Henry J. A. Virts

1815 - 1887  (71 years)

• Name	Henry J. A. Virts
  Born	12 Aug 1815	Lovettsville, Virginia   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Died	5 Feb 1887	Loudoun County, Virginia
  Buried	Leesburg Union Cemetery, Leesburg, Virginia
  Person ID	I80	Virts
  Last Modified	18 Oct 2014

  
  

  Father	Adam Virts,   b. 15 Dec 1781, Lovettsville, Virginia ,   d. 21 Nov 1835, Lovettsville, Virginia  (Age 53 years)
  Mother	Catherine Sands,   b. 1782,   d. 1835, Loudoun County, Virginia  (Age 53 years)
  Married	20 May 1804	Loudoun County, Virginia
  Family ID	F43	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Esther Rachel Brown,   b. 18 Mar 1817, Virginia ,   d. 11 Jun 1897, Loudoun County, Virginia  (Age 80 years)
  Married	12 Sep 1842	Loudoun County, Virginia   [2]
  Children	1. Mary Ellen Virts,   b. 12 Apr 1846, Loudoun County, Virginia ,   d. 16 Oct 1901, Loudoun County, Virginia  (Age 55 years)   2. John William Vandeventer Virts,   b. 20 Jan 1849, Loudoun County, Virginia ,   d. 17 May 1938, Loudoun County, Virginia  (Age 89 years)   3. Thomas B. Virts,   b. 6 Jun 1851, Loudoun County, Virginia ,   d. 21 Jan 1884, Lovettsville, Virginia  (Age 32 years)   4. Frances Bright (Fannie) Virts,   b. 25 Dec 1859, Loudoun County, Virginia ,   d. 21 Jun 1929, Lovettsville, Virginia  (Age 69 years)
  Last Modified	7 Oct 2012
  Family ID	F59	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Alexandria Gazette, April 17, 1857 Clover Hill farm in Loudoun County, containing 308 acres, was, on Monday last, sold by the Commissioners of sale, for the sum of $45.65 acre. Henry Virts purchaser. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Clover Hill In the late 18th century this was the home of John A. Binns who perfected soilrenewing techniques of deep plowing, application of "land plaster" or gypsum, and the use of clover that he popularized in his 1803 "Treatise of Practical Farming". President Thomas Jefferson was extravagant in his praise of this method and observed that Binns has become tolerably rich through it's use. In 1857 Henry Virts, great grandfather of the present owner, Mrs Hazel, purchased the farm and its Federal Style house from the Binns family. Like most of his Waterford neighbors Virts voted against secession from the Union in 1861. It may not have been entirely accidental then that a burning straw rick torched by looting Confederates set fire to the house. After the war Virts rebuilt and enlarged the damaged building. It then remained essentially unchanged until about ten years ago when his great-granddaughter, Mrs. Hazel, who was born in the house that is on tour and raised on the farm, carefully restored the house and grounds. This Federal Style house built of field stone, has been beautifully restored and the addition of two dormer windows in the old kitchen wing roof made the attic space very usable for a bath for the master bedroom. In keeping with the popular decorating trends of the late 1800's, faux graining of the wood trim and doors have created a most interesting feature to the house. Don't miss the fox chasing the rabbit on the parlor room pocket doors. The immaculately groomed lawn, which encircles the house, is shaded by three giant Honey Locust, and is surrounded by lush green hayfields.

  
  

• Sources

  [S879] New Jerusalem Luther Church Records, 1784-1836, page 37A. [S759] Loudoun County Virginia Marriages 1760-1850 by John Vogt & T. Wm. Kethley, Jr.