Charge of the Gray Devils Historic Fairfax City, Inc
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"Preserving the Past. Protecting the Future." the Protecting Past. the "Preserving Volume 10, Issue 2 Spring 2013 Charge of the Gray Devils Historic Fairfax City, Inc. By William Page Johnson, II "Fare Fac - Say Do" In April 1995, an officer of a local heritage association from Executive Officers Jamestown, North Carolina contacted me. He was seeking David L. Pumphrey President information about the death and burial of a Confederate officer who Sandra S. Wilbur Vice-Pres. had been killed at the Battle of Fairfax Station on June 27, 1863. Albert L. Leightley Treasurer Christopher Kelley Secretary He went on to relate that he thought that the grave of Confederate Major John Henry Whitaker of the 1st North Carolina Cavalry had been Ann F. Adams Director Hildie A. Carney Director desecrated. He was outraged that Major Whitaker’s broken and discarded Patricia A. Fabio Director tombstone had been found dumped along side of Interstate 85 in North Carolina. Fairfax, VA 22030 VA Fairfax, Mary D. Gauthier Director D. Lee Hubbard Director I genuinely wanted to help him but I was completely ignorant of this event. I had 10209 Main Street Main 10209 Hon. Wm. Page Johnson, II Director never heard of the Battle of Fairfax Station, the death of Major Whitaker, or Claudia J. Lewis Director David L. Pumphrey, President Pumphrey, L. David Jenée L. Lindner Director where he might be buried. Being an avid Civil War historian who had grown up Wayne A. Morris Director Return Address - Historic Fairfax City, Inc. City, Fairfax Historic - Address Return in Fairfax, I was even a little doubtful that the gentleman from North Carolina Deborah E. Mullan Director Michael A. Pappas Director knew what he was talking about. But I was determined to find out. Hon. Penny A. Rood Director Edward C. Trexler, Jr. Director Within a few days of that first call, the gentleman from North Carolina Barry R. Wickersham Director called again to say that the mystery was solved. It seems that the great-nephew of Major John H. Whitaker, Whitmel M. Joyner, of New Hill, North Carolina, The Newsletter of Historic Fairfax City, Inc. 1861-1865 2011-2015 The Fare Facs Gazette © 2013 Editor: William Page Johnson, II had ordered a tombstone from the Veterans Administration in 1995 to memorialize Whitaker’s Confederate service and mark his grave.1 Unfortunately, when the tombstone arrived it was damaged and Joyner refused shipment. The delivery truck driver then evidently had simply dumped the marker along the Interstate, where it was discovered by the North Carolina State Police. Major Whitaker still lay undisturbed in his grave. End of story? Yes, but not for E-mail: [email protected] me. Several questions still lingered. Fairfax Court House, Virginia Website: www.historicfairfax.org Adapted from U.S. Military Topographical Map, January 1, 1862 Continued on Page 3 Volume 10, Issue 2 The Fair Facs Gazette Spring 2013 Volume 10, Issue 2 The Fair Facs Gazette Spring 2013 infant son, John Pridmore Stiles, and left Virginia for good.18 Fairfax, Virginia, June 2013 At the Fairfax Museum Census records indicate that Joseph Stiles moved first to Fairfax Court House News Lathrop, Clinton Co., Missouri and eventually settled in Message from the President and Historic Blenheim... Guthrie, Logan County, Oklahoma. In 1872, Joseph married of 150 Years Ago Martha Frances Steers, his sister-in-law, and half sister of This has been a very active spring for HFCI, the Saturday, June 15 – 2 p.m. City of Fairfax Department of Historic Resources his wife Sarah Catherine Stiles. Martha was the daughter “Sunstroke and Ankle-Deep Mud” – Join authors 19 and City of Fairfax Civil War Sesquicentennial of Henry Steers and Sarah E. (Halley) Pridmore. The two Brian McEnany and Jim Lewis for the untold story of the were married in spite of the fact that no record of divorce Committee. On March 9th we had the Union Army’s II Corps’ arduous march across Northern has yet been found in either Virginia or Missouri. Martha Reenactment of Mosby’s Raid, on April 17th we Virginia on the way to Gettysburg in June 1863. Location: had been residing in St. Louis, Missouri with her sister had a talk by Howard Coffin on the experiences The Civil War Interpretive Center at Historic Harriet, wife of John Dollar, just 260 miles west, in Lathrop, of Vermont soldiers who were serving here Blenheim, 3610 Old Lee Highway. 