Sunday, September 25, 2016

Deed: Gift Deed from Larkin to Renoe

Prince William County Gift Deed
Deed Book 13, pg. 141

Know all men by these presents that I Leanah Larkin of the County of Prince William for and in consideration of the natural love and affection which I have to Penelope D. Renoe wife of George A. B. Renoe of the County aforesaid and for and in consideration of the sum of one dollar to me in hand paid by Daniel Larkin of the said County at and before the unsealing and delivery of thee presents have given and granted and by these presents doth give and grant unto the said Daniel Larkin his heirs executors and administrators one negro girl named Tener and her future increase to have and to hold to him the said Daniel Larkin his heirs and assigns forever upon trust nevertheless that the said Daniel Larkin will apply the profits and hires of the said slave to the use and benefit of the said Penelope D. Renoe during her natural life and after her death deliver the said slave and her future increase to the children of the said Penelope D. Renoe to be divided equally among them if there be more than one, but if there be no child or children then the said slave and her future increase shall devolve [?] on my legal representatives it being the object of this deed of conveyance to secure to the said Penelope D. Renoe the use and services or the hires and profits of the said negro girl Tener and her future increase during her natural life and after her death that the said negro girl Tener and her future increase should belong to and be vested in such child or children of the said Penelope D. Renoe as might be then living and I the said Leanah Larkin for myself my heirs executors and administrators do hereby warrant and defend the title of the said negro girl Tener to the said Daniel Larkin forever for the uses and purposes in this deed contained and set forth against the claims of all persons whatsoever.  In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 30th day of March 1833.

Leanah Larkin {seal}

Signed Sealed and delivered in the presents of

James W. Wallace
Francis D. Bowen
William F. Matthews

At a Court held for Prince William County the 1st day of April 1833

This Deed of Gift from Leanah Larkin to Penelope D. Renoe wife of George A.B. Renoe was proved by the oaths of Francis D. Bowen and William F. Matthews two of the Witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded.

Teste, John Williams
ct clrk



Sunday, September 18, 2016

Sunday's Obituary: Sarah Green / Francis H. Dunnington

Alexandria Gazette (VA)
1 May 1827

DIED, on the 28th instant, in the town of Dumfries, Mr. FRANCIS H. DUNNINGTON, in the 46th year of his age. In the death of Mr. Dunnington, Dumfries has lost one of its most active, industrious, enterprising and useful merchants. He sustained a character without reproach in every relationship of life; in his intercourse with society he was liberal and just; to his friends he was warm-hearted and sincere; to the poor and distressed, he was kind and charitable; in fine, his integrity, liberality public spirit, and urbanity of manners commanded the respect and esteem of all who knew him. He has left a distressed widow and children, to whom he had endeared himself by being one of the kindest and best of husbands and fathers, as well as numerous friends to deplore his death.




Daily National Intelligencer (DC)
11 November 1835

DEATHS.  At her residence, in Prince William County, Virginia, on the 3d instant, in the 65th year of her age, Mrs. SARAH GREEN, relict of the late Mr. JAMES GREEN, and sister of Mr. JOHN WIATT, of Mason county, VA.



Sunday, September 11, 2016

Sunday's Obituary: Latham / Metzger / Renoe / Speaks

Richmond Times
22 May 1909

METZGER A SUICIDE

Wealthy Farmer Throws Himself in Front of Train

Manassas, Va., May 21 -- William Metzger, seventy-four years of age, one of the most prosperous farmers and largest land owners of this county, committed suicide near his home yesterday by throwing himself in front of a Southern Railway train.

Mr. Metzger arose early in the morning, and after telling his wife that, as no one cared for him, she would not see him again alive, left the house. Mrs. Metzger, thoroughly alarmed, aroused the hands on the farm and sent them in search of her husband. They found the dead body near the railway track.

Mr. Metzger lived on a splendid farm near Wood[b]ridge.




Richmond Times Dispatch
21 August 1908

FARMER SUICIDES

Joseph Speaks, of Manassas, Despondent, Shoots Himself

Manassas, Va., August 20 -- Mr. Joseph Speaks, a respected farmer of this county, living about two miles from Manassas, committed suicide at  his home this morning by shooting himself with a shotgun. The entire load took effect in the right side and death was almost instantaneous. Mr. Speaks had been in ill health for some time past. He was very despondent, and his act is attributed to the condition of his health.




Augusta Chronicle (Georgia)
8 January 1909

Virginian Found Dead.

Manassas, Va., Jan. 7 -- Carroll Latham, a member of the board of supervisors of Prince William county, was found dead in his room today shot through the heart. Whether death was the result of an accident or suicide is not yet definitely known, though the latter theory prevails.




Richmond Whig
3 July 1855

SHOT HIMSELF. -- William Rennoe, residing near Brentsville, Prince William county, shot himself last week, and died soon afterwards.






The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a 24-hour, toll-free, confidential suicide prevention hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. By dialing 1-800-273-TALK(8255), the call is routed to the nearest crisis center in our national network of more than 150 crisis centers. The Lifeline’s national network of local crisis centers provide crisis counseling and mental health referrals day and night.

