Russell James Virts
1902 - 1995
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Born 20 May 1902 Lovettsville, Virginia 
Gender Male Died 31 Jan 1995 Lovettsville, Virginia Buried Mount Olivet United Methodist Church Cemetery, Lovettsville, Virginia Person ID I4 Virts Last Modified 22 Apr 2017
Father Oscar Franklin Virts, b. 9 Apr 1877, Loudoun County, Virginia , d. 3 Feb 1967, Lovettsville, Virginia Mother Mary Catherine Mann, b. 10 Mar 1877, Loudoun County, Virginia , d. 10 Mar 1942, Lovettsville, Virginia Married 1899 Frederick County, Maryland Family ID F1 Group Sheet
Family Ada Irene Riley, b. 11 Dec 1902, Lovettsville, Virginia , d. 30 Mar 1966, Lovettsville, Virginia Married 22 Oct 1920 Maryland [1] Children 1. Althea Emma Virts, b. 25 Jun 1924, Lovettsville, Virginia , d. 22 Dec 1997, Lovettsville, Virginia Last Modified 7 Oct 2012 Family ID F3 Group Sheet
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Photos
» Slide ShowRussell James Virts
Russell was born May 20, 1902 in Lovettsville, Virginia to Oscar Franklin and Mary Catherine Mann Virts. He died January 31, 1995 in Lovettsville. He married Ada Irene Riley, who was born December 11, 1902 in Lovettsville and died March 30 1966 in Lovettsville. Both are buried in the Cemetery at Mt. Olivet Methodist Church in Lovettsville.
Photo courtesy of Raymond E. Virts Family
James Marion Virts, Newton Brown, Elbert Franklin Virts, Walter Strother, Raymond Eugene Virts, Russell James Virts and Howard William Gosnell, Sr.
left to right: James Marion Virts, Newton Brown, Elbert Franklin Virts, Walter Strother, Raymond Eugene Virts, Russell James Virts and Howard William Gosnell, Sr.
A Virts Country Butchering
The hog has been scaled in the trough and here (left to right foreground) Russell James Virts, James Green and Lester William Thomas Virts are scrapping off the hair with hog scrappers.
A Virts Country Butchering
Th hog has been scrapped clean and shaved down with a knife and ready to be hung on the gallous pole. In the foreground are Benton Stone and Theodore Roosevelt Virts, with Russell James Virts working on the hog. Behind Russell is Elmer Swartz.
James Marion Virts (1848-1933) Group Photo
left to right:
Russell James Virts, William Michael Everhart, Sr., Harrison Riley, Theodore Roosevelt Virts, Milford Leonard Everhart, Leon Conner, James Marion Virts, Lester William Thomas Virts (little boy)
Photo courtesy of Raymond E. Virts Family
Headstones 
Russell James Virts (1902-1995) and Ada Irene Riley (1902-1966) Headstone
Albums A Virts Country Butchering (14)
November was the time for butchering hogs. It has been a fall tradition in the Virts family for well over 100 years. The Raymond E. Virts family on the Long Lane in Lovettsville, Virginia always butchered on Thanksgiving day. You might consider the butchering day as a family reunion held several times each November as this even would bring together siblings, cousins and friends. There was always a friendly competition amongst Raymond's brothers to see who had the largest hog. It was not uncommon to have a hog have a dressed weight of over 400 pounds. Such a hog would produce over 40 pound hams that would be sugar cured. Most local families had a butchering and would usually slaughter form 2 - 14 hogs, depending on the size of the family. Butchering is nearly extinct today. You will only find a hand full of families that still carry on the tradition. Hardly anyone even knows how to do it anymore. I would have to say it is a dying art. Just click on the picture to see it enlarged and to get a description.
Oscar Franklin Virts and Mary Catherine Mann (17)
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Notes - Lived most of his life on the Long Lane, Lovettsville, Virginia. He worked as a farmer or on farms most of his life. He also took care of the Mt. Olivet church and cemetery in Lovettsville, Virginia for many years after his father retired from the job. He was also a grave digger for the cemetery for many years as well. Russell rarely missed a Sunday, regardless of the weather to open up the church and ensure the heat was on for the worship service.
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Frederick Post, February 1, 1995
Mr. Russell James Virts, 92, of Lovettsville, Va., died there Tuesday, Jan. 31. He was the husband of the late Ada Riley Virts. Mr. Virts was born May 20, 1902, a son of Oscar Franklin and Mary Catherine Mann Virts. He was a self-employed carpenter and painter. For many years, Mr. Virts maintained the Mt. Olivet Methodist Cemetery and dug graves in that cemetery. Mrs. Virts is survived by a daughter, Althea Swartz of Lovettsville; two sisters, Jessie Frye of Lovettsville and Goldie Stone of Leesburg, Va.; a brother Theodore Virts of Lovettsville; three grandsons, William Swartz and James Swartz of Lovettsville; and Russell Swartz of Herndon, Va.; two great-grandchildren, Paul Swartz and Katherine Swartz; and a great-great-grandson, Anthony Swartz. Mr. Virts was preceded in death by a sister Lilly Gosnell; and two brothers, Raymond and Lester Virts. Interment was a the Mr. Olivet Methodist Cemetery, Lovettsville.
- Lived most of his life on the Long Lane, Lovettsville, Virginia. He worked as a farmer or on farms most of his life. He also took care of the Mt. Olivet church and cemetery in Lovettsville, Virginia for many years after his father retired from the job. He was also a grave digger for the cemetery for many years as well. Russell rarely missed a Sunday, regardless of the weather to open up the church and ensure the heat was on for the worship service.
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Sources - [S1306] The Frederick News, October 22, 1920, marriage license.
- [S1306] The Frederick News, October 22, 1920, marriage license.