703-591-0560. Clinton Co., MO. during that Raid and on April 27 the City held the Historic Blenheim is open: 12 - 4 p.m., Tuesday– In 1878, Joseph Stiles first wife, Sarah Catherine, Annual Civil War Day at Blenheim. In addition Saturday; guided tour at 1 p.m. the Museum held a number of talks on historic married her stepfather’s brother, her step-uncle, Edward Steers, Sr. (1816–1895), in Fairfax Co., VA. Daily National Republican, May 23, 1863, p. 3, c. 1. themes and organized new exhibits. Saturday, July 27 – 2 p.m. “Unknown or Unfamiliar Civil War Incidents in Joseph Stiles left Missouri about 1890 and moved his This fall on September 27, HFCI will be holding Fairfax County” family to a farm four miles east of Guthrie, Logan County, 20 the annual Taste of the Vine fundraiser. The Listen to local historian Don Hakenson weave these Oklahoma. Besides other crops, Joseph Stiles farm 21 wines of Barrel Oak winery will be featured at stories of John S. Mosby and more. included 6,000 fruit trees. this year’s Taste of the Vine and the appetizers In 1892, he was elected Treasurer of Logan County will be provided by Café Italia. We will again Saturday, August 24 – 2 p.m. and served two terms until 1896. Joseph Stiles died of a have the popular silent auction that features a Saturday, August 24, 2 p.m. stroke on June 28, 1899 in Guthrie, Oklahoma. He is interred wide range of gifts, services and other great Program TBA in Summit View Cemetery, in Guthrie, OK.22 items. This is our most important fundraising (See Endnotes bottom p. 17) activity and we hope that everyone will plan on Saturday, September 23 – 7 p.m. attending. Fall for the Book Festival Program with GMU “Black Soldiers in White Regiments” HFCI’s support for the restoration of the City’s Dr. Juanita Patience Moss, will share her ten years of historic properties is also continuing this year. research on 2,000 black soldiers who served in white HFCI is contributing $25,000 toward work at regiments during the Civil War Blenheim house. This work is critical to making the house safe for future expansion of visitation and use. Your continued support for our organization is critical to continuing this Second Sunday Series... important work. Sunday, July 14 — 2 p.m. “Songs and Stories of the Red, White and Blue.” Please check our website http:// Musical presentation by Matthew Dodd tells the stories www.historicfairfax.org for information about behind the composition of our most popular patriotic these events as well as many others. songs. Location: Program will be at Old Town Hall, 3999 University Drive, Fairfax. David L. Pumphrey Sunday, August 11 — 2 p.m. “The Story of Pie.” Illustrated talk by Debbie Waugh, Historic House Coordinator at Green Spring Gardens, Alexandria, and display of cookbooks from the City’s Historic Collections showing pie recipes. Photo Credit: Lyn Hutton http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/ Macon Telegraph, June 9, 1863, p. 2, c. 3. 2 Continued next page 19 Volume 10, Issue 2 The Fair Facs Gazette Spring 2013 Volume 10, Issue 2 The Fair Facs Gazette Spring 2013 to return to his duties.” Another Fairfax County loyalist, What was the Battle of Fairfax Station? What happened Joseph Stiles, Fairfax County Job Hawxhurst, was appointed Deputy to fill in for Joseph Sunday, September 8 — 2 p.m. Looking for Mosby. to Major Whitaker, and where was he buried? Commissioner of the Revenue, 1862-1866 Stiles.15 Guided walking tour of the Fairfax City Cemetery with The Beginning Joseph Stiles (1830 – 1899) was a Quaker, born in Both men were eventually exchanged. However, stops at the graves of men, who served in “Mosby’s Burlington County, New Jersey. He moved to Fairfax County, Stiles was captured once again in June 1864. Rangers.” Fee: $5.00. Meet at the Cemetery, 10567 Main On Saturday, June 27, 1863, a cavalry skirmish Virginia with his parents, Martin and Sarah (Sopers) Stiles, Street, Fairfax. occurred in Fairfax at the start of the pivotal Gettysburg In 1865, Joseph Stiles was appointed Deputy U.S. in the spring of 1853. That same year he purchased 80 acres Campaign. This event, in a small way, influenced the outcome Marshall and enforced the Federal Direct Tax or Income on the southwest side of Ox Road (Rt. 123) at its Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center, 10209 Main of that decisive battle. By comparison, it was insignificant Tax adopted by Congress in 1862 to help pay for the war.16 intersection with Hampton Road.1 On November 29, 1855, Street, Fairfax. 703-385-8414 and completely overshadowed by the larger action in This is the same Federal income tax that is still with us he married Sarah Catherine Pridmore (1832 – 1914)2 of Gettysburg. It was also a lopsided affair. For the Southern today. Property of citizens who did not pay the tax was Prince William Co.3 Sarah was the daughter of John D. & Historic Blenheim and The Civil War Interpretive cavalrymen involved it was but a momentary distraction, a subject to confiscation. At the end of the war, almost no Sarah (Halley) Pridmore.