Society Saturday: New Year's Eve Dance

Manassas Journal
January 11, 1924

NEW YEAR'S EVE DANCE

A New Year's Eve dance attended by a large company of young people was given at the home of Mr. and Mrs. G. Raymond Ratcliffe, in Grant Avenue, with their young son, Master Jack Ratcliffe, as host.

Among the guests were Misses Nancy Waters, Anna Bruce Whitmore, Virginia Conner, Elizabeth Coleman, Susie Gibson, Wilhelmina Wenrich, Anne Davies and Dabney Waters, Hawes Davies, Jenkyn Davies, Ned Bradford, Ashby Rogers, Henry Lee Lewis, Charles Walton Lewis, Charles Armistead Sinclair, Wallace Lynn, Preston Lyon, Robert Morris Henry, Robert Weir and Beverly Adams.

Sunday's Obituary: Susan (Cannon) Trunnell

Alexandria Gazette (VA)
29 June 1918

DIED -- At her home 1451 Duke street, yesterday morning, June 28, 1918, Mrs. Susan Cannon Trunnell, widow of the late Samuel Trunnell, and daughter of the late C. Granderson and Mary Cannon, sister of the late Dr. William Cannon, of Washington.  Mrs. Trunnell was born in Prince William county, Va., 84 years ago, she having reached her 84th milestone June 15.  She was of English parentage and moved to this city at the close of the Civil War, where she made a wide circle of friends. She was liked and respected by all who knew her. M. Trunnell is survived by three children, Mrs. A. M. Henry, of this city, Mrs. M. E. Whalen and Mrs. W. H. King, of Washington. Funeral services will be held Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock from the residence of her grand-daughter, Mrs. John Humphries, 320 Commerce street. Friends of the family are invited to attend.

Farewell, dear Mother,
till we meet again
In that happy land
Where there will be no farewell said,
And all our tears will be wiped away.

(Prince William county and Washington papers please copy)
155-1t

[Susan Cannon Trunnell is buried at Trinity United Methodist Church cemetery in Alexandria, VA.]

Wednesday's Child: Walter Lenox Wheeler

Daily National Intelligencer (Washington, DC)
29 June 1840

DEATHS.

At the residence of Mr. Thos. W. Hughlett, Northumberland county, Virginia, on Thursday morning, the 21st of May, in the 36th year of her age, Mrs. Eliza Henry, consort of Dr. Edward H. Henry, and daughter of John Fitzhugh, Esq. of Prince William County, Va.

On Sunday afternoon, the 28th instant, Walter Lenox, only child of Theodore and Lucy Wheeler, aged 21 months.

Sunday's Obituary: Captain James Edward Herrell

Manassas Journal
March 17, 1916

CAPT. J. E. HERRELL DEAD

County Clerk and Confederate Veteran Passed Away Last Saturday Morning

Manassas Journal, 17 March 1916

At an early hour last Saturday morning Captain James E. Herrell, county clerk of Prince William county, passed away.  Captain Herrell, who was nearly 73 years of age, had been in failing health for the last few years but about a month before his death he began to fail rapidly and early last week it was sen that little could be done for him.

Captain Herrell was born in Fauquier county, March 24, 1843.  When a child he moved to Prince William where at the outbreak of the Civil War he entered the service of the Confederate States of America.  From the position of second sergeant of the Prince William Rifles, Co. F., 17th Va. Infantry, he was promoted to the first lieutenancy in April, 1862, and to the captancy in August, 1864.  In many of the big campaigns of the great conflict, Captain Herrell saw gallant service.

At the close of the Civil War, Captain Herrell engaged in several mercantile enterprises in upper Prince William and afterwards served the county successively as deputy sheriff, deputy clerk, county treasurer and county clerk.

The deceased is survived by his widow, who was a Miss Faithful, of Richmond; one son, Robert E. Herrell, and six daughters, Mrs. James E. Beale, of Haymarket; Mrs. A. L. Henry, Mrs. W. A. Newman, Mrs. F. Norvell Larkin, Miss Elizabeth Herrell and Miss Jamie S. Herrell, all of Manassas.

Funeral services were conducted at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Haymarket, Monday morning, the Rev. Robb White officiating, assisted by Rev. J. F. Burks.  The burial was in charge of Manasaeh Lodge, A. F. & A. M., assisted by Drinkard Lodge, of Haymarket.  Interment was made in St. Paul's church yard.  The pallbearers were: Thos. H. Lion, D. J. Arrington, O. C. Hutchison, J. E. Nelson, Bryan Gordon, and T. R. Gallaher.

