Land Sale: Stonecastle (1874)

 Alexandria Gazette (Va)
19 November 1874

VALUABLE FARM FOR SALE

By virtue of a deed of trust from John S. Owens, bearing date the 8th day of July, 1865, and of record in the Clerk's office of the County Court of Prince William county, to secure the payment of a certain debt therein mentioned, I shall, on Tuesday, the 24th day of November next, at Haymarket, offer at public sale that valuable farm known as STONECASTLE.

This farm lies in Prince William county, about three miles north of Haymarket, a station on the W.C.,V.M. & G.S.R.R., containing about seven hundred and thirty-five acres of land of most excellent quality, with abundance of wood; is well watered, and the improvements are comfortable.

The terms of sale will be: One third cash, one third in one year, and one third in two years, with interest on deferred payments from day of sale. Title to be retained until the whole is paid. Sale to take place at 12 m.

THOS. HENDERSON, Truste.

Prince William co., oct 20--eots

[In PWCo Deed Book 30, pg. 266 Deed of Trust from Owens to Henderson, Mary M. Owens "thro: Cuthbert Owens her Trustee purchased of Thomas Henderson the tract of land in Prince William County, known as "Stone Castle" on the "24th day of Nov. 1874." --cgl]

Bill of Sale: Owens to Pattie (1875)

Bill of Sale from Owens to Pattie
PWCo. Deed Book 30, pg. 218

This is to certify that I have this day sold to B. F. Pattie all my interest in a crop of wheat on Carters Green cultivated by Jimmy Smith for the sum of two hundred and twenty-five dollars, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged as Witness my hand and seal this 23d June 1875.

Jno. S. Owens

Prince William County, to wit:

Personally appeared before me Edmund Berkeley a Justice of the Peace of said County J. S. Owens who acknowledged the above to be his act and deed.

Edmund Berkeley J.P.

In the Clerks Office of Prince William County Court June 26 1875

This Bill of Sale from Owens to Pattie with a certificate annexed was received and admitted to record.

Teste, Lucien A. Davis  Clerk

PWCo Items: Manassas Gay With Yuletide Parties (1938)

Evening Star (Washington, DC)
25 December 1938

MANASSAS GAY WITH YULETIDE PARTIES

Final Plans Are Made for Assembly Ball

Manassas, Va., Dec. 24 -- Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Owens will entertain 100 guests at an anniversary party preceding the assembly ball Tuesday evening. Mr. Owens' mother, Mrs. William E. Trusler, and her cousin, Miss Hilda Moser, will assist the hostess.

Final arrangements are being made for the assembly ball in the Manassas Gymnasium. On the Floor Committee are Mr. John Broaddus, Mr. Dennis Baker, Mr. Dudley Martin, Mr. Eugene Davis, Dr. R. T. Johnson, Mr. Lewis Carper, Mr. R. Jackson Ratcliffe and Mr. C. Wade-Dalton.

Mr. Emlyn Marsteller arrived last week end from Dartmouth to spend a three-week vacation with his parents, Dr. and Mrs. E. H. Marsteller.

Mr. and Mrs. R. T. Smith of Georgia are spending the holidays with their son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Baker.

Mr. E. R. Conner entertained at a dinner party today.

Mrs. B. Higgs Lewis will be hostess at bridge Monday afternoon at her home on Sudley road.

PWCo Items: September 16, 1872

Alexandria Gazette
16 September 1872

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY ITEMS. - [From the Manassas Gazette] -- We were agreeably entertained on Thursday morning last by listening to a discussion which took place between a Grant man and a Greeley man, but the discussion terminated by the parties leaving politics and talking religion, and when we heard one of them asking the other whether St. Peter was living or not we got disgusted and quit.

The thermometer at Manassas on Sunday last at noon, at the residence of W. C. Merchant, esq., was 94, and the thermometer was placed in a position where the sun did not strike it.

James B. Sener, Radical candidate for Congress for this district and Dr. W. W. Douglass, Presidential elector on the Grant ticket, will speak at Occoquan on the 17th instant.

Elisha Chloe was sent to jail at Brentsville on Saturday last, accused of the murder of O'Brien, near Haymarket, over a month ago. We believe it originated from that worst of evils--whiskey. The accused has been in the jail at Warrenton for some time, as the murder was supposed to have been committed in Fauquier county, but upon a survey of the line, which divides the two counties, it was ascertained to have been committed in Prince William county.

