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The History of the City of Fredericksburg Virginia
The History of the City of Fredericksburg Virginia
S. J. Quinn The HISTORY of the City of Fredericksburg Virginia Prepared and printed by authority of the Common Council thereof , under the direction of its Committee on Publication, consisting of the following Councilmen: H. B. LANE, WM. E. BRADLEY and S. W. SOMERVILLE S. J. QUINN, Historian 1908 The Hermitage Press , Inc. Richmond, Va. Copyright, 1908, On all original matter herein, By H. B. Lane , Chairman of History Committee, for the City of Fredericksburg, Va....
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PREFACE
PREFACE
To Messrs. H. B. Lane, Wm. E. Bradley and Prof. S. W. Somerville, Committee on History of the Common Council : Gentlemen —When I was requested by your predecessors to write a history of Fredericksburg, I regarded it as quite an honor, and in the discharge of the duty I have found great pleasure. Not that the material needed was ready at hand and the task was easy, but because I found so many of the best of our citizens eager to assist in getting the material together, that had been laid away for
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CHAPTER I
CHAPTER I
Capt. John Smith Explores the Rappahannock River—The Flight of Pocahontas—Maj. Smith’s Fort—Gov. Spotswood’s Miners at Germanna. In what year the white man first set his foot upon the present site of Fredericksburg is not certainly known. The mind of man, of the present generation, does not run back to that time, and if the first white visitor to the place thought it of sufficient importance to make a note of it that note was not preserved; or, if it was, it is unknown to the present inhabitants
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CHAPTER II
CHAPTER II
THE KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN HORSE SHOE. Governor Spotswood and Others Start on an Expedition over the Blue Ridge Mountains—They Pass Through what is now Fredericksburg—They Join Others at Germanna, where they make Extensive Preparations—The Country Rough and the Woods Dense—Bears, Deer, Turkeys, Squirrels and Snakes Plentiful—The Summit of the Mountain Reached—The Sublime Scene—The Health of the King Drank and the Country Taken Possession of in His Name—The Shenandoah River, &c. Two years
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CHAPTER III
CHAPTER III
Fredericksburg Incorporated by Law—Col. Byrd Walks About Town—Church Erected—Patrick Henry Rector—Augustine Washington a Trustee—Fairs Inaugurated—Limits of the Town Extended, &c. Although the site upon which Fredericksburg now stands was settled by white men, possibly in 1622, in the location of plantations by the London Company referred to by Capt. John Smith, and certainly in 1681 by the construction of Major Lawrence Smith’s fort, yet the town was not incorporated for many years ther
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CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER IV
Encouraging Home Industries—Further Extension of the Town—Tobacco Inspectors—Modes of Punishment—Prosperity—Military Ardor—Under the United States. In 1759 an act was passed by the General Assembly to encourage the “Arts and Manufactures in the Colony,” but wine and silk making seemed to have predominated all others, wine having the decided preference as will readily be seen. In the act it was set forth that five hundred pounds should be paid as a premium to the person who should, in any one yea
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CHAPTER V
CHAPTER V
The Lease of the Market-House Lots—The First Serious Fire—Fredericksburg an Important Center—An Act Concerning Elections—Half of the Town Destroyed by Fire—Fredericksburg an Important Postal Point—How the Mails were Carried—A Congressional Investigation—Amendatory Act of 1821—The Great Fire of 1822—The Trade of the Town—Contagious Diseases—The Town in 1841—Acts of Extension, 1851, 1852, 1858, 1861, &c. In the year 1789 an enactment was passed by the Legislature empowering the Mayor and C
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CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VI
The War Clouds Gathering—Fredericksburg in the Confederacy—Troops Raised and Equipped—The Surrender of the Town to the Federal Authorities—Arrested and Held as Hostages—Citizens Flee from their Homes—The Bombardment of the Town, &c. Notwithstanding the fact that Fredericksburg had been growing for so many years, and the further fact that she had enjoyed the prosperity which is claimed for her, and of which we have written, the town had attained at this time only to the moderate proportio
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CHAPTER VII
CHAPTER VII
The great battle—The town sacked by soldiers—A wonderful display of humanity—The Federals recross the river—A great revival of religion—The battle of Chancellorsville—The Wilderness campaign—Citizens arrested—A statement by the Council—The citizens and Federal soldiers release, &c. To those who had a proper idea of the sacrifices made, the sufferings endured and the privations experienced by the inhabitants of Fredericksburg, up to this period, whether that idea was formed from observati
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CHAPTER VIII
CHAPTER VIII
The Armies Transferred to Richmond and Petersburg—Gen. Lee’s surrender—Citizens Return Home—Action of the Council—Fredericksburg Again Under the Old Flag—The Assassination of President Lincoln Denounced and Deplored—Reconstruction Commenced—An Election Set Aside—The Iron-Clad Oath—All Offices Vacated and Strangers Appointed—The Financial Condition of the Town—The Town Again in the Hands of its Citizens—Splendid Financial Showing, &c. At the conclusion of the battles around Spotsylvania,
