In today’s hot market, it’s more important than ever to choose the right agent to help you buy or sell a home.
Real estate agents don’t just offer local expertise—their insider knowledge and marketing prowess come in handy, too.
Thinking about making a move in the new year? Contact us to start planning now!
Here Are the Top 10 Qualities Every Successful Real Estate Agent Should Have
Did you know that 75% of buyers and sellers work with the first agent they meet? It’s true—but that doesn’t mean it’s the best decision. If you want to come out on top in today’s competitive market, experts often recommend interviewing a few candidates before settling on the right real estate professional for the job. And if you’re not sure where to start, we’ve outlined 10 qualities of a highly successful agent.
They keep up with the latest sold data
Whether you’re buying or selling a home, you’ll want to keep up with the latest sold data for your neighborhood of choice. Sold data reports consist of homes that recently sold in your area, as well as their final prices. Not only do these numbers help sellers determine an accurate list price, but they can also be used by buyers to gauge an area’s affordability. A top-notch agent should be willing to provide you with up-to-date data every step of the way.
They know what’s happening in the real estate market
It’s hard to know what the real estate market will look like next year. But with careful forecasting, a local agent should be able to provide some valuable insight. Agents can educate buyers and sellers on everything from price fluctuations to mortgage rates—just make sure they’re using accurate data to back up their predictions.
They’re social media savvy
Nowadays, home-buying and selling primarily happens on the internet. According to recent research, over 95% of buyers start searching for properties online, which makes it imperative that agents maintain an active presence on their social platforms. Be sure to ask your agent about the virtual tools they offer buyers and sellers, such as access to the MLS, social media promotion, and paid advertising. Bonus points if they have their own website, too!
They have a network of contacts
When it comes to buying or selling a home, it truly takes a village. A well-connected agent can refer you to their network of local contacts, such as plumbers, landscapers, lawyers, and so much more. You’ll rest easy knowing that you can trust their recommendations for local service providers!
Their referrals are positive
If an agent provides legendary customer service, their past clients are more than willing to leave positive feedback—or even refer them to their loved ones! Ask your potential agent about their reviews, or take a look online to see what previous buyers and sellers have to say about working with them.
They’re punctual
This one should be a given! The current real estate market moves faster than ever before, which makes punctuality an even more important quality than usual. If your agent is on-time (or early!) to your appointments, you’ll know they’re treating you like a priority.
It’s easy to get in touch
Keeping in touch is key when it comes to real estate, so you’ll want to share the same method of communication as your agent. Tell your agent from the beginning whether you prefer to text, email, or talk on the phone. Not responding in a timely manner is a big red flag.
They’re shrewd negotiators
Buyers and sellers alike should look for an agent with top-notch negotiation skills to get them the best possible price. And if you want to evaluate a real estate agent’s prowess, just ask yourself this question: how well did they negotiate with you to win your business?
They’ve built their own brand
Real estate agents don’t just help you buy or sell a home—they need to be expert marketers on both sides of the transaction. Solid branding can help agents rise to the top of the competition and build a reputation that people rely on, trust, and recognize. Exploring an agent’s social media and website can give you a good idea of their personal branding strategies.
You get along with them
When you’re trusting someone with one of your biggest investments, it’s crucial to get along on both a professional and personal level. If you can’t have difficult conversations with your agent—or if you don’t get along with them—consider going with another candidate. Personality can sometimes trump experience!
Find the Right Agent for Your Move
Ready to start planning your 2022 move? Now is the time to find the perfect agent for the job! Contact us today to learn more about what we bring to the table, or explore our other resources to get a head start on buying or selling. We’re always here to offer superior service throughout every step of the transaction!
Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my home worth?” is the #1 question asked by homeowners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.
To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.
Both Napoleon and Frederick the Great have been credited with the saying “An army marches on its stomach.” Provisioning an army, especially one that numbered over 125,000 – the size of the Army of the Potomac at the beginning of General U.S. Grant’s Overland Campaign in May 1864 – would prove to be a monumental logistical challenge.
