PWCo Items: 20 September 1869

Alexandria Gazette (VA)
20 September 1869

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA. ITEMS -- Since our last mention of the improvements about Manassas, there have been several others commenced. Mr. A. Z. Phillips, Mr. L. B. Butler, Col. P. B. Stilson, Mr. Bernard Bryant, and Mr. Wm. Hickson, are all building themselves dwellings, besides other of our citizens are building additions, and otherwise improving their premises.  We also learn that some of our capitalists expect to soon engage in the manufacture of articles now in great demand in this and other portions of the country, there being an abundance of raw material in this county.

The Masonic Fraternity in this place is prospering finely; and is bidding fair to become a large lodge. We understand they intend putting up a three story building, the third to be used by the order, the second to be fitted up for offices and the first or ground floor for stores. District Deputy Grand Master George R. Head, of Leesburg, is here and visited the Lodge last night.

The long continued drought has had the effect of drying up many of the smaller streams causing owners of stock a little inconvenience in procuring a sufficient amount of water. At Manassas, although none of the wells have failed, yet the water in some has become so low that the owners have been compelled to get water for their stock elsewhere. 

Mr. Wm. A. Ketchum, is engaged in building a residence on his farm near Brentsville. -- Col. Snow, who owns a beautiful farm near Nokesville Station, on the Orange & Alexandria R. R., is engaged in rebuilding his residence which was destroyed during the war.

Mr. Seymour Johnson of the firm of Buckingham and Johnson, who purchased the farm of Col. H. W. Cunningham, arrived here a few days ago from Wyoming county, New York, having travelled the distance, 350 miles, in eleven days, with their team loaded with furniture. They have commenced work at their new home, and will get full possession the first of October.

Messrs. E. F. Pickett, James E. Pickett and Philip Smith, three young men of this county, left here on Tuesday for the West. We should prefer they remained here and help to build up the waste places of old Prince William.

Cannon, McLean & Co., sold last Saturday, 827 acres of land near Gainesville, the property of Dr. Beverly Buckner of Louisiana, to Mr. Wm. Brown, of Alexandria, for $3,875.

~Manassas Gazette

Newspaper Tidbit: School Trustees (1874)

Alexandria Gazette
10 December 1874

SCHOOL TRUSTEES.  -- The State Board of Education has appointed the following school trustees:

Prince William county; Dumfries district, John Chapman; Occoquan, Z. A. Kankey; Coles, William B. Lynn; Brentsville, William A. Bryant; Manassas, John H. Butler; Gainesville, H. D. Kerfoot.

King George county; Shiloh district, W. B. Coakley; Rappahannock, Colonel Henry C. Parkins.

Wedding Wednesday: Marriage Licenses (1890)

Evening Star (Washington, DC)
28 May 1890

Marriage Licenses

Marriage licenses have been issued by the clerk of the court to
John H. Gwynn and Amanda Howard;
Grant Slaughter and Daisy Hayes;
Samuel Addison and Annie Butler;
John Harrison of Stafford county, Va. and Lizzie Lewis of Montgomery county, Md.;
H. J. Stewart and Margaret L. Harrison;
Benj. F. Myer sand Elizabeth Logan;
Emanuel Madison and Sadie Campbell;
Solomon H. Jones and Alice M. Stubbs;
James William Swider of Prince William county, Va. and Jennie Frances Bowles of Fairfax county, Va.;
Edward S. Pilsworth of Richmond, Va., and Cora O. Scott of Petersburg, Va.;
Thos. Davis and Victoria Slater

Society Saturday: Prince William Items: Rhoda Fewell

Alexandria Gazette
15 July 1876

On Sunday morning last Rhoda Fewell was arrested at Manassas by officer Wallace Hixson on the charge of assaulting his wife on the night previous. He was tried before Justices Whiting and L. B. Butler, who sent him to jail for 12 months and in addition imposed on him a fine of $50. He was taken to Brentsville on Sunday evening. On Tuesday, his counsel, C. E. Nicol, esq., obtained a writ of habeas corpus from the Judge of the County Court, which was heard at 4 p.m. on that day. The Judge, after hearing the arguments of counsel, released the prisoner on the ground that the Justices had no right to try a case on Sunday.  The Commonwealth was represented by the Commonwealth's Attorney, E. E. Meredith, es., assisted by Judge Sinclair. The Commonwealth's Attorney as soon as the prisoner was discharged had him rearrested for the same offence and brought before Justice A. W. Sinclair, who sent him on to the grand jury and put his bail at $500. Fewell was unable to give the bail and consequently was committed to jail. He is also under arrest upon a peace warrent sued out by Mrs. Fewell.


