PWCo. Items: 03 December 1916

Evening Star (DC)
03 December 1916

MANASSAS, VA.

A company of local talent will present "The False Witness," a drama in five acts, Friday evening in Conner's Opera House for the benefit of the Ruffner-Carnegie Public Library. The participants include Miss Mary Beverley Leachman, Miss Mary Henrietta Lipscomb, Mrs. D. M. Pitts, Mrs, J. L. Eliot, Frank S. Davidson, F. Hunton Cox, D. R. Lewis, Martin D. Lynch, W. Carroll Rice and Albert A. May.

Bishop C. J. Kephart of Kansas City, Mo., was the recent guest of his niece, Mrs. Hervin U. Roop, wife of Dr. Roop of Eastern College. Bishop Kephart during his stay addressed the members of the college Christian associations.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Allen Merchant of Richmond have been the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Camper. Mrs. James E. Herrell, Mrs. Francis Norvell Larkin and little Miss Frances Larkin have returned from a visit to Asheville, N.C.  Arthur Crewe of Canton, Pa., is visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Crewe of Thoroughfare. J. J. McGlone, who recently visited his sister, Mrs. Thomas S. Meredith, is spending some time in England.  Mr. and Mrs. Charles Amos, who have been residents of Manassas for a number of years, have left to make their home in Rosemont, Alexandria.

Wedding Wednesday: Elizabeth A. (Bessie) Leachman/John L. Elliott

DIOCESE OF MARYLAND

CHURCH OF THE EPIPHANY,

Washington, D.C.

This is to Certify that on the Twenty Seventh day of October in the year of Our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Eighty Eight at Epiphany Church in the City of Washington D.C.

joined together in 

HOLY MATRIMONY

John L. Elliott and

Bessie A. Leachman

according to the Rites of the 

Protestant Episcopal Church

in the United States of America, and in Conformity with

the Laws of the District of Columbia.

Arthur S. Phelps

Assistant Minister

[Bessie Leachman was the daughter of John T. Leachman.  In 1900 she sued for and won divorce from her husband, John Elliott, on grounds of abandonment.  She was awarded $20,000 as alimony and reimbursement of her legal fees.  Three children were born of the union:  Bettie Lewis Elliot "who will be eleven years of age in January," John Love Elliot (9 years old in 1900), and "Nan Leachman Elliot who was born in Sept. 1896 and died during July 1897."  Bessie was given uncontested custody of her two children.]

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.

Church Record Sunday: Coles District Sunday School Convention (1931)

30 July 1931
Manassas Journal

WOODBINE

Proceedings of Coles District Sunday School Convention, held with Woodbine Baptist Church, July 26, 1931, beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Opening Song --- "Near the Cross"

Devotional Exercise - Rev. J. M. Wells
   8 Romans 1-4, followed by prayer by Rev. J. M. Wells

Music, by Woodbine Sunday School
   "Carry Your Cross With a Smile"

Address of Welcome -- Miss Ola Whitmer

Response -- Rev. J. M. Bell

Music, by Independent Hill Sunday School

Recitation -- Miss Annabelle Merrill

Duet, "Just a little help from you"
   Rev. and Mrs. J. M. Bell

Address, "On Sunday School Work" -- Rev. J. Murray Taylor

Quartette -- Rev. and Mrs. J. M. Bell and Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Wine

Motion for adjournment for lunch

Dismissed by Rev. J. Murray Taylor.

Afternoon Session 1:30 P.M.

Opening Song, "I Love to Tell the Story"

Prayer -- Rev. W. T. Wine

Duet -- Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Wine

Business of convention:  Committee for nominating officers for ensuing year:  Mr. W. A. Wine, Mr. R. W. Woodyard, and Mr. C. F. Whitmer.

Rev. W. T. Wine suggested a motion that a resolution be placed on the minutes in behalf of Mr. Herring's recent illness, and sympathy be extended Mr. Herring, and hope for a speedy recovery, which was adopted.  Prayer was then offered by Rev. J. M. Bell in Mr. Herring's behalf.  Reports from the following Sunday Schools:  Woodbine and Independent Hill.  Reports adopted and Purcell S. S. just being organized.  Officers for ensuing year are as follows:  president, Mr. W. A. Wine, vice president, Mr. W. Y. Elliott, secretary-treasurer, Bessie V. Cornwell.

Music, "Anywhere With Jesus"

Address -- Mr. J. M. Bell

Address, "The Importance of a Sunday School" -- Mr. R. A. Rust

Music, "Onward Christian Soldiers"

Recitation -- Mr. J. W. Bell

Talks on Sunday School Work by the following:  Mr. W. T. Wine and Elder Geo. Beahm

Contribution from Independent Hill -- $1.00

Collection taken -- $3.60

Total -- $4.60

A rising vote of thanks was extended to Woodbine for their hospitality of entertaining the convention.

Closing song, "God be with you

 

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.