Spotsylvania Courthouse in Spotsylvania County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Leaders of the Rebirth

Spotsylvania Courthouse Historic District

Photographed by Mike McKeown, October 25, 2026

1. Leaders of the Rebirth Marker

Inscription. With the end of the Civil War came the immense task of rebullding a shattered Spotsylvania County. As society reorganized itself in the postwar years, many local residents, including those around Spotsylvania Courthouse, rose to prominence and helped shape the future of the community.

Pvt. Joseph Patrick Henry Crismond
May 6, 1846-May 2, 1925
Company A, 16th Battalion Virginia Cavalry, C.S. Army
After the Civil War, Joseph Crismond returned to Spotsylvania reestablished himself in the community. He joined the local Methodist Church, and was elected the county's clerk of the court in 1881. Well-know and well liked, he officiated many weddings. However, in July 1903, Crismond abruptly fled to Mexico. After examination, officials found discrepancies within Crismond's record keeping. He returned to the county in November to face trial over the records, but was ultimately cleared of criminal intent. Crismond is buried at Zion United Methodist Church, located just south of here. Find a Grave

Robert Clarence Dabney
1822-May 1, 1875
During the Civil War, Spotsylvania Courthouse-area resident and Clerk of Court Robert

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Dabney buried many of the county's court records to protect them from Union forces. Dabney's foresight preserved nearly all of Spotsylvania's court records, distinguishing them from the documents of many other counties that were lost to the 1865 fire in Richmond or destroyed by the advancing Union Army. He is buried at the Fredericksburg Confederate Cemetery.

Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, Lodge #9163
The American branch of the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, founded in 1843 in New York, was a fraternal lodge comprising African American men who worked in the spirit of brotherhood to care for their communities. Lodge #9163, active in the Spotsylvania Courthouse area from about 1913 until the late 1960s, included education leaders who helped establish the county's first Black secondary school.

Cpl. Thomas Addison Harris, Sr.
Aug. 29, 1844—Jan.25, 1912
Company D, 30th Virginia Infantry, Company E, 9th Virginia Cavalry C.S. Army
Spotsylvania County resident Thomas Harris was 16 when he entered service with the Confederate Army. His family was originally from New Jersey, and records suggest they were not enslavers. In the

Photographed by Mike McKeown

2. Leaders of the Rebirth Marker

1860s, two free Black women, Betty and Mary Curtis, lived with the family and worked as laborers. After the war, Harris became a key local figure, serving in such roles as superintendent of the poor, commissioner of the revenue, deck of court, and sheriff. Harris Is burled at Zion United Methodist Church. Courtesy of Rich Morrison

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Government & Politics • War, US Civil.

Location. 38° 12.068′ N, 77° 35.331′ W. Marker is in Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia, in Spotsylvania County. It is at the intersection of Courthouse Road (Virginia Route 208) and Brock Road ( Route 613), on the right when traveling west on Courthouse Road. Located next to the Old Spotsylvania Courthouse. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 9101 Courthouse Rd, Spotsylvania VA 22553, 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

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South,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. 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 walking distance of this marker: Fisticuffs on the Courthouse Lawn and other Political Drama (a few steps from this marker); Turning the Pages of Time (a few steps from this marker); Across the Years & $6,700 (within shouting distance of this marker); A Case of Negligence (within shouting distance of this marker); Modification, Decay & Preservation (within shouting distance of this marker); Legend, Lore and Fact (within shouting distance of this marker); Battle of Spotsylvania (within shouting distance of this marker); Spotsylvania County Honor Roll (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Spotsylvania Courthouse.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Spotsylvania Courthouse and Jail (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed).

Also see . . .
1. Spotsylvania County Museum. (Submitted on October 25, 2026.)
2. Visit Spotsy. Spotsylvania County Visitors Center & Gift Shop (Submitted on October 25, 2026.)

Credits. This page was last revised on October 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 25, 2026, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 10 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 25, 2026, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.