Newspaper Tidbit: Colchester Marker Will Be Unveiled

Evening Star (DC)
24 September 1931

COLCHESTER MARKER WILL BE UNVEILED

Prince William Host to State Officials at Site of First Court House Friday

Special Dispatch to the Star

WOODBRIDGE., Va., September 24 -- Prince William County citizens will play host on Friday to State and county officials as well as several thousand visitors who will journey to old Colchester, now Woodbridge, about 25 miles south of Washington on the Richmond-Fredericksburg Highway, to witness the unveiling of  monument and marker on the site of the first court house erected in the county and used for the first time in 1731. The marker is the gift of Wade Hampton Ellis, master of old Rippon Lodge, who has just returned from Paris to take part in the exercises. The ceremonial will be part of the Bicentennial celebration of the founding of Prince William County and, following the unveiling of the marker, there will be an all-day picnic.

The festivities will begin at 10 o'clock in the morning with a concert by the Marine Band of Quantico, followed by tableaux and pageants participated in by the school children of the county depicting early Colonial historic events in the county, under the direction of Miss Beatrix Clark, rural school supervisor. Addresses will be made by Wade H. Ellis, the donor of the marker; the acceptance address will be made by J. Lindsay Dawson, chairman of the board of supervisors, while brief addresses will be made by Senator Claude Swanson, Representative Howard W. Smith, former Representative R. Walton Moore, C. C. Carlin and Charles C. Callahan. Hawes Thornton Davies of Manassas will preside at the formal exercises, while committees from the various women's organizations of the county will have charge of the picnic feature.

Wedding Wednesday: Gray-Groves / Jones-Carney / Davis-Abel

Alexandria Gazette (Va)
1 January 1866

MARRIED

On the 24th ultimo, by Elder John Clark, Mr. WM H. GRAY and Mrs. MARGARET ANN GROVES, both of Prince William Co.

Also, on the 26th, by the same, SHIRLEY JONES, and Miss MARTHA CARNEY, both of Prince William co.

Also, on the 28th, by the same, JOHN L. DAVIS, esq., and Miss SOPHIA ABEL, both of Prince William co.

Newspaper Tidbit: Manassas Items (1916)

Evening Star (Washington, DC)
6 February 1916

MANASSAS, VA., February 5.--Rev. and Mrs. B. G. Pease of Richmond have announced the approaching marriage of their daughter Grace and R. Allen Merchant, also of Richmond. The ceremony is to take place Wednesday, February 16, at the home of the bride's parents on East Franklin street. Mr. Merchant is the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Walton Merchant, for many years residents of Manassas. He was graduated from Manassas High School with the class of 1912.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles C. Lynn, who recently were married in Washington, have returned to make their home at Milford Mills. Ms. Lynn was formerly Miss Mary Neville Dogan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Dogan of Paradise.

Mr. and Mrs. C. R. C. Johnson and Mr. and Mrs. O. D. Waters last Friday evening entertained the senior and junior Bridge clubs at the New Prince William Hotel.

H. N. Merchant of Baltimore this week was the guest of his brother and sister-in-law, Dr. and Mrs. W. Fewell Merchant.

Mrs. Julia Newman Wreun of Weyer's Cave recently was the guest of Dr. and Mrs. W. A. Newman.

The sewing circle of Grace Methodist Episcopal Church South recently met with Mrs. R. S. Hynson. The women of the church are preparing to hold the annual bazaar February 17.

Members of the younger set are planning for a leap year dance to be given Friday evening in Conner's Opera House.

Mrs. Bowling of Upper Marlboro, Md., has been a guest of her son-in-law, Allison A. Hooff.

Aylett T. Holtzman of Washington was a recent guest of Rev. and Mrs. T. D. D. Clark.

PWCo Item: Letter from Prince William (11 February 1870)

Alexandria Gazette (Va)
11 February 1870 (pg. 2)

LETTER FROM PRINCE WILLIAM
[Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette]

BRENTSVILLE, Feb. 9 -- The February term of Prince William County Court was held yesterday and day before. There was a pretty general attendance of people.

Judge J. W. Moore delivered an address on the issues of the day. W. C. Balch, esq. and Judge Sinclair also spoke. I heard that after the above gentlemen finished, two Conservative colored men spoke.

The following cases were tried:

Com. vs. Hoor, assault and battery -- verdict not guilty. Clark & Gen. Payne for defendant.

Com. vs. Beender, (colored) petit larceny -- verdict guilty and imprisoned 30 days. Clark for defendant.

William Fuell a colored man, sentenced six months ago to 9 months imprisonment in the county jail, was released.

