Five years after this illness Washington was elected a member of the vestry of the parish, and he was re-elected many times. His record for attendance was unusual, in spite of his many outside engagements. During the years from 1763 to 1774 thirty-one vestry meetings were held. He was absent from eight of these, once on account of sickness, twice because he was attending the House of Burgesses, and at least three times because he was out of the county. For a few months, in 1765, he did not serve, because, on the division of Truro parish, Mt. Vernon was thrown over the line into the new Fairfax parish. At once the new parish made him a member of its vestry, but when, in response to a petition which Washington helped to present, the House of Burgesses changed the parish line so that Mt. Vernon was once more in Truro parish, he resumed his service in the old church. There he maintained his connection with an official body noted for the fact that, at one time or another, it had eleven members in the House of Burgesses, two members in His Majesty's Council for Virginia, as well as the author of the Virginia Bill of Rights and the Constitution of the State of Virginia, George Mason. When it was decided that a new church building was needed, Washington was instrumental in settling the inevitable discussion as to site that followed. He made a map of the parish, showing where each communicant lived, and recommended that the building be placed at the centre of the parish, as shown by the map. His suggestion was adopted, and a site two miles nearer Mt. Vernon was chosen. For the new church Washington himself drew the plan. He was also active in letting the plan and overseeing the building operation. At an auction of pews, held in 1772, when the church was ready for use, he bought Number 28, next the communion table, for L10, while he paid L13 10s. for pew 30. Evidently he was thoughtful for the guests who frequently rode with him to service, either in the coach, or in the chaise that followed, or on horseback. When the Mt. Vernon contingent came to church there was usually quite a procession. Under date October 2, 1785, the diary of Washington tells of one of these processions, as well as of an interesting event that followed: "Went with Fanny Bassett, Burwell, Bassett, Doctr Stuart, G. A. Washington, Mr. Shaw and Nellie Custis to Pohick Church to hear a Mr. Thompson preach, who returned with me to Dinner.... After we were in Bed (about Eleven o'clock in the Evening) Mr Houdon, sent from Paris by Doctr Franklin and Mr Jefferson to take my Bust, in behalf of the State of Virginia ... arrived." For many years Pohick Church was practically deserted, but there is evidence that services were held here in 1802. Davies, an Englishman, in his "Four Years in America," wrote: