Will: William Howison

William Howison's Will
PWCo Will Book I, pg. 65

Washington Nov. 15th 1804

Most honored parents,

Our departure has been delayed from Monday 'till friday, very much to my satisfaction as it has given us time to breathe a little before commencing so long a journey.  Our preparations are now compleated, and we are to set out early in the morning. Every thing promises an agreeable journey if the weather is favorable, and the accommodations will be such that we cannot suffer much even by the worst weather. 

Although I have great hopes of revisiting this Country before the expiration of many years, yet as the great distance to be traveled must make my return uncertain, I wish to provide for the disposition of what little property I leave behind, in case circumstances should call for it: This I shall do by simply signifying my wishes, assured that they will be as much respected as if expressed in the most binding form. 

The property I shall leave in this part of the country consists of. Five shares of stock in the Bank of Virginia worth at par $500. 

To fill up these shares Mr. Trone is to pay Saml Howison $150 when called for ... $500

A Debt of $200 due from Samuel Howison, which if he finds it convenient is to be likewise invested in Stock ... $200

A Mahogany press and Book case left in the care of William James Esquire to be sold if it will bring $35 ... $35

Several small debts left with W. Boyd Esquire to collect, amounting to about ... $15

John Howison owes me $750 which I may possibly collect on my way ... $17.50

$707.50 [subtotal]

The money and property I shall take with me after paying every debt, are supposed to be worth $500 ... $500

$1267.50 [Total]

Should I not return, I wish the following distributions to be made. The debts due from my brothers John and Samuel are to be relinquished to them, if remaining unpaid.

My parents, if they or either of them survive me are to enjoy whatever else I may leave, during life. At their death let it be equally divided between my sister Mary ann and my brother Robert after giving my Brother Stephen $200.

It is to be understood that this arrangement is only to take place if I die leaving no family of my own or without making a future disposition of my estate. I have neither time nor paper to add more. May you all merit and experience the Guardianship of that providence on whom we all depend.

With lasting and dutiful affection,
Yours,

Wm. Howison

(Directed to Mr. Stephen Howison for P. Wm. County, Virginia)

At a Court held for Prince William County, Sept. 2d 1805

This last will and Testament of Wm. Howison decd was presented to the Court and the said Will being proved by the Oath of John Williams to be all in the hand writing of the said William Howison the same was ordered to be recorded. And administration with the said Will annexed is granted to Stephen Howison he having taken the Oath of an admor. and entered into and acknowwedged a bond with Security according to Law.

Teste, J. Williams
Ct. Cur.

Will: Robert Latham

Will of Robert Latham
PWCo. Will Book O, pg. 21
Proved 3 June 1833

In the name of God Amen

I Robert Latham of the County of Prince William & State of Virginia, being well stricken in years and being infirm of body but of sound mind & memory  calling to mind it is appointed for all men to die and wishing to continue peace & harmony amongst those that shall survive me & are heirs of the worldly goods God ahs blessed me with, do make & ordain this my last will & testament in manner & form following Viz:

1st. It is my will & desire that all my just debts which are but few should be punctually and speedily paid.

2nd. I give & bequeath to my beloved wife Sarah Latham two negro girls, one called Celia, who was originally called Senar & the other called Eliza also one bay mare called Bety and a bed & furniture together with thirty dollars which it is my wish my sons John Latham & Thomas Latham shall pay her when they collect the sale money. It is my will & pleasure that the above bequests shall be possessed by her uninterruptedly & to be finally at her disposal as she may see fit.

3rd. I give & bequeath unto my son John Latham, four negroes, one boy named Moses, one Woman named Delilah, one girl named Harriet, and a boy named Randle there is an old woman in my family named Ann. It is my wish that my son John Latham should take charge of her & do with & for her, what may be just & right for her & himself. I also give unto my son John Latham the plantation & the appurtenances thereto belonging on which I now reside.

4th. I give & bequeath unto my five grand children, Robert Cundiff, Margaret Elizabeth, Lucy Ann, Thomas Richard & Susannah, by my son Robert Latham decd a negro woman named Nancy & her son named Charles, which the widow of the deceased has in possession. Also I give unto my above named five grand children five hundred dollars, that is one hundred dollars to each of them & to be paid to them as they severally come of age, by John & Thomas Latham, or their representatives.

