TO BE A VIRGINIAN"To be a Virginian, either by birth, marriage, adoption, or even one's mother's side, is an introduction to any state in the Union, a passport to any foreign country, and a benediction from the Almighty God."Anonymous

Old Blandford Church was built on Well's Hill in the town of Blandford, Prince George County, Virginia in 1735. It was the Bristol Parish Church and later became part of Petersburg, Virginia. It was placed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register in 1972.

The following was found written on the walls around 1841 by an unknown author.

Thou art crumbling to the dust,
old pile,
Thou art hastening to thy fall,
And 'round thee in thy loneliness
Clings the ivy to thy wall
The worshippers are scattered
now,
Who knelt before thy shrine,
And silence reigns where anthems
rose
In days of "Auld Lang Syne,"
And sadly sighs the wandering
wind
Where oft in years gone by
Prayers rose from many hearts
to Him
The Highest of the High;
The tramp of many a busy foot
That sought thy aisles is o'er
And many a weary heart around
Is still forever more.
How doth ambition's hope take
wing,
How droops the spirit now;
We hear the distant city's din,
The dead are mute below,
The sun that shone upon their
paths
Now gilds their lonely graves;
The zephyrs that once fanned
their brows
The grass above them waves,
Oh! could we call the many back
Who've gathered here in vain--
Who've carelessly roved where we
do now,
Who'll never meet again;
How would our very hearts be
stirred
To meet the earnest gaze
Of the lovely and the beautiful
The lights of other days.

Blandford Cemetery has an area that is labeled the "Old Ground" which includes Wards A-J. Also, Blandford Cemetery has an area that is labeled the "New Ground" which includes Wards A-J as well.

When adding locations for burials in Blandford Cemetery that are in Wards A-J please include if they were buried in the "Old Ground" or the "New Ground". That information helps the Photo Volunteers know where to locate the Photo Request in Blandford Cemetery.

Virginia has a unique feature of local government known as city/county separation. "Under this practice, which is not followed on a statewide basis elsewhere in the United States, Virginia cities are politically and administratively independent of the county, or counties, in which they are geographically situated."

They are known as independent cities, and because they are independent, many of them have their own courts and record their own vital records. Because Virginia city records are equivalent to county records, they are an important, but often overlooked, source for genealogists. There are over forty independent cities in Virginia.

Some examples: Princess Anne County became Virginia Beach, Elizabeth City County became Hampton, Warwick County became Newport News, Nansemond County became Suffolk, Norfolk County became Portsmouth and Chesapeake. With the city of Norfolk they form the seven independent cities that are known as the area of: Hampton Roads, Virginia located in Southeastern Virginia.

Other independent Virginia cities include the state capital of Richmond, Petersburg, Hopewell, Williamsburg, Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Danville, Roanoke, etc. Virginia also has counties named Richmond and Roanoke which aren't connected to the city of the same name. In fact the city of Richmond isn't located anywhere near Richmond County.

An example of that can also be found in North Carolina. The town of Hertford is located in Perquimans County, North Carolina while Hertford County, North Carolina isn't in the same area where Perquimans County is located but they are both found in the northeastern part of the state. Don't mistake the name and location of the places when they are so similar. The records could be in a different locality with the same name and the records might end up missed being found.

Friday, January 19, 2018

A sprinkler pipe burst in my building on Sunday, January 7, 2018 that flooded the building and caused the residents to be evacuated to a hotel. Due to the damage caused by the water it will be months before we are able to go back to the building. I have a tablet but the Wi-Fi at the hotel is spotty and I've been unable to go online there. I'm using a public computer to post this and today is the first day I've been online since Saturday, January 6, 2018.Please excuse me not responding to any messages, edits, etc. I miss being able to get on Findagrave.

Thanks,
Virginian

Friday, September 14, 2018

While I'm still in the hotel due to the burst sprinkler pipe back on Sunday, January 7, 2018 until our building can be repaired Hurricane Florence veered to the south before finally coming ashore sparing the Hampton Roads area of Virginia where I live. The people in North and South Carolina are in my thoughts and prayers.

Thanks,
Virginian

Friday, October 5, 2018

Finally after ten months we were able to move back into our building but getting everything back in order will take a while as they didn't label what they packed in the boxes. Items are missing, damaged, and broken. Also, all of my belongings will need to be washed as they are covered with mold, drywall, etc.

Thanks,
Virginian

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Due to the situation with the Coronavirus I'm not able to get on a computer to check on Edits, etc. for the time being. Everyone stay safe. God Bless!

