DURHAM PARISH
1893 - 1975

Just as time and history has gone on, so has the life here in Durham Parish. In the reprinting of this monograph of the History of Durham Parish, by the Rev. William P. Painter, we have included the more important events that have occurred in the growth of Old Durham Church, from the retirement of Rev. Painter in August 1894 to the present, 1975.

Some of the ministers who served Durham Parish during this period were, the Rev. M. L. Turner, 1895-1897; Rev. Henry D. Page, 1898-1900; Rev. C.J. Wingate, 1900-1902; Rev. William Brayshaw, 1904-07; Rev. O. W. Zeigler, 1907-1909; Rev. W. R. B. Turner, 1910-1914; Rev. C. D. Lafferty, 1915-1919; Rev. S.A. Mills, 1919-1925.

In 1925 the Rev. Reginald Stevenson was called to Durham Parish, during his pastorate which continued until 1953, he worked devotedly on the restoration and preservation of Old Durham Church.

In 1932, The General William Smallwood Chapter of the D.A.R. place a bronze tablet at the West end of the Church to commemorate the "Three-fold Bicentennial of Generals Washington and Smallwood, and the rebuilding of Durham Church in brick." In the same year, the Colonial Dames of Maryland built the Churchyard wall. It was constructed of 200 year old hand made bricks from the old Neale (Neil) Hotel in Port Tobacco.

The General Smallwood Memorial Bell Tower at the rear of the Church was completed in 1942. It houses a magnificent bell from a ruined church in St. Mary's County. The tower was constructed of 12,000 old hand made bricks taken from a ruined mansion, along the Potomac River, which had belonged to General Smallwood's sister. The wood of the superstructure is redheart cedar, from the old William Dent property along Nanjemoy Creek.

Since the Rev. Stevenson's retirement, Durham Parish has been served by the Rev. Wade Safford, Rev. DeWitt Loomis and the present rector, the Rev. Arnold G. Taylor, who entered upon his duties here on June 1, 1971.

With growing needs in the Parish, and excellent planning for the future, the Congregation erected the beautiful and functional Parish Hall across from the Church building in 1960. In 1965, the new Rectory, across the road from the Church and the Hall, was completed. The Parish at present stands ready, with adequate facilities to minister to a growing and rapidly changing population, blending vision and vigor with the mellowness of it's time honored tradition.

The Ladies Mites Society continues under the same name and by-laws today, as when it was formed on June 6, 1876 and looks forward to celebrating its Centennial birthday on June 6, 1976.