5th. I give & bequeath unto my son Thomas Latham five negroes, named Harry, Agnes, Jane, Esther & John.

6th. I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Lucy Latham five negroes named Charlotte, Ann, Martha, James & Washington. I also give & bequeath unto my Daughter Lucy my riding horse & one bed & furniture. Also in consequence of my son John Latham's possessing the place whereon I now live it is my will that he shall pay to my Daughter Lucy one hundred dollars, in five equal annual payments the first payment to be made twelve months after the sale.

7th. My will is that every thing shall be kept together & the farm cultivated as usual until the end of the present year & that the proceeds of the farm shall be sold as part of the estate.

Lastly I desire that all my property not named in the above bequests consisting of horses, cattle, sheep & hogs, one Waggon, one cart & a gig, with plantation utensils & all the house hold & kitchen furniture, shall be sold at the end of the year, with the crop raised on the farm, & the money arising from the proceeds of the sale, after deducting the thirty dollars bequeathed to my wife and five hundred dollars to my five grand children, the balance after my debts are paid shall be equally divided among my three children John Latham, Thomas Latham & Lucy Latham. It is my wish that my sons John Latham & Thomas Latham shall settle my business agreeable to this my last will & testament in friendship & brotherly affection. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my seal this 18th day of February one thousand eight hundred & thirty three. (1833)

Robert Latham {seal}

Signed, sealed, published & delivered by P. Robert Latham as his last will & testament in presence of us:

Theron W. Newman
Albert Newman
Dean James
David James

At a Court of Quarterly Sessions held for Prince William County the 3rd day of June 1833.

This last will and testament of Robert Latham deceased was presented to the court and being proved by the oaths of Theron W. Newman and Albert Newman the two subscribing Witnesses thereto is ordered to be recorded.

And on the motion of John Latham and Thomas Latham Exors therein named who made oath thereto and together with Theron W. Newman & James D. Tennille their securities entered into and acknowledged a bond in the penalty of $10000 conditioned as the law directs. Certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate of said will in due form.

Teste.  Jn. Williams  Ct. Cur.

Looking Back: The Manassas Journal

December 18, 1869 – Alexandria Gazette

Mr. Whiting, late of the Manassas Gazette, proposes shortly establishing a newspaper to be called the Prince William Advocate at Brentsville, Prince William county.

June 20, 1874 – Alexandria Gazette

THE MANASSAS GAZETTE.  Judge Charles E. Sinclair has assumed the editorship of the Manassas Gazette, Mr. D. W. Whiting publisher.  Judge S. in his salutatory says: -- "In all respects our editorial conduct will be independent.  We shall be 'devoted to no clique and bound to no master.'  In discussing freely public men and measures, we shall always try to bear in mind that others are entitled to the same freedom of opinion we claim for ourselves, and with charity for all, and malice towards none, we hope to pursue the even tenor of our way in pleasant and mutually profitable relations with all who take an interest in the success of the Gazette."  The Gazette is an excellent paper, and we wish it and its new editor abundant success.

July 13, 1896 – The Baltimore Sun

The Manassas Gazette has been purchased from Mr. T. H. Lion by Mr. W. H. W. Moran, of the Manassas Journal, and the two papers will be consolidated.

May 30, 1905 – Richmond Times Dispatch

The Manassas Journal has just entered upon its eleventh year, and its circulation is now larger than ever before.  That is good.  The greater the circulation of a newspaper like the Journal the better it will be for popular education.

January 29, 1926 – Richmond Times Dispatch

MANASSAS JOURNAL UNDER NEW OWNER. [Special to the Times-Dispatch.]  DANVILLE, VA. Jan. 28.—H. Burns Trundle, for more than twenty years business manager of the Evening bee and the Register, has purchased the Manassas Journal, a weekly newspaper, also a printer, and will assume active control of it on February 1.  Mr. Trundle left Danville yesterday evening to take charge of the property, in the conduct of which he will be assisted by his two sons.  Mr. Trundle in 1889 was associated with Colonel Al Fairbrother as part owner of the Bee and, when it was sold to the late R. A. James, became business manager.  When Mr. James acquired the Register he became business manager of that publication also, having carried the joint responsibility since 1903.

