Sunday, June 26, 2011

Chronology--Fort Ward

Chronology--Fort Ward
By Dave Cavanaugh

8/26/1982 City of Alexandria submitted nomination form to the National Park Service for listing of Fort Ward (35 acres) on the National Register of Historic Places.
1966 May 30, 1964—45 acre Fort Ward Park dedicated.
1961 City of Alexandria purchased the Fort and surrounding land.
2/1/1953 Clara W. Adams dies.
4/7/1926 The County School Board of Fairfax County conveys ¼ acre school site to Trustees of the Diocesan Missionary Society of Virginia, public auction, purchase price $300.
4/1914 Lancelot Minor Blackford dies.

12/31/ 1898 Clare & Robert Adams convey ¼ acre to Fairfax County School Board for school plus right of way for outlet road. (FFX County Deed Book, C-6; 139)

12/29/1898 Harriet Shorts conveys 2 acres to Clara Adams. The two acres references “a corner shared with the late Cassius F. Lee. (FFX County Deed Books, B-6; 512)

06/28/1898 Burr Short Will dated June 28, 1898 leaves 10 acres to his wife Harriet (Libra H-2, page 38 of Falls Church, Virginia Will Book Records)

2/5/1894 Commissioners in case of Hooe v. Hooff convey 11 ½ acres to James F. Jackson after payment in full of purchase money of $300. Legal description references Western slope of a bank of Fort Ward, John A. Miller’s corner and corner of Lot 4. (FFX Deed Book, Q-5; 466). This is the Western most section.

1/26/1894 Elizabeth P. Hoof dies

5/14/1889 Commissioners in the case of equity convey Lot 2 containing 2 ½ acres to Samuel Javins. This transaction is noted on 9/24/1894 in FFX County Deed Book R-5; 413. Payment of purchase money was $75.00. Lot 4 is off of an outlet road to Alexandria Braddock Road. The Lot 2 had been owned by Robert Mc Knight?
A narrow 5 acre lot (Lot 4) with frontage on Old Braddock Road is adjacent. The Plat shows John H. Terrell as the owner. Another 2 ½ acre owned by Brook Johnson is immediately South of the Samuel Javins tract. (FFX Deed Book E-5, P. 579) (Middle)
1/11/1886 Commissioners in case of Hooe v. Hoof pending in the Corporation Court convey 3 contiguous tracts each being 1 ⅔ totaling 5 acres on Braddock Road to John A Miller Consideration is not stated (FFX County Deed Book, E-5; 579).
1886 Robert Adams and Clara Shorts marry. They are 20 years old

3/20/1884 Commissioners in case of Hooe v. Hooff convey 10 acres to Burr Shorts after payment of purchase money in the amount of $300. (FFX Deed Book E-5; 578-579) Eastern 10 acres

1884 Samuel Javins and Florence McKnight marry.

12/ 1882 Claughton is empowered vice C.S. Neale to make deed of sale on land reported sold to Burr Shorts (Vol. 3, p. 165 Chancery Order Books)


10/30/1881 William Bell, Blackford’s servant dies. William was born in 1868. Box 49, Folder 1—1992.0012
April 187 Court accepts offer by John A. Miller (Volume 2, p 180) Need date
12/17/1876 Thomas N. Carter Surveyor, completes survey of lands at Fort Ward in case of Hooe v. Hooff.
4/26/1876 Corporation Court appoint Commissioners to make sale of certain real estate in the cause of Hooe’s v. P.H. Hooff, et, al,. (FFX Deed Book V-4, p. 66)
4/26/1876 Order to convey to S.C. Neale, commissioner of sale for Mrs. E. B. Hooff the property mentioned in the proceedings in the county of Fairfax…near Hutton’s (or Hultons’s) land to Fort Ward and below Fort Ward to Stony Hollow—115 acres with buildings…in trust for the sole use and benefit of Mrs. E.B. Hoof free from control, debts, etc., of her husband P.H. Hooff, as if she were a “feme sole”. She had to relinquish her dower interest in the real estae of her husband. S.C. Neale & Rodophe Claughton appointed commissioners of sale to offer at public auction after advertising for 30 days the following: 1) the balance of the farm described in Exhibit A with the bill which shall remain after the conveyance of 115 acres thereof, with the house and appurtenances, 2) the dwelling house of P.H. Hooff, 315 Prince Street, and 3) House and lot north side of King between Payne and West. Chancery Order Book, Volume 1, p. 486
1877` John Wallace Terrell and Bernie McKnight marry
9/1870 Lancelot Minor Blackford becomes Headmaster at Episcopal High School and begins diaries that provide a glimpse of racial interaction after the Civil War.

1870 U.S. Census shows Burr and Harriet Shorts living at or near Fort Ward. Others listed included Levonia Perkins, Mary and Clara Shorts, Florence McKnight, Kitty, Maria and Robert McKnight. Birney McKnight (25) was a domestic servant for Cassius F. Lee. Samuel McKnight (18) was a farm hand.

1868 Kittie McKnight and James Jackson marry.

12/1865 Fort Ward is closed

9/1861 Fort construction completed.

7/1861 Construction of earthen fort started.

6/1861 Union soldiers begin camping in area surrounding the Seminary.

5/24/1861 Virginia secedes from the Union. Early morning Union troops crossed into Virginia securing and occupying Arlington Heights and Alexandria.

12/1849 Katie (Kittie) McKnight/Jackson born.


12/ 1848 James Jackson born.

1848 Birney McKnit born.
1/24/1844 Levi Hurdle and wife convey lands to Philip H. Hooff. Lands include tracts previously acquired from Thomas H. Beale (12/10/1821), Robert Harper (10/25/1824). FFX County Deed Book H-3;173-174


African Americans acquired 36.5 acres at Fort Ward as from Chancery Court.

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