An effort was made by Round, Commonwealth's Attorney, to get the Court to release Franklin Taylor from jail. He is confined in default of giving $1000 bond to keep the peace. This is a novel move for a Commonwealth's Attorney, especially as Taylor has, it was said, threatened boldly and openly to burn all the property that two gentlemen in the county own, and to kill then too, in less than twelve months. The Court very creditably refused to entertain such a motion.

The two men, Henderson and Nelson who are confined on charge of having entered and robbed the store of Davis & Lynn in this county, made a desperate attempt a few nights ago to break jail by prizing the bars out of the jail window, working through the side which was decayed, and pulling out the bricks with their bands. The noise was heard, however, by W. N. Tansill the jailor, and the progress of it arrested.

Mr. Tansill then ironed them, and Henderson with his naked hands snapped one of the chains entirely in two pieces.

They have since been ironed more securely. Henderson was married on Tuesday -- made arrangements on that day to rob the store -- robbed it on Friday night, and was arrested in a day or two afterwards in the presence of his wife, and a large portion of the goods were found opened on the bed near him. His wife who is of respectable parentage and possess some beauty is, greatly horrified at the conduct of her husband, as I learn.

Candidates for office are thick as "leaves in Vallombrosa." One gentleman last Monday I understand was so full of speech that the chairman of the meeting found great difficulty in inducing him to simmer down and let of steam without going through the process of a general explosion, while another in his great eagerness to speak suffered his coat tails to be nearly torn from his body in spasmodic efforts to bring him to a sitting position.

There will be a general convention held here next Saturday week, the 19th inst., to consider county matters, make nominations &c.

TYRONE.

Newspaper Tidbit: PWCo Congressional Meeting (1870)

Alexandria Gazette
13 September 1870

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY CONGRESSIONAL MEETING.--At a meeting of Conservatives of Prince William county, held at the Court House in Brentsville, on Monday the 5th inst., Allen Howison, was called to the chair and D. W. Whiting and R. M. Waters appointed Secretaries. On motion of Charles E. Sinclair, the chairman appointed a committee of three from each Township to select five delegates from each of the Townships to the Congressional Convention to be held in Alexandria on Friday the 29th inst.

The Committee retired and reported the names of the following gentleman for delegates.

Brentsville Township--James F. Clark, W. J. Manuel, E. E. Meredith, J. M. Sinclair, W. W. Thornton.

Coles Towhship--John W. Davis, Meredith W. Horton, John H. Purcell, M. B. Weedon, Wm. M. Lynn

Dumfries Township--J. F. Wheat, G. E. Keys, A. H. Fucchsthal, G. W. Dunnington, Richard Stonnell

Occoquan Township--Dr. Powell, J. V. Nash, Z. A. Kankey, Vernon Davis

Manassas Township--T. J. Leachman, G. O. Donahue, F. A. Weedon, Dr. L. Alexander

Gainesville Township--Samuel Simpson, Col. Berkeley, George S. Hamilton, John T. Gundiff

Which report was concurred in. On motion of James F. Clark the chairman, secretaries, and committee were added to the list of delegates. It was resolved that Charles E. Sinclair be chairman of the delegation and that an authenticated copy of the proceedings be furnished to the chairman by the Secretaries; it was further resolved that a report of the proceedings of this meeting be published in the county papers and the district papers be requested to copy. The meeting, on motion then adjourned.

ALLEN HOWISON, Chairman

R. M. WATERS,
D. W. WHITING, Secretaries


At a meeting held at the Court House on Monday last, for the purpose of organization of the Conservative party, Mr. F. A. Weedon was called to the chair and E. E. Meredith appointed secretary.

Mr. B. F. Lewis was appointed county superintendent.

The following gentlemen were appointed on the township committees.

Cole's--Levi C. Lynn, Laurence Cole, and John W. Davis

Brentsville--J. F. Clark, Judge Nicol, and D. W. Whitting

Dumfries--J. C. Weedon, J. W. Chapman, and J. H. Jordan

MAnassas--F. J. Cannon, W. W. Davis, and John. H. Butler

Occoquan-- Dr. Powell, Dr. Ish, and J. V. Nash

Gainesville--Colonel S. Simpson, C. Cushing and Luther Lynn

Newspaper Tidbit: Prayer Week Observed (1917)

Manassas Journal
5 January 1917

PRAYER WEEK OBSERVED

Manassas Churches Unite in Nation-Wide Service -- To Close Sunday

A week of prayer is being observed this week in the Manassas churches. The schedule follows:

Monday - At Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, sermon by Rev. J. F. Burks, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church. Subject, Thanksgiving and Humiliation.

