Free to AFL members:
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM: Guided tour of historic Abingdon Episcopal Church and wreath laying at the gravesite of AFL co-founder Stuart Wells Jackson
Abingdon Parish was established in 1651. Its name is derived from the home of the local colonists who emigrated from Abingdon, England. The current church building was constructed in 1755 on land donated by Colonel Augustine Warner, the maternal grandfather of George Washington. During the Civil War, the church was badly damaged by Union troops. Numerous repairs were made to the building following the war that included new pews, floors, and a new pulpit. Another major restoration took place during the 1980s to try and bring the church back to its original appearance. Today, Abingdon's property covers 143 acres and includes two buildings plus a walled cemetery. An active congregation remains.
For more information about Abingdon Episcopal Church, please visit www.abingdonchurch.org.
Stuart Wells Jackson (1875-1957) lived in Montclair, NJ, and later Gloucester, VA. He was the owner of a New York City insurance firm. His maternal grandfather, Hall Neilson, owned a boat on the Ohio River and helped transport Lafayette to Louisville, KY in 1824. This inspired letters between Neilson and Lafayette. Jackson acquired one of these letters and would eventually collect more Lafayette correspondence. Today, his collection is housed at Yale University. Jackson is interred at Abingdon Episcopal Church in Gloucester, VA.
1:00 AM – 11:30 AM: Drive to and visit “Tara” the former Ware River estate of Stuart Wells Jackson
This is a privately owned home, and the AFL has made arrangements to view the property and to see where Jackson lived and worked during the latter part of his life. Details are being worked out for this stop.
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM: Drive to Gloucester Court House and Boxed Lunch
12:30 AM – 1:30 PM: Special Tour of the Gloucester Museum of History to include the AFL’s new traveling exhibit and special artifacts related to Stuart Wells Jackson.
Visit the Gloucester Museum of History housed in a tavern built in 1770. Museum Director and AFL Vice-President Robert Kelly give the AFL a special tour. The AFL’s new traveling exhibit, along with artifacts related to Stuart Wells Jackson, will also be on display for this special occasion.
