At the convention of 1857, the organization was confirmed and the name given to the parish was Southern Saint Peters, subsequently, in 1858, changed to Whitemarsh Parish.

ALL SAINTS PARISH

In the year 1881, the parish of All Saints was laid off leaving St. Peter's Parish bounded as follows:

Old line from Choptank to head of Cove in Trippe's creek, then north with said creek and Tred Avon river by its middle to head of Lee Haven creek, thence by a straight line due north to Goldsborough Point at the mouth of Glebe creek, thence with said creek to its source, thence by a straight line to Wootenaux bridge, thence with Kings creek to its mouth, and south with Choptank river to place of beginning.

These boundaries have never been changed.

WYE PARISH

The congregation at Wye continued to be a part of St. Paul's parish until April 9, 1860. On April 7, 1859, a preliminary meeting for the organization of a new parish was held at Wye Church. Those who were present at this momentous meeting were: Rev. Erastus F. Dashiell, rector of the parish; Richard B. Carmichael, C. C. Tilghman, William H. Forman, Henry Davis, Charles H. Tilghman, Dr. James Davidson, Dr. John C. Earle, Dr. Anselm W. Neal and R. B. Carmichael, Jr. After a brief address by the rector, in which he set forth the necessity of the proposed division, it was decided that it be expedient that "all that portion of St. Paul's parish lying below a line beginning at a point where Reed's Creek empties into Chester River and running up that creek to its head, and thence with a line following the line dividing the Centreville from the Queenstown election district, to a point where it intersected the main road from Centreville to Easton, at or near a stream of water called Madam Elsey's Branch, and thence in a direct line to a point where the air line intercepts the boundary line between St. Paul's parish, Queen Anne's and Talbot Counties, and St. John's parish, Caroline County, be formed into a separate parish, to be called Wye Parish." Thus St. Luke's parish of Wye came into being.

OLD CHESTER AND WYE CHURCHES

Our earliest records extend no further back than to the year of our Lord 1694, two years after the Province of Maryland was organized into parishes, and registrars were appointed. At this period the parish embraced—with the exception of Kent Island—the whole of Queen Anne's County, including what is now Caroline County and a large portion of Talbot County than now belongs to it. There were then within its bounds, besides the Parish Church—called "Chester Church"three Chapels of ease, viz.: the "Up-River Chapel" (upon the site of the present St. Luke's, Church Hill)—"Tuckahoe Chapel" (in what is now St. John's Parish, in the counties of Caroline and Queen Anne) and "St. Luke's, Wye." From the fact that the Parish Church very shortly afterwards needed repair, and the Chapel at Wye renewal, these structures, even at that early date, must have been standing for a number of years. The probability is that the first Chester Church and the first St. Luke's at Wye, were the very earliest churches erected on the mainland of the Eastern Shore. We all know that Kent Island was the cradle of the Church of Maryland, the first settlement within its borders having been made there, and having been made by members of the Church of England. As early as 1618 Capt. William Claiborne, Secretary of State to the Virginia Colony, who is referred to in his appointment to that office as "a man of quality and trust,"—came from Jamestown to Kent Island with a company of one hundred colonists. There were with this colony a clergyman of the Church of England, the Rev. Richard James, by whom, in all human probability, the foundation of the first Church in Maryland was laid, and whose death occurred in 1638. From the Island the colony spread, carrying of course, the Church with it, to the neighboring territory, and Chester and Wye Churches being nearest to the Island, were the first erected. From these data, we may safely infer that these churches were built about the year 1640—certainly not later than 1650.

The records begin with the rectorship of the Rev. John Lillingston in 1694—whether he was the first minister or for how long a previous period he may have exercised the pastoral office in this neighborhood, we have no means of ascertaining. He retained this charge until his death, in the year 1709. His high standing in the Provincial Church, from which may be inferred the excellence of the work which he here

SAINT LUKE'S, WYE, OLD PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT WYE MILLS

accomplished and the comparative strength and importance which this parish had attained in that early day—is attested by the Rev. Mr. Talbot, one of the missioners of the Propagation Society, who, in October, 1705, wrote these words, which are preserved in the collections of the Protestant Episcopal Historical Society—"Mr. John Lillingston designs, it seems, to go to England next year: it seems to be the fittest person that America affords for the office of Suffragan, and several persons, both of the laity and clergy, have wished he were the man." No small tribute this, to the high estimation in which the first rector of this parish was held by his contemporaries. And that it was not to his talents, his learning, his prudence and zeal alone, he owed this marked distinction, but to his sterling personal worth and ardent piety also, there is affecting evidence. His dying testimony afforded the most impressive seal to the truths which he so long and so faithfully proclaimed to your fathers. His original will I have found on file in the office of the register of wills for this county.

It is written in his own hand and begins with these words:

First and principally, I commend my soul to Almighty God my Creator, assuredly believing that I shall receive full pardon and full remission of all my sins and be saved by the precious death and merits of my Blessed Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Who will say that there was no piety in those days, and who of you will not give thanks for the good example, the faithful labors and the dying testimony of this eminent servant of God. Who of you will say that he, your father, had not part in procuring for you the manifold blessings wherewith you are even now enriched and who of you but will gratefully cherish the blessing and honored memory of the Rev. John Lillingston, the first rector if not the first minister of the parish.

It was during the rectorship of Mr. Lillingston, in 1697, that the second of the three old Chester churches, which successively occupied the same site, distant about a mile from Centreville, was erected. The record informs us that this was "built after the dimensions of forty feet in length and twenty-five in breadth;" the means for its erection having been advanced by Col. Richard Tilghman, of the Hermitage; "the vestry having," as saith the record, "to reimburse him all ye necessary expenses."

On the 3rd of May, 1709, at a meeting of the vestry, which then consisted of Col. Richard Tilghman, Charles Wright, Arthur Emory, Dr. Edward Chetham, Solomon Wright, John Slater and John King, it was