Amanuensis Monday: Gift Deed: Graham to Graham (1786)

Gift Deed

Graham to Graham

PWCo. Deed Book Z, pg. 116

Know all men by these presents that I Robert Graham of the County of Prince William in Virginia for divers good causes & more especially for the affection and good will I bear to my brother Walter Graham have given granted and confirmed and by these presents do give grant & confirm unto the said Walter two molatto [sic] slaves named Daniel and Esther to have and to hold the said slaves Daniel and Esther with the future increase of the said Esther to him the said Walter Graham his heirs ex[ecutors] adm[inistrators] & assigns and alll persons claiming under me my heirs do forever.  In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this sixth day of December, one thousand seven hundred & eighty six.

Robt. Graham {seal}

Teste,

James Park

J. Murray

J. Lawson

At a Court held in the same County the 4th day of May 1787. 

This same Deed of Gift was proved by the oath of John Lawson and ordered to be recorded.

Teste,

John Williams [clerk]

Church Record Sunday: Churches of Manassas

Manassas Democrat
20 April 1911

CHURCHES.

The churches of Manassas were erected as follows:

A small edifice for the Presbyterian church was built in 1867 on the corner of Church and East streets and torn down when the present edifice of stone was erected in 1875.

The Methodist Episcopal edifice on West street is the oldest church building standing. It was built in 1968, but rented for a public school three years before the pews were installed.

Trinity Episcopal church was built in 1872.

The Old School Baptist church, one mile south of Manassas, was built about 1874.

The Colored Baptist church was built in 1879 and rebuilt in 1905.

The Catholic church was built about 1881.

The New School Baptist church was built about 1890, and rebuilt in 1906.

The Lutheran church was built in 1896 and the Primitive Baptist church on West street in 1898.

The first man to preach a sermon in Manassas was the Rev. Levi. H. York, of the Methodist church. The services were held in an unfinished store building occupying the present site of the Newman block.

Sunday's Obituary: Elizabeth Ratcliffe

Alexandria Gazette
17 February 1837
-- and --
Baltimore Gazette and Daily Advertiser
20 February 1837

At Dumfries, Va. on the 11th inst. Mrs. Elizabeth Ratcliffe, in the 64th year of her age. It is so common to eulogise departed friends, that little interest can be felt by the community, unless they died possessed of some extraordinary virtue or talent, and were extensively known. It is due however to the subject of this notice to say that no lady ever deserved the tribute of respect from her friends more than she did, for exalted generosity, benevolence, and kindness; and none through the various vicissitudes of fortune ever sustained herself with more firmness and independence.

C.

Sunday's Obituary: Elizabeth "Betsey" Carr Tebbs

Alexandria Gazette
23 March 1852

On the 15th of March, at Grassland, the residence of her son, Col. Samuel Tebbs, Mrs. Betsey Tebbs, in the 81st year of her age. Mrs. Tebbs was the widow of Col. Willoughby Tebbs, of Dumfries, Prince William county, and for the greater portion of her life resided in that section of the State. For some years past she has been a resident of Middleburg and its vicinity.  It will be gratifying to her numerous friends and relatives to learn that the summons of Death did not come to her unawares, or find her unprepared. She had been for many years a communicant of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and was gathered to her fathers, as we trust, in the confidence of a certain faith, in the comfort of a reasonable, religious and holy hope, in favor with God, and in charity with the world. Blessed are they who thus die--Even so, saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labors.

