St-James-the-Less

In 1852 a chapel of ease was built in Owensville as part of the St James parish. 

It was located between two existing Episcopal churches: All Hallows, 6mi to the north, and St James, 5mi south.  The chapel was named St-James-the-Less.  Traveling to church on Sunday now became a lot simpler for Owensville's Episcopalians.

For ten years all went well.  Then as arguments about slavery began to heat up,  two groups of congregants within the parish found themselves marching to different drummers, literally. Owensville sons marched off to fight for the Confederacy. The St James mother church was not pleased. 

What happened next is a matter of dispute.

Christ Church c1900 (Burwell photo)
  

The official record states that St-James-the-Less was "granted permission in 1862 to set up an independent parish named Christ Church".

In fact, descendants of that time claim the Chapel was “kicked out” of the parish for its pro-slavery views.

Whichever, a new larger sanctuary was built in Owensville in 1867.  The money came  from a bereaved mother, in memory of her children, using an inheritance from Mississippi.

Eleanor Hall McCaleb Burwell, born in the Owensville-West River district, had married James McCaleb of Mississippi in 1839.  He and all three of their children died young, the last one, Annie, in a sledding accident on Owensville Rd at the bottom of Catholic Church Hill in 1867.  That same year Eleanor placed the cornerstone for a new Christ Church.  She chose a design from the sketchbook of Richard Upjohn. 

Thanks to the fame of Upjohn the architect, 
Christ Church is today recognized as a 
national historic site. 

Eleanor is buried with her children in the 
church yard.  Her stone reads: 

“I have finished the work thou hast sent me to do.”

Christ Church c1930 (Burwell photo)

 Eleanor Hall McCaleb Burwell's stone