[Lucien "Rhoda" Fewell is probably best known for the infamous 1872 murder of James Clark at the Brentsville jail.  A Civil War veteran, some have theorized that Fewell's "anger management" issues were symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ("PTSD"). ~cgl]

Friend of Friends Friday: John Underwood

Lowell Daily Citizen and News (Lowell, Massachusetts)

2 June 1859

JOHN UNDERWOOD, a magistrate of Prince William county, Virginia, was indicted some months ago for speaking too freely on slavery.  He was tried and fined, but the decision was reversed by the higher court.  Some of his neighbors, at the late election, insisted upon voting for him for the legislature, and the following is the vote in the town of Occoquan, where he has always resided:

For Governor.

Letcher, dem., 48

Goggin, opp., 70

For House of Delegates

Underwood, rep., 56

Lynn, dem., 42

Merchant, dem., 9

Very well for Occoquon, which is the first town below Mount Vernon, on the Potomac.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Alexandria Gazette

4 May 1859

At a meeting of the Justices of the County of Prince William, convened in the Jury Room, on the 1st day of April Court, for the purpose of expressing our protest against sitting as Justices in connection with John Underwood as a justice of this county, 14 out of the 16 Justices being present, viz: B. E. Harrison, W. L. Carter, J. C. Weedon, L. C. Lynn, Z. A. Kankey, C. A. Nelson, E. Nelson, W. W. Thornton, H. Love, L. B. Butler, E. Gaines, J. Ewell, A. F. Woodyard, and J. B. Grayson, B. E. Harrison was called on to preside, and J. B. Grayson to act as Secretary.

On motion of W. W. Thornton, B. E. Harrison, L. C. Lynn, H. Love, and L. B. Butler were appointed a committee to wait on Mr. Underwood and ask his determination, whether he persists in sitting as Justice. 

This committee withdrew and after a brief absence returned and by their chairman, Mr. Harrison, reported that they had conferred with Mr. Underwood, and that he adhered to his determination to sit as a Justice of Prince William County, when on motion Resolved, That the Chairman appoint one from each Magisterial District to report resolutions expressive of the sentiments of this meeting, to be place on the  minutes of the Court.

The chairman appointed W. W. Thornton, J. Ewell, Z. A. Kankey and E. Nelson, who withdrew and in a short time reported the following:

Whereas John Underwood had been charged and convicted of a misdemeaner by a Jury of this county, in uttering abolition sentiments, in contravention of law and repugnant to public opinion, and having been requested by a committee of Justices to waive his right to a seat on the bench of this Court, or to retract said sentiments, and having refused to do either: Therefore we unanimously resolve that in view of our duty to the public, we will organize this Court and place upon its minutes this our protest against the conduct and sentiments of said Underwood.

The Court being then opened, the foregoing preable and resolution were unaimously ordered to be entered on the minutes of this Court.

B. H. Harrison, Chairiman

J. B. Grayson, Secretary

Newspaper Tidbit: PWCo Item: May 15, 1875

Alexandria Gazette
15 May 1875

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY ITEMS.

Geo. W. Abel was seriously injured on Monday last by the falling of a blundering horse. He was on his way from Occoquan, where heh resides, and has been employed as ferryman, and when near Cedar Run bridge the horse he was riding fell, turning a complete summersault, throwing its rider over its head and falling upon him, the pummel of the saddle striking him in the pit of the stomach. The fall so stunned the horse that it laid on Mr. Able until it was pulled off but Mr. A. was up and walking about the next day.

