Newspaper Heraldry: Howison or Howson?

Long before the Internet, many newspapers ran heraldry/genealogy query pages or columns that focused on regional surnames. 

One such newspaper was the Sun (Baltimore, MD), which received the following letter from a reader in 1908.

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Sun (Baltimore, MD)
5 July 1908

Messrs. Editors:

In your issue of March 22, 1908, an article appeared in regard to the Hooe family and mentioned an intermarriage with the Howson family. Ann Moore Howison, born April 11, 1807, died March 4, 1872,, was the daughter of Samuel, born 1780, died 1843, and Helen Rose (Moore) Howison, born 1787, died 1850. Samuel was the son of Samuel (?) or Stephen (?) Howison, of Charles county, Maryland, and later of Prince William county, Virginia. He married Mary Brook(e), of St. Mary's county, Maryland, and was the son of John (?) Howison, of Scotland, later Maryland, the emigrant, who married Mary Wood, formerly of Scotland.

Is not the name of Howson and Howison the same, only differently spelled? Is the Robert Howson referred to in the article of March 22, 1908, any relation to the above-mentioned Howison family of Maryland and Virginia? Has any article appeared on the Howison family?

M.

Will: Gerard Weston

Nuncupative Will of Gerard Weston
PWCo Will Book M, pg. 438

I do hereby certify that I was called on by Gerard Weston of the County of Prince William, & State of Virginia, in his last illness in his own house in the Town of Occoquan & County & State aforesaid on the 24th February 1826. To bear evidence after his death that all his personal property & all his effects of every discription & all moneys then in his possession he bequeathed to his wife Elizabeth Weston as his lasts will and testament. Given under my hand this 8th March 1826.

Philip Deakins

I do hereby certify that I was called on by Gerard Weston of the County of Prince William & State of Virginia in his last illness in his own house in the Town of Occoquan and County & State aforesaid on the 4th March 1826. To bear evidence after his death that all his personal property and all effects of every discription & all moneys then in his possession he bequeathed to his wife Elizabeth Wiston as his last will & testament and the said Gerard Wiston died on the 5th March 1826. Given under my hand this 8th March 1826.

Joseph Anderson

At a Court of Quarterly Sessions held for Prince William County this 7th day of August 1826. It appearing to the satisfaction of the Court that Elijah Wood & Sally Wood next of kin of Gerard Weston deceased has been duly summoned to appear here on the 1st day of this Court, persuant to an order of the last June term of this Court to Contest the nuncupative Will of the said Gerard Weston deceased and the said Will being proved by the oaths of Philip Deakins and Joseph Anderson witnesses thereto, according to law and the effect following that is to say that they were called on by the said Weston in his last illness in his own house in the Town of Occoquan & County & State aforesaid on the 4th March 1826, to bear evidence after his death that all his personal property & all effects of every discription, & all moneys then in his possession he bequeathed to his wife Elizabeth Weston as his last will & testament and the said Gerard Weston died on the 5th March 1826. The same is admitted to record.

Teste,   P. D. Dawe   Ct clr

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.

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.

Friday's Faces from the Past: Officers of County Club Council, 1933

Manassas Journal
9 February 1933

OFFICERS OF COUNTY CLUB COUNCIL, 1933

Officers for the year were elected at the meeting of the club council  held on January 28.  Plans were outlined by the group for county-wide club activities.  The council is working to have all clubs in the standard list by the end of the club year.

Front row, left to right - Wilda Bourne, Occoquan R-H Club, vice-president; Leslie Bourne, Occoquan, cheer leader; Mildred Roseberry, Manassas 4-H Club, vice-president; Hilda Lion, Manassas 4-H Club, secretary.

Back row - Elizabeth Allen, Nokesville 4-H Club, song leader; Mildred Wood, Nokesville 4-H Club, reporter; Joyce Garman, Nokesville 4-H Club, president of County 4-H Club Council

Church Record Sunday: Woodbine Baptist Church

Woodbine Baptist Church (now Woodbine Family Worship Center) has served the spiritual needs of its congregation in Independent Hill, Coles Magisterial District, since May of 1875. 

Woodbine Baptist Church (1875)
(photo by C.Lynn)

There are currently two churches on site – the original frame, one-room church built in 1875 (the “Little Church”) and the present-day church built in the 1950s to replace it.  The Little Church was moved to the southwest corner of the cemetery lot in the early 1960s.  In 1973, spearheaded by Mrs. Mabel Carter, Ray Wood, and Gene Wells* (a 14 year old parishioner), the congregation raised enough funding to restore the Little Church.  It stands there to this day and remains in use for special occasions, like this morning’s Easter Sunrise Service.

