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Warrenton - County Seat Remington The Plains Towns or Villages (Active Today) Arlie Bealeton Brent Town Calverton Catlett Casanova Delaplane (Piedmont) Free State The "Free State" of Fauquier has nothing to do with Maryland. The Marshalls acquired the Fairfax leases in Leeds Parish. As was customary in the 1700s, leases were made for a period of multiple lives, often two or three lives. This meant that the leasor took possession and paid the rent, and that was followed by his son and possibly grandson. Meanwhile, we had a war and Lord Fairfax was actually on the American side. His descendents weren't. Their Virginia land holdings would have reverted to the American government. John Marshall and his brother stepped in and bought the leases. The Marshalls offered to sell the land to the original lessors for pennies, but were met with strong resistance. After generations of living there, the occupants thought they actually owned the land. Of course they didn't pay any taxes because there was no record of purchase. The newspapers called them "freeloaders" living in a "free state". The area became somewhat lawless and few lawmen wanted to go there. From Jim Ball Halfway Little Georgetown Little Georgetown began life as an Episcopalian Church, but I think it's been everything else since. Bishop Mead once preached there. I've never been entirely certain if The Plains would have fallen to Leeds or Hamilton. From Jim Ball On the death register 1895, Leticia [Bailey] Cockrill is listed at Little Georgetown, as is her son Thomas [maybe she lived with him]. I suspect Leticia Bailey was a member of the Upper Broad Run Baptist Church, formed 1838, as "primitive Baptist," breaking away from Broad Run Bapt. Ch. at New Baltimore. I haven't tried to find these records. I'm presuming "old school" and "primitive" to be one and the same. From Jeanne Barton Marshall (See book: A History of Marshall (Formerly Salem) Fauquier County, Virginia [Paperback] John K. Gott (Author) at the Library Middleburg New Baltimore Old Rectortown Paris Rectortown Remmington Summerduck Upperville (Carr Town) Waterloo WATERLOO was the loo of the Upper Rappahannock, and if you know Middle English, loo is a variant of lew or lewe, meaning sheltered waters. The loo was formed in 1840, when it became the terminus of the Rappahannock Canal. Two years later there was a post office on the Fauquier side, seven stores (four in Culpeper), two warehouses, a woolen factory, and a mill complex. Someone even platted lots on the Culpeper side. Then came the war and destruction, and postwar years were hardly exciting. On April 1, 1875, Waterloo Post Office moved to John A. Riley's store on the Culpeper side, and remained at the establishment until mails stopped, November 30, 1939. June Fikac Towns or Villages (Ghost Towns) Bethel Bethel Military Academy II Life at the Springs and return to Old Bethel Bethel Military Academy II More on Bethel Militay Academy Burnt Mill Poor House Runs (What is a run? Is it larger than a stream?) I checked on this when I was in Fauquier County on vacation. Since many of us have come across this term in our research in Virginia and the question was brought up I tried to find the answer while I was on vacation in Virginia. I got this definition on the internet, "Webster Dictionary, 1913-Run (Page: 1261) n. 2. A small stream; a brook; a creek.", but got a better one at the courthouse in Warrenton from a professional genealogist, they told me that a run is a body of water that is smaller than a creek and larger than a brook. Now that mystery is cleared up, how big is each one? From Sandy Onbey. Big Fishing Run Broad Run Carter's Run Cattail Run Cedar Run Crooked Run Cromwell's Run Gap Run Hungry Run Kettle Run Locust Run Mill Run Mine Run Persimmon Run Kelly's Ford - is south of Remington and is just north of where Summerduck Rd crosses Marsh Run. Kelly's Ford is on the Hedgeman's river. There is also a Felly's Ford road in Culpepper Co. The road crosses the Hedgeman River into Fauquier Co. in this same place. [source: Fauquier Co. map surveyed and drawn by Eugene M. Scheel] From Sharyl Glebe The glebe was land owned by the parish church and generally used to provide a home for the minister, with surplus land used [farmed/rented] to raise income to benefit the parish poor, etc. Some churches owned more than one piece of land [glebes were likely to have been donated by the wealthy among the parisioners], and although common, was not necessarily attached to the church tract. Ministers were free to live where they wanted, and did not always opt to live right near the church. Some glebes were too distant or inconvenient from the church, and the minister preferred to live closer. Vestrymen oversaw the financial aspects of the parish church, and contracted with ministers for their services, therefore, you will find variations from parish to parish. It seems fairly common to have a tenant farmer on the glebe. I'm not sure if this was more likely in addition to the minister's home, or in lieu of the minister living on the land, or both. From Jeanne Barton Mountains Armstrong Mountain - According to the Scheel Map Armstrong