On Thursday of last week as Mr. Joseph B. Reid was driving from Brentsville to Bristoe Station in his buggy, the horse coming in contact with the ox team of Mr. W. A. Ketcham, threw Mr. Reid out of the buggy, who, falling upon his head received very painful injuries. Mr. John H. Butler who was in the buggy with Mr. Reid jumped out as soon as the horse started, and was not hurt.

The attendance at the Circuit Cour was smaller than usual, though quite a large amount of business was done.  ~ Manassas Gazette

Newspaper Tidbid: Deeds of Transfer (1916)

Manassas Journal
12 May 1916

DEEDS OF TRANSFER

List of Realty Transfers Admitted to Prince William County Record

May 4 - From Robt. B. Graham et al to A. C. Fletcher et ux - 2 tracts of land and buildings thereon - consideration $600.  From Quantico Co., Inc. to H. B. Hutchison - lots - consideration $7,000.  From Quantico Co. inc. to H. B. Hutchison - lots and 5,000 sq. ft. ground.

May 5 - From D. E. Copp to Berry Butler - lot at Industrial School addition.

May 6 - From Wm. Spitler to I. T. Cutler et ux - 73 acres - consideration $3,000.  From W. R. Milstead et ux to Mrs. Carrie Bland - 4 1/2 acres - consideration $450.

May 8 - From Alvin T. Embrey to Garlie S. Rosson - tract near Cherry Hill - consideration $950.

May 9 - From Quantico Co. Inc. to Robert Detwiler - lot - consideration $255.

May 10 - From Henrietta and Daniel Nash to Gracie Bates - 10.21 acres - consideration $100.  From J. Stewart White, trustee, et al to J. M. Hooe - about 196 acres - consideration $6,700.  From J. Stewart White, trustee, to W. R. Hooker - 138 1/2 acres - consideration $3,650.

May 11 - From L. A. Williams et ux to W. R. Milstead - 6 acres - consideration $325.

Those Places Thursday: Bids for Sites

Fredericksburg Free Lance (Va)
15 April 1909

BIDS FOR SITES

ONE THOUSAND ACRE TRACTS NEAR THIS CITY OFFERED TO GOVERNMENT - PRICES VARY

Bids were opened in Washington for the sale to the District of two tracts of land to be used as sites for new workhouse and reformatory buildings to replace the present penal institutions along the Eastern branch.  There were thirty-four bids, some offering sites for both institutions and others offering only one site.

The District asked for proposals to sell to the District two tracts of land widely separated, of not less than 1,000 acres each, either or both to be situated in the states of Maryland or Virginia.

Among the bids were the following:

Wm. Metzger, Woodbridge, 1,100 acres in Prince William county, $42,000, or $36.21 per acre.

B. B. Detweller, 1,287 acres near Quantico, $18,000.

John S. Barbour, 1,400 acres in Prince William and Fairfax counties, $40,000.

Charles H. Rhoades, 1,185 acres near Gainesville and Haymarket, $33,000.

J. A. Marshall, 1,750 acres near Occoquan, $35,000.

Butler-Taliaferro Co., 1,218 acres in Stafford county, near Brooke station, $30,000.

C. B. Robinson and Dora Robinson, 1,035 acres on Potomac river near Reid station, in Stafford and Prince William counties, $33 per acre.

Charles M. Wyeth et al, $1,000 acres near Fredericksburg, $23 per acre.

Oscar B. Billingsley, 1,000 acres on Potomac river, eighteen miles below Colonial Beach, at $20 per acre.

Oscar H. Billingsley, 1,180 acres at Freestone Point, $35,400.

Horace H. Wescott and O. G. Pessona, 1,057 acres in Prince William county, near Gainesville, $37.21 per acre, or $40,000.