Tuesday - At Trinity Episcopal Church, sermon by Rev. Alford Kelley, pastor of the Presbyterian Church. Subject, The Church Universal The One Body of Which Christ is the Head.

Wednesday - At the Presbyterian Church, sermon by Rev. J. Halpenny, pastor of  Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church. Subject, Nations and Their Rulers.

Thursday - At Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, sermon by Rev. T. D. D. Clark. Subject, Missions Among the Moslems and the Heathen.

Friday - At Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church, sermon by Rev. E. A. Roads, pastor of Grace Methodist Episcopal Church. Subject, Families, Schools, Colleges and the Young.

Sunday - At the Baptist Church, 7:30 p.m.; sermon by Rev. Dr. Mervin U. Roop, of Eastern College. Subject, The Constraint of Christ's Love.

Wednesday's Child: Thomas Bernard Castle (1922)

Prince William News
5 January 1922

FUNERAL OF FORMER TOWN BOY

Thomas Bernard Castle, Six-Year Old Son of Army Captain, Buried Here

Thomas Bernard Castle, six-year old son of Capt. and Mrs. Bosier Castle, at one time a resident of Manassas, died last week in Texas, where his father is stationed with the army. His death came as the result of complications which set in after an attack of whooping cough suffered several weeks ago.

When the little fellow's father was serving with the American expeditionary forces overseas during the recent world conflict, Bernard and his mother resided in Manassas, at the home of Mrs. A. A. Maloney.

The deceased's body was brought to Manassas for burial, and was laid to rest Wednesday in the Manassas cemetery, funeral services being conducted by Rev. T. D. D. Clark from the Manassas Baptist Church.  Capt. Castle attended his little son's funeral, but, on account of illnss, Mrs. Castle could not attend.

The pallbearers were Messers. J. B. Leachman, B. H. Lewis, Ashby Lewis, Jr., and John Maloney.

Coming Soon: Justice and Vengeance: Scandal, Honor, and Murder in 1872 Virginia

Just in time for the completion of the renovation of the Brentsville Jail comes a book about one of the most sensational and dramatic murders in Prince William County:

"In Justice and Vengeance, Arwen Bicknell offers the first full account of the events leading up to the shooting of James Clark by Lucien Fewell and the sensational, headline-grabbing murder trial that followed. Set against the backdrop of Reconstruction, tumultuous Virginia politics, and the presidential election of 1872 featuring Ulysses Grant, Horace Greeley, and protofeminist Victoria Woodhull, the first female presidential candidate, Bicknell paints a vivid picture of the evolving South as she traces the families and fortunes of Lucien Fewell, a hellraiser with a passion for drink and for abusing Yankees and scalawags, and James Clark, a rising legal and political star with a wife, a daughter, and a baby on the way."

Justice and Vengeance by Arwen Bicknell is available for preorder here.

Newspaper Tidbit: Prince William Township Officers

Alexandria Gazette
31 May 1873

PRINCE WILLIAM TOWNSHIP OFFICERS -- The following township officers were elected at the May election, in addition to those given in our last issue.

Brentsville Township -- Supervisor, J. B. Reid; Assessor, James M. Sinclair; Clerk, A. F. Woodyard; Collector, John T. Goodwin; Commissioner of Roads, John A. Brawner; Overseer of Poor, Benj. F. Manuel; Justices of the Peace, A. F. Woodyard til 1875, and Jno. D. Payne til 1876; Constables, John T. Goodwin, till 18875; Geo. B. Chichester, til 1876.

Occoquan Township -- Supervisor, Dr. Milton A. Ish; Clerk, L. Ledman; Assessor, Absalom T. Lynn; Collector, Geo. W. Tansill; Commissioner of Roads, A. M. Arrington; Overseer of Poor, M. Curtis; Justice of the Peace, C. W. Holland 3 years; Constable, Geo. W. Tansill 3 years.

Coles Township -- Supervisor, M. N. Lynn; Clerk, Wm. B. Lynn; Assessor, J. M. Barbee, Collector, Robert H. Keys; Commissioner of Roads, Roy L. Davis; Overser of poor, John H. Lynn; Justice of Peace, Sam. R. Lowe, 3 years; Constable, Robert H. Keyes, 3 years.

