Primitive Baptist Church, Independent Hill

The Primitive Baptist Church at the corner of Aden and Joplin Roads in Independent Hill is no longer standing but the cemetery remains.

MATILDA
Wife of E. Cheshire
Apr 7, 1840
Dec 13, 1901
(Footstone:  MJC)

MILTON
CALVERT
Born Mar 14, 1862
Died Mar 21, 1913
Gone But Not Forgotten
(Footstone:  MC)

EINZA H. GALLAHAN
Born July 20, 1870
Died Dec 31, 1908
38 years 5 mos & 11 das
(Footstone:  EHG)

GURLI PRIDMORE
Wife of
George W. Lowe
Died Jan 1920
Age 85 years
At Rest

VIOLA GALLAHAN
Born Jan 4, 1908
Died Mar 30, 1910

GEORGE W. LOWE
Born Jun 3, 1842
Died Feb 3, 1914

M. N.  LYNN
Born Mar 11, 1827
Died Nov 10, 1906
(Footstone:  MNL)
[Note:  This is Mortimer N. Lynn]

VIRGINIA G. LYNN
Born July 18, 1835
Died June 25, 1911
(Footstone:  VGL)
[Note: Virginia (Holmes) Lynn, M.N. Lynn's wife]

FANNIE LYNN
HOLMES
1858-1943
At Rest Sister With God
(Footstone:  Sister)
[Note:  daughter of M.N. & Virginia Lynn; first married James W.
Lee; remarried William H. Holmes]

SUTHARD
JAMES M.
1865-1938
LULU C. His Wife
1867-1943
(2 Footstones:  Father / Mother)

EPPA F. LYNN
1863-1948
[Note:  daughter of M.N. & Virginia Lynn]

SALLIE E. SUTHARD
August 1, 1872
March 20, 1967
At Rest
(Footstone:  Mother)

ROBERT H. KEYS
Born March 7, 1838
Died Feb 28, 1910
(Footstone:  RHK)

SARAH A.
Wife of R.H. Keys
Born 1853
Died Feb 28, 1910

October Events at Historic Sites in PWCo

October 13

149th Anniversary of the Battle of Bristoe Station Tours

11am-3pm; FREE, donations accepted 

On October 14, 1863, Federal and Confederate forces met once again at Bristoe Station. Join local historians for an in-depth tour of the battle which ended General Robert E. Lee’s last offensive of the war. Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather. No pets please. Tours begin on the hour and depart from the kiosk in the parking lot.        

Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park. 703-366-3049

October 13

Family History Day- All Hallow’s Eve

11am – 4pm, $7 per person

Where did the tradition of Halloween come from?  Pumpkin carving? Trick-or-Treating? Join us for a kid friendly trip to All Hallow’s Eve past and present.  Play old fashioned games and enjoy traditional treats. 

Rippon Lodge Historic Site. 703-499-9812

October 13,14,27,28

Bristoe Station Battlefield Guided Tours

11am-3pm; donations accepted

Bristoe Station Battlefield staff and volunteers will provide guided tours of the battlefield. Learn about Camp Jones and the two battles that took place here in 1862 and 1863. Tours begin on the hour and depart from the kiosk in the parking lot on Iron Brigade Unit Avenue. Last tour at 3 pm, tours leave on the hour.  Please dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. No pets please.

Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park, 703-366-3049

October 20

Ghost Stories of Historic Brentsville

7pm – 9pm; $5 per person

Join the staff of Brentsville around the campfire for an evening of spooky stories from around Prince William County.  Cookies and cider included.    

Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre. 703-365-7895

October 20

In the Footsteps of the Gray Ghost, Col. John S. Mosby Bus Tour

8am – 5pm, $85 per person, reservations required, space is limited

Ride and walk in the footsteps of one of the Civil War’s most legendary figures, Col. John S. Mosby, the famed “Gray Ghost”.  Mosby’s “Robin Hood” like exploits has been made into legend and lore.  This tour will highlight several areas inNorthern Virginia where Mosby made his mark.  Take in the beautiful fall scenery of the Piedmont region of Virginia as we trace Mosby’s most daring raids and exploits.  Price includes admission to sites and lunch.

Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park. 703-366-3049

October 20

Potomac River Blockade Boat Tours

10am–1pm; $30 per person; reservations required

Cruise along the Potomac River shoreline and view sites that were critical to the Confederate forces’ successful blockade of Washington D.C. from September 1861 through March 1862. Local historians will discuss the significance of the blockade, gun batteries and camps that supported the Confederate efforts. The cruise will include the preserved batteries at Freestone Point and Possum Nose, as well as Evansport and Shipping Point. Tour includes lunch.  No pets please. Not appropriate for children under six. Please call 703-792-4754 for more information and reservations.

