Gainesville in Prince William County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Home of Thomas B. Gaines
Photographed by Craig Swain, January 1, 2025
1. Home of Thomas B. Gaines Marker
Inscription.
Home of Thomas B. Gaines. . In 1850, Thomas Brawner Gaines (1814-1856) sold to the Manassas Gap Railroad a right-of-way through his land along the Warrenton Turnpike (U.S. Route 29). After the railroad was completed to Strasburg in 1854 he conveyed additional land for a train depot with the condition that the rail stop take his name. By 1856 a small community with a post office flourished around the Gainesville depot. After Thomas's untimely death in 1856, his widow, Mary C. Gaines, continued to occupy the family dwelling with her three sons, three daughters, and one grandson. During the Civil War Union forces frequently occupied the farm and, during the Bristoe campaign, it served as a field hospital. Following Mary's death in 1880, part of the farm became a racetrack. In 1883 daughter Somerville Gaines donated land for the Gainesville Methodist Church which stood here until 2016. Thomas and Mary Gaines are among those buried in this remaining cemetery.
In 1850, Thomas Brawner Gaines (1814-1856) sold to the Manassas Gap Railroad a right-of-way through his land along the Warrenton Turnpike (U.S. Route 29). After the railroad was completed to Strasburg in 1854 he conveyed additional land for a train depot with the condition that the rail stop take his name. By 1856 a small community with a post office flourished around the Gainesville depot. After Thomas's untimely death in 1856, his widow, Mary C. Gaines, continued to occupy the family dwelling with her three sons, three daughters, and one grandson. During the Civil War Union forces frequently occupied the farm and, during the Bristoe campaign, it served as a field hospital. Following Mary's death in 1880, part of the farm became a racetrack. In 1883 daughter Somerville Gaines donated land for the Gainesville Methodist Church which stood here until 2016. Thomas and Mary Gaines are among those buried in this remaining cemetery.
Erected 2017 by Prince William County Historical Commission.
War, US Civil. A significant historical year for this entry is 1850.
Location. 38° 47.994′ N, 77° 36.949′ W. Marker is in Gainesville, Virginia, in Prince William County. It is on John Marshall Highway (State Highway 55), on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 14200 John Marshall Hwy, Gainesville VA 20155, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area, in Northern Virginia, and in the Piedmont. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Macrae School (approx. half a mile away); The Shirley Cemetery (approx. 0.6 miles away); Rock Fight
Also see . . . Thomas Brawner Gaines Farmstead - Southview Phase III. The family farm was the subject of an archeological survey. This page provides additional details of the historical activities on the site and shows some artifacts recovered. (Submitted on June 29, 2025, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
Photographed by Craig Swain, January 1, 2025
3. Older Section of Cemetery
The headstones are weathered and difficult to read.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 29, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 29, 2025, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 317 times since then and 127 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on June 29, 2025, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.
