Karl and Mary Bergey

(Reminiscences by Dick Frazer)

Karl Bergey (1884 - 1977) was organist and choirmaster for St. Paul's church for many years following Mrs. Doris Williams and Mrs. Marjorie Warren. When Pat and I first came to St. Paul's in November 1966. Mr. Bergey played the organ for most services.

Early in his musical career, Mr. Bergey was an exceptionally good contemporary keyboard artist and could render popular songs of the time pretty well on both organ and piano. In later years he could not hear very well, and his fingers were so bent and gnarled with arthritis that it was nearly impossible for him to hit the key he was aiming for. It was difficult for him to hit only one key at a time without pressing down the adjacent one also.

The choir consisted of Howard Yarus, Wes Myers, and Dave Brown. They sat directly behind the organ console so that Mr. Bergey, with his back to the priest and congregation, could watch their faces and read their lips in order to keep up with what was going on during the service.

When Mr. Bergey heard that I enjoyed music and was doing vocal cantatas with other area churches, he pulled out one of his old favorite songs, “My Task,” and we worked that one up and presented it as an offertory at St. Paul's.

Mr. Bergey was a dear and wonderful soul and devoted much of his time and talents to St. Paul's church. He died in 1977 and is buried in St. Paul's cemetery next to his beloved wife Mary.

Now and then, in the 1960s a young man by the name of Stuart Ashton Jr., organ student of Harold Abmyer, would play for us. In the fall of 1966, Mr. Bergey asked Stuart to play the organ at St. Paul's. When Stuart told him that he was not trained, Mr. Bergey petitioned the Vestry to provide organ lessons for Stuart. They agreed, and paid a whopping 5 dollars per lesson to Mr. Abmyer.

Several years later, Harrison Simons convinced Lt. Bob Green to play the organ and organize a choir that could do anthems for special occasions. It was nice while it lasted, but Navy Lts. seldom stay at Dahlgren longer than 2 or 3 years. Bob was remarkable in that he played the pedals with his shoes removed, socks on!

(Reminiscences by Marybelle Ashton)

St. Paul's Puddings

During the 1950s and 1960s men and women gathered in the fall to cut, chop, and mix puddings as a fund raising activity for St. Paul's. The recipe was one used by Martha "Mattie" Thornton Ashton, grandmother of Stuart Jr. and Carolyne. The mixtures were taken to the local canning plant in King George behind the old court house, probably where the new court house is now. When that canning facility closed, the process was moved to Port Royal where the school cannery was located.

The photo shows Karl Bergey tasting our pudding. If it passed his OK, the canning went forward. The product was sold in our fall bazaar and was quite profitable for a while until the cost of ingredients rose.

After reading Dick Frazers fine essay, I can offer a few additional memories. Marjorie Warren also directed the children's choir. Before Doris Williams' time there was a pump organ played by Daisey Jones Ashton, wife of the first Daingerfield Ashton and Mary Washington, mother of Virginia Gros. Daisey was Stuart Junior's great aunt.