On Lot 16, at the corner of Muhlenberg and Court Street, Woodstock, stands a large house of native limestone in which it is said at least two distinguished men lived in early days. Just when this house was erected seems not to be known, but it probably antedates the Revolutionary War. In the Shenandoah Herald of October 29, 1823, it was advertised for sale by Daniel Lee, commissioner, who stated that it had formerly been owned by Philip Williams, Esq., and lately held by Davison and Hollingsworth, trustees for the creditors of Samuel Croudson & Co.

The fact seems well established that this was the home of Judge Green Berry Samuels (1806-1859), whose grave is in the Lutheran Church cemetery on Church Street. Judge Samuels was member of Congress from 1839 to 1841, and for several years preceding his death was on the Virginia Supreme Court bench. It is said that this old stone house was also the home of Thomas Marshall, who was clerk of Shenandoah County from its organization in 1772 until the year of 1781. If so, we may assume that Thomas Marshall's son, John, who was only 17 years old, was often at home here.

Excerpted from John W. Wayland's A History of Shenandoah County, Virginia

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