Brentsville Neighbors “Preserving Brentsville’s History” J u l y 2 0 1 6 Welcome neigbors, Shortly after the June newsletter was distributed I Then on July 18 – 22 experience the CivilWar Basic received thefollowing:“Goshyou didn’teven mention Summer Camp at Brentsville Courthouse Historic the49th in thenewsletter forCourtDays that isso not Centre. This event is geared for youth aged 8 to 12 like you.Tony said they had a good amount watching and runs from 9a.m. untilnoon each day. Thecost is themusteringin. Thejailwasabighitexceptthepeople $130 per participant. The Civil War Basic Camp is a who spent the night in there.Long story for another unique, hands on approach to the history of the day.” With head hunglow Ihad to admit thatthis was American CivilWar. Activities includeenlistment,drill correct BUTI was not able to personally attend the and tactics,uniforms and equipment,flags,food ways Court Days because my #1 granddaughter was and shelters used by both Union and Confederate graduatingfrom college and after all,what grandfather Infantry. Thecamp includes atourof the1861 portion worth his salt would have missed that! Thus the of ManassasNationalBattlefield. Registrationfor this information I used was second hand (at best) and camp can be done on line at www.pwcparks.org or obviously notcomplete. I’lltry to do betternext time. by calling 703-792-8320 or 703-365-7895. Honest. Page 9of thisedition announces that bees are coming Hereare twoevents you may wish to considerfor this to Brentsville! Faithfulreaders of our newsletter will month. First, on July 16th at 7 p.m. there will be a no doubt rememberthat in the October 2010 section “Reptiles andAmphibiansof Virginia”presentation by called Reader Feedback, Mike Janay told us about naturalist and reptile expert Tony Bulmer who will hisexperiencekeepingbees on the WoolyBoolyFarm presenta lectureon thenative reptiles and amphibians on Barbee Road.Beekeeping was practiced by almost thatcallVirginiahome.Learnwhy havingthesespecies every farmer but, like many other things, is slowly in youryard and our parksis agood thing.Thelecture disappearing fromourcommunity. willbeheld atBrentsville CourthouseHistoric Centre and willinclude guest appearances by some of our Very best wishes, local reptilian residents. Cost is $5 per person. For more information on this one please call 703-365- Kay and Morgan 7895. This month: Letter From Brentsville page 2 In Search of Civil War Canes pages 5-7 WhereWild Things Live page 3 When War Came page 8 Writingon the Wall page 4 ALook Backin History page 9 Bees Come to Brentsville page 9 130-01 People in the country GIVE Services and visiting Mrs. Speaks’ mother, Mrs. J. you things. J. Whetzel. It gets to be a perfect mania. Mrs. Ray Hedrick’s’ daughter, Mrs. William Especially in the summer. Say Edwards, and children were visitors on Sunday. fromaboutAprilfirst untilthe end Mrs. Eleanor Heflin, who has been a guest of ofAugust it is not safe to paythe Mr. and Mrs. Wister Stephens, has given up her mostinnocentcall upona neighbor apartment in Alexandria and is moving to Philadelphia unless you are prepared to stagger home under the to live with her daughter, Mrs. Gladys Yeager. weight of several bushels of wax beans, turnips, Visitors at the Stephens on Thursday were Mrs. cabbage plants … Cleveland Fisher, Mrs. Eagle, Martha Ann Eagle, and “Hello, Mrs. Smith,” you say, sticking your head Doris Anne Kline. cautiously around her kitchen door. “I just stopped in Mr. Benny Breeden’s two nieces, MissAlice and for a second to ask if you still have that recipe for Cora Lane, from Washington, were guests for the watermelon pickle?” week-end. “ComeIN,” says Mrs. Smith with a leer, rubbing Mrs. Charles Kempton’s sister who is visiting her hands together. “You’re JUST the person I them spent Friday in Washington with Master Wayne wanted to see. I understand that you need some Kempton. The Kemptons spent Sunday swimming cabbage plants.” and picnicking near Linton Hall. “Well, I COULD do with a few, … to fill out a Bible School will start on Monday morning at 9 row,” you admit, fearing the worst and trying o’clock at the Old Court House, and last until 12 desperately to think of a way to escape. noon every week-day morning. “FINE!” exclaims Mrs. Smith, getting a quick The Reverend Frank Griffith, who recently hammerlock on onearm and dragging you off toward resigned as pastor of the Baptist Church, has returned the coldframe. at the request of his congregation. The cabbage plants areenormous, and she forces There was a family reunion at the home of Mr. 3 or 4 dozen on you, despite your feeble protests and Mrs. W. E. Brown when Mrs. Brown’s brother, that your family doesn’t eat much cabbage. Visions Mr. J. E. Elam, of Newcastle, Indiana, and his son, of yourself bendingover ahot stovemakingsourkrout Jackie arrived to spend several days. Among those flit across your anguished