Levi C. Lynn, son of Benson Lynn and his first wife, Emily Norman, donated the original land for the church in 1875 (PWCo Deed Book 30, pg. 207).  He served as one of the original Trustees, along with Deacon Sidney F. Teasdale, John H. Renoe, George W. Lowe, Charles W. Teasdale, and Aylett Nicol.  Over the years there has been some debate as to whether Levi Lynn also served as a Pastor at the New-School Baptist church that he founded.  On its 100^th anniversary celebration, the original Bible was returned and donated to Woodbine, where it remained on display for many years.  The Bible’s dedication page strongly implies that Levi did, indeed, serve as its Pastor.

This Bible presented to L. C. Lynn by Willie

H. Flanders of Philadelphia for the use of

Woodbine Church & the Sabbath School

(attached thereto) as a token of approval

and regard.

October 30, 1875

*This industrious teenager, who according to a 1973 newspaper article “repainted the nameplate sign that swung over the door of the old church, proclaiming for all ‘Woodbine Baptist Church, 1875’” is still part of its congregation.  Today, 41 years later, Gene Wells serves as Woodbine’s Senior Pastor. 

Will: John Mills (1826)

JOHN MILLS Will

Prince William County Will Book  M, pg 443

19 Jul 1826; proved 02 Oct 1826

In the name of God Amen I J. JOHN MILLS of the County and State of Virginia calling to mind the mortality of the body and that it is appointed for all men to die and after that the judgment (and being weak in body but in perfect mind and memory) do hereby make my last will and testament in manner & form following that is to say, 1^st I desire that all my debts and also all those that have been credited by my son PEYTON MILLS for the benefit of the family, that is the several store accounts, doctors bills & which stand charged in his name and all other debts whether in notes or accounts, should be paid as speedily as possible out of the moneys due me, and should there not be enough collected for that purpose, he the sd. Peyton Mills will immediately make sale of some of my property to satisfy the same.  Secondly, after the payment of my debts & funeral expenses I give to my beloved wife MARGARET MILLS one third pat of my estate both real and personal for and during the term of her natural life, and after her decease, I give the same to my children hereinafter mentioned, equally to be divided among them, and to be enjoyed by them forever.  Thirdly I give to my wife, son and two daughters who now live with me all the provision now in my possession for their sustenance and also all the present crop growing upon my lands.  Viz. wheat, corn, oats, fruit and also they will make use of any part or parcel of my stock for the support of the family until the property can be sold & divided as I hereafter mention.  Fourthly I give to my daughters MARY MILLS & ANN MILLS (for their services rendered me) three hundred dollars each as an extra legacy and then the residue of my property, both real & personal, of what nature or kind not herein before particularly disposed of I desire may be sold at public auction for cash and the money to be equally divided amongst all my children, namely JANE SIMPSON, LYDIA SIMPSON, MARY MILLS, PEYTON MILLS, RUTH WOOD & ANN MILLS, to them and their heirs and lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my son Peyton Mils & my friend John S. Fairfax Executors of this my last will & testament hereby revoking all other or former wills or testaments by me heretofore made.  In Witness whereof I have set my hand and affixed my seal this nineteenth day of July one thousand eight hundred & twenty six.

JNO. MILLS

Signed sealed published and declared as and for the last will and testament of the above named John Mills in presence of us,

WILLIAM PEARSON, WILLIAM B. DAVID, JOSEPH KING

At a Court held for Prince William County this 2^nd day of October 1826.  This last will and testament of John Mills deceased was presented to the Court and being proved by the oaths of William Pearson, William B. Davis & Joseph King is ordered to be recorded and Peyton Mills & John S. Fairfax the Executors therein named came into Court and made oath to the same according to law, and having taken the oath of Executors and performed what is usual in such cases certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.

Teste, PHILIP D. DAWE

Sunday's Obituary: Allen Herring

Richmond Times Dispatch - January 20, 1924

CONFEDERATE DIES AT AGE OF 94

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY VETERAN'S LONG CAREER ENDS.

FREDERICKSBURG, VA. Jan. 19. -- Allen Herring died at his home at Nokesville, Prince William County, Tuesday night at the ripe age of 94 years and six months.  He served in the Confederate Army and after its close took a prominent part in the affairs of this community.  Mr. Herring was married three times and is survived by eight children, fifty grandchildren and fifth-four great-grandchildren.  His children are Hastin, Judson, and Joseph Herring, of Nokesville; Mrs. Jennie Weaver, Mrs. Lucy Shaffer and Mrs. Mamie Forman, of Johnston, Pa.; Mrs. Florence Forman, of Washington; Mrs. Nettie Wood, of Nokesville.

[Henry Allen Herring is buried in Valley View Cemetery in Nokesville, Prince William County, Virginia.  The link to his memorial on Findagrave.com can be found here. ~cgl]