October 20      

Nature Trail Walk

1pm; $5 per person

Take a guided tour along the nature trails at Brentsville and learn about plants and animals that live in this part of Virginia. 

Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre, 703-365-7895

October 26

Historic Spirits of Ben Lomond

6pm – 9pm, $10 per person, reservations suggested

Ben Lomond has a diverse history from being a Civil War hospital to the home of countless slaves.  Today, many local residents claim that the house and grounds are haunted by spirits from the past.  Come experience a unique opportunity to tour the house and grounds by candlelight, meet several historical characters along the way and hear their tales of sadness and triumph.

Ben Lomond Historic Site. 703-367-7872

October 27      

Storytime at Brentsville

1pm; $2

Join Brentsville staff for children’s stories about local history, people, and events.

Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre. 703-365-7895

October 27-28

Here Lieth the Body

11am – 4pm, $7 per person

Funerals, Duels, and Ghostly Tales. See Rippon Lodge draped in black crepe as family members mourn the 1757 death of Richard Blackburn. Learn about the early 19th century local duels and the losers who were brought to Rippon Lodge. Ghostly tales will be spun throughout the day.

Rippon Lodge Historic Site. 703-499-9812

Prince William County Division of Historic Preservation

703-499-9812

www.pwcgov.org/historicpreservation

historicpreservation@pwcgov.org

Will: John W. Davis

Will of John W. Davis

Prince William County Will Book U, page 303

Transcribed from Library of Virginia Chancery Case 153-1895-0023

This being my last will and testament, and I now being in sound mind, first I will that one hundred acres of my land off the west end of the farm including the John Layton house to be sold to pay my debts.  Second, I will to my wife Analentin F. Davis all the balance of the farm where I now reside.  I also will to my wife all of my household and kitchen furniture, also all my cattle, sheep, and hogs, and a one horse wagon, and all my personal property.

I will that my wife shall hold all the property as long as she remains my widow and at her death, then it is to be equally divided between my daughter Emma Thorp and my Grandson William Taylor.  And I appoint Elisha Meredith Executor of my estate, with the power for him to sell the land above mentioned. 

John W. Davis

April 6, 1887

W. F. Dunn

Wm. Reid

In County Court, Prince William County Sept 1^st 1890.

The last will and testament of John W. Davis decd. Was produced to the court for probate and the signature that’s partially proven and was ordered to be certified. 

And at a County Court held for Prince William County on 6^th day of October 1890.  The true last will and testament of Jno. W. Davis decd. Was again this day presented to the Court for probate and the signature thereto fully proven by the subscribing witnesses thereto and was ordered to be recorded.

Teste, E. Nelson

[NOTE:  John W. Davis, a widower, married Analentin F. Norman on February 3, 1875.  John's daughter from a previous, Emma E. Davis, married Samuel H. Thorpe of Fauquier County on April 6, 1875.  ~cgl]

Tech Tuesday: FamilySearch Online Film Ordering

Ordering microfilm/fiche from FamilySearch is even easier than ever with the implementation of the site's online film ordering. Now, instead of going to your local Family History Center to submit your loan request, you can go to FamilySearch to search the catalog and place a loan order from the comfort of your own home. You can also select the Family History Center closest to you as your default location to receive the films (RELIC, for instance).

Users must be registered with FamilySearch to use online ordering and there is a fee for each microfilm/fiche ordered. The amount varies depending upon the length of time you choose to review the film. You can add multiple items to the shopping cart (no more filling out paper slips by hand!) and check out is easy. Payment is electronic, via credit card or Paypal. Once an order has been placed, the user will have 24 hours to change their mind. After 24 hours, order processing will begin and it cannot be canceled.

Please note: There is a known glitch with payment by Paypal. The Paypal payment window will sometimes refuse to load and prevent the user from completing the payment screen, leaving the order “pending” and unfulfilled. FamilySearch is aware of this “sporadic” issue with the Paypal window; however, until the problem is resolved, it might be better to simply use a credit card.

The URL for the FamilySearch microfilm ordering is:  www.familysearch.org/films

Church Record Sunday: In Chancery

Following are a few excerpts of church records transcribed from PWCo Chancery cases.  The Chancery number for each corresponds to the Library of Virginia Chancery Index.

Chancery 153-1870-001

Upon the application of the congregations worshiping at the Union Church at Independent Hill in Prince William County and it appearing to the Court that the former trustees of said Church property have all died or left the neighborhood, it is adjudged, ordered and decreed that A. B. Weedon, Sidney F. Teasdale, Wm. M. Lynn, Horace Cole, and John W. Davis be and they are hereby appointed trustees in the room and stead of those who have died and left the neighborhood as aforesaid.

