Misplaced Pages

#49950

60-431: Withers was a son of Enoch Keene Withers and Jennet Chinn Withers and was born at the family home, an estate known as "Green Meadows" about 6 miles from Warrenton , Fauquier County, Virginia . His mother was a second cousin of Sir Walter Scott . He was educated at home and in private schools, later attending Washington College and finally learning law at William and Mary , despite considerable shyness when confronted with

120-544: A trading post called the Red Store was located. In the 1790s, a courthouse was built in the area, and the location was known as "Fauquier Courthouse". The Town of Warrenton was incorporated on January 5, 1810, and named for General Joseph Warren , a Revolutionary War hero. Richard Henry Lee donated the land for the county seat. John S. Horner , Secretary of Wisconsin Territory and Acting Governor of Michigan Territory ,

180-607: A Fugitive . The character of Eliza in the 1852 novel Uncle Tom's Cabin was described as a quadroon slave (one-quarter black ancestry), whose child also appeared to be "all-but-white". Another popular abolitionist novel of the time was Mary Hayden Pike 's Ida May: a Story of Things Actual and Possible (1854), a story about a "white" slave. In 1855, Mary Mildred Botts , a young mixed-race slave who appeared white, gained freedom after her father got financial support from abolitionists to purchase her freedom as well as that of his wife and two other children. Among those who helped

240-550: A People", has argued that the usage of props, such as the American flag and books, helped to provide context for Northern viewers, and also to emphasize that the purpose of the photos was to raise money for education of former slaves by funding schools in Louisiana . She also noted that the use of "white" children to illustrate the damage caused by institutional slavery, whose victims were overwhelmingly visibly people of color, demonstrated

300-631: A child with a white father, or were themselves the child of a white father. The plight of these mixed-race slaves, especially as children, was often publicized as a way to further the abolitionist cause. Some pro-slavery activists wanted slavery legalized nationwide, overruling state prohibitions. They suggested there was no reason why slavery should be limited to blacks. They said that Northern white laborers would actually have better lives as slaves. The first abolitionist novel, The Slave: or Memoirs of Archy Moore , published in 1836 by historian Richard Hildreth , features an enslaved mixed-race hero, son of

360-519: A column piece that upset several members of Virginia high society. While covering a horse show in Warrenton, Cassini was kidnapped and tarred and feathered by three disgruntled individuals related to one mentioned in his column piece. Cassini was treated for burns at the Fauquier County Hospital in the early morning, with the three individuals being arrested and placed on probation. In 1951,

420-543: A computer and 87.1% had a broadband internet subscription. 11.1% of households spoke a language other than English at home. 63.1% of households own their housing units while 36.9% rent. The median household income was $ 78,275 while per capita income was $ 41,385. 6.2% of the town's residents live in poverty. In Warrenton 74.7% of the population drives alone to work, 12.4% carpool , 3.3% walk to work, 0.0% via public transportation , 0.0% bicycle to work, 0.5% commute via other means, and 9.1% work from home. Additionally,

480-437: A few years later. News of the lynching was reported in papers across the nation. Even some foreign newspapers, such as Australia's Sydney Morning Herald , reprinted accounts of the event. In 1909, a fire destroyed almost half the structures in the town and was halted with the use of dynamite to create a firebreak to stop the flames from spreading. In 1939, Washington Times-Herald journalist Count Igor Cassini wrote

540-466: A group of local National Honor Society students from Kettle Run High School painted a small mural on a neglected wall lining a parking lot. Warrenton is served by four U.S. Routes; U.S. Route 15 , U.S. Route 17 , U.S. Route 29 (which collectively form the Eastern Bypass) and U.S. Route 211 . US 15 extends north and south, heading towards Leesburg in the north and Orange to the south. US 17

