Chaplain Vernon Eskridge

Chaplain Vernon Eskridge. , Reverend Eskridge was one of several clergy and medical personnel who died in the service of the citizens of Portsmouth during the yellow fever epidemic. This dread disease, the cause not understood at the time, decimated he populations of Norfolk, Portsmouth and surrounding cities and counties during the summer and early autumn of 1855. The disease, which we now know was carried by mosquitoes, killed over 1000 of the estimated 10,000, population of Portsmouth., Born in Westmoreland County, Virginia in 1803, Eskridge first came to Portsmouth in 1831. He served as the minister at Dinwiddie Street Methodist Church (now Monumental United Methodist Church) in 1831 and 1832. During the summer of that year he assisted the people of Portsmouth with their spirituaI and physical needs during the local outbreak of cholera. After a brief absence he returned to Portsmouth in 1837 and entered private business. He again became active at Dinwiddie Street Church as superintendent and assistant minister from 1839 to 1850. He also became the founding minister of Wright Memorial Methodist Church (now disbanded) in 1843., Eskridge subsequently served as Navy Chaplain aboard the frigate U.S.S. Cumberland during its Mediterranean service cruise in 1852-1855. Upon his return to the United States, he chose to come back to Portsmouth when he learned of the outbreak of yellow fever. Worn from serving a grueling routine of comforting families, he too died as a result of the fever on September 11, 1855.