Fresh beef – 1¼ pounds daily according to the US War Department Army Regulations – was an important component of the Federal Civil War soldier’s ration. The most practical way to furnish beef to campaigning soldiers was to have herds of cattle march with the army.
So how much beef was needed?
An estimate given by Lt. Colonel C. W. Tolles in 1864 stated “A
bullock will furnish about 450 rations, so that an army of 100,000 men needs
over two hundred beef cattle for its supply.” Based on 450 rations
per head of beef, an army of 125,000 men consumed 278 head of beef daily.
At least 6,000 head crossed the Rapidan
River with the Army of the Potomac in early May of 1864. These
6,000 documented head produced approximately 2.7 million rations, enough to
supply an army of 125,000 for 21½ days.
The
6,000 head were gathered from holding pens in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Washington,
D.C. How did 6,000 head of cattle get to the Army of the Potomac for the
Overland Campaign?
An
excerpt from Feeding a Great Army ”
in the United States Service Magazine
in February 1880 by Brevet Brigadier General Thomas Wilson tells how:
“…to carry out my orders of supply, it
would be necessary to have sent up to the front from Alexandria, some 50 miles
distant, about 6,000 head of beef cattle, with the forage, corn in the ear, and
hay necessary to subsist them until the march began, and this feat had to be
accomplished between one Friday morning and the next Tuesday night; or, in
other words… an average of 1,200 head of beef cattle had to be sent daily by me
for five days, with the necessary forage for their maintenance.
The existing capacity of the Orange and
Alexandria Railroad in cattle cars was, at this time, for only 300 head daily…
The sudden call and the subsequent
remarkable feat of shipping 6,000 cattle over this road of a single track, in
the time required and with its limited resources was accomplished by the
authorities seizing all the flat cars within reach and placing fences around
them… In this manner, 1,800 head were
sent up in one day of twenty-four hours.
At one time during the shipment an endless train of cattle cars was in
transit, most of the railroad sidings being filled with them… We received all the cattle asked for before
the time needed.
Three hundred men were kept constantly
employed in unloading the cattle cars on their arrival at the front, so that
the emptied cars might be sent back without delay.”
The herds and animals that we see today
in the rural parts of Spotsylvania and Orange Counties are insignificant when
compared to those that travelled with General Grant. The Army of the Potomac had more than 50,000
horses and mules and at least 6,000 head of beef. Big armies meant big numbers.
Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my homeworth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.
To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.
May 6, 1864 was a day of changing fortunes as the Union fought the Confederates along Orange Plank Rd. It began with a 5 AM attack by the Union II Corps, reinforced by divisions from V and VI Corps, under command of General Hancock. The attack drove General A.P. Hill’s III Corps from its positions. They fled west towards Parker’s Store. The 7 AM arrival of General Longstreet’s I Corps stemmed the rout. Longstreet’s counter attack at Tapp Field drove the Federals back toward their starting positions to the east. By 10 AM the two armies were at a standstill facing each other astride Orange Plank in the vicinity of the monument to Union General James Wadsworth.
Exhibit 15: Unfinished Railroad Cut
General Lee sent his Chief Engineer, General Smith, to see if there was a way to break the stalemate. Smith and his party walked east along the unfinished railroad, which lay south of the Union’s flank. Both armies were aware of the unfinished railroad about ¼ mile south of and parallel to Orange Plank. In the chaos of battle, neither army had thought about using it as an attack route, or about defending it against such an attack, until Smith’s reconnaissance. Smith found the railroad grade undefended. He returned and reported his findings to Longstreet.
Longstreet sent four brigades to attack
the Union flank under the command of his aide Lt. Col. Sorrel. Sorrel arranged the men along the railroad
grade and, when all men were in position, began the attack shortly after 11
AM. It burst upon the Union flank in
total surprise. In addition, as soon as
the fighting started on the flank, Longstreet’s remaining troops attacked the
Union’s front.
McAlister’s brigade on the Union flank
was first to feel the Confederate onslaught.