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CHAPTER IX
CHAPTER IX
The Courts of Fredericksburg—The Freedman’s Bureau—Court Orders and Incidents—First Night Watch—Ministers Qualify to Perform Marriage Ceremony—First Notary Public—Fixing the Value of Bank Notes—Prison Bounds for Debtors—Public Buildings, &c. If every one in this Christian land was a Christian, and was governed by the rule laid down and inculcated by the Christ, “whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them,” there would have been but little, if any, use for courts
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CHAPTER X
CHAPTER X
The Public Buildings—The Jail—Courthouse—Town Hall—Firehouse—School Buildings—Wallace Library—Normal School—Government Building, &c. As it was found necessary to have courts to punish crimes, to settle disputes and to enforce law and order in the Commonwealth for the good of society, it was also found necessary to have buildings in which to hold the courts, to keep their records, and a place to confine criminals until they were tried by the courts, and then to punish them after convictio
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CHAPTER XI
CHAPTER XI
Ancient and Historical Buildings—Mary Washington Monument—Gen. Mercer’s Statue—Mary Washington’s Will, &c. In stating that Fredericksburg has more ancient reminiscent and historical buildings than any other town of its size in this country, we do not fear successful contradiction. Fredericksburg is one of the oldest towns in the State and has from its settlement been the center of refinement and culture. Here the young men of this section of Virginia were taught and imbibed those princip
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CHAPTER XII
CHAPTER XII
Hotels of the Town, old and new—Agricultural Fairs—Ferries and Toll Bridges—Care of the Dependent Poor—City Water Works—City Gas Works—Electric Light—Telephone Company—Fire Department, &c. Fredericksburg, from the time it was first chartered, found itself on the main line of travel from North to South and vice versa . For this reason it was the main point for stopping, if the traveller could reach it even by journeying a few hours after dark. As the postoffice department came into existe
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CHAPTER XIII
CHAPTER XIII
Volunteer Militia—The Confederate Cemetery—The National Cemetery—The Confederate Veterans—The Sons of Confederate Veterans—The Schools, Private and Public, &c. In times of peace and quiet, in free America and even in conservative Virginia, it is necessary that cities should have some military organization that can be called upon to protect the citizens in their persons, rights and property in case of any emergency that might arise. It is true that such cases seldom occur in Virginia, but
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CHAPTER XIV
CHAPTER XIV
The Churches of Fredericksburg. If the morals and correct lives of the people of a town are to be judged by the number of churches within its borders, giving due consideration to the number of inhabitants, the people of Fredericksburg would be rated with the best. One of the first things that received the attention of the founders of the town, under the charter granted by the House of Burgesses in 1727, was the building of a house of worship and its dedication to the service of the Almighty, and
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CHAPTER XV
CHAPTER XV
Charitable and Benevolent Societies—The Mary Washington Hospital—Newspapers and Periodicals—Political Excitement—Strong Resolutions Condemning the Administration of John Adams—An Address Approving the President’s Foreign Policy—The Names of Those who Signed the Address, &c. Next in importance to the churches in a community, dedicated to the service of God, come the charitable and benevolent societies and institutions. The former show the state of religion among the people, or their relat
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CHAPTER XVI
CHAPTER XVI
Some Distinguished Men Buried in Fredericksburg—A Remarkable Grave Stone—Three Heroic Fredericksburgers, Wellford, Herndon, Willis—The Old Liberty Bell Passes Through Town—Great Demonstrations in its Honor—What a Chinaman Thought of it. A town is not less renowned for the noble, heroic dead who sleep within its borders than it is for its gallant soldiers, Statesmen and others who are yet on the stage of action. Indeed its renown may be more enduring because of its dead than of its living. The de
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CHAPTER XVII
CHAPTER XVII
Visits of Heroes—Gala Days—The Society of the Army of the Potomac Enters Town, &c. Fredericksburg has received the visits of many heroes and statesmen, and on various occasions has been placed on “dress parade,” and proved herself equal to the demands made upon her on every occasion. Only a few of these visits are mentioned here, but these few should be placed upon perpetual record that they may inspire our noble youth and the coming generations and cause them to appreciate more highly t
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CHAPTER XVIII
CHAPTER XVIII
Society of the Army of the Potomac Enters Town, continued. When this great crowd entered the courthouse, after making such a long march in hot weather, most of them were willing to rest awhile before the exercises commenced. Yet Gen. King is not one to rest long when business had to be attended to, so he called the large assembly to order, and announced that illness had prevented the attendance of Gen. D. McM. Gregg, president of the society, and in his absence Gen. Martin T. McMahon would presi
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CHAPTER XIX.
