Sunday's Obituary: Albert Beavers

Manassas Democrat (Va)
12 June 1913

Albert Beavers, of Brentsville, who shot himself in the head with a shotgun last Wednesday morning died early last Sunday morning. It is said that Beavers left his home to hunt squirrels, and soon after he left the house a shot was heard, but little attention was paid to it and when he failed to put in his appearance at bed time a search was instituted which was a failure that night. Early next morning the search was renewed and Beavers was found in a lonely thicket, within two hundred yards of his home, lying near a fallen tree, with the shotgun by his side. Beavers was unmarried and had been in a melancholy mood for several months.

PWCo. Items: 28 August 1871

Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, VA)
28 August 1871

PRINCE WM. COUNTY.--[From the Manassas Gazette]--We understand that the farmers around Nokesville are procuring large quantities of lime to be used upon their fall sowing of wheat. They procure it from the kilns of Messrs. Garson & Co., at Riverton, near Front Royal.

During the past week the weather has been intensely hot, and our farmers have been anxiously awaiting rain that the sufferings crops might be benefitted thereby. On Wednesday night some rain fell, which will prove beneficial to the gardens, but many fear the corn crop is too far gone to be saved.

A fight took place some time last week near Independent Hill in the lower part of this county, between two coopers, named James Posey and Wm. Beavers. Posey was severely injured by a hatchet in the hands of Beavers.

The camp meeting which has been in progress near this place since last week closed on Friday morning. Brentsville, Manassas, Dumfries, Hartfod, Beadley, Clifton and other places were represented by tents on the ground. It was throughout a most orderly and quiet camp meeting.

Rev. Mr. Bain commenced a series of protracted meetings at the Methodist church on Friday night last.

Amanuensis Monday: Deed: Eppa Hunton Jr. to C. W. Fair (1888)

Prince William County
Deed Book 38, page 367
Hunton to Fair

This Deed made and entered into this the 11th day of October 1888 between Eppa Hunton Jr. of the first part and C. W. Fair, of the second party.

Whereas by a decree of the Circuit Court of Prince William County pronounced on the 8th day of October 1888, in the suit of Wards Excr. vs. Florence, the said Eppa Hunton Jr. was appointed a special commissioner and was directed to convey to C. W. Fair certain lands hereinafter more particularly described with Special Warranty.

Now this Deed witnesseth that for and in consideration of the premises and of the sum of Four Hundred and Fifty Dollars in hand paid the said Eppa Hunton Jr. by the said C. W. Fair the receipt where of is hereby acknowledged, he the said Eppa Hunton Jr. commissioner aforesaid has granted bargained and sold and by these presents does grant, bargain sell and convey unto the said C. W. Fair his heirs and assigns forever with Special Warranty all that tract of land situate in the County of Prince William adjoining the lands of Sam Beavers, Albert Corn, and others containing 23[?] acres, more or less.

Witnesseth the following signature and seal, the day and year first above written.

Eppa Hunton Jr. {seal}

Virginia, Fauquier County, Sct.

I, C. M. White, a Notary Public for Fauquier County, in the state of Virginia, do certify that Eppa Hunton Jr., whose name is signed to the writing hereto attached, bearing date on the 10th day of October 1888, has acknowledged the same before me in my county aforesaid.

Given under my hand this 11th day of October 1888.

C. M. White, N.P.

In Clerks Office Prince William Count.

Dec. 7, 1888   This Deed from Hunton Commr. to Fair was received with certificate annexed and admitted to record.

Teste,

Edwin Nelson, Clk.

Amanuensis Monday: Deed: Beavers to Beavers (1903)

Deed: Beavers to Beavers
PWCo. Deed Book 52, pg. 89

This DEED, made this 1st day of September in the year one thousand nine hundred and three, between Lucian Beavers, of the County of Prince William, Virginia, of the first part and Albert R. Beavers, of the County of Prince William, Virginia, of the second part

WITNESSETH: That in consideration of the sum of fifty-one dollars, cash in hand paid by the said Albert R. Beavers at or before the sealing and delivery of these presents, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, the said Lucian Beavers, party of the first part, does grant unto the said Albert R. Beavers, party of the second part, with General warranty, an undivided one-third interest in all that certain tract or parcel of land lying and being situate in Coles Magisterial District in Prince William County, Virginia containing forty-two (42) acres, be the same more or less, and is the same land which was owned by the late Mrs. Nancy Petty and was devised by her to her daughter, Emily Beavers, during her life, and to the children of the said Emily Beavers, the said Lucian Beavers being one of three children left by her. The said tract of land being bounded on the South by the Brentsville-Independent Hill Road, on the west by Wheaten: and also joining the land of George Petty. The said Lucian Beavers covenant that L. has the right to convey the said land to the grantee; that L. has done no act to encumber the said land; that the grantee shall have quiet possession of the said land, free from all encumbrances, and that L., the said party of the first part, will execute such further assurance of the said land as may be requisite. Witness the following signature and seal.

Lucian {X his mark} Beavers (seal)

Witnesses

J. B. T. Thornton,
H. Thornton Davies


In the Clerk's Office of Prince William County, Sept. 1st., 1903.

This deed of Beavers was received, acknowledged by the grantors, and admitted to record.