It was quickly routed. Soon all eight
Union brigades south of Orange plank had collapsed like dominos. Union General Wadsworth, in command of Union
forces north of Orange Plank, heroically attempted to organize a defense on the
north side of the road. It was to no
avail leaving him mortally wounded. By
12:30 PM, all Union positions had been overrun with the defenders withdrawing
east to Brock Road or north to the Lacy House (Ellwood Manor).
The Confederate’s success quickly
turned to failure. While riding to the
front to direct a continued advance, General Longstreet was accidentally shot
by soldiers of the 12th Virginia of Mahone’s Brigade. While he
survived, it wasn’t until four hours later that the Confederates were able to
reorganize and resume the attack. By
then the Union had strengthened its defenses along Brock Road. The renewed attack failed. In addition to the short term loss, it would
be months before Longstreet recovered sufficiently to resume command.
Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my homeworth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.
To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.
The term “unfinished railroad” refers to the roadbed without track that existed during the Civil War. This article will give a brief description of its history. Another article will discuss its use specifically during the Civil War period.
The “unfinished railroad” had a role in the Civil War, but
later it was two different working railroads run on the same roadbed. Although
incorporated in 1853 no track had been laid as the Civil War began. Running
between Orange and Fredericksburg, it existed under several names and
configurations existing operationally from 1877 until 1984. The first line was
narrow gauge, best known as the Potomac, Fredericksburg and Piedmont Railroad
(PF&P). It provided passenger and freight service for almost fifty years.
The second venture was standard gauge. It also hauled freight and passengers
under the name of the Virginia Central Railway between 1927 to1937 and freight
within Fredericksburg until 1984.
Incorporated in 1853, the
Fredericksburg and Gordonsville Railroad Company’s (FGRRC’s) “purpose was to
build a railroad between Fredericksburg and Gordonsville or Orange Court House
in order to connect with the rail lines already running to Gordonsville.” The
company failed by November 1857. Road
grading from Fredericksburg on 18 miles of the project had taken place by the
time of the Civil War but no track had been laid, thus the “unfinished
railroad” term. The project was resurrected in 1871. Some progress was made by
the new company, however, after many delays, the State took possession of the
railroad in December of 1873. It restored the property to the original owner,
the FGRRC. In March 1876 the railroad was again reorganized and the name
changed to the Potomac, Fredericksburg and Piedmont (PF&P), best known to
locals as the “Poor Folks, and Preachers” due to its clientele. The first train
to Orange arrived on February 26th, 1877.
PF&P showed a profit for many years. 1910 proved a banner year with 18,000 passengers and $56,000 in freight revenue. The high point for number of employees was 63 in 1920 but the decline was coming. The automobile and the truck “offered portal to portal service and substantial reductions in labor costs.” Furthermore the line could not interchange freight with mainline connections. In 1925 the line was sold and reorganized as the Orange and Fredericksburg Railroad but that was quickly sold to Langhorne Williams, a Richmond banker. The new name was the Virginia Central and the first upgrade was to install standard gauge track in 1926.
The line generally operated at a loss until it petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1937 to abandon the 37 miles between Orange and West Fredericksburg. It would continue to operate one mile of track in Fredericksburg as a switching operation for 15 industrial customers. The Williams family continued to operate that line until 1967 when it was transferred to the city. The line was quickly recognized as a white elephant and although several schemes promised a profit, in March of 1984 the ICC approved final abandonment
Three excellent sources of reading are
“Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad Historical Society, Inc.”
Volume 5, Issue 4, Fall 2009, “The Virginia Central Railway,” Ames Williams,
pages 18-28, Remembering: A History of Orange County, Frank S. Walker
Jr., pages 252-256 and “Tracks Through Time; A Railfan Tour of Orange County,
Virginia”, Frank S. Walker Jr., page 20, a pamphlet available at the Orange
County Visitor Center.
Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my homeworth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.
To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.
Back in 2012, as I was driving down Route 20 toward the Locust Grove Town Center, I noticed a sign near the intersection of Route 20 and Zoar Road. The silver sign was erected by the Virginia Department of Historical Resources stating that Robinson’s Tavern was nearby. At that time, there was a restaurant in the Locust Grove Town Center called Robinson’s Tavern and I wondered why that restaurant would have an historical marker. Thus began my research into Robinson’s Tavern.
