Newspaper Tidbit: PWCo Items (19 August 1872)

Alexandria Gazette
19 August 1872

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY ITEMS - [From the Manassas Gazette.] -- Jas. B. Sener, Radical candidate for Congress in the first Congressional District, and W. W. Douglass, elector on the Grant ticket, announced that they will speak at Brentsville on the next court day, Monday, September 2d.

A singular phenomenon was noticed at Brentsville on the night of August 10. During the rain the moon broke through the clouds in the west and there appeared in the east, spanning the entire heavens, a beautiful rainbow which remained there for fully half an hour.

A picnic will be given near Brentsville on Tuesday the 2d inst., which, judging from the names of the managers, will be one of the most pleasant affairs of the season.

Mr. Frank Cannon has sold about 5,000 railroad ties for the Danville extention.  These ties were purchased for the Fredericksburg railroad, but were not taken, and have been on hand some time.

A race was run on Tuesday last at Manassas between a sorrel colt owned by H. B. Varns and a sorrel mare owned by C. L. Hynson. Mr. Varns' colt was entered by C. A. Cannon and Mr. Hynson's mare by Wm. E. Goodwin. The distance was 940 yards. The race was won by the colt, beating the mare ten feet.  The stake was $120.

Will: Gilbert Ireland Moxley (1811)

GILBERT IRELAND MOXLEY Will

Prince William County Will Book K, pg. 127

07 Dec 1809; proved 02 Dec 1811

In the name of God Amen I GILBERT IRELAND MOXLEY of the County of Prince William and of the Commonwealth of Virginia, being in a sick low state of health but thank God sound in mind and memory, have thought it necessary to make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form as follows.  First, It is my will and desire that my Executrix hereafter named shall have full power vested in her to make sale of my dwelling plantation and all the lands thereto belonging should she think proper at my time to do so before my beloved Children should arrive at age, and the money arising from the sales thereof to be laid out in lands elsewhere she may judge most to the advantage of my beloved children, otherwise the money arising from the sale of said lands to be put out on interest and good security taken for the payment thereof my beloved wife AMINTA ELIZABETH MOXLEY is hereby at liberty to claim one seventh part of the money arising from the sale of said lands in lieu of her right of dower to said lands, otherwise if other lands should be purchased with the money arising from the sale of the said lands my beloved wife may let the whole sum of money arising from the sales of the lands aforesaid be laid out in land, and have her right of dower in the land that may be purchased.   Secondly It is my will and desire that the whole my property shall be equally divided among my beloved children now living after my just debts are paid and my beloved wife draws her one third part of my personal property so remaining and the one seventh of the sale of my lands otherwise to claim and have her right of dower in the land that may be purchased ad aforesaid --  Lastly, I do hereby appoint and constitute my beloved wife my Executrix of this my last Will and Testament revoking all former wills and heretofore made by me.  In Testimony hereof I have hereby set my hand and seal this seventh day of December one thousand eight hundred and nine.

GILBERT I. MOXLEY {seal}

Signed sealed and published in the presence of us and delivered as his last will and testament

BEN DOUGLASS

CHARLES MING

SOPHIA A. DOUGLASS

At a Court held for Prince William County December 2d 1811.

This last will and testament of GILBERT I. MOXLEY decd. was presented to the Court and being proved by the oaths of BENJAMIN DOUGLASS, CHARLES MING and SOPHIA A. DOUGLASS was ordered to be recorded and the Executrix having performed what is usual in such cases certificate is granted her for performing the same according to law.

Teste,  J. WILLIAMS 

Newspaper Tidbit: PWCo Items (22 June 1857)

Alexandria Gazette
June 22, 1857

Prince William County, Va.

REVOLUTIONARY REMINISCENCES. -- When the good people of Virginia, in convention assembled on the 25th day of June, 1776, declared that the Government of this Country as before exercised under the crown of Great Britain was totally dissolved by misrule of the King, and ordained and established a form of government for Virginia, Prince William County had her sages in convention, aiding with their counsel, and when the "tug of war" came, and the sword had to be drawn to repel the enemies of freedom, her braves took the field and battled for the cause.

A gentleman, who is well acquainted with the records and history of the county, has furnished us with a copy of the proceedings of a council of militia officers held at Dumfries.

"At a Council of field officers, and other officers of the militia, for the county of Prince William, held at the house of Augustine Seaton, in the town of Dumfries, on Friday, the 19th day of July, 1776.

Present,--Henry Lee, County Lieutenant; Thomas Blackburn, Colonel; William Alexander, Lieut. Colonel; John Hooe, Major.

Captains.--Thomas Atwell, James Ewell, Valentine Peyton, Richard Graham, Jesse Ewell and William Brent.

A Resolve of the Committee of this County being laid before the Board, by the County Lieutenant, recommending to him to order on duty a sufficient number of militia to protect the inhabitants on the river against the inroads of Lord Dunmore and his fleet, now lying in the river Potomac, and the County Lieutenant praying their advice and directions how to conduct himself; The Board taking the same into consideration, are of the opinion that all the boats and other small vessels ought to be secured to prevent the servants and slaves from joining his Lordship, and further that the first draft of Militia be immediately called upon to rendezvous at Dumfries; as it is uncertain what route the enemy may take, to be in readiness to protect the river inhabitants if need require."

SUNDAY SCHOOL.--It may not be generally known that we have a large and flourishing Sabbath School in the village.  We are gratified to find that it has some 70 scholars.  Next Sabbath will be the fourth since its commencement.  We hear that it is proposed to have a celebration and pic-nic on the 4th of July; a gentleman of the legal profession has been invited to deliver an oration; we did not learn whether he has accepted or not.

OLD TIMES.--The following amusing extract of a will, executed in the County, in 1766, will cause some merriment, we think:

"I leave the direction of my funeral to the discretion of my executors, I only desire that it may be private, in presence of the few such as I had regard for when living, which are not many.

And as I ever held Priests, Juglars, and devirsors of every kind from the Grand Lama or the Pope, to the Indian conjuror, in the utmost contempt, I expressly forbid any preaching or other Pawwawing at my funeral.  Wrote with my own hand, this 23d day of September, 1766. ~ James Douglass.

--Brentsville Jour.

Friend of Friends Friday: In Chancery: Sale of Slaves and Land (1843)

Alexandria Gazette
December 2, 1843

SALE OF SLAVES AND LAND. -- Pursuant to a decree of the Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery for the County of Prince William, the undersigned will sell for cash on the first Monday in January next at Brentsville in said County the interest which was devised to Geo. A. Douglass, by George Tennil, in certain Slaves and Real Estae, or so much thereof as may be sufficient to satisfy a decree of said Court, pronounced on the 17th day of May, 1843, for the sum of $453.09 cents with interest on the same from the 13th of June, 1841, and six dollars and fifty-two cents costs, as also the costs of the suit in which said decree was pronounced and the expenses incident to the execution thereof.  The interest of said Douglass is the reversion in sundry Slaves, and a tract of Land in the County of Prince William, to take effect after the death of the widow of George Tennil, who is now far advanced in life.  The age of the life tenant together wiht a particular description of the property aforesaid will be made known on the day of the sale.

John W. Tyler, Comm'r.

nov 21 - eots