R. J. Marshall & Co., 1,500 acres in Prince William county, opposite Indian Head, fronting on Potomac river, $36,000.

Military Monday: Prince William Rangers, Co. H, 15th Va. Cavalry

Manassas Journal

October 20, 1905

PRINCE WILLIAM'S HONOR ROLL

Prince William Rangers, Co. H, 15th Va. Cavalry

[Prepared for The Journal by Mrs. Geo. W. Johnson]

Captain William Gardner Brawner, killed in Maryland, '63

1st Lieut., J. C. Kincheloe

2nd Lieut., Edwin Nelson, taken prisoner in '63 and kept at Johnson's Island until end of war

3rd Lieut., Frank Davis

Com. Sergeant, John H. Hammill

Orderly Sergeant, Samuel H. Jones

2nd Sergeant, Leroy Davis

2nd Sergeant, William Kincheloe

3rd Sergeant, John Butler

4th Sergeant, W. W. Kincheloe

4th Sergeant, W. R. Lipscomb

1st Corporal, Geo. W. Hixon

2nd Corporal, Isaac Fairfax

3rd Corporal Charles Butler

4th Corporal, Levi Hixson

Privates

Robert Arrington	Benjamin E. Lynn
Luther Able [Abel]	Shirley Lynn
Benjamin Abel [Abel]	Wesley Ledman
Bradfield, Henry	A. T. Marshall
Thomas Botts	Joseph Mayhugh
Richard Brawner	John Mayhugh
James M. Barbee	Z. Mayhugh
Thomas Beach	James V. Nash
Cornelius Beach	Geo. W. Payne
Alexander Colbert	Jackson Payne
John Colbert	Dangg Pettit
W. W. Chappell	George Pettit
Leroy Cornwall	William Raney
James Cornwall	Joseph B. Reid
Richard Cornwall	Polk Reid
James O. Cornwall	Jackson Reid
M. Cornwall	John H. Renoe
George Cornwall	Joseph Richardson
John L. Cornwall	George Richardson
E. Dorsey Cole	Wm. Richardson
C. H. Copen	Randolph Spittle
Robert Carter	Lewis Spittle
Edward Carter	Edward Shepherd
C. A. Cannon	James Stone
George Davis	Thomas Stone
Henry Davis	Thomas Simpson
John Davis	John Slingerland
B. D. Davis	William Smoot
Peter Davis	Newton Stribling
Newton Delancy	John Smallwood
Thomas Dewell	Wallace Tansill
John French	George Tillet
Wellington Fairfax	John R. Tillet
Thomas Fairfax	Wm. Vermillion
Mark Florence	William Wilson
Wallace Hixson	William Wilkins
Henry Keys	Lewis Woodward
Ashwell King	George Wilt
Ramon Kincheloe	William Wilt
George Lowe	Thomas Windsor
Samuel R. Lowe	Grandison Warring

PWCo. Jailors (1823 - 1893)

Prince William County, Virginia Jailors 1823 – 1893 Compiled by Ronald R. Turner
Abraham Millan	1823 – 1824
John Merchant	1825 –
Robert Lipscomb	c1829 – 1834
Thomas T. Fewell	1835 – 1836
William Dickson	1836 – 1837
George W. Clifford	1838 – 1839
George A. Farrow	1839 – 1840
James B. Hayes	1840 – 1842
Richard W. Weedon	1843 – 1848
George W. Clifford	1849 – 1853
Hebron Molair	1854 – 1855
John Goodwin	1856 – 1857
James A. Goodwin	1857 – 1857
Thomas K. Davis (sheriff & jailor)	1857 – 1859
Charles Wright	1860 – 1867
Elbert Wright	1868 – 1869
Wallace N. Tansill	1869 – 1871
John T. Goodwin	1871 – 1873
John H. Butler	1873 – 1873
A. F. Woodyard	1873 – 1879
Mathew Woodyard	1880 – 1880
John S. Tyler	1880 – 1893

Thriller Thursday: Murder of Capitola Butler

Washington Post
February 9, 1899

NO EVIDENCE OF MURDER.

Prince William County Grand Jury Discharges E. B. Reid

Special to the Post.  Manassas, Va., Feb. 8 -- In the County Court, the Grand Jury, after spending two days in hearing evidence, adjourned last night, having failed to find a true bill against E. B. Reid, charged with having murdered his cousin, Mrs. Capitola Butler.

Some time ago Mrs. Butler was found dead in her bed at the home of Mr. Reid, where she was living at the time, her brains having been blown out by a shotgun.  After she was buried her body was taken up and an inquest was held, in which it was discovered that she was in a very delicate situation at the time of her death.