In 1791, John Robinson bought 168 acres from
Brigadier General Alexander Spotswood on the north side of Orange Turnpike, now
known as Route 20, as part of Spotswood’s efforts to civilize the Wilderness
area of Spotsylvania County. John’s son,
Thomas, built the tavern about 1815. The
tavern was located about where the sign “Locust Grove” is today. In addition to being a typical tavern, it
also served as a stagecoach stop between Charlottesville and Washington.
During the Civil War, the tavern served twice as a
hospital for Union troops.
In the fall of 1863, after the Battle of Gettysburg,
both Generals Robert E. Lee and George G. Meade returned their armies to
Virginia along the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers. After engaging in several small battles,
Meade developed a plan for his 80,000 troops to attack Lee’s 50,000 troops to end
the fight. Lee’s troops were south of
the Rapidan. Meade heard that Germanna
Ford and two others were unguarded, so he planned to attack from that
direction. The Union crossed the Rapidan
on November 26, and, the Confederates, having heard of the planned attack,
began moving towards the Union. On
November 27, the two sides met near Robinson’s Tavern and Mine Run. The two armies moved around each other for
two days. Finally, on December 1, Meade,
frustrated, moved his troops back across the Rapidan towards Culpeper. The tavern was used as a temporary hospital
during the fight.
In May 1864, General Ulysses S. Grant began his overland campaign, marching east from Culpeper. Confederate General Ewell and his troops camped on the grounds of the tavern on their way to the Wilderness on May 4, 1864. .On May 5 and 6, 1864, the Battle of the Wilderness broke out a few miles up Orange Turnpike. As the fighting got more intense, and Saunders Field began burning, the tavern was set up as a Union hospital for two days.
After the war, life returned to normal. Modernization came to the corner in the
early 1980’s. With the paving of Orange
Turnpike, the purchase of the land around the intersection by Ken and Lora
Dotson and the construction of Locust Grove Town Center’s first building and
the Exxon Station, Robinson’s Tavern was moved about ½ mile west on Zoar
Road. The original building can still be
seen there today.
Upon completion of the second building in the town
center, Robinson’s Tavern Restaurant became one of the occupants until it
closed in 2012. Mountain View Barbeque
became the next occupant from about 2013 to 2014. The site has been Generals Quarters
Restaurant since February 2016.
Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my homeworth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.
To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.
Along Route 20 about a half mile before it intersects with Route 3 (where the Sheetz gas station is located) is a marker erected by the Virginia Department of Historical Resources describing an event in the Campaign of 1781 called Lafayette’s Maneuvers. While many of us are familiar with the area’s role in the Civil War, the marker is a small reminder of events that affected the area in Revolutionary times.
Exhibit 8 Marker OC 22
The Marquis de Lafayette, not quite 20 years old, had come to the Colonies in 1777 to help us during the American Revolutionary War. He was commissioned a Major General by Congress, and soon met General Washington, with whom he had a lifetime friendship. He went back and forth to France several times over the next few years, and even returned one time with 6000 troops. He returned in the spring of 1781 and was asked to join General Anthony Wayne, to stop British General Cornwallis’ army.
Exhibit 9: Lafayette
Over the next few months, the colonists and Cornwallis played
a game of “cat and mouse” in the region from Richmond to Charlottesville to
Williamsburg. On June 4, 1781, Lafayette and his troops crossed the Rapidan
River after drawing Cornwallis away from the coast. They made camp in a field just east of the
river on Ellwood Plantation that belonged to William Jones. At this time, Ellwood Manor had not yet been
built, so William and his wife, Betty, were living in a small settlement
house. Field hands alerted Mr. Jones
that soldiers were in the field so Mr. Jones had a meal prepared for Lafayette
and his officers and sent food down to the fields for the troops. The chase
continued the next day, and finally ended October 19, 1781, when Cornwallis and
his men surrendered at Yorktown, VA.
