Saturday, November 20, 2010

Who Was Charles Minnigerode?

Shortly after President Davis arrived in Richmond he met Charles Minnigerode, rector of Richmond's St Paul's Episcopal Church. Minnigerode wrote about Davis: "our acquaintance thus began, soon grew into friendly intercourse that became closer and closer, till an intimacy sprung up which ripened into companionship in joy and sorrow, and bound us together in the terms of mutual trust and friendship."

At the urging of Varina, Minnigerod discussed church membership with Davis soon after they met. Minnigerode wrote: "he spoke very earnestly and most humbly of needing the cleansing blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit; but in the consciousness of his insufficiency felt some doubt whether he had the right to come...All that was natural and right; but soon it settled this question with a man so resolute in doing what he thought his duty. I baptized him hypothetically, for he was not certain if he had ever been baptized. When the day of confirmation came it was quite in keeping with this resolute character, that when the Bishop called the candidates to the chancel he was the first to rise."

When Davis was in prison at Fort Monroe, Virginia, in solitary confinement Minnigerod was the first civilian permitted to visit hm. And when Davis was released, Minnigerode was at his side. After court, when they met at the Spotswood hotel,  Davis said,"Mr. Minnigerode, you who have been with me in my sufferings and comforted and strengthened me with your prayers, is it not right that we now once more should kneel down together and return thanks?"

This information came from an article "Christmas Trees, the Confederacy, and Colonial Williamsburg. The website is www.colonialwilliamsburgmeeting.com/visit/christmas/hist_reverend.cfm.

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