600-744: A large impact on the culture within Fauquier County as well as the Town of Warrenton. This is largely due to the 1922 organization of the first Virginia Gold Cup race within the town. This event, along with the Maryland Hunt Cup , were two of the most prominent horse races at the time and remained prominent throughout the 20th century. Following the 1984 race, the event was moved to the nearby city, The Plains , where it has remained. The Virginia Gold Cup and International Gold Cup Race have drawn upwards of 50,000 attendees per year, assuring its cultural impact in

660-558: A speaker on the abolitionist lecture circuit. The Crafts and other abolitionists also publicized the life of Salomé Müller , a German immigrant orphaned as an infant soon after arrival in New Orleans. Though Muller (later known as Sally Miller) was completely of European descent, she became enslaved as an infant, and was assumed to be a mixed-race slave. The threat of white girls being seized and thrown into slavery prompted Parker Pillsbury to write to William Lloyd Garrison : "A white skin

SECTION 10

#1732876164050

720-598: A tour of Philadelphia and New York by Colonel George H. Hanks . A woodcut, based on a photograph of the former slaves, appeared in Harper's Weekly in January 1864 with the caption "EMANCIPATED SLAVES, WHITE AND COLORED." Four of the children were predominantly white in appearance, although born into slavery. The former slaves traveled from New Orleans to the North. Of these, four children appeared to be white or octoroon . According to

780-606: A weekday commuter bus service called the Piedmont Express from Danville, V.A . to Washington, D.C. with a stop in Warrenton. The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Warrenton has a humid subtropical climate , abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. As of the 2020 census , there were 10,057 individuals, 4,016 households, and 2,159 families living in

840-414: A white planter and an enslaved mother, who is herself the daughter of a white planter. He can state that "both on the father's and the mother's side, I had running in my veins, the best blood of Virginia". When he and his sister decide to escape, they have no problems "in passing ourselves as white citizens." The title of the 1852 edition refers to the appearance of the hero: The White Slave; or, Memoirs of

900-516: Is a burning shame to have held such a man as you in slavery." Johnson answers: "I don't think it was any worse to have held me in slavery than the blackest man in the South." Nonfiction accounts written by escaped mixed-race slaves who used their European appearance to "pass for white" and gain freedom include Ellen Craft : Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom (coauthored with her husband William). With majority-white ancestry, Craft often also appeared as

960-500: Is located in the town. Surrounded by Virginia wine and horse country, Warrenton is a popular destination outside Washington, D.C. Warrenton shares some services with the county, such as schools and the county landfill. The area was home to Bethel Military Academy . The settlement which would grow into the town of Warrenton began as a crossroads at the junction of the Falmouth-Winchester and Alexandria-Culpeper roads, where

1020-478: Is located within the Warrenton Historic District. Despite being located within the town, the library is actually run by the county government 's Library Board. Each public school also has an internal library that students can access. Additionally, public bookcases adorn the town, often on the property of private citizens, acting in a manner similar to Little Free Library Steeplechases have had

1080-607: Is no security whatsoever. I should no more dare to send white children out to play alone, especially at night...than I should dare send them into a forest of tigers and hyenas." Fannie Virginia Casseopia Lawrence was a young white slave freed in early 1863. She was adopted by Catherine S. Lawrence of New York and baptized by Henry Ward Beecher at the Plymouth Congregational Church in Brooklyn, New York. Carte de visite photographs of her were also sold to raise money for

1140-482: Is oriented northwest to southeast, connecting to Winchester to the northwest and Fredericksburg to the southeast. US 29 is oriented northeast to southwest, reaching Washington, D.C. to the northeast and Charlottesville to the southwest. Finally, US 211 begins north of the downtown area and extends westward, passing through Luray and the Shenandoah Valley . All four highways originally passed directly through

1200-603: The 2000 census . The estimated population in July 2021 was 10,109. It is at the junction of U.S. Route 15 , U.S. Route 17 , U.S. Route 29 , and U.S. Route 211 . The town is in the Piedmont region of Virginia just east of the Blue Ridge Mountains . The well-known Airlie Conference Center is 3 miles (5 km) north of Warrenton, and the historic Vint Hill Farms military facility is 9 miles (14 km) east. Fauquier Hospital

