Saint Alban's Episcopal Church

Bovina, MS                              601-636-6687

Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi


The Anglican Communion

St. Alban's Cathedral, UK

Thank you for visiting!

St. Albans was established in 1857 by cotton farmers living near the Big Black River. In 1858, a church was constructed along the railroad tracks southwest of the depot in Bovina. In the Civil War years, the church became a haven for civilians fleeing the Vicksburg siege, holding regular services until it was appropriated by the Union army for "military purposes". The church was desecrated and eventually destroyed. All that remained were a few pieces of glass and the mutilated cornerstone. When the church was rebuilt in 1880, the pieces of glass were incorporated into a unique window. In 1928, a new brick church was erected and the building of 1880 moved and turned to serve as the parish hall. In the 1970's a rectory was built near the church. Since 1860, the church has maintained its parish cemetery which lies to the east of the church.

St. Alban's was first organized as a parish in 1857 when a group of cotton farmers along the Big Black River  joined together in worship.  Mrs. William Sthreshley invited the Rev. Henry Sansom of Canton, MS, to perform a service in the Bovina community. The first service was held in the Baptist church at Mt. Alban, just west of Bovina in the fall of 1857. In response to a general request from those who attended for another service at the earliest possible time, the Reverend Sanson held a second service 4 - 6 weeks later.  At the close of the service, on November 29, 1857, the Articles of Association were adopted by seventeen men and women of the area to form Saint Alban's. A vestry was elected, and Henry Sansom, D.D.,  was asked to serve as Rector, supplying the parish with services once a month. On December 13, 1957, Emily Elizabeth Streshley, daughter of William H. and Martha C. Streshley, became the first child born to a member of the congregation.

For a few months, regular services were held at the school house in Mt. Alban.  On June 18, 1858, the vestry and congregation voted to erect a church about a quarter mile southwest of the train depot in Bovina. Three and three-quarter acres of land near the tracks were deeded to the "Vestrymen and trustees of the Protestant Episcopal Church called the Church of the Nativity" by Mr. and Mrs. Peterson Bass on September 23, 1858, and $5,000 was raised to build the church. The Rt. Rev. William M. Green, Bishop of Mississippi, consecrated the church now known as St. Albans on May 5, 1859.  Rev. William C. Crane of Jackson, MS, gave the sermon on that day.  The Bishop also confirmed 19 people, 5 of whom were slaves.

In 1860, Mrs. Malvina Folkes was buried at St. Alban's by the Rev. Samson. The parish burial ground surrounds the north and east sides of the church.

During the Civil War, the planters and their slaves continued regular worship at St. Albans, with the number of slave communicants eventually outnumbering the white. In the summer of 1862,  St. Albans and the Bovina community became havens for the civilians who fled Vicksburg during its first bombardment. By May, 1863, St. Albans was "appropriated for military purposes", and rifle pits were dug all over the grounds during the siege of Vicksburg.

On July 4, 1863, Vicksburg surrendered to Grant. Traditional accounts state that the church was used as a butcher shop, a dance saloon, and a stable.  One traditional report states that the cornerstone of the church was used for bayonet practice, but contemporary study suggests it was rather used for rifle target practice.  Another traditional account of the occupation suggests that the Army purposefully destroyed the church, but recent study suggests that the destruction was accidental.  Regardless of the how or why, St. Albans lay in complete ruin after the occupation.  All that remained was the mutilated cornerstone and a few pieces of glass from the windows which Mrs. Amelia Barr saved "for sentiments sake".

Seven years passed before steps to re-establish a parish were taken.  Dr. William Barr asked the Rev. James Angel Fox, a long time member of the parish and a retired pastor, to serve as rector of St. Albans. In his letter of acceptance, Parson Fox wrote, "We all wish to see the St. Albans rise from its ashes and ruins & although we cannot expect to behold the comely edifice and flourishing congregation that existed previous to the horrid scenes of 1863, we may still hope, that with God's blessing, the St. Albans may afford shelter and consolation to many in their journey to this 'vale of tears' to a better and more enduring inheritance."

    Parson Fox began the building fund by seeking a donation from St. Alban's Church in New York.  Ten years and $1200 later, St. Alban's had a new church building, of plain plank, on the grounds of the original church. In one of the doors was a small window  which incorporated the pieces of glass saved by Mrs. Barr. The new building was consecrated on February 27, 1880.  

Regular worship services were held in the frame building until 1928. At that time, an endowment from the Townsend family paid for expanding of the church. The chapel that was built in 1880 was turned and moved slightly to serve as the Parish Hall.  A brick church was built, and offices, classrooms, and a modern kitchen were added. In the 1970's a rectory was built on land just east of the church. In 1995 an extensive refurbishment was completed.

---

Wm. H. Strathley	T. G. Noland	C. D. Strathley	Caroline A. Townsend
M. W. Folkes	E. H. Bryan	John Townsend	Thruston J. Thompson
H. A. Downs	Ellen D. Batchelor	Samual Townsend	A. C. Downs
Pearce Noland	M. N. Folkes	Lucy B. Strathley	Mary Downs