Rev. Townsend Dade, ordained by the Bishop of London in 1765, was the first minister of Christ Church, and it is presumed that as minister of the Parish he also officiated at the Falls Church. His salary was 17,280 pounds of tobacco, and 2,500 pounds were added to this for the deficiency of a glebe. He served as minister until 1778. [Illustration: Dr. T. M. Talbott] In November, 1766, the Vestry ordered a levy to be made upon the inhabitants of the parish of 31,185 pounds of tobacco, for the purpose of building two new churches of brick; one at the Falls, the other at Alexandria. The new brick church which the Vestry decided to erect in place of the old wooden structure was built, according to reliable information, by Mr. James Wren, for about 600 pounds sterling. Bishop Meade states in his book on old churches of Virginia, that a most particular contract was made for him as also for James Parsons, the contractor for the Alexandria church. The mortar was to be two-thirds lime and one-third sand; the shingles were to be of the best cypress or juniper and three-quarters of an inch thick. The contract for building Falls Church called for a gallery, but this was never put in. The Alexandria church was begun in 1767 by James Parsons, 600 pounds sterling being the contract price. Parsons failed to complete his contract and the building was finished for an additional sum of 220 pounds sterling by Col. John Carlyle, and formally delivered February 27, 1773. [Illustration: Mr. C. L. Blanton] In 1770 a tract of about 500 acres was purchased from Daniel Jennings at 15 shillings per acre, and upon this in 1773 the Fairfax Vestry caused to be erected a glebe house, or rectory, with a dairy, meat house, barn, stable and corn house for 653 pounds sterling. During the Revolutionary War, Falls Church is said to have been the recruiting headquarters of Col. Charles Broadwater, one of Fairfax's first patriots. In 1775 there were in Virginia 95 parishes, 164 churches and chapels, and 91 clergymen. At the conclusion of the war for Independence only 72 parishes remained, and 34 of these had been deprived of ministerial help. Churches and chapels had gone to ruin; soldiers having turned them into barracks or stables. In 1778 the Rev. Mr. Dade was succeeded as Parish minister by the Rev. Mr. West, who served for a few months, and he in turn was succeeded by Rev. David Griffith who it is recorded exercised his ministry with fidelity in his Parish, preaching both at Alexandria and at Falls Church from 1780 to 1789. He had been chaplain in the 3rd Virginia Regiment during the revolution and was to the time of his death, in 1789, a close personal friend of Washington. [Illustration: Mr. Geo. W. Hawxhurst]