Church Record Sunday: Children's Letters from The Presbyterian of the South

The Presbyterian of the South
25 December 1918

CHILDREN'S LETTERS

GOING ON SIX

Dear Miss Argyle:

I am sending $1 to help take care of the little French child. Until October 1st I lived in Augusta County, and went to Mossy Creek church, but I moved to Prince William County, and now attend the Brentsville church. I am going on to six just like Guy Gilkerson, and I know he will be surprised to hear that two of his aunts are teaching right near my home. I like my new Sunday school teacher, but I never will like any better than I did my first teacher, Mrs. John Robson.

Your little friend,

Mary Burwell Buck
Bristow, VA

Dear Mary:

We are all glad to hear from you, and I am sure Guy will be especially interested in your letter. Thank you for your help.

H.A.

Newspaper Tidbit: Leachman Reunion (1917)

Manassas Journal
18 May 1917

LEACHMAN REUNION

A reunion of the Leachman clan was held Tuesday at "Paradise," the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Dogan.  Members of the family included the nine sons and daughters of the late Col. Thomas Leachman - Messrs. J. P. and C. C. Leachman, of Manassas and Thomas R. Leachman, of Lynchburg; Mrs. E. L. Carroll, of Charlottesville; Miss Katherine Leachman, of Washington; Mrs. Dogan, of Paradise, and Mrs. Bessie Elliot, Mrs. R. C. Buck and Mrs. Roberta Lynn, of Manassas -- a number of grandchildren, including Mrs. Dogan's daughter, Mrs. C. C. Lynn, of Bristow; Miss Lillian Leachman, of Bristow, daughter of County Treasurer Leachman, Miss Constance Leachman, of Charlottesville, daughter of Mr. T. R. Leachman; Miss Mary Beverley Leachman, of Manassas, daughter of C. C. Leachman, and Miss Elizabeth Buck, of Manassas, daughter of Mrs. Buck.

Other guests were Mrs. W. L. Bradbury, of Orange, a relative of the family; Mr. and Mrs. Charles R. McDonald, of Catharpin, and Miss Martha Bates, of Washington.

Wedding Wednesday: Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Leachman Anniversary

The Washington Post
December 31, 1899

FIFTY YEARS OF HAPPINESS

Mr. and Mrs. Leachman Celebrate Their Golden Wedding - Sequel of Romance

Wellington, Va., Dec. 30 - Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Leachman celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage, at their home, "Folly Castle," Wednesday evening, December 27.

The Leachman place is one of the popular social centers of Prince William County.  "Folly Castle" was so named when the century was young.  It has sheltered the gentry of at least five generations, and its solid walls seem good for another century, although there are imbedded in the English-made bricks, shot and shell from the batteries of the contending armies of Bull Run, when "Folly Castle" lay "between the lines."

Thomas Leachman and Betty Lewis - named for her famous far-away Virginia cousin - were married December 27, 1849.  It came near being a runaway match.  But Betty Lewis told her father on the morning of her marriage day that with or without consent, she would within the hour marry the man of her choice.  The guests had been bidden, she said, the best man chosen, the license secured, and the minister in readiness.  Wise in his day, the father gave his consent, and so the couple were married in the old Bethlehem Church, near Manassas.  Of the few friends present, not one is living to-day.

On Wednesday, after fifty years of wedded happiness, Mr. and Mrs. Leachman had with them to receive their guests, the nine children born to them.  Not a chair was vacant.

There were many guests from Washington and Alexandria, and the relatives and friends from Prince William and the surrounding counties were legion.  The great fireplaces were filled with blazing logs, defying the storm.  The many costly and beautiful presents were displayed upon a century-old mahogany sideboard, and each represented, in some way, the auspicious golden anniversary.  Conspicuous among the glittering array was a large ivory and gold picture frame.  Back of the glass was arranged some fifty gold coins ranging from gold dollars to golden eagles, the gifts of friends, children, and grandchildren.