1260-595: The Civil War was independent of class status. Supporters of the war believed that this was needed after the New York City draft riots that year. Predominantly ethnic Irish mobs had protested the draft law, as wealthier men could buy substitutes rather than serve in the war. Carol Goodman, in "Visualizing the Color Line", has argued that the photos alluded to physical and sexual abuse of the children's mothers. When publishing

SECTION 20

#1732876164050

1320-614: The Harper's Weekly article, they were, " 'perfectly white;' 'very fair;' 'of unmixed white race.' Their light complexions contrasted sharply with those of the three adults, Wilson, Mary, and Robert; and that of the fifth child, Isaac—'a black boy of eight years; but none the less intelligent than his whiter companions. ' " The group was accompanied by Colonel Hanks from the 18th Infantry Regiment . They posed for photos in New York City and in Philadelphia . The resulting images were produced in

1380-656: The U.S. Census Bureau , Warrenton has a total area of 4.5 square miles (11.7 km ), of which 0.004 square miles (0.01 km ), or 0.13%, is water. The eastern, southern, and northern parts of the town drain east to Cedar Run , a tributary of the Occoquan River and part of the Potomac River watershed, while the western part of town drains south via Great Run to the Rappahannock River . Fauquier County Public Schools serves Warrenton. The elementary schools within

1440-637: The United Daughters of the Confederacy erected and dedicated a monument in the Warrenton Cemetery to 520 Confederate soldiers buried there, many of whom died during the First and Second Battles of Bull Run . This new monument altered a pre-existing Confederate obelisk built in 1877 by building a granite wall around the obelisk engraved with those 520 names. The then-mayor's wife spearheaded fundraising for

1500-477: The carte de visite format and were sold for twenty-five cents each, with the profits of the sale being directed to Major General Nathaniel P. Banks back in Louisiana to support education of freedmen. Each of the photos noted that sale proceeds would be "devoted to the education of colored people". Of the many prints that were commissioned, at least twenty-two remain in existence today. Most of these were produced by Charles Paxson and Myron Kimball , who took

1560-538: The American Civil War, the Warrenton Branch was a target for attack twice. Because of this, the railroad was left largely abandoned and unusable by 1863. Southern Railway resumed passenger service to the town from 1909 to 1944 with commercial service continuing through the 1980s. Norfolk Southern ended service entirely in 1989 with the removal of tracks. Confederate Colonel John S. Mosby made raids in

1620-583: The Senate, comparing Southern political positions to the sexual exploitation of slaves then taking place in the South. Two days later Sumner was beaten almost to death on the floor of the Senate in the Capitol by Representative Preston Brooks from South Carolina, known as a hothead. Three decades after the Emancipation Proclamation , Frances Harper 's 1892 novel Iola Leroy, or Shadows Uplifted tells

1680-582: The Settlement by the Whites, of north-western Virginia: and of the Indian wars and massacres, in that section of the state; with reflections, anecdotes, &c. This 1831 account of “border wars” and local tradition in “the western country”, i.e., the northwestern portion of colonial Virginia (an area which today encompasses parts of Virginia , West Virginia , Kentucky , Ohio , and Pennsylvania ), described events during

1740-576: The Town of Warrenton. Population density is 2,296.1 people per square mile (885.01/km ). The racial makeup of the town is 77.0% White , 10.0% African American , 0.1% American Indian or Native Alaskan , 1.7% Asian , 0.0% Pacific Islander , 1.3% from other races , and 9.9% from two or more races . Hispanic or Latino of any race are 8.9% of the population. Of the town's residents, 56.4% were female, 43.6% were male, 8.0% were under five years of age, 22.7% were under 18 years of age, and 16.7% were 65 years or older. The population pyramid (below) shows

