Trinity Episcopal Church (Chocowinity, North Carolina)

Trinity Episcopal Church is an Episcopal parish established in 1774 by the Reverend Nathaniel Blount in Chocowinity, North Carolina, U.S..

History

In 1773, Nathaniel Blount sailed from Bath, NC to London, England to be ordained a priest. The Bishop of London ordained Mr. Blount to the priesthood in St Paul's Cathedral, Saint Paul's Cathedral, London. Upon his return to Bath, "Parson Blount," as he was known, had a church built. Giles Shute and John Herrington served as carpenters, according to a signed wooden panel in the sanctuary. The little building became known as Blount's Chapel.

In 1826, the Right Rev'd John Stark Ravenscroft consecrated the building as Trinity Church, a parish in the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. During the 19th century, the Grimes family were active in this parish. The Grimes held large tracts of land in Beaufort County, North Carolina, Beaufort and Pitt County, North Carolina, Pitt Counties.

The nearby town of Grimesland, North Carolina, Grimesland was named for them. Major General Bryan Grimes of the Confederate Army was a member of the parish. The parish's centennial in 1874 was marked by the addition of a formal chancel and sanctuary with stained glass windows. In 1883, Trinity Church became part of the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina, following the subdivision of the Diocese of North Carolina.

During the first half of the 20th century, the Rev'd N. C. Hughes, Jr, Trinity's rector, was influential in encouraging Chocowinity's citizens to retain the name of their town. There were citizens who desired to change the name. Belview was one of the names considered. Hughes is also credited with learning the meaning of the name of the town from an Indian in South Carolina who offered a translation, "fish from many waters." By keeping this Indian word, the town has retained a unique name for itself.Town of Chocowinity website
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In 1939, the church building was moved on log rollers drawn by horses from its original location to a plot of land owned by the parish. The parish hall (built ca 1900) already stood on this site, and the church was placed alongside that building.
A two-story addition was built in 1949 to provide room for Sunday school, Sunday School, offices, a kitchen, and general purpose space. The historic chapel has remained in continuous use since it was built in 1774. Trinity Church is located at 182 NC Hwy 33 West in Chocowinity, North Carolina, Chocowinity.

Trinity Episcopal Cemetery

In the mid-19th century, land was given to the parish to serve as a cemetery. Many notable town leaders and Beaufort County citizens were buried therein, including American Revolutionary War, Revolutionary and American Civil War, Civil War veterans. Penelope and Aspley Grist (sisters) donated further tracts of land to expand the cemetery. The Major General Bryan Grimes cenotaph was erected in the center of the cemetery in his memory and has remained a popular site for Civil War enthusiasts and historians to visit.

The cemetery has continued to serve the parish and community to the present day. In August 2011, the cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Notable burials

*William Henry von Eberstein, Baron William Henry von Eberstein (1821–1890), German aristocrat and Confederate soldier
*Bryan Grimes (1828–1880), Confederate military officer (memorialized here, not buried)

List of Priests and Deacons

* The Rev'd Nathaniel Blount
* The Rev'd Israel Harding
* The Rev'd Nathaniel Harding
* The Rev'd Nicholas Collin Hughes
* The Rev'd Nicholas Collin Hughes, Jr. (later served as Archdeacon of Raleigh)
* The Rev'd Alexander C. D. Noe
* The Rev'd Charles Malone
* The Rev'd Samuel Black
* The Rev'd James Alves
* The Rev'd Richard Ottaway
* The Rev'd Fred Ferris
* The Rev'd Kenneth Townsend
* The Rev'd Irwin Hulbert
* The Rev'd Jeremiah Day
* The Rev'd Lawrence P. Houston
* The Rev'd William Bomar Etters
* The Rev'd Michael C. Nation
* The Rev'd James Cooke
* The Rev'd J. M. Browne, III
Deacons
* The Rev'd Deacon Susan Moody DuVal
* The Venerable Joy Morgan Dosher

References

Further reading

* Parish Records, Trinity Episcopal Church, Chocowinity, NC, USA
* Beaufort County Courthouse Deedbooks
* ''A History of the Episcopal Church in North Carolina''
* East Carolina University, Joyner Library, Repository for the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina

{{National Register of Historic Places in North Carolina

Episcopal church buildings in North Carolina
Anglican cemeteries in the United States
Churches in Beaufort County, North Carolina
Cemeteries on the National Register of Historic Places in North Carolina
National Register of Historic Places in Beaufort County, North Carolina