Supper was served in the dining-room, which was adorned with yellow and white crysanthemums.

The children present were John Pendleton Leachman, of Bristow; Charles Carroll Leachman of Wellington; Mrs. J. F. Dogan, Paradise; Mrs. R. P. Buck, Orlean; Mr. John Love Elliot, Washington, D.C.; Mrs. Lewis C. Lynn, Catharpen; Mrs. Thomas R. Leachman, Rectortown; Miss Katharine B. Leachman, and Mrs. Eugene Carroll, of Charlottesville.

The couple have twenty-five grandchildren.

The Leachman home has been a landmark in Prince William County for over 100 years.  The bricks show no sign of crumbling, and the plastering upon the walls, put there so many generations ago, is hard and smooth, showing never a crack.  In the parlor, to the left of the wide hall, the frieze is of hard-carved hardwood, dark with age, and all above the wide fireplace, reaching in massive beauty to the very frieze, is the most exquisite hand-carving.

Sunday's Obituary: Obituaries Printed Outside PWCo

Farmers Repository (Charlestown, WV) - July 7, 1809 ~ DIED, on the 25th ult. of a cancer in his face, Beniah Willett, late merchant at Occoquan.  By his death society is deprived of as honest a man as ever lived.  ~ Alex. paper.

Baltimore Patriot (Baltimore, MD) - June 13, 1822 ~ On Wednesday evening, the 5th inst. in Prince William county, Va. of a lingering consumption, Mrs. Grace Ann Blagrove, wife of Mr. Henry B. Blagrove, Printer, in the 26th year of her age.  She has left a husband and two infant children to mourn their irreparable loss.

Salem Gazette (Salem, MA) - September 20, 1825 ~ At Hazle Plain, Prince William county, Virginia, on the 28th ultimo, Bernard Hooe, senr. Esq. in the 86th yar of his age.

Spectator (New York) - May 18, 1830 ~ [DIED] In Prince William county, Frances Ann Walker, 21.

Daily National Intelligencer (Washington, DC) - May 30, 1830 ~ At Cedar Hill, the residence of his mother, in Prince William county, Virginia, on the 15th of April, William L. Scott, in the 28th year of his age, formerly Merchant of Alexandria.

Daily National Intelligencer (Washington, DC) - December 18, 1833 ~ At the residence of Wm. R. Buck, near Port Gibson, on the 17th instant., John W. Green, a native of Prince William County, Va.

Richmond Whig (Richmond, VA) - September 23, 1834 ~ On Thursday, the 11th inst., after a protracted and painful illness, Mrs. Maria M. G. Hooe, consort of Col. John Hooe, of Locust Grove, Prince William County.

Sun (Baltimore, MD) - May 29, 1837 ~ At her residence, in Prince William County, Va. on the 21st inst. Mrs. Elizabeth Foster, aged 83 years.

Daily National Intelligencer (DC) - June 29, 1840 ~ At the residence of Mr. Thos. W. Hughlett, Northumland county, Virginia, on Thursday morning, the 21st of May, in the 36th year of her age, Mrs. Eliza Henry, consort of Dr. Edward H. Henry, and daughter of John Fitzhugh, Esq. of Prince William county, Va.

Sun (Baltimore, MD) - March 9, 1846 ~ In Prince William county, Va. on the 21st ult. in the 24th year of her age, Mrs. Frances Ann, consort of Lieut. Robert Tansill of the U.S. Marine corps.

Daily National Intelligencer (DC) - April 20, 1852 ~ Near Brentsville, Prince William, Virginia, in the 77th year of her age, Mrs. Elizabeth Sexsmith, a native of Virginia, and for many years a resident of this city.

Daily National Intelligencer (DC) - March 17, 1853 ~ At Neabsco, Prince William county, Virginia, on the 4th instant, in the 81st yar of her age, Mrs. Araminta Montgomery Kankey, widow of the late Rev. Zebulon Kankey, of that county.