May 11^th 1870

~  ~  ~

Chancery 153-1875-043

January 2, 1875

Trustees of White Union Church

A. Nicol

Edwin Nelson

Geo. Sexsmith

Jas. B. Reid

A. M. Hershey

Austin Weedon

~  ~  ~

Chancery 153-1875-044

I, Sidney F. Teasdale, Deacon of Woodbine Baptist (New School) Church hereby ask the circuit court of Prince William County to appoint and confirm as Trustees of said church the following persons.

Levi C. Lynn, John H. Renoe, George W. Lowe, Charles W. Teasdale and Aylett Nicol as Trustees to the property of said Church, said Trustees having been appointed in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of said church

Brentsville, Va.

May 3d 1875

S. F. Teasdale

~  ~  ~

Chancery 153-1905-007

In vacation, before Hon. Chas. E. Nicol, Judge of the Circuit Court for Prince William County, this 19^th day of June 1905.

Upon the petition of the Trustees of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Manassas, Virginia.

This day came C. H. Beiber, Wm. R. May, M. L. Pence and N. G. Moore, Trustees of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, of Manassas, Virginia, and filed their petition, asking leave to encumber a certain lot or parcel of land, lying and being situate in the Town of Manassas, Va., on Lee Avenue, and being the same property conveyed to certain trustees for the said Evangelical Lutheran Church of Manassas, by George C. Round and Eminly C. Round by deed bearing date on the 21^st day of December 1895.

And it appearing to the judge that it is the desire and will of the congregation of the said Evangelical Lutheran Church to encumber the said lot aforesaid for the purpose of finishing the parsonage commenced thereon, as set out in the said petition, therefore I, Charles E. Nicol, Judge of the Circuit Court for Prince William County, Va., do grant unto the said trustees, or their successors, power and authority to borrow $600 Dollars, the said sum so borrowed to be expended in the completion of the parsonage, for such time as said trustees deem advisable so that the term do not exceed six years, and convey the lot aforesaid int rust to secure the payment of the sum borrowed.

The Clerk of the Circuit Court for Prince William County will spread the above order upon the Chancery order book of this court.

C. E. Nicol

Judge of the Circuit Court of Prince William County, Virginia

~  ~  ~

Chancery 153-1905-042

This cause came on this day to be heard on the report of John Johnson, Treasurer of the Colored Baptist Church of Manassas and papers formerly read to which report there are no exceptions and was argued by counsel on consideration whereof it appearing to the said Court that the said Treasurer has distributed the money paid to him by P. V. Portner in obedience to a decree entered in this cause it is therefore adjudged, ordered and decreed that the said John Johnson and M. D. Williams his surety be released from said bond executed in this cause, as all of the said money has been distributed as provided in said decree. And this decree shall be final.

Tech Tuesday: BillionGraves or FindaGrave?

The World Wide Web is an amazing genealogical resource.  The amount of data that has been digitized in the past five years alone is astounding.  True, what can be found online only scratches the surface of the available historical and genealogical source materials all over the world, but the Internet has become an excellent place to start an ancestral search.  Personal and professional blogs, subscription databases, free records through digital libraries, and other online resources are becoming plentiful.  An online surname search that yielded no results in one week might be instrumental in breaking down a seemingly insurmountable brick wall with the same online search month later.

One recent newcomer to online research is BillionGraves.com, which utilizes the smartphone as a genealogical tool.  The site's goal is "[T]o provide an expansive family history database for records and images from the world’s cemeteries, all tagged with GPS locations."  After downloading the free application onto either an Android (Google) or iPhone (Apple) phone, a user would then take their device to a cemetery and begin recording the headstones using the app and the phone's built in camera.  The photos can then be uploaded to the BillionGraves site, where they will be tagged with the GPS location.  Don't have a smartphone?  The site is also looking for volunteers to transcribe photos that others have uploaded.  This searchable index of names will eventually be made available on both BillionGraves and Familysearch.org.

My first thought upon learning about the BillionGraves project was, "But what about FindaGrave.com?"  It, too, is a website devoted to indexing cemeteries and gravesites, with a free searchable database on FindaGrave.com as well as  Ancestry.com.  FindaGrave's mission "[I]s to find, record and present final disposition information from around the world as a virtual cemetery experience" and has been online since at least as early as 2000.  Like BillionGraves, it is dependent upon volunteers to expand their database.

So which site is better?  There are pros and cons to both.

BillionGraves.com:

1) A smartphone is required to create a "record" on the site.  Users are not able to create records or upload photos onto the site via computer, which begs the question -- How do you document an unmarked grave? 

2) Headstones are tagged with the GPS coordinates when uploaded to the site, making it simple for future visitors to locate the grave.

3) Currently, neither the smartphone application nor the website can warn a volunteer that they have just taken a duplicate photo of a headstone already recorded by another user.  The site recommends checking their website before taking a photograph to prevent duplication, which can be a tedious proposition when in a large cemetery.

4) Unmarked graves cannot be indexed.  No headstone, no record.

5)  Any site member can edit a BillionGraves record.

