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.

PWCo Items: Playground Indorsed/Purebred Hogs Distributed (1943)

Evening Star (Washington, DC)
4 July 1943

Playground Indorsed.

The Manassas Town Council at a meeting this week indorsed the proposal of the Prince William County Chamber of Commerce providing for the use of a town lot situated between West street and Grant avenue as a colored playground. A committee of Chamber of Commerce representatives headed by Dr. George B. Cocke and representatives of the local colored populace headed by Dr. John Williams presented the plan to the council for approval. The playground will provide recreation for colored youths of the vicinity and will be under the direction of trained supervisors.

Purebred Hogs Distributed.

Seven Prince William County 4-H Club boys have been selected to receive the seven purebred Hampshire shows and one boar given to the county by Sears, Roebuck & Co. in their hog, dairy and poultry 4-H project designed to promote the production of better livestock in Northern Virginia. The seven boys, members of the Manassas-Nokesville 4-H Club, include Ray Smith, Lynn Hastings Herring, Leon Kline, Charles Fitzwater, jr.; Harold Hersch, Sidney Flickinger and Francis Joyce. The boar has been placed with Ray Smith.

Twelve additional purebred Hampshire pigs have been placed with members of the Occoquan-Bethel 4-H Club, according to Frank Cox, county agent. These, donated by individual farmers of Occoquan district, were distributed to George Thomas Selecman, Bobby Rigney, Buddy Reid, Augustus Davis, Edward Garber, Grover Manderfield, William Douglas Clarke, Bobby Tyrrell, Vernon Dawson and Frances Anne Garner.

Donors of the purebred Hampshire pigs placed with Occoquan-Bethel 4-H Club members include T. Powell Davis, Wilmer Garber, George Selecman, G. C. Russell, P. C. Wigglesworth, Gilmer Garber and F. B. Morgan.

PWCo Item: Two New Tractors Ordered by County

Evening Star (Washington, DC)
25 December 1930

TWO NEW TRACTORS ORDERED BY COUNTY

Prince William Supervisors Authorize Purchase of Road Equipment

Special Dispatch to the Star.

   MANASSAS, Va., December 25. -- Two new tractors will be added to the equipment used in Prince William County road work, the Board of Supervisors Tuesday authorizing H. L. Tubbs, superintendent of roads, to buy two caterpillar tractors of the type No. 15.

The Board also heard the opposition to the closing of the road from the J. D. Crenshaw residence in an easterly direction to Yates Ford road, the abandonment of which had been recommended by a board of viewers, consisting of E. R. Conner, Charles B. Evans and J. S. Evans. The matter was again referred to the viewers for further report and consideration of a change of location as proposed by Martin D. Lynch, whose property borders on the road, and who represented citizens who claimed that to close the road would work a hardship and inconvenience to them. The protestants suggested that a relocation of the road be considered from Centerville road to Yates road. 

W. M. Johnson, John B. House, A. B. Carr, A. O. McLearen and W. H. Herndon were appointed a commission to view and make just compensation for land to be taken in relocating the road from Seymours Corner to Keys Corner in the Brentsville district, objection having been made to the report of the viewers.

The board disposed of many routine matters and approved numerous bills for payment by the county treasurer. Supervisors present at the meeting were J. Lindsay Dawson, chairman, Occoquan; Rolfe Robertson, Gainesville; J. W. Merchant, Dumfries; C. R. Earhart, Coles; D. E. Earhart, Brentsville, and C. C. Lynn, Manassas District.

[Unfortunately, H(erbert) L. Tubbs would later be killed when one of the county tractors "turned over on him" as he was working. ~cgl]

Madness Monday: Smith / Cash / Davis / Dawson

Alexandria Gazette
12 November 1859

We are credibly informed that a letter was received from New York State on Thursday, by a gentleman in Prince William County, stating that Gerritt Smith has not put himself nor been put into an insane asylum, but has disappeared from his home, and is supposed to have gone to Canada.

Alexandria Gazette
5 December 1867

MAGISTRATES' OFFICE. -- Sidney Cash, a colored woman, about twenty-one or two years of age, born in Prince William county, Va., was examined yesterday evening at the jail, before Justices Beach, Summers and Colton, by Drs. A. W. K. Andrews and Wm. Gibson, on the charge of lunacy.  The charge was sustained, and arrangements at once instituted to secure her admission into the asylum at Staunton.