Mountain is north and a little east of Warrenton just east of Rt 672 or Evergreen Road. It is west of Rt 694. The West Mill Run is to the east of the mountain. Arlie Airfield is just south of Armstrong Mountain. Evergreen Hill is just to the east of Armstrong mountain. The Armstrong Leach cemetery is north east of Armstrong mountain. Bust head road and Bust Head Shop is north east of Armstrong Mountain. Two mile branch is just west of Armstrong mountain. Norris shop is just west of Armstrong Mountain. Alton Farms is just west of Armstrong Mountain where 628 Hebron Church Road and and 672 Evergreen intersect. Alton farms was the home place of William Rowley Smith and John Thomas Cockrill my ancestors. Our ancestors would have know each other. Just a beautiful country side area. There are big expensive homes all over the area today. Ball Mountain Big Cobbler Mountain Brushy Creek Mountain Buck Mountain Hart's Mountain Lost Mountain Naked Mountain Piney Mountain Pignut Mountain Rappahannock Mountain Range Rattlesnake Mountain Rivers Hedgman River Rappahannock River Run River Two Mile Branch Census Districts Ashby District Turner District Centre District Parish Districts Leeds Parish - Leeds is the portion of Fauquier which lies to the "North" of Carter's Run, which geographically splits Fauquier into North and South halves. The maps of Fauquier can be misleading because the county is more tilted. Carter's run actually runs more East-West in reality. From Jim Ball The building is Leeds Church. There is a cemetery near by. It's on Leeds Manor Rd, which is 688. It's north of Hume, which is only big enough to have a sign identifying the town from one direction (south). My great-great- grandfather, Alexander Hudnall was postmaster of Hume in 1837. He and his wife, Sarah Downing, were supposed to have been married at Leeds, but it couldn't have been this building, because it's too recent. If you take 635 west from Hume, at the intersection with 726, there used to be the remainder of the town of Hitch. In the early 90's someone tore the remainders of the buildings down. From Earlene Frederick Regarding the Leeds Web page: There is a plaque mounted on the church wall to the left of the doors with the following inscription: From Tom Kendall In memory of officers of the C.S.A. who were associated with this parish. General Turner Ashby Col. Robert M. Stribling Col. John Keith Marshall Maj. John Ambler Capt. Richard Ashby Capt. William C. Marshall Capt. J. C. Little Lt. James M. Marshall Lt. Gray Carroll Lt. H. C. Stribling Adj. J. A. Marshall Regarding the Photo entitled " Leeds Building" Picture found under photographs of Fauquier County, Virginia. This is Leeds Episcopal Church, aka simply Leeds Church, and yes, it is still in use. It is on 688 (Leeds Manor Road) between Markham and Hume, my favorite road for fall leaf viewing. Around it on both sides and the back is the old cemetery, where many Marshalls and Greens are buried. Across the road, a larger cemetery is still in use. My grandfather, grandmother, uncle and aunt (siblings) are buried in the 'new' section. A new (disconnected) building has been built to the side as a social center for the church. The view of the valley behind the church is breathtaking, and on visits I often browse through the old stones in the old cemetery while listening to the brays of the cattle in the pasture down the road. From Nancy Upshaw Hamilton Parish Ordinaries George Nevill's Ordinary Grist Mills none listed 1787 Census of Virginia Tax List Descriptions By Jim Ball and Netti Schriener Yantis and John Gott There were three revenue districts: NW, NE, and S. For certain, one of the boundaries, or partial boundary would have been Carters Run which historically was taken to divide Fauquier into a north and south. Keep in mind that Fauquier is sort of on a slant and Carters Run flows more NE to SW. Upperville must have been considered in the NE district. The Chester Gap vicinity definitely would have been NW. I'm not certain of the other boundaries, perhaps Broad Run separated the NE and Southern districts. Maybe someone can be more definitive of the boundaries. I do remember that these boundaries were subdivided around 1800 and these resulting revenue districts were also used as the enumeration districts for the censuses. If you have access to "Fauquier Families, 1759-1799" by John Alcock, it will cryptically give you the year and commissioner responsible for collecting your ancestor's taxes. From that you can tell which district they were in. If you've never seen the "Land Books", you would find them quite interesting and in many ways more telling than the tax records. In these, they give the name, acreage, direction and miles from Fauquier Court House (pre-Warrenton), and the nearest major watercourse. That's why the names of these various runs are important (to the tax man, anyway). Only certain runs were considered "major" and thus were listed. From Jim Ball "District A to begin at the mouth of ddep run tence along the road by Barnett's Tavern (Nevill's Ordinary at Auburn) to the line of Prince William County along that line to the beginning of which District John Blackwell. Junior (son of Joseph) is appointed