CHAPTER XIX.
Dr. Walker’s Exploration—Bacon’s Rebellion, so-called—The Fredericksburg Declaration—The Great Orator—Resolutions of Separation from Great Britain—Virginia Bill of Rights, &c. It has been said, probably by the facetious or perhaps by the envious—for such are to be found in all communities—that Virginians are noted for their bragging—that find them where you may, at home surrounded by friends and companions, or abroad among strangers and aliens—bragging is their distinguishing characteris
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CHAPTER XX
CHAPTER XX
The Declaration of Separation—The Declaration of Independence—Washington Commander-in-Chief—John Paul Jones Raises the First Flag—He was First to Raise the Stars and Stripes—Fredericksburg Furnishes the Head of the Armies and Navy—The Constitution of the United States, &c. As stated in the last chapter, we continue in this references to the great deeds of the great men of Virginia that should be grouped, as we are here endeavoring to do, in the smallest possible space, and preserved to p
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CHAPTER XXI
CHAPTER XXI
The First Proclamation for Public Thanksgiving—Pennsylvania Whiskey Rebellion—John Marshall and the Supreme Court—Religious Liberty—The Monroe Doctrine—Seven Presidents—Clarke Saves the Great Northwest—The Northwest Explored—Louisiana Purchase—Texas Acquired—Mexico Adds to Our Territory—The Oceans Measured, Sounded and Mapped—The Ladies’ Memorial Association—The Mary Washington Monument, &c. This chapter is taken up with a continuation and conclusion of the subjects of the last two chapt
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CHAPTER XXII
CHAPTER XXII
Fredericksburg at Present—The Health of the City—Its Financial Solidity—Its Commercial Prosperity—Its Lines of Transportation—Its Water Power—Its Official Calendar—List of Mayors, &c. We now come to the closing words of the history of our venerable city, and what we shall add in closing will be of Fredericksburg as it is at present, without going into tiresome details, but before proceeding with that interesting topic we must turn aside to mention some useful and honored organizations of
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OFFICIAL CALENDAR—September 1, 1908.
OFFICIAL CALENDAR—September 1, 1908.
HUSTINGS COURT. Hon. John T. Goolrick , Judge . Hon. Granville R. Swift , Commonwealth’s Attorney . A. Bacon Yates , Clerk . John Scott Berry , Deputy Clerk . J. Conway Chichester , City Sergeant . Baylor S. Pates , Deputy City Sergeant . MUNICIPAL OFFICERS. H. Lewis Wallace , Mayor . Robert T. Knox , Treasurer . A. B. Bowering , Commissioner of Revenue . A. P. Rowe , City Tax Collector . E. H. Randall , City Surveyor . MAGISTRATES. Upper Ward — S. J. Quinn , S. E. Eastburn , R. E. Bozel . L
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MAYORS OF FREDERICKSBURG IN THEIR CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.
MAYORS OF FREDERICKSBURG IN THEIR CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.
Charles Mortimer , from March, 1782, to March, 1783 William McWilliams , from March, 1783, to March, 1784 James Somerville , from March, 1784, to March, 1785 George Weedon , from March, 1785, to March, 1786 Charles Mortimer , from March, 1786, to March, 1787 James Somerville , from March, 1787, to March, 1788 Charles Mortimer , from March, 1788, to March, 1789 George French , from March, 1789, to March, 1790 Benjamin Day , from March, 1790, to March, 1791 William Harvey , from March, 1791, to Ma
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