Sunday's Obituary: John W. Hall

Evening Star (Washington, DC)
13 August 1931

RITES FOR JOHN W. HALL

Special Dispatch to The Star

GAINESVILLE, Va., August 13. -- Funeral rites were conducted today for John W. Hall, 91 years old, prominent Prince William County citizen, who died Monday, following a brief illness. The deceased was a member of the Prince William Cavalry during the war between the States and was one of the oldest Confederate veterans in the county.

Services were held in the family home, with Rev. J. Royal Cook of the Greenwich Presbyterian Church officiating, while burial was in the cemetery on the place. The pallbearers were John Ellis, Douglas Cockerille, Shirley Reid, J. L. Mayhugh, Raymond Ellis and Frank Cockerille, all from the Gainesville and Greenwich communities, where the deceased had lived throughout his life.

Those surviving are two daughters, Mrs. T. M. Cook, Greenwich, and Mrs. Ernest Hoffman, Roanoke, and a grand-daughter, Mrs. Samuel Thornton of Washington.

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.

Church Record Sunday: Notice to Builders (Greenwich Presbyterian)

Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, VA)
6 December 1856

NOTICE TO BUILDERS. -- The undersigned is authorized by the Building Committee composed of the following gentlemen, Dr. Brooks, Dr. B. G. D. Moxley, Mr. Charles Green, Mr. William Ellis, and Col. Samuel Simpson, to invite proposals on the part of Contractors for the building of a new edifice at Greenwich, in Prince William county, for the exclusive use of the Presbyterian community. The plans and specifications for the same will be exhibited by J. V. Brooke, esq., of Warrenton, Fauquier county, Va. The material for making the bricks can be had on the spot or in the vicinity. Written proposals or bids for this work, will require to be sent in by or before the first of January next, and the work to be commenced early in the spring of 1857.

S. SIMPSON, Chairman
of the Building Committee.

Gainesville P.O., Pr. Wm. co., dec 2--eo3t*

Deed: Cross etc. to Townsend (1911)

Deed

Cross etc. to Townsend

PWCo Deed Book 53, pg. 347

The undersigned being next of kin to R. A. Townsend of Prince William County Va., who recently departed this life intestate, being credibly informed by disinterested neighbors and friends that it was his purpose to devise his estate to his wife, and that he had even gone so far as to have a will drawn to that effect, and that he had not executed the same because another measure was in contemplation which if executed might accomplish a like purpose, and at the same time free him from care and labors during the remainder of his lifetime. For these reasons and also because of the faithful and wifely ministrations of his widow through his protracted suffering as a wounded Confederate Veteran, it is our purpose in the execution of this paper to release to her the said Julia A. Townsend widow of the said R. A. Townsend dec’d. any and all interest that we may have in his belongings of every nature and kind whatsoever, to have and to hold for her sole use and benefit and to this end we jointly and severally pledge ourselves our heirs and &c. as is evidenced by the signatures and seals affixed this ____ day of ____ 1901.

A. J. Cross

Willie Cross

Charles U. Townsend

Mamie Mitchell

Harrison Sanders

Albert Sanders

Catherine F. Harrison

George H. Townsend

Carrie E. Townsend

Nelie Townsend

Ida Frances Townsend

J. S. Pearson

C. V. Pearson

Henderson Sanders

W. H. Sanders

A. S. Harrison

Nannie B. Townsend

A. P. Townsend

Frances M. Townsend

John T. Townsend

Arthur M. Sanders

Lewis H. Sanders

D. N. Sanders

May S. Marin

E. W. Cross

Laura A. Cross

Nelie Cross

J. B. Cross

Cora L. Cross

State of Virginia, County of Fairfax to wit:

I, A. W. Robinson, a Justice of the Peace for and in the County of Fairfax in the State of Virginia do certify that A. J. Cross, Wilie May Cross, J. B. Cross, Cora L. Cross and Nelie Cross whose names are signed to the foregoing writing bearing date April 1901 have acknowledged the same before me in my County aforesaid.

Given under my hand this Nov. 19, 1904.

A. W. Robinson J.P.

State of Virginia, County of Fairfax, to-wit:

I, D. B. Garett, a justice in and for the County of Fairfax do certify that Charles U. Townsend, E. W. Cross and Laura A. Cross whose names are signed to the writing above bearing date April 1901 have acknowledged the same before me in my County aforesaid.

Given under my hand this 19 day of Nov. 1904

D. B. Garett J.P.

State of Virginia, County of Fairfax, to-wit:

I, Geo. L. Howard, a Notary Public in and for said County hereby certify that A. S. Harrison relative of said R. A. Townsend deceased appeared before me and signed the same relinquishing all claims to said property as indicated by the within writing and requesting all the future signers to do the same.

                Given under my hand and signature this 19^th day of January 1903.

Geo. L. Howard N.P.

State of Oregon, County of Multnomah, ss.

Be it remembered, that on this 27^th day of January A.D. 1903 before me the undersigned, a Notary Public in end for the said County and State, personally appeared the within named Nannie B. Townsend, unmarried who is known to me to be one of the identical individuals described in and who executed the within instrument acknowledged to me that she executed the same freely and voluntarily.

In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto set me hand and notarial seal the day and year, last above written.

C. G. Willis N.P. for Oregon

State of Oregon, County of Multonomah, ss.

This certifies, that on the 29^th day of January A. D. 1903, before me, the undersigned, a Notary Public in and for said County and State, personally appeared the within named A. B. Townsend and Frances M. Townsend his wife who are known to me to be the identical person described in who executed the within instrument, and acknowledged to me that they executed the same for the uses and purposes therein mentioned and Francis M. Townsend wife of the said A. B. Townsend on an examination made by me, separate and apart from her said husband then and there acknowledged to me that she executed the same freely and voluntarily, and without fear, coercion or compulsion from anyone.

In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and Notarial Seal the day and year last above written.

Joseph M. Healy N.P. for Oregon

State of New Jersey, County of Hunterdon, SS.

Be it remembered that on this 7^th day of Sept. A. D. 1903, before me the undersigned a Notary Public in and for said County and State, personally appeared the within named Arthur M. Sanders, Lewis H. Sanders, D. N. Sanders and May S. Martin who are known to me to be the identical individuals described in and who signed the within instrument and acknowledged to mem that they executed the same freely and voluntarily.

                In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year shown written.

Whitfield H. Sydnor N.P.

In Clerk’s Office Circuit Court of Prince William County, January 11^th 1905.

This Deed from Cross &c. to Townsend was received with certificate annexed and admitted to record.

Teste: J. Nelson cl

  

[Margin note – “Examined and sent to Mrs. Julia A. Townsend on Aug 15^th 1911 by Chas. W. Ellis, Jno. A. Nicol, clerk”]