Commissioner" From Fauquier County, Virginia Minute Book 1786-1788, pp. 123-124 February Court 1787. Courtesy John Gott, Fauquier County Historian. "District B to begin where the road leading from Normans ford comes into the Falmouth road, thence up that road to the line of Frederick County, thence along the line that divides this County from the Counties of Frederick and Shenandoah to Rappahannock River, thence along the road leading from Normans ford into the Falmouth road to the beginning, of which District Edward Humston, Junior is appointed Commissioner." From Fauquier County, Virginia Minute Book 1786-88, pages 123-124 February Court 1787. Courtesy John Gott, Fauquier County historian. "District C to begin at the fork of the road above Mr. Darnalls, thence along the road leading by Barnetts to the line of Prince William County, thence along that line to the line of Frederick, thence along that line to the Falmouth road, thence down the road to the beginning. The above information is taken from The 1787 Census of Virginia - Fauquier County, Virginia which may be purchased from Netti Schreiner-Yantis and Florene Speakman Love at Genealogical Books in Print - 6818 Lois Drive - Springfield, Virginia 22150 The FALL Line The mouth of a river is the point where it flows into another body of water. Traveling up a river means to travel away from the ocean and toward the mountains where the river head lies. Between the river's mouth and it's head are a series of rapids or falls created as the water flows down the mountain side. The first rapid a ship reaches from the ocean is called the Fall Line. That point cannot be passed and all materials on the ship must be offloaded, transported around the falls and then loaded onto smaller boats or moved overland. The Fall Line lies much closer to the Atlantic Ocean in the north than in the south because the mountains run northeast to southwest. The distance between the original English settlements on the lower rivers, below the Fall Line, was immense. They extended from Mass., founded in 1620, to the Carolinas, which were settled by 1655. All the vacant land had to be filled before there was a need to look for other land, and it was several years, before ships and settlement reached the Fall Line. By the 1640's, Virginia and the northern colonies were beginning to expand. The Swedish settlers on the Delaware had successfully built small log cabins similar to Scottish Midland's dwellings which soon became prevalent across land. The Virginians and the Pilgrims learned to gather and plant from friendly Indians and returned the favor by providing game with their superior weapons. Europeans gradually acquired the necessary skills to conquer the continent, allowing them to create a frontier. The western process occurred in the north before the far southern region was settled. The original settlers became the aristocracy of the new land. The Virginia farmer tried to emulate the culture and traditions of England. He imported as much clothing as he could afford. He built a "manor house" reminiscent of the English countryside. He sent his children to England to be educated and he considered himself better than latecomers or those living farther from the coast. The arrival of new settlers and maturing children changed the settlement pattern. These people were forced to settle on the edge of the old settlements, mainly because the original settlers would not sell their improved property, nor could the newcomer afford it. The frontier became the only reality for the expanding population. Because of the geology of eastern North America, some of the earliest communities had access to the ocean, but were also on the Fall Line. Towns such as Philadelphia, Alexandria, and Richmond, although situated some distance from the ocean had harbors to accommodate ocean going vessels. These towns were also located very near the Fall Line. Their location was one of the main reasons these early settlements became established communities and disembarrassment points for the horde of immigrants arriving from Europe. By 1650, the largest concentration of American settlers was between the mouth of the James River in Virginia and north to NY Island. As the northern frontier reached the Fall Line, communities developed where it was necessary to unload the ships and portage the materials upstream. At the conclusion of Powhatton's Uprising in 1644, Virginia planted a series of forts along the Fall Line both to protect the citizens and to trade with the Indians. A strong Indian confederacy at the north edge of the settlements, together with natural barriers, forced the settlers south. They were joined by others pushing from the East coast. By 1700 each navigable stream had a fledgling town established at its Fall Line. A road system developed along the Fall Line where the rivers were easily crossed. The Fall Line Road developed in important because the road was not subject to ocean tides or marshes. It was a road that could be used all year round, except for brief periods of river flooding. The cities of the Fall Line Road developed as transportation sites where inland rivers could be easily forded and materials from the interior could be placed on