FindaGrave.com:

1) Records can be created via computer, without the necessity of a photograph.  Because of this, unmarked graves can be documented via obituaries, burial records, etc.  Photos can be uploaded from a computer and are not limited to the headstone. 

2)  FindaGrave does not have a smartphone application.  Records need to be added/updated via a computer and an internet connection.

3) When creating a new memorial, a search of the database is necessary to detect if there is a duplicate record.  There is no easy, "automatic" way to do so.

4) Individual records can only be changed by the member who created it; however, there is an easy way to notify the author of any changes/corrections.

I have been a FindaGrave volunteer for approximately four years but I have also downloaded the BillionGraves application to give it a spin.  No matter which site you prefer, they are both fee-free (for the moment) and excellent editions to the online genealogical toolkit.

September Events at PWCo historic sites

September 8 - 9

World War II Weekend

11am – 4pm; FREE

Admiral Black, the last owner of Rippon Lodge was a WWII veteran and survivor of Pearl Harbor.  Learn about daily life of soldiers in the European and Pacific Theatres. World War II living historians will portray Axis and Allied soldiers. They will discuss their equipment, armaments and historic military vehicles. Learn about the home front and the many ways that citizens supported the war effort. View collections of original WWII artifacts.

Rippon Lodge Historic Site. 703-499-9812

September 8

Historical Herbs

11am- 4pm; $5per person

Plants have many uses.  We like to look at them, eat them, and some can even make us feel better.  Previous generations relied on many herbal remedies for what ailed them.  Join the staff of Ben Lomond as we explore our Herb Garden and discover what herbs were used for what purpose decades before the rise of pharmaceutical companies.

Ben Lomond Historic Site. 703-367-7872

September 8-9,22-23

Bristoe Station Battlefield Guided Tours

11am-3pm; donations accepted

Bristoe Station Battlefield staff and volunteers will provide guided tours of the battlefield. Learn about Camp Jones and the two battles that took place here in 1862 and 1863. Tours begin on the hour and depart from the kiosk in the parking lot on Iron Brigade Unit Avenue. Last tour at 3 pm, tours leave on the hour.  Please dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. No pets please.

Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park, 703-366-3049

September 15 

Nature Trail Walk

1pm; $5 per person

Take a guided tour along the nature trails at Brentsville and learn about plants and animals that live in this part of Virginia. 

Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre. 703-365-7895

September 15

Bluegrass at Brentsville

1pm– 5pm; $10 per person

Enjoy the lively sounds of a bluegrass band on the grounds of Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre while sampling local wines and food.  Guided tours of the historic buildings will be available throughout the day. 

Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre. 703-365-7895

September 15

Potomac River Blockade Boat Tours

10am–1pm; $30 per person; reservations required

Cruise along the Potomac River shoreline and view sites that were critical to the Confederate forces’ successful blockade of Washington D.C. from September 1861 through March 1862. Local historians will discuss the significance of the blockade, gun batteries and camps that supported the Confederate efforts. The cruise will include the preserved batteries at Freestone Point and Possum Nose, as well as Evansport and Shipping Point. Tour includes lunch.  No pets please. Not appropriate for children under six. Please call 703-792-4754 for more information and reservations.

September 20

Fireside Stories: Battle of Shepherdstown

6pm–7pm; FREE

150 years ago, the Battle of Shepherdstown was fought at the end of the Maryland invasion.  This contentious engagement showed some of the flaws in certain officers that Lee decided to keep in his Army and the disastrous strategy of the Federal officers to recruit whole new regiments rather than filling the ranks of old ones.  Join local historians in a discussion about a long forgotten battle. Refreshments available for purchase, weather permitting

Ben Lomond Historic Site. 703-367-7872

September 22

10th Annual Heritage Harvest Festival

11am– 4pm, $7 per person

Rippon Lodge has a long and diverse past from its Colonial America beginnings until today.  Lectures and demonstrations presented by local history, gardening and natures groups will be available throughout the day.  Enjoy music, food, crafts, kids' games and activities.  House and cemetery tours will also be offered all day.     

Rippon Lodge Historic Site. 703-499-9812

September 22

Camp Jones Cemetery Commemoration 

10am, FREE

We will be commemorating the death and burial of nearly 1,000 soldiers during the fall of 1861 at Camp Jones located at Bristoe Station. Join historians and descendants as the newly restored Alabama Cemetery is dedicated.  Also unveiled will be a new monument to the men buried in the cemetery. 

Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park. 703-366-3049

September 29  

Storytime at Brentsville

1pm; $2 per child

Join Brentsville staff for children’s stories about local history, people, and events.

Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre. 703-365-7895

For more information about Historic Preservation including:

 volunteer opportunities, rental of historic sites, scout programs, school field trips, etc

Please call 703-792-4754 or email historicpreservation@pwcgov.org