Rain commenced falling about 9 o'clock Thursday morning, and continued until late in the night. At times it was very heavy, and the "oldest inhabitant" informs us that the showers, during the day, were the heaviest he ever witnessed at this place. The rain has materially effected the buckwheat, and the crop will be a good one. Our informant told us that he saw on the farm of Wm. E. Goodwin yesterday buckwheat at the heighth of ten feet.

Elisha E. Meredith, the Conservative canvasser for Prince William, has made the following appointments to address the people of this county; Independent Hill, Saturday, 21st September, 3 o'clock p. m. Manassas, Saturday, 28th September, 3 o'clock p. m., Brentsville, Monday, 7th October, 3 o'clock p. m. Occoquan, Saturday, 19th October, 3 o'clock p. m. Dumfries, Saturday, 26th October, 3 o'clock p.m.

Maj. Thornton is complimented by J. M. Owens, teacher, for the impartial manner in which he has managed the charge committed to his trust as county superintendent of schools. Maj. T. has endeared himself not only to every teacher of the county but also to the community at large by his liberal expression of sentiments upon the benign influence of the public school system all over the county.

There is to be a tournament at "Harrison's Crossing," between Burke's and Fairfax stations on Thursday, next.

Friend of Friends Friday: John Owens

Alexandria Gazette
4 February 1860

$100 REWARD.

Ranaway on the 23d inst., my negro man JOHN OWENS, or JOHN BURWELL. He is sixty years old, rather bright mulatto; about 5 feet 8 or 10 inches high, and stout; very polite, and good address; somewhat grey, with full grey whiske[r]s; very high forehead, and somewhat bald. Took with him various clothing, and had a fancy push cap.

He has many acquaintances in Washington City, and will probably aim to get there. I will give $100 reward for him if taken in the District of Columbia or Maryland, and $25 in Virginia, in either case to be secured in jail, so that I get him

J. B. Grayson
Gainesville, Prince William County

Prince William county, jan 26-co2w

Sunday's Obituary: Frank Lee Hoffman

Evening Star (Washington, DC)
6 October 1946

Frank L. Hoffman Dies; Prince William Farmer

Manassas, Va., Oct. 5 - Frank Lee Hoffman, 44, well-known Prince William County farmer, was killed instantly yesterday when a truck collided with his automobile at the intersection of 234 and 261 near Catharpin.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. tomorrow at the Sudley Methodist Church, of which he was a member. Burial will be in the church cemetery at Sudley.

A native of Dover, Loudoun County, he was the son of the late Judson F. Hoffman and Mary C. Hoffman, who made her home with him. Mr. Hoffman has lived at Glenwood Farm at Catharpin for the past 40 years.

Besides his mother, he is survived by his widow, the former Minnie Owens, Fauquier County; two sons, Judson and Burgess Hoffman, and a daughter, Frances, all of whom live at Glenwood Farm.

He also leaves two sisters, Mrs. Mary Mills and Mrs. Ethel Clements, Mount Rainier, Md., and three brothers, Douglas Hoffman, Centerville, Va.; Berkeley, Greenwich, Va.; and Lester Hoffman, Washington.

Will: James Reid (1821)

JAMES REID Will

Prince William County Will Book L, pg. 376

14 May 1821; proved 06 Aug 1821

In the name of God Amen I JAMES REID of the town of Dumfries and State of Virginia make my last will and testament as follows: I leave all my estate real and personal to ELIZABETH P. OWENS during her life and after her death to be equally divided among her children.  Witness my hand and seal this 14^th day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty one.

JAMES REID  {seal}

last will and testament JOHN SPENCE, HECTOR ALEXANDER, J. LAWSON

At a Court of Quarterly Sessions held for Prince William County August 6^th 1821.  This last will and testament of JAMES REID decd was presented to the Court and being proved by the oaths of JOHN SPENCE and HECTOR ALEXANDER two of the witnesses thereto is ordered to be recorded.

And at a Court of Quarterly Sessions cont. and held for said County August 9^th 1821 Administration of the Estate of JAMES REID decd with the Will annexed is granted to PEYTON NORVELL who took the oath prescribed by law and entered into and ackd. A bond with security according to law.