Teste,

E. Nelson  Clk

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 13^th 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 5^th 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

Friday's Faces from the Past: Woodbine Baptist Church

As Woodbine Church prepares to celebrate its 140th Anniversary, it seemed appropriate to post a photo of its congregation from the late 1930's.  The group is standing at the front door of the original 1875 one-room church building.

Many thanks to Miss Jane Abel, a long-time member of Woodbine's congregation (she's the little gal with the bow in the picture) for sharing her photo!

Miss Jane tried her best to remember the names of everyone in the picture but there are a few she was unable to identify.  Do you recognize any of the faces in this photo?

Woodbine Baptist Church Congregation (approx 1938)
Photo courtesy of Jane Abel (used with permission)

Front Row (left to right) - Little girl, Vernon Beavers, little girl, Bill Posey, Gloria Weber, Billy Zackey, Margie Cornwell, Penny (Hattie Warren's foster child)

Middle Row - Rev. Howard Caviness, Helen Beavers, Geneva Jones and baby, Minnie Posey and Bobby, woman with baby, Jane Abel (wearing the little bow), David Abel (little boy below), Lillian Abel and Frankie, Annie Zackey, unidentified man

Back Row - Louise Beavers Cornwell and Denny, Joyce Beavers Jones and son, woman with baby, Hattie Abel Warren and Betty Lou, woman with baby.

EVENT REMINDER:  

Pastor Gene Wells and the congregation of Woodbine Church invite the Community to celebrate their 140th Anniversary on Saturday, 23 May 2015, from Noon until Three.  The event is open to the public and admission is FREE!

Sunday's Obituary: Maggie Priscilla Beavers (1914)

Manassas Democrat
September 17, 1914

DEATH CLAIMS MRS. MAGGIE P. BEAVERS

Was Second Victim of Typhoid

Interment in the Cemetery at Woodbine Last Sunday - Her Husband and Four Children Survive Her

Typhoid fever claimed its second victim here last Friday when Mrs. Maggie Priscilla Beavers, wife of Levi Beavers, died at her home on East Street.

For several weeks she had been very ill with the fever and the contributory cause of her death, tuberculosis, so weakened her condition as to make impossible her recovery.  Mrs. Beavers was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Thomas, of this county, and was thirty-three years old.  She is survived by her husband and four children.  The funeral was held last Sunday afternoon at Woodbine church, a few miles from Manassas, and the remains were interred in the cemetery at that place.  This death took place within a few yards of the home of D. J. Myers, whose family is now convalescent of fever, and in the vicinity where most of the cases in Mnaassas are located.

Wednesday's Child: Lola "Ollie" Beavers / Lola Ledman

Manassas Democrat
September 7, 1911

DEATH OF OLLIE BEAVERS

Little Ollie Beavers, six years old, daughter of John Beavers, died Friday at Sinclair's Mill.  The funeral was held Saturday.

Manassas Journal
September 8, 1911

Little Lola, the six-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Beavers, and little Lola, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Ledman, died about the same hour on last Friday and were buried on Saturday afternoon at the same hour in Bradley Cemetery.  The parents of the deceased were neighbors residing near Sinclair's Mill.

Friday's Faces From the Past: Cora Bell Beavers

Below is a photo found among the chancery papers of the 1918 PWCo divorce case between Cora E. Beavers v. Samuel T. Beavers.  Cora was accompanied by her younger brother, Robert, and neighbor, Willie Keys, on a trip to the big city -- Washington, DC -- and had a souvenir photo-postcard made of the event.  This postcard was later introduced by Samuel Beavers in a counterclaim that Cora was unfaithful to him and having an affair with Willie, which she denied.  The Court found in Cora's favor, granting the divorce.

Robert Luther Bell, Willie ("Wylie") Keys, and Cora Bell Beavers
1918

Wednesday's Child: Anna Christine Armentrout

Manassas Journal
December 22, 1916

DEATH OF A CHILD

Anna Christine Armentrout, seventeen month old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. P. Aremtrout, of Bradley, died Sunday, after an illness of two weeks.

Funeral services were conducted Monday at Valley View Church of the Brethren, Elder S. H. Fory and Elder J. M. Kline officiating.  Interment was made in Valley View cemetery.  The pall bearers were four little girls -- Ruth Bibb, Ethel Robinson, Mabel Dodd and Goldie Beavers.

[Anna Christine Armentrout was born July 5, 1915 and died December 17, 1916.  She is buried beside her parents, Robert Paul and Sarah Baker Armentrout, in Valley View Cemetery, Nokesville, VA.]

Mappy Monday: Upper Independent Hill

Below is a snippet from the Library of Congress's copy of the 1862 Map of N. Eastern Virginia and Vicinity of Washington that shows some of the landowners of the day.  Copies of the full map can be ordered through the LOC.

Thriller Thursday: The Fair Family

'Thriller Thursday' is a blogging prompt suggested by Geneabloggers, highlighting "murders, bizarre accidents or other thrilling stories" in family history.

In Prince William County, there may not be a more bizarre and tragic turn of events than those that plagued the Fair Family.  To quote the subheading of the newspaper account below, the Fair story is a tale of "wrecked homes, black fratricide, murders, suicides, and kindred disasters ... [that] would sound cheap in fiction, but these are the sordid facts."

The following was published on February 27, 1910 in the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, VA)
February 27, 1910