Lafayette soon returned to France, but retained the desire
to return. Forty-one years later,
President Monroe invited Lafayette to visit the U.S. on the eve of the
country’s 50th anniversary. Lafayette
arrived August 15, 1824, along with his son and his secretary. On October 19, 1724, he was at Yorktown for
the anniversary of Cornwallis’ surrender.
In November, he spent time at Monticello with his friend, Thomas
Jefferson, whom he found very frail.
While there James Madison, from nearby Montpelier, dropped in
unexpectedly. The entourage then began a
journey to Fredericksburg for a reception, stopping at Wilderness Tavern, which
was owned by William Jones. Mr. Jones
may have even provided a nice “coach and four” and accompanied the entourage to
Fredericksburg. The trip of 15 miles
took almost 2 hours.
They wintered in D.C. with the expectation of returning to
France in early spring 1825 but Lafayette wanted to visit his friend Jefferson
once more, so they journeyed again to Virginia.
On August 15, 1825, he stopped at Ellwood Manor, now completed and
William Jones fed the group a plantation breakfast. On August 16, he stopped at Montpelier to
visit Madison again, and they visited Jefferson August 18 to 21. He returned to D.C. for his birthday,
September 6, celebrated at the White House with President John Q Adams. He returned to France the next day, taking
with him soil from Bunker Hill, which was buried with him upon his death in
1834. His visit, which was supposed to last 4 months with visits to 13 states, stretched
into 13 months with visits to all 24 states.
So, yes, Lafayette “dined” at Ellwood Plantation – twice.
Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my homeworth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.
To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.
On the evening of May 1, 1863,
during the Battle of Chancellorsville, General “Stonewall” Jackson and
Confederate commander General Robert E. Lee held an historic meeting sitting on
a “cracker box” near the intersection of Plank and Furnace Roads.
They agreed upon a plan for Jackson to maneuver around the Union army and initiate a flank attack. The next morning Jackson and approximately 28,000 troops, nearly half of Lee’s Army, started their march. Charles Wellford, owner of Catherine Furnace, and his son guided them along back roads for 12 miles ending up on the right flank of the Union Army’s XI Corp. Around 5:15 p.m., rebel soldiers attacked, routing the Union troops and pushing them back until nightfall. Jackson considered pressing the attack but decided to conduct his own personal reconnaissance before committing to an unusual nighttime attack.
Exhibit 7: Arm of Jackson
Jackson set out around 9 p.m. with his entourage. His guide, 19 year old Private David Kyle, took them down a narrow road passing through Confederate lines and riding to within a few hundred yards of the enemy when Jackson’s staff cautioned that it would be too dangerous to go further. They turned around, retracing their path when they were fired upon by their own soldiers, mistaking them for Union skirmishers. Jackson was hit three times – once in his right hand and twice in the left arm. His staff rushed to his side, summoned his surgeon, Dr. Hunter McGuire, placed Jackson in an ambulance, and transported him to a field hospital – a large tent at Wilderness Tavern – near today’s Routes 3 and 20 Intersection; there, Dr. McGuire amputated Jackson’s left arm. Jackson’s chaplain, Beverly Tucker Lacy, carried Jackson’s amputated arm to Ellwood plantation, a mile away and owned by Lacy’s brother, where he buried it in the family cemetery; it remains there today. When Gen Lee heard of Jackson’s wounding, he exclaimed that “Jackson may have lost his left arm, but I have lost my right arm!” After his amputation, Stonewall Jackson was transported 27 miles to Guinea Station, near exit 118 on Interstate 95, where he died of pneumonia on May 10.
Visit the Chancellorsville
Battlefield Visitor Center, off Route 3, to learn more about Jackson’s flank
attack and even follow along the Jackson Trail.
Ellwood Manor on Route 20 offers an opportunity to view the burial site
of Jackson’s arm and hike to nearby Wilderness Tavern. Finally, Guinea Station is a shrine to
Jackson and readily accessible off Interstate 95.
Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my homeworth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.
To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.
Next month marks the 154th
anniversary of one of the largest and most significant battles in America’s
Civil War, the Battle of the Wilderness.