1800-677: The abolitionist cause. By 1863 in Louisiana, ninety-five schools for freedmen , serving 9,500 students, were active in areas controlled by the Union Army . Funding was needed to continue to run the schools. The National Freedman's Association , the American Missionary Association , and Union officers launched a publicity campaign to raise money by selling carte de visite (CDV) photographs of eight former slaves, five children and three adults. The former slaves were accompanied on

1860-482: The average commute time for Warrenton residents was 33.1 minutes. White slave propaganda White slave propaganda was a kind of publicity, especially photograph and woodcuts, and also novels, articles, and popular lectures, about slaves who were biracial or white in appearance. Their examples were used during and prior to the American Civil War to further the abolitionist cause and to raise money for

Alexander Scott Withers - Misplaced Pages Continue

1920-511: The category of the " Other ". Sexual exploitation of slaves by their masters, master's sons, overseers, or other powerful white men was common in the United States. (See Children of the plantation .) By the 1860 Census , mixed-race slaves constituted about 10% of the 4 million slaves enumerated; they were more numerous in the Upper South . Slavery had existed for a longer time there, and in

1980-477: The center of town and now follow bypasses. However, downtown Warrenton is now served by U.S Route 15 Business , U.S Route 17 Business , U.S Route 29 Business and U.S Route 211 Business . Virginia Regional Transit operates the Circuit Rider bus in Warrenton. Academy Bus operates a commuter bus from Warrenton to Washington, D.C. The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and Megabus operate

2040-460: The construction of a new middle school also to be named Taylor Middle School. The high school that serves Warrenton is Fauquier High School , which educates grades Nine through 12. The Fauquier County Public School system also operates an extremely small alternative learning school at Southwest Alternative School. This school serves both middle and high school students throughout the county, including Warrenton. There are three private schools in

2100-496: The county along the Rappahannock River . A group of local men hunted the pair down near Williamsport, Maryland , captured Mr. Jordan and returned him to Fauquier, whereupon he was delivered to the town jail. Later that night, the masked lynch mob gained access to the jail and dragged Jordan to the nearby town cemetery, where he was hanged from a small locust tree. Ms. Corder remained in Maryland, estranged from her family, until her death

2160-599: The early 1960s, which attracted restaurants, gas stations, and shopping centers, but also drew businesses away from the center of town. The Warrenton Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Other listings in or near Warrenton include Brentmoor , Dakota , Hopefield , Loretta , Monterosa , North Wales , The Oaks , the Old Fauquier County Jail , and Yorkshire House . In 1998, Warrenton's "Black Horse" chapter of

2220-475: The education of former slaves. The images included children with predominantly European features photographed alongside dark-skinned adult slaves with typically African features. All these people, including the seemingly white children, were classified as black under the one-drop rule , as they had both black and white ancestry. It was intended to shock the viewing audiences with a reminder that slaves shared their humanity, and evidence that slaves did not belong in

2280-466: The federal government established the Warrenton Training Center just outside Warrenton. The center is a secret Central Intelligence Agency communications facility, which also houses an underground relocation bunker containing communications infrastructure to support continuity of government in the event of a nuclear attack on Washington, DC. A bypass route around the town was built in

2340-585: The four decades between the French and Indian War (1754) and the Battle of Fallen Timbers (1794). For background material, Withers drew upon the writings of a generally reliable antiquarian, Hugh Paul Taylor (c. 1790–1831) of Covington, Virginia . In addition, he incorporated material gathered by a local judge (Edwin S. Duncan), as well as visiting with venerable local pioneers ( Noah Zane , John Hacker ), which required several arduous trips on horseback. (In addition, there

2400-612: The generally smaller holdings, slaves had lived more closely with white workers and masters, leading to more contact between the groups. The scale of the sexual exploitation is suggested by research that show the DNA of contemporary African Americans is, on average, 24% European in origin. An analysis of the WPA Slave Narrative Collection , collected in the 1930s, shows that, when women discussed parentage at all, about one-third of these women ex-slaves said they had given birth to

