The Bickslers were farmers, community officials and hotel owners. Henry Bicksler was the Dranseville postmaster in 1853 and a police captain in 1856. In the 1860 census for Dranesville township, Spring Vale area, three Bicksler are shown as neighbors to one another: Samuel, Joseph and Henry. When the Virginia secession vote occurred in May 1861, Joseph voted against secession, while Samuel and Henry supported it. When Henry B. Bicksler (Henry’s son) died in 1881, the Alexandria Gazette described him as the owner of the “Dranesville Hotel.”

Photos of Bicksler Family Cemetery
County Cemetery Survey

See Resources section for recently added guide available for download: Gone But Not Forgotten: FCCPA Cemetery Preservation Guide.

See Fairfax County Cemeteries section for link to the Fairfax County Library’s recently updated Cemetery Survey with expanded search and browsing features, now with the ability to search by name for individuals buried in Fairfax County.

Next meeting Monday, Jan 23, 2012, 7 PM - meet in the Virginia Room, Conference Room 214, Fairfax City Library, 10360 North Street, Fairfax

This is a working session to transcribe information in various records in developing a database of Civil War veterans buried in Fairfax County. If you have a laptop, bring it to speed data entry.

No meeting in December. However, on Monday Dec 5 from 1-6 PM, members will be working in the Virginia Room on the Civil War Veterans Database.

Inclement weather: We follow the lead of Fairfax County Schools; if the schools are closed or activities canceled, our meeting is canceled.

Survey Saturdays - To inquire about or suggest future surveys, please email FCCPA atinfo@honorfairfaxcemeteries.org.

*Survey Saturdays meet in Conference room 214, upstairs in the VA Room of City of Fairfax Regional Library, 10360 North Street, Fairfax. We will do research in the morning using the Library’s extensive cemetery files. Anyone who wants to continue in the afternoon with an on-site survey of a cemetery, we may do so after a quick lunch near the library.

All of the grave markers are field stone. The park has established that the cemetery began in 1866. According to Fairfax County Public Library cemetery files, there are at least twenty-two burials, including Obediah Harris and “Swampy Joe” Harris. There were many Harris families living and farming nearby according to the 1860 census. Some of the Harrises had been manumitted by Robert Carter. A Jesse Harris was first registered as a freed black in 1814. The 1870 census has two Obediah Harris, ages 55 and 25, possibly father and son. An Obediah Harris, who died in 1895, is buried in Cub Run Memorial Cemetery, which is located not far from Bull Run Park. The cemetery is covered with brush and ivy. The remains of a barbed wire fence lies along the edge of the cemetery.

Photos of Harris Family Cemetery
County Survey Record

Photos of Turberville/Debell Family Cemetery Clean-up

Some markers were “discovered” through the efforts of the group. The volunteers were proud of their work, which resulted in a large mound of brush and leaves to be removed. Also, several large bags of cans and bottles were taken away.

Photos of Jermantown Cemetery Clean-up

Photos of clean-up

It was a multi-media, juried show, with one requirement: the artist must identify which cemetery inspired the art work. The juror felt that the title of the show lent itself to the whimsy and seriousness of cemeteries. The variety of the art work was amazing and the talent exceptional.

Photos of art show

FCCPA President Mary Lipsey and a descendant of Civil War veteran Armistead Thompson are featured. They talk about two Civil War veterans who are also profiled in FCCPA’s Civil War Honor Roll: William C. Preston and Armistead Thompson

• Changes Ahead
• For Your Calendar
• Updates
• Scouts in Progress - Cleanups at Cemeteries
• CNN Interview