested squarely in the center as the two armies faced each other. During an attack the Union forces overran the Confederate outer positions and occupied the church. In an effort to dislodge Union sharpshooters, Confederate artillery fired on the church. According to the diary of William S. White, a gunner with the Richmond Howitzers, his gun fired the shot that set the church ablaze. Ironically, his diary notes that his own father had been baptized in Polegreen Church.
In war-ravaged Hanover County the congregation which had worshipped at Polegreen could not afford to rebuild the destroyed church. Over the years since 1864 all signs of the great center of the struggle for religious liberty vanished.
http://www.historicpolegreen.org/
* We are very impressed to notice that we received a comment from the executive director & VA delegate, Christopher Peace, within hours of our posting here. He also mentioned another site to look at if you'd like more information.
1 comment:
Thank you for highlighting the work of our Foundation to preserve the historic Polegreen Church site and commemorate the struggle for civil and religious freedom in Colonial Virginia by Rev. Samuel Davies and the Hanover Dissenters.
By accomplishing this mission, we preserve the memory of Hanover Dissenters who struggled courageously and successfully for civil and religious freedom in Virginia and in so doing increase appreciation for the liberties that we enjoy today in the United States.
By 2018, the 275th Anniversary of the founding of Polegreen Church, the Foundation will be recognized for its leadership in the historic interpretation of civil and religious freedom in Colonial Virginia through preservation of the site, community outreach and educational programs.
We are unveiling a new retooled multimedia website with oral histories, earned media links and more information about our stretgic partnerships such as the Road to Revolution State Heritage Trail! (www.roadtorevolution.org)
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