Conducted around, and sometimes on, our community’s grounds during the
first week of May 1864, the battle is often considered the beginning of the end
of the Confederacy. This year, during
the weekend of May 5 and 6, the National Park Service (NPS), in conjunction
with local living history re-enactor organizations and the Friends of the
Wilderness Battlefield, will offer to the public, free of charge, a full range
of events and demonstrations commemorating this momentous battle.
This event will be held on the grounds of Ellwood Manor,
a restored plantation home located on Route 20, approximately a half mile from
intersection of Route 20 and Route 3.
Participating in the weekend’s activities will be Confederate and Union
infantry and cavalry re-enactors as well as individuals depicting key battle
commanders such as Generals Ulysses Grant, George Meade, and Gouverneur
Warren. Each participating organization
will set up a campsite near Ellwood that will allow you to view several
demonstrations of camp life, including stepping into the life of a soldier or
learning about the medical realities of war in the mid-19th century.
Anyone who wants to learn more about this hallowed land
where we live should not miss this event.
The activities will be held on the grounds of Ellwood each day on May 5
and 6 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; some will be ongoing and others scheduled at
specific times, usually on the hour.
There will be multiple infantry and cavalry battle
demonstrations between the Confederate and Union re-enactors each day. At 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. both days, the NPS will
conduct live fire artillery demonstrations.
At 4 p.m. on Saturday, all of the infantry, cavalry, and artillery units
will conduct a combined battle demonstration.
You don’t want to miss these!
Just prior to the midday firing demonstrations each day, you will be
able to witness a major confrontation among Generals Grant, Meade, and Warren
just as it may have occurred on May 5, 1863.
There will be opportunities to talk to each of the participants and
plenty of photo ops in front of the manor house as well as with all re-enactors
and horses.
Regardless of what you know about the Wilderness Battle
or the Civil War writ large, you will leave Ellwood with a better understanding
of and new perspectives about the events that occurred on this hallowed ground
and how they affected the final outcome of the war less than a year later.
For more information about this Living History event, you
can visit the local NPS website (www.nps.gov.frsp) or the Friends of the Wilderness
Battlefield website (www.fowb.org).
They will provide you with additional details about the events and
participants, as well as the timeline for specific activities and
demonstrations. Mark your calendars –
this weekend is a must see!
Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my homeworth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.
To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.
In April, 1875, the New York Sun reported that Anthony
Smith, commonly known as Anthony Jones, died in New York at the age of 70.
Smith was a former slave who had run-away from the Wilderness of Virginia.
During his life in New York Smith had accumulated a considerable estate but had
neglected to write a will. Lacking a legal heir, the New York Court System took
control of his affairs.
On his death-bed interview, Smith
told the story of his life. Once the property of William Jones, owner of the
Ellwood Manor estate in the Wilderness of Spotsylvania, His master William
Jones had become a widower in the 1820s and several years later William
remarried Lucinda Gordon who brought with her to Ellwood Mansion a personal
slave, Patsey.
Anthony eventually wooed Patsey
and with the consent of their owners they took up housekeeping on the Ellwood
Manor grounds. Four children were born to the couple, but only one, the fourth,
survived. About the time of William’s death in 1845, Anthony ran-away from his
then pregnant wife and the Ellwood estate. He was captured, returned to
Fredericksburg and sold to a new owner. After a trip to the South with his new
master, Anthony again escaped and made his way to New York City, where he lived
out his remaining years. Following the Emancipation, Anthony attempted to
restore contact with his family back in the Wilderness, but with limited
success. Patsey did retain one of his letters and later cited it as proof of
their marital relationship.
The story as related above was
published in the New York papers sometime after Anthony’s death. It was soon
picked up and published by Richmond, Virginia papers. As a result, two sets of
claimants to Anthony’s fortune came forth to the New York Court. One, the
remaining sister and brother of Anthony declared extreme poverty. They were
represented by J. Horace Lacy, their former owner through his marriage to Betty
Churchill Jones, William Jones’ second daughter and heir to Ellwood.
