All Saints Parish

New Historical Page

All Saints’ Episcopal Parish Church

A Living Monument to Maryland’s Colonial Legacy

Sunderland, Calvert County, Maryland • Established 1692

Overview: Three Centuries of Faith and History

All Saints’ Episcopal Parish Church stands as one of Maryland’s most significant colonial religious sites, where the complex story of American faith, freedom, and social justice has unfolded for over 330 years. As one of the original 30 Anglican parishes established in 1692, All Saints served as the “mother church” for northern Calvert County for 150 years, welcoming worshippers of all backgrounds within a society built on both religious liberty and human bondage.

The imposing Georgian brick church, completed in 1777 using an extraordinary tax of 200,000 pounds of tobacco, houses some of the most remarkable surviving colonial church architecture in Maryland. Most notably, the expansive slave galleries—believed to be the largest still in existence from any colonial-era church in Maryland—bear witness to both the parish’s architectural grandeur and its complex racial history.

Today, All Saints continues its mission as an active Episcopal congregation while serving as an educational resource and pilgrimage site, honestly confronting its past through the groundbreaking “Project to Reconcile Our Past” initiative supported by the Diocese of Maryland.

Colonial Architecture and Physical Heritage

The Georgian Masterpiece (1774-1777)

The current All Saints’ Church represents one of the finest examples of colonial Georgian church architecture in the Chesapeake region. This imposing two-story brick structure showcases the sophisticated craftsmanship and ambitious scale that characterized Maryland’s tobacco-fueled prosperity in the 1770s.

Architectural Features:

  • Construction: Flemish bond brick with distinctive random glazed header
  • Style: Primitive Georgian colonial with round-arch paneling
  • Materials: Original clear glass windows with small panes, handmade Dutch tile flooring
  • Scale: Large enough to seat 500 souls, according to 19th-century Bishop Whittingham
  • Comparison: Four Middleham Chapels could fit inside All Saints

The church’s construction from 1774 to 1777 coincided with the Revolutionary War period and was funded entirely by a special tobacco tax assessment. The Maryland Assembly authorized this construction “to promote and advance religion and render the attendance of public worship more safe and agreeable” than the original log structure.

National Register of Historic Places (1973)

All Saints earned recognition on the National Register of Historic Places, acknowledging its exceptional architectural and historical significance as Maryland’s largest active colonial-era brick church.

The Slave Galleries: Architectural Evidence of Segregated Worship

Perhaps the most historically significant and architecturally striking features are the two-story slave galleries extending the full length of the church on the north and south sides. These white-pine paneled galleries represent rare surviving physical evidence of how colonial churches accommodated enslaved and free people of color within a segregated worship system.

Gallery Design Details:

  • Construction: White pine paneling with three rows of pews
  • Dimensions: Full-length galleries on both north and south sides
  • Sight Lines: Pews were deliberately built low so seated gallery occupants could not see over the tops, maintaining visual separation
  • Access: Original narrow, winding staircases still intact
  • Historical Significance: Possibly the largest slave galleries still in existence from any colonial-era church in Maryland

The galleries’ design reflects the complex tensions within colonial Anglicanism between English-trained clergy who advocated for slave conversion and education, and plantation society’s desire to maintain strict social hierarchies.

Historic Furnishings and Artifacts

The 1735 Baptismal Font

The stone baptismal font remains the only surviving element from the original 1693 log church. Purchased from England by the vestry in 1734 and delivered at Easter 1735, this font has been used continuously for nearly 290 years. The font still stands in the current church in its honored position, connecting today’s worshippers to nearly three centuries of parish history. Significantly, Rev. James Williamson reported in 1724 that “some negroes were baptized” at All Saints, making this font a tangible link to the earliest African American participation in Anglican sacraments.

Colonial Box Pews

The original church featured high box pews with doors, purchased by parishioners as personal property to fund church operations. In 1777, approximately 75% of pew owners had direct personal or family connections to the slave ownership system. The pews were drastically shortened in 1857 renovations to allow congregation members to see the altar when seated.

Historic Floor

The original Dutch brick tile flooring, installed during construction, was replaced with wooden planks in 1857. During the 1950s restoration, the wooden floors had become so termite-damaged that “your foot would go through the floor” in places. The current floor replicates the original Dutch brick tile pattern.

The Historic Sundial: A Bishop’s Gift with a Twist

The sundial mounted on the church’s east wall carries both historical significance and an intriguing modern story. Presented to All Saints in 1792 by Rev. Thomas John Claggett as a gift upon his consecration as the first Bishop of Maryland, the sundial bears the inscription “E. Nairne” and “All Sts Parish Calvt County.”