Teste, PHIL. D. DAWE

Friend of Friends Friday: Will: Susannah Feagan (1817)

SUSANNAH FEAGAN Will

Prince William County Will Book L, pg. 31

02 Aug 1816; proved 07 Apr 1817

In the name of God Amen I SUSANNAH FEAGAN of the County of Prince William & State of Virginia being low in health but sound in mind do make this my last will and testament, first, I desire that all my just debts shall be paid.  Secondly that all both real and personal estate of mine shall be for the sole use of my brother EDWARD and GRACE my sister to them and their heirs forever accept one negroe girl by the name of SARAH I give to FRANCIS FEAGAN, and one negroe boy by the name of NAT I give to RAUGHLY FEAGAN, sons of my brother HENRY FEAGAN decd.  Thirdly I desire that the loungest liver of the above named Brother & Sister shall have all both real & personal estate forever, accept the negro boy and girl, given to my two nephews FRANCIS & RAUGHLY FEAGAN.  Fourthly and lastly I do constitute and appoint JOHN WASHINGTON and WILLIAM GREEN my sole executors of this my last will and testament.  In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this second day of August in the year of our lord eighteen hundred and sixteen.

SUSANNAH FEAGAN {seal}

Witness:

WM. GREEN, ELIJAH KERCHIVAL, WM. RATCLIFF, EVAN J. OWENS

At a Court held for Prince William County April 7^th 1817.  This last will and testament of SUSANNAH FEAGAN decd. was presented to the Court by WM. GREEN one of the Executors therein named and being proved by the oaths of WM. GREEN and ELIJAH KERCHIVEL is ordered to be recorded.  & At a Court for said County May 5^th 1817 this said last will and testament of SUSANNAH FEAGAN decd. was fully proved by the oath of EVAN J. OWENS and admitted to record.  & At a Court of Quarterly sessions continued and held for Prince William County June 2^nd 1818 on the motion of JNO. BROWN it is ordered that GERARD ALEXANDER sheriff of the County do take into his possession the estate of SUSANNAH FEAGAN decd. and administer the same according to law, it appearing to the Court that she has been dead upwards of three months and no person has applied for administration on said Estate.

Teste, PHIL. D. DAWE

Sunday's Obituary: Peter Owens (1825)

Richmond Enquirer
July 5, 1825

We are indebted to the polite attention of the Postmaster at Brentsville for the particulars of a melancholy, casualty which occurred at that place on the 19th inst.  Peter Owens, a man about 60 years of age, who had pursued the occupation of a well-digger for the last forty years, was employed by John McCrae, Esq. of Prince William county, Va. to clean a well on his plantation.  During the whole of the day above named he was closely engaged at his business, and at night, throwing his coat across his lap, sat down on the bank of the well to rest himself.  Having drunk freely of ardent spirits, which was not unusual for him to do, and being much fatigued with the labor of the day, he soon fell asleep and tumbled backwards into the well -- 83 feet deep, and containing 10 feet of water.  The body was reclaimed as soon as practicable, and a jury of inquest held over it, who gave for their verdict, "that the deceased came to his death by an accidental fall into a well, or by a bruise on the head in falling."

We are requested to state that he has several children some where in Virginia, and that his property will more than pay his debts.

Alex. Phenix

Tombstone Tuesday: Richard and Lucy (Keys) Cornwell

Woodbine Church Cemetery
Photo by C.G.Lynn

CORNWELL

RICHARD CORNWELL

May 17, 1889

August 26, 1950

His Wife

LUCY KEYS

July 30, 1877

May 21, 1948

~ ~ ~ 

Richmond Times Dispatch

August 28, 1950

THREE ARE HELD IN MAN'S DEATH NEAR MANASSAS

Manassas, Va., Aug. 27 -- State and county officers early today found the beaten body of Richard Cornwell, about 60, at his home seven miles south of here.

Three persons later were arrested and charged with murder.  They were identified by Commonwealth's Attorney Stanley A. Owens as Richard Watson, Andrew Cornwell and Mrs. Mary Watson, all of Prince William County.

Owens said Cornwell apparently died of the effects of a beating he suffered yesterday during an altercation with the arrested trio.  The prosecutor said he had asked for an autopsy to determine the definite cause of Cornwell's death.

Owens said he was told by Harvey Cornwell, a brother of the dead man who lived in the house with him, that the victim had been struck during a fight with Watson, Andrew Cornwell and Mrs. Watson.