[A photo of Captain Herrell's headstone can be found on Findagrave ~ cgl]

Those Places Thursday: Ghosts of Manassas Battlefield

View of Stone House from Henry Hill
Photo by C.G.Lynn

Manassas National Battlefield Park is located at 6511 Sudley Road (Rte. 234) in Manassas, Virginia.  The Visitor Center is open daily from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., excluding Thanksgiving and Christmas.

As noted on the Battlefield's website, "On July 21, 1861, two armies clashed for the first time on the fields overlooking Bull Run.  Heavy fighting swept away any notion of a quick war.  In August 1862, Union and Confederate armies converged for a second time on the plains of Manassas.  The Confederates won a solid victory bringing them to the height of their power."

Two original buildings, the Stone House and the Brawner Farm are open to the public.  Henry House, on the hill named for the family, is a reconstruction of the home where 85-year old Judith Henry was killed by gunfire.  The family cemetery still stands behind the house site.  It was on Henry Hill that Brig. Gen. Barnard Elliott Bee Jr. is quoted as saying "There is [Thomas Johnathan Stonewall] Jackson standing like a stone wall.  Let us determine to die here, and we ill conquer.  Rally behind the Virginians!"

The Battlefield, twice the scene of bloody turmoil, is now a pastoral setting in the midst of urban Manassas.

Is Manassas/Bull Run Battlefield haunted?

Seriously -- do you need to ask?  Search any popular internet book site and you will find dozens of books on ghosts of Civil War battlefields.  Like Gettysburg, Manassas appears in just about all of them.

One book in particular is devoted to a Manassas Battlefield ghost, "A Yankee Roams at Dusk," by Paula Ann Kirby [ISBN 978-1-61364-194-1].  In 1862, the 5th New York [Zouaves] lost 123 men, "the greatest loss of life in any single infantry regiment in any battle of the Civil War."  The book's author was first introduced to the story of a phantom Zouave soldier on New York Avenue Field in an October 1978 Journal Messenger Halloween article, which claimed, "An indistinct figure wearing a colorful Zouave uniform was claimed to have been seen about two years ago and has been reported by others in later times."  Kirby's book chronicles her search for eyewitnesses that ultimate leads her to a paranormal investigation in search of the spectral Zouave.

Not far from the New York Avenue Field, the old Stone House is also rumored to be haunted.  Originally a tavern on the old Warrenton Turnpike, the house served as a field hospital during both battles.  The October 31, 1990 Weekly Messenger notes that "folk have reported seeing house lights where there is no house and sometimes strange noises come from the Stone House that sits on the corner of Routes 28 and 29."  The October 2011 edition of Prince William Living notes, "There is one story about a seasonal worker who was sitting in Stone House, waiting for any visitors who might have questions.  The employee was reading, and soon fell asleep on what seemed like a quiet day.  Upon waking, the individual's glasses were lung across the room, landing at the opposite end of the hallway."

It should be noted that, sightings and visitor experiences aside, the Park Service does not officially endorse ghosts.  (Which doesn't seem to bother the ghosts.)

Wedding Wednesday: Notices Outside of PWCo

Baltimore Patriot (Baltimore, MD) - November 11, 1815 - On Tuesday evening the 14th instant, at Locust Grove, Prince William county, Va. by the Rev. Mr. Mathews, Mr. George Sweeney, of Washington City, to Miss Mary S. C. Hooe, daughter of the late Bernard Hooe, junior, Esq. of the former place.

Daily National Intelligencer (Washington, DC) - June 1, 1821 - MARRIED, On Sunday the 20th inst. at Waterloo, the seat of Nedham L. Washington, Esq. of King George county, Va. by the Rev. Mr. Thornton, Otho W. Callis, Esq. of Prince George's county, Md. to Miss Jane Ashton Alexander, fourth daughter of Colonel Gerrard Alexander, of Prince William county, Va.

Daily National Intelligencer - March 18, 1826 - At the Thoroughfare, Prince William county, Va., on Thursday, the 9th ist., by the Rev. Mr. Barnes, John S. Chapman, Esq. of Frankfort, Ky., to Miss Matilda L. A. Chapman, eldest daughter of George Chapman, Esq.

United States Telegraph (Washington, DC) - April 29, 1828 - Married, in Stafford County, Va. at the residence of Captain H. Eustace, on Thursday evening, the 17th April, by the Rev. Mr. Weems, George William Fitzhugh, Esq. Merchant of Brentsville, Prince William County, to Miss Sarah S. B. Henry, daughter of the late Edward Henry, Esq. of Northumberland County, Virginia.

Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, VA) - March 5, 1834 - MARRIED, on Thursday evening, 27th ultimo, at Mount Pleasant, Prince William County, Va., by the Rev. Mr. Berkley, Howison Hooe, Esq. of Prince William County, to Miss Catharine, daughter of Daniel McLean, deceased, of Alexandria D.C.