The Sundial’s Journey:

  • 1792: Given by Bishop Claggett, engraved by London mathematical instrument maker Edward Nairne (1749-1800)
  • c. 1995: Original sundial stolen from church grounds
  • Recovery: Recovered when word reached antique dealer networks across the region
  • Present Day: A museum-quality bronze replica (funded by Catherine Buckler) now marks the east wall; the original is safely preserved

The sundial’s east-west axis alignment reflects both practical timekeeping and symbolic religious significance in colonial church design.

Cemetery and Memorial Grounds

The church cemetery contains graves spanning three centuries, including notable colonial families, Civil War veterans, and longtime rectors. The tallest monuments belong to the Gantt and King families, both prominent in parish and county history. The original church site’s graveyard, located at the tear-drop hollow across from the Park-N-Ride, includes the grave of James Poore and other early parishioners from the log church era.

Memorial Garden:  Located in the northeast corner of All Saints’ Parish Church grounds, the Memorial Garden provides a peaceful space for remembrance and reflection.

Sacristy Building: Built on the Gospel side (north) of the church’s west end, the sacristy provides functional space for liturgical preparations while complementing the historic architecture.

Notable Burials:

  • Rev. Chesley V. Daniel: Longest-serving modern rector (32 years), died 1991, buried in the cemetery on the hillside overlooking Route 2. Rev. Daniel served during a transformative period and oversaw the church’s growth in the late 20th century. His 20th anniversary celebration in November 1991 was a significant parish milestone.
  • Two colonial rectors buried inside the church: Rev. Thomas John Chew (died at 24) and Rev. Matthew Johnson (died 1825), both interred beneath the former altar location at the east end of the church, where the choir sits today
  • Captain Joseph Blake Bourne: Civil War veteran, Confederate soldier who survived Point Lookout prison camp
  • James Poore and early parishioners: Buried at the original church site (tear-drop hollow) across from the Park-N-Ride

Champion Trees: All Saints’ grounds feature trees recognized by the Maryland Big Tree Program, including a notable Pin Oak that has achieved co-champion status in Calvert County and a significant White Oak specimen.

Maryland’s Colonial Religious Establishment

Anglican Church Foundation (1692)

All Saints Parish emerged from one of the most significant moments in Maryland’s colonial religious history. Following England’s Glorious Revolution of 1688, Maryland’s Protestant Association overthrew the Catholic Baltimore proprietors and petitioned for direct royal governance. On May 10, 1692, the new Maryland Assembly meeting at St. Mary’s City passed the “Act for Service of Almighty God and the Establishment of the Protestant Religion within the Province.”

This act divided the larger colonial Calvert County into four Anglican parishes, with All Saints designated as parish #04 serving the northern region. The establishment of these parishes represented a fundamental shift from Maryland’s founding principles of religious tolerance to a system closely mirroring the structure of the Church of England.

The Tobacco Economy System

The colonial church operated entirely within Maryland’s tobacco-based economy. The Assembly authorized a tax of 40 pounds of tobacco annually per taxable person to support parish operations. For the brick church construction (1774-1777), a special assessment of 200,000 pounds of tobacco was collected over three years—an enormous sum representing the wealth generated by enslaved labor on Chesapeake plantations.

All Saints as “Mother Church” (1693-1840)

For nearly 150 years, All Saints served as the only church of any denomination in northern Calvert County. This remarkable span positioned the parish as the religious center for families who would later establish numerous other congregations throughout the region.

Parish Boundaries and Service Area

The original All Saints Parish encompassed a much larger area than present-day northern Calvert County, extending over significant distances to serve scattered plantation communities. The church’s central location at the crossroads of present-day Routes 2 and 4 made it accessible to families traveling from throughout the region for Sunday worship.

Formation of “Children Congregations”

As Maryland’s religious landscape diversified in the 19th century, many families with roots at All Saints established new congregations:

  • Smithville United Methodist Church (Dunkirk, 1840): First non-Anglican church in northern Calvert County
  • Mt. Hope United Methodist (Sunderland): African American congregation
  • St. Edmunds United Methodist (Chesapeake Beach): African American congregation
  • Numerous other Methodist Episcopal churches formed by families originally connected to All Saints

This “mother church” legacy explains the shared family names found in cemeteries throughout Calvert County and reflects All Saints’ foundational role in the region’s religious development.

Notable People and Transformative Events

Bishop Thomas John Claggett (1743-1816): First Bishop Consecrated on American Soil

Rev. Thomas John Claggett represents the most nationally significant figure in All Saints’ history. His consecration as the first Bishop of Maryland on September 17, 1792, at Trinity Church, New York City, marked a pivotal moment in American Episcopal Church history—the first episcopal consecration conducted entirely on American soil.

