New Materials Online: Kopp, Virginia by Raymond W. Woolfenden, Sr.

KOPP, VIRGINIA by Raymond W. Woolfenden, Sr.

"Kopp, Virginia", a book regarding the "lost" community of Kopp, Virginia, was formerly only available in a limited-edition printed form, including a copy residing at RELIC (Bull Run Library). The book was started by Raymond W. ("Cousin Ray") Woolfenden, Sr. and completed by his daughter, Casmere Woolfenden Kistner, with a number of people providing source materials.

With many thanks to the Woolfenden family, a digital copy is now free and available online under RELIC's digital archives!

Kopp, Virginia disappeared in the early 1940's when the Federal Government took the land via eminent domain and displaced the families to create Quantico Marine Base. Some of the families that lost their land include Abel, Arrington, Cole, Copen, Davis, Holmes, Keys, Lowe, Lynn, Suthard, Wood, and Woolfenden.

Society Saturday: Farewell Party (Ruby Russell)

Manassas Journal
16 June 1932

FAREWELL PARTY

A very delightful party was given at the home of Miss Ruby Russell on Tuesday evening when she bid her friends good-by before leaving her home on West street.  She is soon to return to her country home at Canova.  She will be greatly missed by her many friends in Manassas.

Those present at the party were:  Misses Virginia, Ruth, Clara, Irene and Elizabeth Cross, Miss Edith and Virginia Carter, Miss Eula Shaw, Miss Sarah Vetter, Miss Mildred Cooke, Miss Mickie Lunsford and Mr. and Mrs. Emory Russell.

Messers. Floyd Vetter, Randolph Payne, William Ward, Edward Pattie, Douglas Dodson, Robert Leith, William Bowers, Paul Cooksey, Jake Terry, Shelmon Holmes, Russell and Willard Shaw.



[I love the reference to Miss Russell's "country home at Canova."  The Canova community was originally named Woodbine after Levi C. Lynn's home Woodbine, as well as the Baptist church and school of the same name that he founded.  It was renamed Canova in the early 1900's, largely in part to James Sullivan, who owned a general store in the area.  Eugene Scheel's "Crossroads and Corners" notes that Sullivan chose the name because it was easy to spell and was likely unaware of the famous sculptor Antonio Canova.  Today the area is called "Woodbine" once more but Canova Drive in Independent Hill remains -- Woodbine School on one side of the road and Woodbine Baptist Church on the other -- in the heart of the rapidly growing Coles Magisterial District.  Hardly "country" any longer!  --cgl]

Newspaper Tidbit: Crime & Punishment (1739)

Virginia Gazette
2 November 1739

This Day the following 9 Malefactors, who were try'd and convicted this General Court, receiv'd Sentence of Death, viz.

   Constantine Matthews, and Sarah Matts, from Caroline County, for Felony.

   William Barbasore, from York County, for Felony.

   David White and Charles Quin, from Essex County, for the Murder of a Negro.

   Joseph Lightburn, from Prince William County, for Felony.

   Nathaniel Morgan, from Prince George County, for Felony.

   John Cavidge, from Essex County, for the Murder of a Negro.

   Elizabeth Maze, from Lancaster County, for the Murder of a Bastard Child.

And the 4 following were burnt in the Hand, viz.

   Elizabeth Danielson, alias, Smith, from Williamsburg, for Felony.

   John Holmes, from Charles City County, for Felony.

   Elizabeth Herbert, from Prince William County, for Felony.

   Samuel MacHenly, from King George County, for Forgery.

Wedding Wednesday: Marriage Licenses (1905) (Lynn/Holmes)

Evening Star (Washington, DC)
3 November 1905

Marriage Licenses

Marriage licenses have been issued to the following:

Joseph H. Wood and Inez May Howard

Clarence W. Jackson of Belmont, Ohio, and Ethel May Barber of this city.

Harry Rawles and Rosa Gordon.

James A. Harrison of Richmond, Va., and Mary A. Meeks of Lynchburg, Va.

William H. Waters and Annie L. Boswell.

George Carter and Fannie Griggsby.

Joseph S. Bateman and Catherine Murphy.

William S. Simms and Annie E. Hitchcock.

Tyler W. Lynn and Effie D. Holmes, both of Prince William county, Va.

Ernest Patten and Burdette Henry.

Prince A. Beaman and Ellen L. Blue.

James Flaherty and Annie Rabinoriz.

George Giddin and Martha Hallstock.

Caleb N. Moody and Rosa A. Broughton, both of Portsmouth, Va.