Monday, September 5, 2016

Amanuensis Monday: Will: Samuel Beavers (1872)

Samuel Beavers Will
Prince William County Will Book S, pgs. 60-61

In the name of God Amen, I Samuel Beavers Senr. Of the County of Prince William and State of Virginia being of sound mind and memory, and considering this frail and transitory life, do therefore make ordain publish and declare this to be my last will and testament, that is to say first after all my lawful debts are paid and discharged residue of my estate real and personal, I give and bequeath and dispose of as follows to wit: To my beloved wife Anna Beavers the land and appurtenances thereof situated thereon, lying in the aforesaid State and county, near Occoquan River about five miles S.E. of Manassas now possessed by me, during the term of her natural life, and after her death to be divided between my two sons, Samuel Beavers and Harrison Beavers, the land to be divided equally. He Samuel Beavers retaining the portion he at present occupies. 

Harrison Beavers to have the other portion to wit the Homestead with provisions that the said Harrison shall remain with me & his mother in the discharge of his duty upon the farm, as heretofore during our natural lives and further if there should be any personal property left after paying all just debts, it is my wish that it should revert to my son Harrison Beavers provided he complies with the above conditions.

My other children to wit William Beavers, James Beavers, John Beavers, Mary F. Cornwell, Lydia Banks, Martha Mack, Eliza J. Wearing, Elizabeth Cornwell, I give and bequeath one dollar each.  I appoint and desire that my sons Samuel Beavers and Harrison Beavers shall act as Executors of the Estate. In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed acknowledged my name and affixed my seal this 13th day of June in the year of our Lord 1872.

Samuel [X his mark] Beavers {seal}

The said Samuel Beavers acknowledged this to be his last will and testament.
Attest.

L. C. Lynn
Jas. R. Sullivan

In Prince William County Court August 5th 1872

This last will and testament of Samuel Beavers was this day presented to the court & being proved by the oaths of L. C. Lynn & J. R. Sullivan subscribing witnesses thereto is ordered to be recorded.

Teste.

L. A. Davis     Clerk



Sunday, September 4, 2016

Sunday's Obituary: Thomas Thornton

The Mail (Philadelphia, PA)
9 May 1792

On the 25th of March, in the town of Dumfries, in Virignia, departed this life, in the 76th year of his age, the Rev. Thomas Thornton, late Rector of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg.

In his sermons he was accurate and persuasive, more attentive to sense than sound; to elevation of sentiment than loftiness of, stile; expatiating on the evidences of Christianity, and strongly urging the practice of Christian virtues. He possessed a steady faith, benevolence, and unaffected piety. With the dignity of the minister, he associated the familiarity of the man; with the sentiment and manners of the gentleman, he united the mildness of the Christian; and was truly an ornament to human nature; his amiable qualities secured him universal respect, and his death is now the theme of general lamentation.

"At church with meek and unaffected grace,
His looks adorned the venerable place;
Truth from his lips prevail'd with double sway,
And fools who came to scoff remain'd to pray."


Saturday, September 3, 2016

PWCo. Item: 14 January 1873

Alexandria Gazette
14 January 1873

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY ITEMS. -- Mr. James Vowels, aged 72 years, died on the 25th of December, at the residence of Mr. Matthew Priest in this county. Mr. V. was a native of Talbot county, Md., but had been a resident of this county upwards of thirty years. He was a member of the order of Free and Accepted Masons, and probably the oldest member of that order living in the county. He was buried in the family burrying ground on the farm of Mr. Priest.

On the motion of Judge C. E. Sinclair a rule was entered against Mr. Geo. W. Jones by the Court, on Monday last, to show cause why he should not be removed from the office of constable, for having charged improper fees, Mr. Jones contends that the fees charged were proper.

Mr. Charles H. Whittington, telegraph operator for the Western Union Telegraph Company at this place, was taken down a few days ago with a severe attack of inflamatory rheumatism. Mr. H. S. Sneed of Gordonsville has taken his place until he gets able to resume his duties.

We learn that Mr.s Vanderhoof, the widow of a man by that name, who purchased a farm near Nokesville, about a year ago, is in very destitute circumstances, her husband having died leaving the widow and six children without support.

A man by the name of P. H. Smith, a resient of Monroe county, West Va., passed through here on Wednesday last in charge of three guards who were conveying him to the lunatic Asylum at Weston, West Va.,

Messrs. Nicol and Hunton, commissioners, sold on Monday last in front of the court house, 200 acres of land, a portion of the homestead of Seymour Lynn, near Independence Hill, to Burress Norman for $4 per acre.

Messrs. Sinclair and Nicol, commissioners, sold on Monday last four lots of land, each containing half an acre, of the estate of the late James Purcell, to Jas. R. Purcell for the sum of $399.50.

Mr. M. M. Roseberry who has been confined by sickness for the past three months at his home near Brentsville, is we are glad to report nearly recovered and will soon be out again.  -- Manassas Gazette