[Elizabeth "Betsy" Carr Tebbs, the daughter of William Carr, is buried beside her husband in the family cemetery, "Tebbsdale," in Prince William County. ~cgl]

Newspaper Tidbit: Old Landmark Gone - "Eureka"

Alexandria Gazette
3 November 1873

OLD LAND MARK GONE -- The "Eureka," the first public house opened in Manassas after the war, has disappeared from among the institutions of the place, to give room for a more imposing structure. The "Eureka" was a small frame "baloon" built house, one and a half stories high, and was used as a private entertainment, and furnished room for the ticket office of the railroad, Adams express office, and telegraph office. It was purchased a short time ago from the owner, Mr. Wm. S. Fewell, by Messrs. F. J. Cannon and son, who are now engaged in the erection of a three story frame building 80 by 28 feet, and when finished will be opened as a hotel. It will contain thirty chambers, besides other necessary apartments.  It has not yet been decided who will open it. - Manassas Gazette

Tombstone Tuesday - Mildred (Tyler) Woodyard

Mildred V.

Woodyard

May 17, 1871

June 3, 1915

Gone home

[Valley View Cemetery, Nokesville, VA]

~ ~ ~

Manassas Journal

4 June 1915

Mrs. James Woodyard Passes Away

At six o'clock yesterday evening Mrs. James Woodyard passed away at her home at Brentsville in her forty-third year. Mrs. Woodyard, who was a victim of tuberculosis, was Miss Millie Tyler before her marriage.  She has resided at Brentsville all her life, and is well known in that community.

Mrs. Woodyard is survived by her husband and eleven children. The children are Roxier, Benjamin, James, Harvey, Peter, Paul, Daniel, Alice, Susie, Catherine, and Mrs. Lillie Keys. She leaves no brothers or sisters.

Funeral services will be conducted at the Brentsville Baptist church, of which the deceased was  a member, by Dr. H. L. Quarles to-morrow afternoon at one o'clock. Interment will be made in Valley View Cemetery.

Amanuensis Monday: Will of Hebron Molair

Hebron Molair Will

Prince William County Will Book Q, Pg. 309

In the name of God Amen I Hebron Molair of County of Prince William in the state of Virginia, being of sound mind and memory and understanding do make this my last will and testament, in manner following, that is to say. – It is my will and desire that my just debts and personal expenses be paid out of my estate. I give and devise to my wife Rebecca Molair for the term of her natural life all my estate, real, personal, and mixed, except the devise hereafter made to George W. Molair of one Bay mare colt, to be held by her without impeachment of waste.

I give and devise to my son George W. Molair, one Bay mare colt.  After the death of my wife, it is my will and desire that the estate above devised to her for life shall be equally divided between my five children, namely George W. Molair, Frances E. Molair, James E. Molair, John L. Molair, and Leroy Molair and their heirs.  I hereby appoint George W. Molair, executor of this my will. In witness whereof I have hereinto subscribed my name this fourteenth day of October one thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.

Hebron [X his mark] Molair

Signed and acknowledged by the testator in presence of us who at his request and in his presence and in presence of each other have subscribed our names as

M. B. Sinclair

W. E. Goodwin

John Molair

At a court of quarterly sessions held for Prince William Count on the 5^th day of November 1855

This last will and testament of Hebron Molair dec’d was proved by the oaths of Mordecai B. Sinclair and William E. Goodwin witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of George W. Molair the executor therein named who made oath there to and together with Thomas R. Davis and James M. Sinclair his securities (one of whom Thomas K. Davis justified as to his sufficiency) entered into and acknowledged their bond in the penalty of $1500.00 conditioned as the law directs, certificate is granted him for obtaining a probat[e] of the aid will in due form.

Teste, P. D. Lipscomb, clk

Sunday's Obituary: Richard B. Tyler

Alexandria Gazette
30 July 1839

Suddenly at Hay Market, Prince William County Virginia, near his late residence, on the 22d inst., Richard B. Tyler Esq., in the 51st year of his age. The deceased was one of the most respectable and useful citizens of the County, a true friend and a man of the strictest integrity.




Alexandria Gazette
14 July 1846

At Occoquan, Prince William county, Va., on Monday the 29th ult., Miss Mary Ellen Taylor, aged 20 years. She was an amiable and kind-hearted girl, and her loss will be seriously felt by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.