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608 Chronicles of the Cape Fear Rwer

held fast, awaiting the reéstablishment of their own church and
parish. During the Revolution, in 1781, Wilmington became
a British Army post in America, and the church building was
seized and converted into a hospital.

There was no service in St. James’s after Mr. Wills resigned
until 1795, when the vestry reorganized, and called Dr. Hal-
ling, of New Bern, who served until 1809, when he retired and
moved to Georgetown, 8. C., where he died a few years later.
Dr. Halling was also the first principal of the Wilmington
Academy during his years of service in his parish.

In 1811 Rev. Adam Empie was made rector of St. James’s
and his work was most successful. He found twenty-one com-
municants when he arrived and left 102 when he resigned in
1814. He was succeeded by Dr. Judd, who served until 1816,
when Dr. Empie returned to the parish, and guided its spiritual
work until 1827, when he accepted the presidency of William
and Mary College, in Virginia. The life of the parish was
without special incident from 1827 until 1836. During those
years it was served by Rev. Mr. Motte, Rev. Dr. Cairns, and
Rev. Mr. Davis. In 1836 the Rev. R. B. Drane became rector.
It was about this time that the old church was found to be
such bad repair that a new edifice was deemed necessary. It
was therefore determined to destroy the old building, and 10
build a new one. The new church, which’is the present one;
was begun in 1839, and an interesting account of the laying
of the cornerstone is found in the Wilmington Advertiser and
the Wilmington Weekly Chronicle, of April 5, 1839. One of
the records placed in the cornerstone recites that the old oF
original church stood about fifty yards east of the present
church, near the corner of the graveyard. The lot on which
the new church was erected was purchased from Dr. A. J:
DeRosset for $1,000, of which sum the Ladies’ Working Society
and the Juvenile Working Society agreed to pay $600.

The building was designed by T. U. Walter, of Philadelphia;
and executed under the supervision of John S. Norris, of New
York. It was so far completed in twelve months as to be ready
for consecration. Consecration was performed by Rt. Rev. Dr.
Ives, bishop of the diocese, assisted by Dr. Drane. In January,
1843, Dr. Drane resigned as rector, to become president of
Shelby College, Ky., and was succeeded by Rev. Richard H.
Wilmer, later bishop of Alabama. Mr. Wilmer resigned 0?
account of ill health, in 1844, and was succeeded by Dr. Dran®

Peace Restored 609

who was welcomed back by his old parishioners. The parish
prospered under his administration and grew so that it was
determined to build another church in the city. Accordingly,
in 1853, through the efforts and principally through the sub-
scriptions of St. James’s parishioners, St. John’s Church was
built, on a lot given by Dr. DeRosset, and a new parish organ-
ized in 1860. Dr. Drane served St. James’s parish lovingly
and well until 1862, when he was stricken with yellow fever
while serving the sick and needy during the fearful epidemic
of that year. He died at his post, beloved of his congregation

and the community.

After Dr. Drane’s death, Bishop Atkinson, bishop of the
diocese of North Carolina, who lived in Wilmington, served
the parish as rector for a short time, and was succeeded by Dr.
Alfred A. Watson, who was later to become bishop of East
Carolina. Dr. Watson served during the War between the
States. An interesting incident is mentioned in the parish
records of this time. Anticipating the capture of the city by
the Federal Army, Dr. Watson had obtained authority of his
bishop to omit the prayer for the President of the Confederate
States from the regular morning service of the Prayer-book.
Upon the capture of the city, the Federal military authorities
demanded that he should eliminate the prayer for the President
of the Confederate States and substitute for it the prayer for
the President of the United States. Feeling that he had no
Canonical authority to do so, and that he would thereby be a
party to the infringement of religious liberty of the church,
Dr. Watson declined to comply with the demand. Thereupon
the church building was seized and converted into a hospital
by the army authorities, the pews torn out and the building
otherwise dismantled. There was no real need for an additional
hospital, and it is reported in the records that the church build-
ing was never half filled with patients. The war ended shortly
after this incident.

Dr. Watson made application to the Secretary of War for
funds to restore the church, but was at first refused. There-
upon, the congregation raised the necessary funds, and by
Advent, 1865, the building was repaired and again in com-
mission for its sacred purposes. Since that time the Federal
Government has paid the church claim, and the amount re-
ceived has been expended on the church building.

Dr. Watson served the parish until he was made bishop of

39