Manassas in Prince William County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

The Matthew Farm

Manassas National Battlefield Park

Photographed By Shane Oliver, February 11, 2017

1. The Matthew Farm Marker

Inscription. In 1860, Martin Matthew owned a modest frame house on 123 acres. He shared the home with his brothers Carson and Edgar. The brothers cultivated wheat, corn, oats, and hay and also raised tobacco - a rarity in the area at the time. Woodlots provided timber for construction, material for fences, wood for fuel, and forage for livestock.

The Matthew house stood behind the Federal lines and provided shelter to the wounded. Two notable officers of the 2nd Rhode Island, Colonel John Slocum and Major Sullivan Ballou, both mortally wounded, were initially brought to the home before being transferred to the hospital at Sudley Church. The house survived the war but burned around 1901.

(caption)
Photographer George Barnard captured this image of the Matthew House in March 1862f from approximately where you now stand. For local residents, the fighting here ushered in a thirteen month ordeal of contending armies, two major battles, and prolonged military occupation.

Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Military • War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is July 21, 1861.

Location. 38° 49.544′ N, 77° 31.793′ W. Marker is in Manassas

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, Virginia, in Prince William County. Marker can be reached from Sudley Road (U.S. 234) 0.7 miles north of Lee Highway (Route 29), on the right when traveling north. Located along the Matthews Hill walking trail. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6511 Sudley Rd, Manassas VA 20109, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. 4th Alabama Infantry (within shouting distance of this marker); 2nd Rhode Island Infantry (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); U.S. Infantry Battalion (about 500 feet away); Rhode Island Battery (about 600 feet away); The Fight for Matthews Hill (about 600 feet away); 2nd New Hampshire Infantry (about 600 feet away); 8th Georgia Infantry (about 600 feet away); George T. Stovall (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manassas.

Also see . . . Manassas National Battleﬁeld Park. National Park Service (Submitted on February 20, 2017.)

Possible site of the Matthews Farm? image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Shane Oliver, February 11, 2017

2. Possible site of the Matthews Farm?

The foundation is the only thing that remains of the Matthews Farm, and according to what I was told by a ranger at the Henry Hill Visitor Center, the foundation is located within the forested area of the Matthews Hill loop trail. I followed the trail and noticed a patch of green (keep in mind I took this photo in February) with a smaller number of trees than usual. I am not 100% on whether or not this is the farmhouse site, but it is very likely. Chances are that either this is the site of the farmhouse, or the farmhouse foundation is lost in the woodlot - inaccessible from the loop trail.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 20, 2017. It was originally submitted on February 19, 2017, by Shane Oliver of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 479 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 19, 2017, by Shane Oliver of Richmond, Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.