The bitterest feeling had existed for some time between her family and E. B. Reid, growing out of some money transaction, and at the instance of her brother, Reid was arrested on the charge of having murdered Mrs. Butler, and carried before a Magistrate for preliminary trial.  Finding no evidence against him, the Magistrate promptly discharged him.  Mrs. Butler's friends were not satisfied, however, and at the February term of the County Court the matter was brought to the attention of the Grand Jury.  After spending two days in examining the witnesses, they failed to find a true bill.

Mr. Robert H. Campbell, a well-known criminal lawyer of Staunton, was present at the request of the Commonwealth's Attorney, in the interest of Mrs. Butler's friends.

1852 PWCo Magistrates

Alexandria Gazette

August 6, 1852

Prince William County

Brentsville, August 4, 1852 -- The following are the Magistrates of Prince William.

District No. 1 -- George H. Cockrill, W. C. Merchant, Seymour Lynn, C. G. Howison.

District No. 2 -- George Weedon, Bazil Brawner, Levi P. Lynn, Charles E. Norman.

District No. 3 -- Allen Howison, Summerfield Fitzhugh, Lewis B. Butler, Edwin Gains.

District No. 4 -- B. E. Harrison, John B. Grayson, Jesse Ewell, Winston L. Carter

Seymour Lynn, esq., has been made the presiding Justice.

[The boundaries of the districts can be found in my blog post here.]

Will: Joseph Butler

Joseph Butler Will

Prince William County

Will Book H, Pages 50-52

22 Sept. 1788, Probate 8 Jan 1793

In the name of God amen I Joseph Butler of Prince William Count state of Virginia being in perfect health do make publish and declare this my last Will and Testament as touching what wordly Estate it hath pleased almighty God to bestow upon me My Will and desire is to bestow in the following manner.  First My will and desire is that my just debts be honestly paid.

2. Item I give and devise unto my loving wife Anna Butler my whole Estate both real and personal during her widow hood and after her deceas or marrage, To be disposed of in manner and form following --

3. Item I give and bequeath unto my son James Carter Butler five pounds current money to be laid out in cloths for him to ware. This is to be done by my Exors. hereafter mentioned--

4. Item I give and bequeath unto my Joseph Butler one shilling sterling money --

5.  Item I give and bequeath unto my son William Butler one shilling sterling money --

6. Item I give and bequeath unto my son Charles Butler one shilling sterling money --

7.  Item I give and bequeath unto my son Laurance Butlers deced' children Sarah Anne Joseph Jacob Colvert and Mary Colvert a negroe man named Jack to be equilly divided amongst them which negro I have already made a Deed of Gift to them.

8.  Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Catherine Botts one shilling sterling money--

9.  Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Francis Barker one shilling sterling money--

10.  Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Ann Butler the following negroes to wit Lydia, Charlotte, and Preston one bed and furniture, a chest of drawers, a ceeder table, a square leef oval walnut table and a square walnut table after the Death of her mother and should my daughter Anne die without heir lawfully begotten then my will is that my daughter Mary Carter shall have the whole Estate given to my daughter Anne Butler.

11. Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Carter the following Negroes to wit Hanna, Silvie, Ruth and Sam after the death of her mother and should my daughter Mary carter die without heir lawfully begotten then my will is that my daughter Anne Butler shall have the whole Estate given to my daughter Mary Carter.

12.  Item my will is that my loving wife shall dispose of the following slaves at her death as she may think proper to wit Will, Phill, Daniel, Elijah, Cate, young Jude and Old Jude -- Revoking disanuling all will before this I constitute and appoint my loving wife and my son in law David Carter Executors of this my last will and Testment.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this Twenty second day of September one thousand seven hundred and Eighty Eight.

Jos. Butler {seal}

Witnesses present

Spilsby Stone

Benjamin Stone

Jesse Stone

Margaret Stone

At a court continued and held for Prince William County the 8th [?] day of January 1793. This Last Will and Testament of Joseoph Butler Deceased was presented to the Court by Ann Butler his Widow the Executrix therein named who made oath to the same according to Law and the same being proved by the oaths of Spilsby Stone and Jesse Stone is admitted to record and the Executrix having performed what is usual in such cases certificate is granted her for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.

Teste.  Robert Graham