We often have school groups visiting our church throughout the year, but once in a while we have other special groups requesting a visit. On Friday, October 27th we had a group of 30 visitors, all descendants of Capt. Thomas Graves, a 1608 settler of Jamestown. Capt. Graves was part of the first legislative Assembly, representing Smith’s Hundred.
Smith’s Hundred Church is where our silver was first given, from the will of Mistress Mary Robinson of London. The church did not survive the Indian massacre of 1622, and its survivors fled to Jamestown. The silver went to Sir George Yeardley, Captain of the Hundred, and later Governor of Virginia. At his death in 1627, Lady Yeardley gave the communion silver to the governing body at Jamestown, which awarded it to Elizabeth City Parish (St. John’s) that year.
The Graves descendants were especially interested in viewing our 1618 London-made silver pieces, as Capt. Graves would most likely have used it during his church worship at Smith’s Hundred. We normally do not take out our silver for visiting groups, but with their historical connection, we made an exception. The family were so appreciative to be able to see and photograph our communion silver.
Originally published in St. John’s Epistle, November 2017.