A Short History of Chapel Springs
July 23, 2012
by Charles H. Byrd II
The records of the Broad Run Baptist Church, 1762-present, in New Baltimore,
Fauquier County, reflect that the John Leachman family had been associated
there since 1763 when Sally Leachman was listed as an infant received into the
care of the church as John Leachman’s daughter on October 9. The last mention
of a Leachman in the record was the death of Leonard Leachman on November 2,
1806. ((Richard Slatten: Early Records of Broad Run Baptist church Fauquier
County 1762-1783 in Magazine of Virginia Geneaology, Vol 26 Nov. 1988 No. 4 p.
284296 and Charles H. Byrd II, Records of the Broad Run Baptist Church 17841873. P. 22)
John Wood’s map of PWCO 1820 locates a rectangular structure titled White
Chapel on Mountain Rd. (Road to Greenwich) in the vicinity of Longher’s Mill,
Ewell’s Mill on Broad Run, and a rectangular structure named Madison’s, all a
short distance from St. James Church (Anglican), Slaty Run, Cedar Run, and Six
Acres for a Court House (Brentsville). (Charles H. Byrd II: Map of PR. William
County Surveyed and Drawn under orders of the Directors by John Wood 1820,
unpublished analysis 2012.)
A. P. Williams map of PWCO 1824 shows lots 38 and 39 bordering and south of
Broad Run and an the north side of Mountain Rd both owned by John Leachman.
There is a notation locating Old Chapel Spring, on 39, but there is no mention of
a White Chapel on the map. (Charles H. Byrd II; Map of PWCO by A. P. Williams
1824 unpublished analysis 201; see also Vol 6 #2 by Patrick O’Neil (1737?)
The will of John Leachman was contested in the PWCO court from his death in
April 1829 until settlement in 1831. Court records indicate that John had a son
named Robert C. Leachman. Robert was born January 12, 1811/12 in PWCO.
(Charles H. Byrd II; PWCO Land Case record John Leachman, p. 223 ff.
unpublished analysis 2012)
Robert C. Leachman became a well a known Old School Baptist preacher/pastor
in PWCO and environs in the 1820’s-1860’s. He preached at the Frying Pan
Baptist Church in Fairfax County as well as the Occoquan Baptist church in
PWCO. He was active in the many theological disputations between the
Calvinist Baptist and the Anti-Means, Predestinarian, Bible Baptist that occurred
in the mid 1830’s-1860’s. (Robert C. Leachman, PWCO, in “Reminiscences of
Baptist of Virginia,” 1911, p. 33 and following, born 1/12/1812. Biography in Vol
X numbers 4 and 5 of “Sectarian” and Garnett Ryland, Baptists of Virginia 1699-
1926, p. 252-253.)
The Alexandria Gazette 4 Dec. 1854 advertised a parcel of land for sale at auction
by the Circuit Ct. of Fauquier Co. in the settlement of the case of Phillips and
Hunton at the front door of the PWCO court house. The tract was described as
249 acres situated near Bristoe Station with “a dwelling house, good soil,
sufficient wood and water with the Chapel Spring supplying a never failing
stream of excellent pure water.” http://pwcvabooks.com/documents/ Prince
William.
Robert C. Leachman retired to his home in Manassas located on the corner of
Main St. and Church St. (now known as the City Tavern) and died there in 1869.
His home was 1 ½ blocks from the Manassas Theater where MAG begun in 1937.
(R. Jackson Ratcliffe: This was Prince William, 1978, p.79)