mind. present were Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Neff, of Baltimore, “While we’re here,” she says, “let’s just go out Mr. and Mrs. Bob Bankert, of Friendly Town, Md., andtake alook atthe turnips. HowAREyour turnips Mr. and Mrs. Davis, and child, of Harwood Park, doing?” Md., Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Simms, Mr. and Mrs. Caught off guard, you confess that you didn’t Harold Neff, Corporal Bill Brown, and George plant turnips this year. Melvin. While Mr. Elam was here he took the “Well, never mind,” says Mrs. Smith consolingly, opportunity to go sight-seeingin Washington, and on “I’ll give you some of mine. They need thinning Thursdayvisited Mt. Vernon in the company of Mrs. anyway. And seizing a trowel, off she goes; you Brown, Mrs. Simms, and Mrs. Neff. bringing up the rear, reluctantly, with a basket. Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Fletcher, of Washington, And one thing leads to another. It’s “How about were guests of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Keys on Saturday. some of these wax-beans for supper tonight?” And A meetingwas held recently atthe homeof Mrs. “I’m SURE you could use a little rhubarb chard, … Ora Keys for the purpose of reorganizing the John won’t touch it!” Or, “You’d better take a few Baseball Club. Nelson Bradshaw was appointed plants of dill and cherry-tomatoes, Ihate tosee them President; Morris Keys, vice-president; and Jim go to waste …” Shoemaker, Secretary and Treasurer. Various And the last voice you hear before collapsing committees were named to carry out plans, and the from heat, overwork, and the sheer weight of two Club puton a businesslike basis. tons of vitamins, is Mrs. Smith’s saying cheerfully, Regards, “How did we EVER happen to miss the salsify …?” Agnes Webster Mr. and Mrs. Everett Speaks, of Washington, spent Sunday evening in Brentsville attending Church Source: The Manassas Messenger, July 16, 1948 130-02 Where WILD things live... Cirsiumvulgare Bull Thistle (Aster Family) This plant is a biennial individual plants before they that forms a rosette of leaves reach the flowering stage. It is during the first year, and bolts possible for aplant to reestablish upward during the second year itself if a portion of the taproot to produce flowers. It forms remains in the ground. occasional side stems, but This thistle is adventive remains erect in stature, reaching from Eurasia, and it has existed 3-6' in height. The stout stems are in the UnitedStates since the19th light green, somewhat angular, century, if not earlier. Habitats and covered with dense white include pastures, abandoned hairs. The alternate leaves are up fields, fence rows, areas along to 7" long and 2" across. In roadsides and railroads, cut-over outline, they are lanceolate in woods, and miscellaneous waste shape, but deeply pinnatifid. The areas. This species prefers widely spaced lobes narrow into disturbed areas and it is not points that are individuallyarmed common in high quality natural with a paleyellow spine. Some of areas. the upper leaves near the The nectar and pollen of flowerheads maybe lanceolate or linear, but remain unlobed. the flowers attract many kinds of long-tongued bees, Across the surface of the leaves, there are short white hairs including bumblebees, leaf-cutting bees, long-horned bees, and scattered small spines. The upper surface is dark green, and cuckoo bees. The flower nectar also attracts butterflies while the lower surface is light green. At the base of each (especially swallowtails), skippers, and bee flies. Green leaf, there are a pair of narrow wings that are dark green and metallic bees andother Halictid bees maycollect pollen from decurrent against the stem. These wings are extensions of the flowers, but they are non-pollinating. The caterpillars of the leaves and arm the stems with spines up to ¼” long. the butterflyPainted Lady feed on the foliage. There are also The upper stems terminate in flowerheads of many moth species with caterpillars that consume various purplish pink to purple flowers. Each flowerhead is 1½–2" parts of thistles. The seeds are eaten by the American across and contains numerous disk florets, but no rayflorets. Goldfinch and the Clay-colored Sparrow. Goldfinches also Each disk floret is long and tubular, but becomes divided use the tufts of hair as construction material for their little into 5 long thread-like lobes. This provides the flowerhead nests. Mammalian herbivores don’t eat the Bull Thistle with a showy hair-like appearance. At the base of each because it is heavily armed with spines. Even in overgrazed flowerhead, are numerous green bracts that taper into stiff pastures where cattle and sheep have little to eat, the Bull points that curl outward and are quite prickly.Among these Thistle is one of the few plants that is left alone bracts are cobwebby hairs in the background.