July 4, 1945 – Richmond Times Dispatch

Manassas Paper is Purchased by New Company.  Purchase of the Manassas Journal in Manassas, Prince William County, by the Prince William Publishing Company, Inc., of which John Galleher, Richmond attorney, is president, was disclosed yesterday with the new company by the State Corporation Commission.  The Manassas Journal has been operated during the past few years by Mrs. Georgia E. Lamb, widow of W. H. Lamb, who was editor and publisher for a number of years.  A weekly, it was established in 1884 and is listed as having a circulation of approximately 1,800.  The new publishing company, authorized not only to publish the newspaper but to do printing and bookbinding as well, is limited to maximum capital stock of $25,000.  Minimum stock is $12,000 and par value $100 per share.  Real estate holdings are not to exceed 25 acres.  C. A. Sinclair, of Manassas, is vice-president, and W. Hill Brown, Jr., Manassas, secretary, and they, with Galleher, are directors.  Brown also acts as attorney for the corporation.

May 18, 1946 – Richmond Times Dispatch

WANTED, at once, good job ad man, $40 per week, 44 hours.  Must be sober, Apply Manassas Journal, Manassas, Virginia.

James James aka "Double Jimmy"

Dodge City Times

April 20, 1876

Born in 1764. James James, or "Double Jimmy," as he is more familiarly called, lives on a farm twelve miles south of Weatherford, Parker County, Texas, with his daughter, Mrs. Nancy Wheat, 63 years of age. This old gentleman was born near the Red House, in Prince William County, Virginia, May 10, 1764. His father resided on a plantation near the Potomac, adjoining Lawrence Washington's. Mr. James has seen Washington often at his father's house. He and his brothers were in the war of 1812. Mr. James was a "jack of all trades," as he says he learned to be a carpenter, bricklayer, stonemason, blacksmith, painter and tinsmith. During his long life he has never been one month in bed with sickness. Mr. James was married in Virginia soon after attaining his majority, and raised a family of ten boys and five girls. Leaving his native State some years after the war, he settled in Roan County, Tenn. From that place he moved to Lauderdale County, Ala., thence to White county, Ark., and in 1848, came to Dallas County, Tex., in his 84^th year. He continued his residence there until 1872, when, in his 108^th year, he selected, as he says, Parker County to spend his old days in. in his 109^th year he cultivated an acre patch of watermelons in Parker County, and raised the finest brought to market. He realized $125 from this crop. Mr. James talks very well and his hearing is pretty good. ~Galveston News

Galveston Weekly News

January 6, 1879

Weatherford Times: James James, a resident of Parker county, died at the residence of his daughter, in Young county, on December 2d. He is believed to be the oldest citizen in Texas, or perhaps in the United States. He was born near the Red House, in Prince William county, Va., May 10, 1764, and consequently lived to the age of 114 years, 6 months and 22 days. James James, or “Double Jimmy,” as he was familiarly called, was a hard-working man all his life. In his 100^th year he cultivated an acre patch of watermelons in Parker county, and raised the finest brought to market. Smythe's Historical Sketch of Waterford and Parker Counties says that his acre crop realized him $125.

From the Prince William County Historical Marker Guide:

Colonial Roads (78)

Fayette Road and Washington Street, Haymarket

The town of Haymarket, chartered in 1799, owes its location to the

junction of the Old Carolina Road and the north branch of the

Dumfries Road at the site of the Red House. The Carolina Road

developed from the Iroquois hunting path which was abandoned by

the Indians after 1772, when they were forced by treaty beyond the

Blue Ridge. The Dumfries Road was in use as a major trade route

between the Potomac and the Shenandoah Valley before 1740.

[“Double Jimmy” is buried in Gooseneck Cemetery in Young County, Texas. The “Red House” referred to in the newspaper articles was an ordinary erected by William Skinker, son of Samuel Skinker, built of large red brick . Thomas Jefferson's 1787 map of the region names the locality “Red House.” Today it is better known as Haymarket.]