Claggett’s All Saints Service:

  • First Tenure (1769-1776): Served until Revolutionary War loyalty oath conflicts forced departure
  • Second Tenure (1786-1792): Returned post-war and served until episcopal consecration
  • Historic Distinction: Last rector to preach in the log church, first to preach in the brick church
  • Construction Oversight: Signed the contract for the brick church construction in 1774

The Complex Legacy of a Slave-Owning Bishop

Claggett’s story illustrates the contradictions within colonial and early American Christianity. Born into a slave-owning family, he inherited two enslaved people (Clem and Henry) at age 13 following his father, Rev. Samuel Claggett’s death. He also inherited extensive acreage in Prince George’s County with “a large number of slaves” whose names remain unrecorded.

As bishop, Claggett served congregations throughout Maryland while personally benefiting from enslaved labor—a reality shared by most Anglican clergy of his era but one that would increasingly conflict with emerging religious and social movements.

The Long-Serving Rectors

Rev. Thomas Chochshutt (1697-1722) The first appointed rector of All Saints, serving nearly 25 years until his death in April 1722. During his tenure, the parish transitioned from temporary worship arrangements to established operations in the log church.

Rev. James Williamson (1722-1769) Holds the record as All Saints’ longest-serving rector at 47 years. In 1724, Williamson reported that “some negroes were baptized into the Anglican Church” in the original log structure, providing documented evidence of early African American participation in Anglican sacraments. His long tenure spanned the critical period when All Saints solidified its role as northern Calvert County’s religious center.

Colonial Families and Social Structure

The Founding Vestry

Current parishioners Martha and Tom Hyde are descendants of Charles Grahame and Edward Gantt, vestry members who signed the 1774 contract for the construction of the church. Charles Grahame’s historic home, “Patuxent Manor” in Lower Marlboro, is still standing.

The 1777 Pew Auction

The first pew auction for the completed brick church provides stark documentation of the parish’s connection to slavery. Approximately 75% of pew owners had direct personal or family connections to the slave ownership system, reflecting the broader social structure of Calvert County, where the 1790 Census documented 4,305 enslaved people among 8,652 total residents.

Crisis and Restoration: The Near-Closure (1940s-1950s)

All Saints faced its greatest crisis in the late 1940s, when active Sunday attendance had fallen to just 15 people, and the building had severely deteriorated. Rev. Malcolm Langley served as rector from 1943-1949, shepherding the parish through the difficult World War II and immediate post-war years. In June 1949, Bishop Noble Cilley Powell (Ninth Diocesan Bishop of Maryland, 1941-1963) sent Rev. John Owens to assess whether the church should be permanently closed.

Rev. Owens’ arrival marked a turning point. Working with a dedicated core of parishioners, he led a comprehensive restoration effort that culminated in the church’s triumphant reopening at 3:00 p.m. on All Saints Day, Saturday, November 1, 1952. This restoration preserved not only the building but also the continuity of worship that had continued since 1693.

Contemporary Parish Life and Community Engagement

Project to Reconcile Our Past (PROP)

In 2012, All Saints embarked on a groundbreaking initiative to honestly examine and acknowledge the African American experience within the parish’s history. “Project to Reconcile Our Past,” strongly supported by Bishop Eugene Sutton and the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland, seeks to discover and reconnect with previously overlooked aspects of the parish story.

PROP Objectives:

  • Historical Research: Documenting the roles of enslaved and free African Americans in parish life
  • Educational Resources: Creating interpretive materials and timelines for visitors
  • Pilgrimage Designation: Official recognition as a stop on the Diocese’s “Trail of Souls: Truth and Reconciliation Pilgrimage“
  • Community Outreach: Connecting with local African American congregations with historic ties to All Saints’ Parish
  • Oral History: Recording family stories and connections to the parish

What We’ve Learned: The research has uncovered significant tensions within colonial parish life between English-trained clergy who advocated for the conversion and education of enslaved people and wealthy tobacco farmers who preferred maintaining the status quo. Parish records document African American participation in baptism, confirmation, and marriage ceremonies, challenging earlier historical narratives that ignored these experiences.

Contemporary Community Programs

Project Spudnik

Inspired by the 2015 film The Martian and named after the 1957 Sputnik satellite, Project Spudnik launched in 2016 as an ambitious community gardening initiative. Four All Saints parishioners—Sherrill Munn (Master Gardener and retired Army chaplain), Mary Ann Munn (photographer and master weeder), Mary (Land Trust Alliance conservation expert and grant writer), and Paul (engineer)—created the program to teach teens about growing food, nutrition, and giving to others.