2460-434: The group photo that later appeared as a woodcut in Harper's Weekly . A portrait of Rebecca was taken by James E. McClees of Philadelphia. Modern scholars have examined the white slave campaign's motives and success. Mary Niall Mitchell, in "Rosebloom and Pure White, Or So It Seemed", argues that because the slaves were depicted as being white, through both their skin color and style of dress, abolitionists could argue that

Alexander Scott Withers - Misplaced Pages Continue

2520-411: The hotel. It now hosts some offices of the Fauquier County government. Arthur Jordan , a black American man, was lynched by a mob of approximately 60–75 men in white hoods in the early hours of January 19, 1880. Jordan had been accused of miscegenation and bigamy for eloping with Elvira (Lucille) Corder, the daughter of his white employer, Nathan Corder, a landowner and farmer in the upper part of

2580-524: The issue of " white slaves ". Withers lived a retired life until his death in 1865 at the age of 73 and was buried in a graveyard along what is now U.S. Route 19 in Weston. Warrenton, Virginia Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia , United States. It is the county seat . The population was 10,057 as of the 2020 census , an increase from 9,611 at the 2010 census and 6,670 at

2640-414: The later chapters.") Printed by Joseph Israel, the local Clarksburg newspaper publisher, the book brought Withers no profit, as Israel’s business soon foundered. Disappointed, Withers traveled to Missouri with the plan of settling and spending his remaining years there, but was likewise disappointed with that region and soon returned to Lewis County, where he again took up in farming and school teaching. (He

2700-1010: The monument from private organizations and the United Daughters of the Confederacy itself, of which she was a member. This monument still remains. Warrenton is located in central Fauquier County at 38°43′06″N 77°47′50″W  /  38.71833°N 77.79722°W  / 38.71833; -77.79722 (38.718307, −77.797085). U.S. Route 29 leads northeast 12 miles (19 km) to Gainesville and 47 miles (76 km) to Washington, D.C. , and southwest 25 miles (40 km) to Culpeper . U.S. Route 15 follows US 29 out of town in both directions but leads north-northeast 34 miles (55 km) to Leesburg . U.S. Route 17 leads northwest 42 miles (68 km) to Winchester and southeast 44 miles (71 km) to Fredericksburg , and U.S. Route 211 leads west 34 miles (55 km) to Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park . According to

2760-644: The need for public speaking. His father died when he was 21 and he took over the management of the family plantation for a time. He married Melinda Fisher in 1815 in the Northern Neck of Virginia, and about 1827 moved his family to western Virginia, settling near Clarksburg . Subsequently, he moved to Lewis County and resided on a farm he called "Thirlestane" on the West Fork River between Weston and Jane Lew . Withers devoted much time to researching and writing his Chronicles of Border Warfare, or, A History of

2820-403: The numerous references to intrepid scouts and early settlers along the frontier. Withers was somewhat dissatisfied with the final form of the published book. According to Lyman Draper , “He used to say that had he published the volume himself he would have made it much more complete, and better in many ways; for he was hampered, limited and hurried—often correcting proof of the early, while writing

2880-499: The percentage of individuals of each sex within each age group, with a rectangular shape. 6.9% were foreign born persons , 7.2% had a disability , 94.9% of adults were high school graduates , and 39.2% of adults had a bachelor's degree or graduate degree . The 2020 census stated that the Town of Warrenton had 4,014 households, of which 2,159 were family households and 1,857 are non-family households, with an average of 2.43 residents per household. 92.0% of households had access to

2940-590: The photo of the eight former slaves, the editor of Harper's Weekly wrote that slavery permits slave-holding " 'gentlemen' [to] seduce [the] most friendless and defenseless of women." The specter of "white" girls being sold as "fancy girls" or concubines in Southern slave markets may have caused Northern families to fear for the safety of their own daughters. Similarly, the idea that white slave-master fathers would sell their own children in slave markets raised Northerners' concerns. Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw , in "Portraits of