ocean vessels. The Fall Line Road was the first permanent all weather road system on the continent, and it provided needed transportation and communication for the widely separated English colonies. In the Twentieth Century, that roadway became US 1 and I-95 passing through almost every major city on the East Coast. Boy!! would they be surprised to see how I-95 is today and how crazy it is with traffic. From June Fikac The Importance of Mills Before mills, the processing that mills did had to be done by hand and was time consuming. Think of the difference between grinding grain by hand into flour and putting the grain between water powered millstones. Mills were important and settlement clustered within reasonable traveling time to them. As mentioned in the post about the Wagon Road, the road, and shipping also played an important part in the fall line area, along with the mills. It all went together for settlement. In Colonial times, even through the 1800s to early 1900s, there were mills in the area. Some of the old mill buildings are still here. The Delaware Co., Pa. Historical Society had a lecture series and visits to some of them several years ago. A few mills are still working as Historical exhibits. If the fall of the water was right there would be mills clustered in the same area along streams. There is a tidal version for flat areas but you need the right location with enough tidal current to run the mill wheel. The farmers needed mills to grind the grain that they grew (grist mills). Lancaster Co., Pa. tax lists 1781, they were taxed on mills (among other things), grist mills, saw mills (sawing lumber), fulling mills (I think putting sizing in wool?), oil mills (processing for linseed oil?), hemp mills (to get linen from hemp). Tanneries and distilleries, also taxed, needed a lot of water and were located by streams. Later the mills became more efficient. Oliver Evans invented a system that revolutionized milling. Later mills did other things too, rolling mills rolled iron into a flat sheet, slitting mills cut the sheets of iron into strips, mills for weaving cloth, etc. There are historical records that mills were occasionally damaged by bad floods. One of my family deeds 1885, there is one for a mill where he had a right in the deed to flood part of a neighbor's land if necessary during "the time of freshet or high water." Beverley Mills Water Powered Mills Brandywine The DuPont powder mill (gunpowder) is open as a Historical exhibit and the Hagley Museum and Library in Wilmington, Del. has a *lot* of information on the history of mills and industry. Interesting note - the DuPont gunpowder mills were built with 3 solid thick stone walls around the land side of the grinding stones, with the river side open. They exploded occasionally and that would allow the force of the explosion to go out over the river instead of whatever was around it on land. Marge Green Race Tracks in Prince William County and Fauquier County, Virginia This is earlier than you mentioned, but the following race track was in Prince William, now Fauquier: "This Indenture made ye twenty seventh day of November & in the year of our Lord 1738. Between William Spiller Sr of Hamilton Parish & Prince William County Planter of ye one part & John Metcalfe of the sd Parish & County Planter of other part Witnessth ye said Wm. Spiller Jr....on land whereon ye sd John Metcalfe now lives...being on the South side of ye main run of Occoquon on ye branches of a branch called Rogers branch in the County aforsd & is part of a greater tract & bounded as followeth. Beginning at a White Oak near ye head of CEDAR RUN RACE GROUND which is the beginning of ye sd greater tract & extending thence along ye sd road towards Quantico to the Back line of the sd greater tract then along ye line to a white Oak corner to Taquets land thence along Taquets line to the beginning which sd land being be estimation one hundred & fifty Acres..." Family tradition holds that one Metcalfe in particular was quite fond of racing. Does anyone know where this is located today? My ADC map is not adequate. From John Hancock Nancy Upshaw asked the question: I asked this question of John Gott once (because my great-grandfather Strother owned a race horse (Ol' Champ) and cart (sulky?) both of which I have a picture of, along with the groom) and John told me there was a race track to the east of where Hwy. 17 is now, near Paris. If you know where Sky Meadows State Park is, it would be across 17 from there, but I don't know how far, and whether it would be closer to Upperville than Paris. Don't know if it was above or below Carr Lane, which runs from Upperville to 17. My GGF was a young man in 1865, and I don't know when the racetrack was created. This is from memory, so I may be slightly off the location, but that's what I remember without looking for my trip notes, which are all packed somewhere. (I have just moved from TX to Herndon (Fairfax Co.) VA, and I am enjoying every minute of being near Fauquier! Have been out there twice already. Still awaiting my furniture) The following information was contributed by June Fikac Some of you have the land description and want to know how to read it. Land Description: S1/2 NW1/4 S14 T19N R10E. This is a description of land. It is read from back to front, first finding on a map the Range, then Township, then Section. This piece of land would be the south 1/2 of the northwest 1/4 part of Section number 14 in a specific Township. Land Measures: 1. length: one mile equals 5280 feet, eighty chains, 320 rods, or 1760 yards. One rod equals 5.50 years, 16.5 feet or 25 links 2. Area: one square mile equals 640 acres or 102,400 square rods. One acre equals 4840 square yards or 43,500 square feet. One square rod equals 30.25 square yards, or .006 of a square acre. Yard Land: 1. A quantify of land which varies from fifteen to forty acres. In some places a quarter of an acre was called a yard of land. 2. a barn or pen for animals 3. a farmyard Land Patent: the document which states the settler had a permanent claim and was the first purchaser of a piece of land. Land Right: the legal obligations which are attached to ownership of land. Land Warrant: a certificate issued by a land office which entitled the possessor to a certain number of acres of land. The certificate was negotiable. Military warrant: a document issued by the land office requesting that land be set aside for a veteran entitled to it for his military service. The land was located in Ohio and Kentucky and eligibility for its ownership was based upon the veteran's military certificate. Military Certificate: a document stating that a person's proof of military service had been presented to the proper authorities and, therefore, he was eligible for a specific amount of land as compensation. There was only one claim to this type of land available to each person. Military land: public land which was reserved for Revolutionary or War of 1812 soldiers to receive as part of their compensation for service. Bounty Land (Federal) shortly after the beginning of the Revolutionary War the Continental Congress promised land to those who would serve in the Continental Army. The acreage of land so promised was on a sliding scale based on rank. For example, an enlisted man was to receive 100 acres, while a major general was to have 1,000 acres. Bounty land (State) in some states the promise of issuing land for service in the Rev. War was far more liberal than that of the federal government which led many veterans to trade bounty land warrants for state warrants. Patriotic service: during the Revolutionary War these persons did not serve on the field of battle, but served as wagoners, furnished ammunition or supplies and therefore were eligible for pensions. Many services to the Continental Army are now a part of the regular army; chaplains, physicians, veterinarians, paymasters, quartermasters, etc. Bondman: 1. male slave 2. a man who had been bound into service without wages being paid 3. a tenant who was not free, a villein. "bond" servant: an indentured servant Bondsman: a person, sometimes referred to as a surety, who pledges a sum of money as bond for another. Bondwoman: a female slave Bondmaid: a female who has been bound into service with no wages paid/a female slave. Marriage Bond: in Colonial days, this was a sum of money promised, usually by the parents or a close relative of a young couple, to the governor of the state. This was asked to ensure that there was no reason, moral or legal, for the couple not to marry and that they would not become charity cases. Money did not actually change hands, but could be called for if the marriage did not fulfill the requirements. Marriage register: a book which lists marriage licenses issued and, frequently, marriage returns. This book is kept at a clerk's office in the courthouse. Marriage return: notation by a minister which states on which date he married a couple. Nephew: 1. the male child of a person's brother or sister 2. sometimes in old documents can refer to other relatives: grandson, cousin, etc. 3. a descendant Neeveye: descendants Nee: born. This word is used after a married woman's surname to indicate her maiden name, e.g. Mrs. Marian Johnson, nee Baker. New mother: a Colonial term for a stepmother. Overseer: 1. A Colonial official appointed to do one of any number of supervisory jobs, a road supervisor 2. an officer of the Quaker church who had the duties of the business affairs of the meeting, preparing answers to queries, giving advice to members and preventing the introduction of unnecessary matters and premature complaints into meetings for business and discipline 3. Ordnance office in charge of construction. Sometimes he is called a superintendent 4. A person in charge of work on a plantation 5. An overlooker frequently appointed in wills. Sometimes the executor was called an overseer 6. a man in the pillory Overseer of the poor: in Colonial days the person appointed to this post purchased the materials to be used in work done by the unemployed. He also dispensed aid to the poor. Overseer of the road: a person appointed to maintain a specified stretch of road. He obtained workers to care for the road from the people who lived along it and used the road most frequently. |
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Last Updated: April 2020 |
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