Dumfries Townhip -- Supervisor, Chas. F. Bayley; Clerk, Wm. A. Dunnington; Assessor, Wm. S. Chapman; Collector, James V. Nash; Commissioner of Roads, Henry C. Brawner; Overseer of Poor, James Clark; Justices of the Peace, A. H. Fuechsel til 1876; George R. Atkinson till 1874; Constables, Jas. V. Nash, till 1876, Benjamin Lynn, til 1875 -- Manassas Gazette

Wedding Wednesday: Marriage Licenses

Evening Star (Washington, DC)
23 December 1905

Marriage licenses have been issued to the following:

Frank Dixon and Mamie S. Jackson
Robert H. Sims and Marle A. Garrison
Jesse Twyman and Addie Williams
James Felder and Alice Banks
William E. Higgins and Rosalle Groves
Theophilus B. Houston and Maud I. Glass, both of New York city
Henry M. Milburn of Detroit, Mich., and Grace E. Buchanan of this city
Ernest Henderson and Mamie Robinson
Alfred Clark and Bessie Love, both of Prince William county, Va.
Louis A. Schaefer and Etehl E. Wright, both of Baltimore, Md
Joseph Bolden and Alrene [Arlene?] Christian
Benjamin Curtis Miller of Martinsburg, W. Va and Cornelia S. Finley of this city
Jolle M. Gastra of this city and Eelkjen H. Youngsma of Douglass, Mass
George W. Evans and Ellen C. Dorsey
Alexander Deavers and Nora Goldenstein
James Bailey of this city and Lizzie Coats of Vienna, Va

Wednesday's Child: Edwin Nelson Speiden

Manassas Journal
May 30, 1919

CHILD DIES SUDDENLY

Five-Year Old Nelson Speiden Buried Here Monday

Edwin Nelson Speiden, only son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Speiden, and grandson and namesake of the late Lieut. Edwin Nelson, died Saturday morning at the home of his parents on Battle street, after an illness of less than twenty-four hours.  He was five years old and is survived by his parents and one sister, Miss Virginia Speiden, a few years his senior.

The funeral took place Monday afternoon at the Primitive Baptist Church and interment was made in the family lot in the Manassas cemetery, the services being conducted by Rev. T. D. D. Clark, pastor of the Manassas Baptist Church.  The pallbearers were Messrs. John H. and James E. Nelson, of Washington, C. Paul Nelson, of Huntington, W. Va., and A. O. Weedon, of Warrenton, brothers and brother-in-law of Mrs. Speiden.

Sunday's Obituary: 13 March 1875

Alexandria Gazette
March 13, 1875

DIED

Near Centreville, March 6th, 1875, of consumption, MILES BRAMBLEE, aged 64 years, 1 month and 5 days.

Near Manassas, on the 6th of March, after a lingering illness, which she endured with Christian resignation, Mrs. SUSAN W. CLARK, consort of Wm. A. Clark, in the 53d year of her age.

Suddenlly, on the 8th instant, at her home, near Brentsville, Mrs. MARY CORNWELL, at an advanced age.

On the 8th of February, in Coles township, Prince William county, Miss LUCY KEYS, daughter of Mr. Thomas Keys, in the 19th year of her age.

At the residence of his mother, at Gainesville, on Monday, the 8th of march, 1875, THOMAS B. GAINES, of pneumonia, in the 29th year of his age.

Black Sheep Sunday: L. N. ("Rhoda") Fewell

Lucian N. "Rhoda/Rhodie" Fewell, who was acquitted in Prince William County for the murder of James Clark in the Brentsville jail, eventually moved to New Mexico.  It appears that trouble was never very far behind.


Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, MD)
January 9, 1888

Items from Piedmont Virginia ... Rhoda Fewell, of Prince William County, who killed a man in that county, is reported to have killed several in his new home, New Mexico, and lies in jail awaiting trial for his last homicidal episode.

New Mexican (Santa Fe, NM)
April 21, 1893

The Justice Mill.  L. N. Fewell and Geo. Doty became involved in an altercation over the job driving one of Patterson & Co's night hacks, night before last, and Doty made his revolver serve as a club.  He was arrested on the charge of assault with intent to kill, and to-day Squire Garcia placed him under $300 bonds for appearance before the district court and $200 bonds to keep the peace.

New Mexican (Santa Fe, NM)
March 2, 1894

I desire to inform the public that Mr. L. N. Fewell, better known as "Pistol John," is no longer in my employ.  He has purchased one bus and one hack from Val. Schick, but has nothing to do with my barn whatever.  Thos. A. Herlow.

Tombstone Tuesday: Rufus B. Merchant

RUFUS B. MERCHANT was born in Dumfries, Prince William County, Virginia.  A Civil War veteran, he founded the Fredericksburg Star newspaper.

Fredericksburg City Cemetery, Fredericksburg, VA
Photo by Carolyn G. Lynn

Evening Star (Washington, DC)
October 7, 1905

Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, GA)
October 20, 1905