3000-515: The story of a "colored" family before and after emancipation. With the exception of Iola's grandmother, who is "unmistakably colored", all members of the family have so much European ancestry that they can easily pass for white . When Iola's uncle, Robert Johnson, escapes from slavery and distinguishes himself in the Union army, a white officer compares him to the other former slaves among his soldiers: "You do not look like them, you do not talk like them. It

3060-477: The surrounding communities. On the first Friday of each month between May and October, the Town of Warrenton hosts a themed street fair called "First Friday" within the Warrenton Historic District . Each month is typically themed to a different topic, affecting what local vendors and activities are available during the event. The Town of Warrenton owns and operates four public parks and one recreation center. Warrenton has several pieces of public art adorning

SECTION 50

#1732876164050

3120-460: The town during the American Civil War and later made his home and practiced law in Warrenton. The Warren Green Hotel building hosted many famous people, including the Marquis de Lafayette , James Monroe , Andrew Jackson , Henry Clay , President Theodore Roosevelt , and divorcée Wallis Simpson . Union General George B. McClellan bade farewell to his officers November 11, 1862, from the steps of

3180-411: The town of Warrenton: Highland School , St. John The Evangelist's Catholic School, and St. James' Episcopal School. The Fauquier campus of Laurel Ridge Community College resides just south of the town limits. In 2022, Hazel Hall, a science, engineering and health professions building, was opened and construction begun on a Center for Skilled Trades. The Fauquier Public Library 's Warrenton Library

3240-415: The town serve Kindergarten to Fifth grades and consist of James G. Brumfield Elementary, Carson M. Bradley Elementary, and Peter. B. Smith Elementary. The only public middle school that serves Warrenton is Taylor Middle School . Taylor Middle School serves grades six through eight. Warrenton Middle School was closed following the 2022–2023 school year and temporarily merged with Taylor Middle School during

3300-509: The town. In 2001, watercolor painter Stewart Burgess White painted three murals on a single building depicting scenes from the American Civil War. Additionally, these murals included several hidden details such as faces of 19th century American leaders, references to the September 11 attacks , and the name of the painter's daughter. Artists Ross Trimmer and Michael Broth collaborated on a mural that emulates classic large-letter postcards . In 2021,

3360-528: Was US Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts. She was considered the embodiment of Ida May. Articles were published about her in the Boston Telegraph and the New York Times , and copies of her photograph were widely publicized. Botts accompanied Sumner and other abolitionists on stage; she sat with them while they lectured, and was described as a former slave. On May 19 and 20, 1856, Sumner spoke in

3420-577: Was a Unionist during the Civil War and served as delegate to the First Wheeling Convention of May 1861. Withers fathered a number of children by his mulatto slave Lucy Taylor after his wife died. He subsequently sold her and at least two of the children. In an 1864 issue of Harper’s Weekly , Col. George H. Hanks published a letter and printed an engraving of a photograph that included Withers's slave son, Charley Taylor, in an effort to publicize

3480-421: Was a claim that the work was largely written by an early settler, William Powers [1765-1855], and the son of another early settler named William Hacker [1771–1826], and only prepared for publication by Withers. But this is according to a statement made by a grandson of Powers and has never been substantiated.) Withers's book is full of graphic accounts of massacres and reprisals. Later genealogists have appreciated

3540-479: Was born in Warrenton. John Marshall , the fourth Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court , was from Germantown , modern-day Midland , 10 miles (16 km) south of Warrenton. Warrenton was connected to the Orange and Alexandria Railroad in 1853 via a branch line . Warrenton's connection to the line had previously been proposed, but construction hasn't begun until 1852. Given the rail line's strategic usage during

3600-547: Was teacher to the future General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson in 1839 in a school in Lewis County's first court house building.) Beginning in 1840, he served several years as local justice of the peace near Weston. After the death of his wife in 1853 he made his home with his eldest daughter in Parkersburg. Withers was said to have been the largest slave-owner in Lewis County, owning ten or twelve slaves. Notwithstanding this, he

#49950