The second claimants were Patsey,
his first wife, along with the sole living child who was born after Anthony’s
first escape. They were represented by lawyers Alexander & Green of
Fredericksburg. When interviewed by the New York court, Patsey explained that
she had waited a number of years following Anthony’s departure before taking in
a new partner. Though partnered, she claimed to have been the wife of Anthony
(citing the letter she retained) and therefore a legal heir to his estate.
The New York Court wrestled with
the judgment for nearly a year. They recognized that New York and Virginia laws
on marriage differed considerably in the pre-war era. Numerous testaments and
affidavits were heard or submitted. Many of the claimants appeared before the
referee at least one time. In the end, based on Patsey’s proof of their pre-war
marital relationship, the court sided with Patsey. She received the estate,
then valued at $20,000, cash and property.
Continue to Chapter 6: Relive the Battle of the Wilderness
Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my homeworth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.
To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.
Do you know your family’s history? How far back can you trace your lineage? If you are an African American descended from
slaves, that quest can be very difficult, often impossible. Most of what we know about the history of
slaves and their families comes from oral traditions carried from generation to
generation. Such is the case of Anthony
Jones, a slave on the Ellwood Plantation in the first half of the 19th
century, and his family.
Shortly before his death in New York City, Jones
shared a believable story of his family and their roles at the plantation. Anthony was the son of Ester and Anthony
Jones, Sr., likely the Black Minister for the plantation’s slaves. Anthony, Sr. and Ester had 8 children, some
of whom are documented on slave censuses from Spotsylvania and Orange Counties.
William Jones, the owner of Ellwood, was widowed in
1825. He remarried a few years later at
78 to Lucinda Gordon, a 16 year old grandniece of his first wife. She brought her personal slave, Patsy, with
her to Ellwood. Like most slaves during
this period, Patsy developed a specialty – her skill was weaving. The younger
Anthony took a shine to Patsy as she sat weaving and, after wooing her for an
extended time, asked her to marry him.
Patsy agreed and Anthony, as the law then required, had to ask for
permission from the plantation owner; after William Jones agreed, Anthony and
Patsy took up residency in the laundry house at Ellwood. They had four children over the next 13
years – the first three (Isaac, Aaron, and Lucy) died in infancy.
Over time, Anthony grew increasingly unhappy with his
Ellwood life, working the fields and gold mining on plantation property. In the early 1840s he opted to run away,
leaving his then pregnant wife Patsy, his parents and his 7 siblings
behind. He was captured and returned to
Fredericksburg where he was jailed and sold to a slave trader, John Ellis. After the sale, Anthony had to accompany his
master on a trip into the Deep South. On
their return by boat, Ellis became sick and died, leaving Anthony in charge of
the owner’s personal belongings. Instead
of returning to Fredericksburg, Anthony stayed on the ship headed to New
York. On arrival, he locked his owner’s
trunk, gave the key to the ship’s captain, and announced that he was going to
Church. He never returned to the ship.
Anthony obtained employment in New York and for the
next few years attempted to correspond with Patsy; she later claimed to have
received only one letter which had to be read to her by the local postmaster
(Almond). Unfortunately, she lost that
letter during the Civil War. She and her youngest child, Anthony III, later
laid claim to the wealth her husband accumulated during his New York working
days. The elder Jones’ siblings, Isaac
Smith and Elizabeth Keaton, also pursued the estate through the New York
probate court. Those proceedings (1873-1876) and their related testimonials
afforded considerable insight into the family, some of which are shared in this
article.
(The rest of the story, obtained from the court
proceedings, will appear in the next episode.)
Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in Lake of the Woods VA or Waterfront property in Virginia we are your Real Estate Advisors for Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Locust Grove, Central Virginia, and Greater Virginia. Thinking of selling? In any market condition, “what is my homeworth?” is the #1 question asked by home owners. If you wish to sell your home, it needs to be sold for top dollar and in a timely manner. Pricing your home accurately, Pat will partner with you to make the selling process so much easier. Get started today by calling us at (540) 388-2541 or contact Pat Licata.
To see available Lake of the Woods properties, please visit our site.
