Near Brentsville in Prince William County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Clerk's Office
Brentsville
Palladium of Liberty, Vol IV no. 25, September 1820, Warrenton, VA
(caption for lower, left picture)Phillip Devereaux Dawe served as the Clerk of the Prince William County Court from 1813 until he died in May, 1832. Numerous court documents from this period display Dawe’s elegant handwriting.
Like all other Clerks of the Court, Dawe was a County resident and was paid from the fees he collected for various services.
(Photograph) Courtesy of the Prince William County Office of the Clerk of Circuit Court
(caption for upper, center picture) This drawing illustrates how the Clerk’s Office may have appeared. Sketch by Ray Goodrow.
Clerk of the Court
The County Clerk was one of the few Court members trained in law. His knowledge was essential to County Justices. The Clerk and his assistance recorded Courthouse business. In the early 19th century, the Clerk was elected by the County Magistrates and served until they voted to remove him.
Effects of the Civil War
During the Civil War, the Clerk’s Office was destroyed by armies passing through Brentsville. Many of the County’s records were lost or destroyed. After the war, local houses served as Clerk’s Offices until the Clerk moved into the Courthouse. The Brentsville School was built over part of the Clerk’s Office foundation in 1928.
(caption for lower, right picture) John Keys and William Keys and all the rest of your Keyses – if you are any relations of mine you had better keep shady at least – till this “cruel war is over”
Right: Federal soldiers certainly perused County documents when they were in Brentsville. William F. Keys of Co. K, 143rd Pennsylvania Volunteers, could not resist commenting on cases involving local Keyses. On April 21, 1864, he wrote the above words in the 1834 – 1861 Minute Book.
Erected 2007 by Prince William County and the
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), July 5, 2020
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Settlements & Settlers • War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1822.
Location. 38° 41.384′ N, 77° 30.023′ W. Marker is near Brentsville, Virginia, in Prince William County. Marker is on Bristow Road (Virginia Route 619) just west of Barbee Road, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 12235 Bristow Road, Bristow VA 20136, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 12 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Town (here, next to this marker); One-Room School (here, next to this marker); Tavern Square (a few steps from this marker); Brentsville (within shouting distance of this marker); Tavern Cellar (within shouting distance of this marker); Outbuildings (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Brentsville (within shouting distance of this marker); 1822 Tavern Site (within shouting distance of this marker); The Tavern (within shouting distance of this marker); County Jail (within shouting distance of this marker); County Courthouse (within shouting distance of this marker); The Public Lot (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Brentsville.
More about this marker. Prince William County and the Friends of Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre added several markers in May 2007. The 1822 Tavern Site marker is near the One-Room School.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 8, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 6, 2007, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,244 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on October 6, 2007, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. 2. submitted on July 5, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on October 6, 2007, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. 4. submitted on October 7, 2007, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.