Daily National Republican (DC)
7 June 1871

SUICIDE - A man named Charles A. Davis, supposed to be insane, committed suicide by hanging himself from the limb of a tree with his suspender, near his home on the road between Brentsville and Dumfries, Prince William county, Virginia, on Saturday last. When found his feet were touching the ground.

Alexandria Gazette
17 May 1873

James Dawson employed at Dodds, carding mills, in Prince William county, and a man of family, is said to have become insane.

Will: Benjamin Dawson (1827)

BENJAMIN DAWSON Will

Prince William County Will Book  M, pg 479

01 Dec 1825; proved 05 Feb 1827

I BENJAMIN DAWSON of Prince William County and State of Virginia being of sound mind do make this my last will and testament hereby revoking all others heretofore made.  Item 1^st It is my will and desire that the debts due from me to George Chapman, Thomas Foster & Henry M. Lewis they being the principal debts shall first be paid and all other just debts.  Item 2^nd. I give and bequeath unto my son BENJAMIN DAWSON in trust for the use and benefit of my daughter NANCY DAWSON a negro girl named Mary during her life and at her death I give Mary and her increase to my son BENJAMIN DAWSON and his heirs upon condition that he takes care of his sister Nancy.  In no event is Mary to be taken from my daughter Nancy.  She is not to be estimated in the widows dower nor subject to my debts unless my other property should prove insufficient.  Item 3 It is my will and desire that after all my just debts are paid that my wife LINDSAY DAWSON shall have on third of my property during her life and at her death it is to descend to my two children by her namely GEORGE CHAPMAN DAWSON and SUSANNA FOSTER DAWSON.  Item 4. In consideration of the services rendered me by my son Benjamin Dawson, I give and bequeath unto him and his heirs a negro boy named Daniel.  Item 5^th It is my will and desire that the remaining part of my property after allotting the above legacies shall be sol and the proceeds arising therefrom be appropriated to the payment of my debts and if found insufficient then the residue to come out of my son Benjamin’s legacy.  Should the property thus allotted for my debts produce more than a sufficiency I desire that the surplus may be equally divided between my son BRADFORD DAWSON, FANNY BOOTMAN, BETSEY SHIRMAN, and HETTY MOORE and be considered their proportion of my estate.  Item 6^th It is my will and desire that my Executors hereafter named shall pay out of my estate to my daughter ELIZA CROUCH ten dollars as her proportion of my estate.  I hereby constitute and appoint my friends George Chapman and Thomas Foster my Executors to carry my will in effect.  In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 1^st day of Dec. 1825.

BENJAMIN DAWSON

In the presence of

SAMUEL ROBINSON, ELIZABETH  HALL, G. CHAPMAN, THOMAS FOSTER

At a Court held for Prince William County this 5^th day of February 1827.  This last will and testament of Benjamin Dawson deceased was presented to the Court by Thomas Foster one of the Executors therein named and being proved by the oaths of Samuel Robinson and Thomas Foster is admitted to record, and the said Thomas Foster having made oath to the same according to law and having taken the oath of an Executor and performed what is usual in such cases certificate is granted him for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.

Teste, P. D. DAWE

Will: Athaliah Robertson (1814)

ATHALIAH ROBERTSON Will

Prince William County Will Book K, pg. 283

23 Dec 1812; proved 07 Mar 1814

In the name of God Amen I ATHALIAH ROBERTSON of the County of Prince William and State of Virginia being sick and weak of body but of sound sense and memory do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following Viz. – 1^st I give and bequeath my tract of land on which I now live lying and being in the aforesaid County containing one hundred fifty acres more or less to my two daughters LUCY ROBERTSON and ELENOR ROBERTSON to be equally divided between them to them and their heirs forever.  2^nd I give to my daughter LUCY ROBERTSON one negro man named DANIEL to her and her heirs forever.  3^rd I give to my daughter ELENOR ROBERTSON one negro woman named SUCKEY to her and her heirs forever.  Lastly I nominate and appoint my friend STEPHEN FRENCH Executor to this my last will and testament.  In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this twenty third day of December in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and twelve.

ATHALIAH ROBERTSON  {seal}

Signed sealed and delivered in presence of

JNO EDRINGTON, PRESLEY GILL, ELIJAH DAWSON

At a Court of Quarterly Sessions held for Prince William County March 7^th 1814

This last will and testament of ATHALIAH ROBERTSON decd. was presented to the Court and being proved by the oaths of PRESLEY GILL and ELIJAH DAWSON is ordered to be recorded.

Teste, PHIL. D. DAWE