Herbert M. Griffith and Sarah W. Dickingson.

Alvin G. Shipley and Emma Masureck, both of Baltimore, Mc.

Charles W. Gosnell of Baltimore, Md., and Eleanor V. Harrison of this city.

Wedding Wednesday: Russell / Cross

Washington Post
2 September 1943

Doris Russell, Leonard Cross, Married in Va.

Miss Doris Russell, daughter of James Russell of Canova, Va., and Leonard Cross, son of Mrs. Sara E. Cross of Manassas, Va., were married on Sunday, the ceremony taking place in the Woodbine Baptist Church in Manassas.  The Rev. Leonard Weston officiated and a reception followed at the  home of the bride.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a gown of white marquisette and carried a bouquet of bridal roses.  Her shoulder-length veil was held by a coronet. Miss Lena Maddux of Kingsport, Tenn., formerly of Manassas, was maid of honor and other attendants were Mrs. James Russell, sister-in-law of the bride, and Mrs. Sidney Dunn.

Bernard Cross was his brother's best man and the ushers were William Ward of Indianhead, Md., and Judson Holmes of Manassas.

Military Monday: 19 Men to Camp Lee

Manassas Democrat
May 23, 1918

NINETEEN MEN GO TO CAMP LEE SATURDAY

Prince William Gives Again of Her Youth That Democracy May be Safe -- Four Go to Charlottesville

The largest contingent of Prince William county young men to answer the call to colors for several months will leave for training on Saturday, May 25.  Nineteen of them will go direct to Camp Lee for military training and four left today for Charlottesville where they will enter the University of Virginia as volunteers and where they will receive mechanical training for military service.

Those who will go to Camp Lee are:

Kemp Williams, Quantico
Joseph Posey, Dumfries
Reuben W. Abel, Joplin
Harvey Holmes, Catlett
Harvey Weeks, Manassas
Hobert F. Hampton, Hoadley
Howard A. Stevens, Quantico
Durward I. Payne, Manassas
Champ Lee Jones, Joplin
Charles Perry Hammill, Woodbridge
Cofer Fairfax, Hoadley
Paris Cockanides, Quantico
John Calvin Roles, Mount
Frank W. Fitzwater, Nokesville
Clarence Money, Quantico
Robert L. Rittenour, Nokesville
Clarence Money, Quantico
Robert L. Rittenour, Nokesville
Milton Irvin Nalls, Greenwich
Phillip B. Lipscomb, Bristow
Isaac A. Pearson, Hoadley

The following alternates are in the list:

Richard Lee Thorp, Independent Hill
Bankit Cornwell, Manassas, R.F.D.
Allen Cornwell, Manassas, R.F.D.
Newton F. Sayers, Independent Hill

Those who left today for Charlottesville for mechanical training are:

James Wesley Keys, Brentsville
John Roland Craig, Manassas
Gray C. Buck, Manasas
Daniel Nelson Reeder, Manassas

Sunday's Obituary: Mollie (Holmes) Lynn

Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, MD)

January 11, 1920

Manassas, Va. -- Mrs. Henry Fairfax Lynn, 72, died Tuesday at the home of her grandson, Walter Holmes Robertson, near Gainesville.  She was the widow of the first president of the National Bank of Manassas and before her marriage was Miss Mollie Holmes, of Loudoun county.

Newspaper Tidbit

Adams Sentinel (Gettysburg, PA)
October 31, 1859

Some Gipseys recently, who had been loitering about the house of Mr. Thomas Holmes, near Brentsville, Prince William county (Va.) it is said, persuaded him to look into the case of a watch in which was chloroform, and, whilst he was laboring under the effects of the inhalation, took from him the key of his bureau and stole therefrom a thousand dollars in gold, with which they decamped.

Newspaper Tidbit: Eloped!

 The (Richmond) Times
August 24, 1890

Alexandria, Va, Aug. 23 - [special] - Invitations were out for a wedding to take place in Prince William county to-morrow, the contracting parties being Mr. Gummy Cole and Miss Addie Holmes, who have been considered engaged for a long time.  But of late Miss Addie has been accepting the attentions of a certain old widower, but nothing serious was thought of it until one night recently, when the couple were seen going towards Bakersville to take the train for Washington.  When passing out of the house Miss Holmes said she was merely going out in the yard, and her mother had no suspicion aroused until several days had elapsed.  The couple are now Mr. and Mrs. Halsey Reid.  The bride is of seventeen summers, while the groom has two children already.  Late advices from Manassas say that they have not returned from their honeymoon yet.