History of the Church of the Nativity, Episcopal - Part 1

              Parish Register.

History of the Church of the Nativity Huntsville Ala,

1834. March 7th.  On this day the Revd [underline]John M Robertson[end underline], a Presbyter of the Diocese of North Caroline, reached Huntsville, to which place he had been appointed missionary by the Board of Domestic Missions. He commenced to officiate at first in the old Court House, but after a little it was dignified to him by the legal authority that it could no longer be used for that purpose.

His next move was to the theatre but in three months the keys were demanded by a Company of actors, and this poor refuge failed him.

The Services of the Church were then held in the Masonic Lodge, and continued to be there held until the end of 1835. In the fall of that year, Bishop Otey visited Huntsville and confirmed Miss Henrietta Brown, a teacher in the Seminary, hose religious influence upon her pupips is to be seen at the date of this writing.

The Missionary experienced byt little sympathy:  and finding that nothing was done towards erecting a church or providing for a minister, he retired at the close of 1835 to his plantation in Jackson Cty, officiating occasionally at Triana.

The writer is indebted for the above recital to Mr. Robertson himself.

The seven years which follow were not marked by anything definite:  some talk there was of building the Church: and some representations were made to the Convention[?] touching the importance of sending a minister to this place: but most of the parties interested became more or less identified with other religious bodies and lost their interest in the Church.

1842.  In December of this year the Rev. N. P. Knapp and the Rev James Young visited Huntsville: the former gentleman coming for the purpose of encouraging the friends of the Church to organize a Parish.  The Rev. Mr. Robertson assisted. A meeting was held on the 17th Decr, of which George P. Bevine was Chairman, and [?] Withers Clay Secretary. The Parish was organized under the name of the Church of the Nativity (a name suggested by the Advent Section when these things were done): and the following vestry was elected

Rev: P. Beirne John Ogden

Henry M. Robertson James Penn

J. Withers Clay.

The Parish was received into Union with the Convention in May 1843: in a little while however the people ceased to make any move towards establishing the Church.

1843. In November of this year, the [underline] Rev. F. H. L. Laird [end underline] visited Huntsville: and the vestry elected him the first Rector of the Parish; the Board of Domestic Missions assisting in his maintenance. Services were held on Mr. Laird's arrival first in the Presbytarian House of Worship: then in the school room of Mrs. Jane L. Childs, and then in the U. S. District Court Room in the basement of the Court House. Mr. Robertson who had returned to the vicinity of Huntsville gave to Mr. Laird his best assistance, and served the congregation alone, during Mr. Laird's absence, and during the subsequent vacancy of the Rectorship in 1847.

Mr. Laird returned with his family about easter 1844, and continued in charge of the Parish until the close of 1846. Some time afterwards he entered into Ecclesiastical connection with the Presbyterians, and was at his own request deposed from the Ministry of the Church. No such tendency was evidenced during his residences in Huntsville.

His succession freely accords to him the credit of founding the Church in