Thanks,
Virginian

TO BE A VIRGINIAN"To be a Virginian, either by birth, marriage, adoption, or even one's mother's side, is an introduction to any state in the Union, a passport to any foreign country, and a benediction from the Almighty God."Anonymous

Old Blandford Church was built on Well's Hill in the town of Blandford, Prince George County, Virginia in 1735. It was the Bristol Parish Church and later became part of Petersburg, Virginia. It was placed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register in 1972.

The following was found written on the walls around 1841 by an unknown author.

Thou art crumbling to the dust,
old pile,
Thou art hastening to thy fall,
And 'round thee in thy loneliness
Clings the ivy to thy wall
The worshippers are scattered
now,
Who knelt before thy shrine,
And silence reigns where anthems
rose
In days of "Auld Lang Syne,"
And sadly sighs the wandering
wind
Where oft in years gone by
Prayers rose from many hearts
to Him
The Highest of the High;
The tramp of many a busy foot
That sought thy aisles is o'er
And many a weary heart around
Is still forever more.
How doth ambition's hope take
wing,
How droops the spirit now;
We hear the distant city's din,
The dead are mute below,
The sun that shone upon their
paths
Now gilds their lonely graves;
The zephyrs that once fanned
their brows
The grass above them waves,
Oh! could we call the many back
Who've gathered here in vain--
Who've carelessly roved where we
do now,
Who'll never meet again;
How would our very hearts be
stirred
To meet the earnest gaze
Of the lovely and the beautiful
The lights of other days.

Blandford Cemetery has an area that is labeled the "Old Ground" which includes Wards A-J. Also, Blandford Cemetery has an area that is labeled the "New Ground" which includes Wards A-J as well.

When adding locations for burials in Blandford Cemetery that are in Wards A-J please include if they were buried in the "Old Ground" or the "New Ground". That information helps the Photo Volunteers know where to locate the Photo Request in Blandford Cemetery.

Virginia has a unique feature of local government known as city/county separation. "Under this practice, which is not followed on a statewide basis elsewhere in the United States, Virginia cities are politically and administratively independent of the county, or counties, in which they are geographically situated."

They are known as independent cities, and because they are independent, many of them have their own courts and record their own vital records. Because Virginia city records are equivalent to county records, they are an important, but often overlooked, source for genealogists. There are over forty independent cities in Virginia.

Some examples: Princess Anne County became Virginia Beach, Elizabeth City County became Hampton, Warwick County became Newport News, Nansemond County became Suffolk, Norfolk County became Portsmouth and Chesapeake. With the city of Norfolk they form the seven independent cities that are known as the area of: Hampton Roads, Virginia located in Southeastern Virginia.

Other independent Virginia cities include the state capital of Richmond, Petersburg, Hopewell, Williamsburg, Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Danville, Roanoke, etc. Virginia also has counties named Richmond and Roanoke which aren't connected to the city of the same name. In fact the city of Richmond isn't located anywhere near Richmond County.

An example of that can also be found in North Carolina. The town of Hertford is located in Perquimans County, North Carolina while Hertford County, North Carolina isn't in the same area where Perquimans County is located but they are both found in the northeastern part of the state. Don't mistake the name and location of the places when they are so similar. The records could be in a different locality with the same name and the records might end up missed being found.

Friday, January 19, 2018

A sprinkler pipe burst in my building on Sunday, January 7, 2018 that flooded the building and caused the residents to be evacuated to a hotel. Due to the damage caused by the water it will be months before we are able to go back to the building. I have a tablet but the Wi-Fi at the hotel is spotty and I've been unable to go online there. I'm using a public computer to post this and today is the first day I've been online since Saturday, January 6, 2018.Please excuse me not responding to any messages, edits, etc. I miss being able to get on Findagrave.

Thanks,
Virginian

Friday, September 14, 2018

While I'm still in the hotel due to the burst sprinkler pipe back on Sunday, January 7, 2018 until our building can be repaired Hurricane Florence veered to the south before finally coming ashore sparing the Hampton Roads area of Virginia where I live. The people in North and South Carolina are in my thoughts and prayers.

Thanks,
Virginian

Friday, October 5, 2018

Finally after ten months we were able to move back into our building but getting everything back in order will take a while as they didn't label what they packed in the boxes. Items are missing, damaged, and broken. Also, all of my belongings will need to be washed as they are covered with mold, drywall, etc.

Thanks,
Virginian

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Due to the situation with the Coronavirus I'm not able to get on a computer to check on Edits, etc. for the time being. Everyone stay safe. God Bless!

Thanks,
Virginian