Newspaper Tidbit: First Complete County History in Manassas by W.P.A.

Evening Star (Washington, DC)
25 March 1941

FIRST COMPLETE COUNTY HISTORY WRITTEN IN MANASSAS BY W.P.A.

Scattered Data Took Two Years to Assemble

Compiled as a Virginia Writers' Project of the Work Projects Administration, a book claimed to be the first complete history of Prince William County (Va.) was published today, under the sponsorship of the Bethlehem Good Housekeeping Club of Manassas.

Edited by Mrs. Eudora Ramsey Richardson, supervisor of Virginia Writers' Projects, the book is called "Prince William, the Story of Its People and Its Places."  It gives a detailed account of the county's history and it is expected to prove valuable as a source of reference.

Research workers delved into old records, archives and rare documents to produce the book, which contains such things as a complete list of more than 700 taxpayers in the county for the year 1783, and the roster of about 600 Prince William troops in the Confederate Army.

The object of the project is to make available in one volume the valuable scattered data on the formation and development of this county. Over 2,000 names connected with the past and present history of Prince William are mentioned in the book.

The county was formed from King George and Stafford Counties in 1731, the book states. The name was given in honor of a 10-year-old son of King George II, then monarch of England.

The narrative discloses that Prince William citizens repeatedly figured in the conflicts that marked the early history of the country. Troops from the county participated in the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. Gen. Braddock's army passed through the section en route to his final encounter. In Prince William the first company of minutemen in Virginia was formed. Later the county "was proud to give to the Continental Army one of its most brilliant officers -- Gen. Henry (Light Horse Harry) Lee," father of Gen. Robert E. Lee.

The book recounts the well known history of the area around Manassas, county seat of Prince William, during the War Between the States.

It notes that in the 20th century the county still includes the important Marine base and training camp at Quantico.

The newly compiled history and guide book of Prince William offers information on leading educational institutes throughout the county and lists suggested tours, including trips to remote corners and back-country sections.t

Mrs. Richardson says she had a staff of eight persons at work two years to complete the book.

H. R. Eubank and Frank A. Browning, supervisors of the project, directed the research, while John S. Widdicombe, assistant State supervisor, plotted the tours and wrote all architectural descriptions. The story of education was compiled by Margaret Meagher and Everett Anderson, and tradition collected from tombstones and records by Mrs. Susan R. Morton of Haymarket, Va.

Mrs. Richardson served on the State Board of Public Welfare for 10 years prior to 1938. She is a former national field representative of the Federation of Business and Professional Women and organizing president of the Virginia branch of the American Association of University Women.

["Prince William, the Story of Its People and Its Places" remains one of the best research books on the county.  Research copies can be found at RELIC and other Virginia libraries.  ~cgl]