The program began with 16 teens, each responsible for their own potato grow bag to determine whether they would ”live or die on Mars.” What started as potato and green bean cultivation in personal grow bags evolved into a 30×30-foot garden featuring fruits, herbs, a pollinator garden, an underground watering system, birdhouses, meditation benches, and raised beds for mobility-challenged gardeners near the parking area.

Project Spudnik has donated over 800 pounds of produce per season to local food banks while providing community service hours for student volunteers. Following Sherrill’s death and Mary and Paul’s relocation in 2022, Master Gardener Mimi Miller continues to lead the program, welcoming new teen volunteers and their friends to join the “gardening family.”

Calvert Arts Festival: Founded in 2007 by Sherrill and Mary Ann Munn, the Calvert Arts Festival has raised over $105,000 for community charities through its annual May celebration. The festival operates on a rotating two-year leadership model, with current leader Pat Lineberry (2025-2026) following Steve and Barbara Buck (2023-2024) and Kip and Patti At Lee (2018-2022).

The festival transforms All Saints’ grounds into a celebration of local artisans, wineries, and community organizations, benefiting groups like Patuxent Habitat for Humanity and the Child Advocacy Center while maintaining the parish’s historic role as a community gathering place.

Active Ministry and Outreach

Worship and Community Life All Saints maintains regular Episcopal worship services while keeping the historic church building open to the public year-round. Visitors can explore the slave galleries, examine colonial architecture, and learn about the site’s complex history through interpretive materials.

Educational Initiatives The parish actively welcomes school groups and researchers, serving as a living classroom for colonial Maryland history, religious studies, and social justice education. The combination of preserved architecture and honest historical interpretation makes All Saints a unique educational resource.

Interfaith and Community Partnerships All Saints hosts various community groups including Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, the Chesapeake Garden Club, and the Community Mediation Center of Calvert County. These partnerships continue the tradition of serving as a community gathering place that extends beyond denominational boundaries.

Planning Your Visit

What to See

Historic Church Interior

  • Slave Galleries: Climb the narrow, winding staircases to experience these rare colonial-era features
  • 1735 Baptismal Font: Touch the stone font that has served the parish for nearly 290 years
  • Colonial Architecture: Observe Flemish bond brickwork, original clear glass windows, and Georgian design elements
  • Memorial Tablets: View the Ten Commandments, Apostle’s Creed, and Lord’s Prayer tablets crafted by master cabinetmaker Bob Carlson

Church Grounds

  • Historic Sundial: See Bishop Claggett’s 1792 gift (bronze replica) on the east wall
  • Cemetery: Explore three centuries of burials, including colonial families and Civil War veterans
  • Champion Trees: Maryland Big Tree Program specimens, including the co-champion Pin Oak
  • Historical Markers: Learn about both the current church and the original log chapel site

Original Church Site Located approximately 0.2 miles away at the distinctive tear-drop shaped hollow across from today’s Park-N-Ride (near the north brick entrance of the current church), marked by historical signage. This site represents the 1693-1777 location of the log church, where the 1735 baptismal font was originally used. The hollow, now overgrown with trees and vines, also serves as the resting place of James Poore and other members of the original church. The historic road to Contcon (Lower Marlboro) once ran off to the right from this location, and the original Severn Ridge Path cut through what is now the parking lot before being replaced by Maryland Route 2.

Educational Resources

All Saints serves as an official stop on the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland’s “Trail of Souls: Truth and Reconciliation Pilgrimage,” offering visitors opportunities to engage with both the architectural beauty and complex social history of colonial Maryland.

The church building is typically open during daylight hours, allowing self-guided exploration. For group visits or specific historical inquiries, contact the parish office.

Sources and Further Research

Primary Historical Sources:

Contemporary Documentation:

For Researchers: Many colonial-era records were lost in fires that destroyed 17th and 18th-century Calvert County documents, making All Saints’ surviving materials particularly valuable for understanding colonial Maryland religious and social history.

All Saints’ Episcopal Parish Church invites all visitors to engage with this remarkable site where American religious history, architectural achievement, and ongoing social justice work intersect. As we approach our 350th anniversary in 2042, we remain committed to honest historical interpretation and continued service to our broader community.

All Saints’ Episcopal Parish Church
P.O. Box 40, Sunderland, MD 20689
allsaints1692.org

Visit us and experience three centuries of Maryland history, colonial architecture, and ongoing community life in one of the state’s most significant historic religious sites.