On Thursday evening last, by the Rev. Jessee E. Weems, Mr. John Fountain, to Miss Mary Patterson, daughter of Jessee Rossin, Esq., all of Prince William County, Virginia.

Sunday's Obituary: Obituaries Printed Outside PWCo

Farmers Repository (Charlestown, WV) - July 7, 1809 ~ DIED, on the 25th ult. of a cancer in his face, Beniah Willett, late merchant at Occoquan.  By his death society is deprived of as honest a man as ever lived.  ~ Alex. paper.

Baltimore Patriot (Baltimore, MD) - June 13, 1822 ~ On Wednesday evening, the 5th inst. in Prince William county, Va. of a lingering consumption, Mrs. Grace Ann Blagrove, wife of Mr. Henry B. Blagrove, Printer, in the 26th year of her age.  She has left a husband and two infant children to mourn their irreparable loss.

Salem Gazette (Salem, MA) - September 20, 1825 ~ At Hazle Plain, Prince William county, Virginia, on the 28th ultimo, Bernard Hooe, senr. Esq. in the 86th yar of his age.

Spectator (New York) - May 18, 1830 ~ [DIED] In Prince William county, Frances Ann Walker, 21.

Daily National Intelligencer (Washington, DC) - May 30, 1830 ~ At Cedar Hill, the residence of his mother, in Prince William county, Virginia, on the 15th of April, William L. Scott, in the 28th year of his age, formerly Merchant of Alexandria.

Daily National Intelligencer (Washington, DC) - December 18, 1833 ~ At the residence of Wm. R. Buck, near Port Gibson, on the 17th instant., John W. Green, a native of Prince William County, Va.

Richmond Whig (Richmond, VA) - September 23, 1834 ~ On Thursday, the 11th inst., after a protracted and painful illness, Mrs. Maria M. G. Hooe, consort of Col. John Hooe, of Locust Grove, Prince William County.

Sun (Baltimore, MD) - May 29, 1837 ~ At her residence, in Prince William County, Va. on the 21st inst. Mrs. Elizabeth Foster, aged 83 years.

Daily National Intelligencer (DC) - June 29, 1840 ~ At the residence of Mr. Thos. W. Hughlett, Northumland county, Virginia, on Thursday morning, the 21st of May, in the 36th year of her age, Mrs. Eliza Henry, consort of Dr. Edward H. Henry, and daughter of John Fitzhugh, Esq. of Prince William county, Va.

Sun (Baltimore, MD) - March 9, 1846 ~ In Prince William county, Va. on the 21st ult. in the 24th year of her age, Mrs. Frances Ann, consort of Lieut. Robert Tansill of the U.S. Marine corps.

Daily National Intelligencer (DC) - April 20, 1852 ~ Near Brentsville, Prince William, Virginia, in the 77th year of her age, Mrs. Elizabeth Sexsmith, a native of Virginia, and for many years a resident of this city.

Daily National Intelligencer (DC) - March 17, 1853 ~ At Neabsco, Prince William county, Virginia, on the 4th instant, in the 81st yar of her age, Mrs. Araminta Montgomery Kankey, widow of the late Rev. Zebulon Kankey, of that county.

Newspaper Tidbit: Trustees' Sale

Alexandria Gazette - 05 February 1827

TRUSTEES' SALE.  By virtue of two deeds of trust, executed by Isaac Henry and Judith his wife, to the subscribers, bearing date the 14th day of October, 1822, and duly recorded in the Clerk's office of the county of Prince William, and for the purposes in the said deeds mentioned, we shall offer at public auction, for cash, at Brentsville, in the county of Prince William, on Monday the 12th of February next, the Tract of land on which the said Henry at present resides, lying in the county of Prince William, containing Three Hundred and Thirty Acres, more or less -- it being the tract of land which the said Henry purchased of Robert H. Hooe and Robert Hamilton, executors of Elizabeth Carter, dec'd.  As we shall sell the foregoing property as trustees, no other title will be conveyed than is vested in us by the deeds of trust aforesaid.

Edmund Brooke
Stuart G. Thornton
jan 11-ts



29 January 1827 - Alexandria Gazette

NOTICE.  By virtue of a deed of trust executed to us by James Foster and Silas Foster, on the 7th day of December, 1825, for the purpose of securing to John Withers & Co. and Withers & Washington, the payment of the debts therein mentioned, we shall, on Monday, the 5th day of March next, expose to sale by public auction for cash, before the front door of the Court House of Prince William county, one negro girl named Anne and her child--Also; the interest of the said James and Silas Foster, in the estate of their father, James Foster, deceased.  Such title as we have under the trust deed will be conveyed to the purchaser.

M. B. Sinclair
Peyton Norvill
   Trustees
jan 27-ts