Remember Quantico Creek was once navigable all the way up stream to Dumfries. It did silt in and become un-navigable (date unknown by me). And the area about a mile or so up stream form the Potomac on BOTH Powel's Creek and Chopawamsic Creek was navigable. I would guess they were on or near either Quantico or Chopawamsic Creek. Unfortunately, that includes two peninsulas and a large area that has change dramatically. A few years ago the town of Dumfries built a new basketball and tennis court behind the town hall. The town hall is located in a very wide spot between the north and south sides of U.S. Hwy 1. The land is 200 yards wide more or less. Guess what they found when they started the excavation... pilings from an old dock. The dock was large enough to have handled ocean going sailing ships from the 1700s. Last year they widen and leveled a small portion of the north bound side of U.S. Hwy 1 about 1/4 mile north of town hall, once again pilings. The area of Dumfries that we today drive through was mostly under water, lots of water, two hundred years ago (plus or minus). Good Luck..... ----- Original Message ----- From: "Hundertmark" <hundert@ismi.net> To: <VAPWILLI-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2000 8:42 PM Subject: Re: [VAPWILLI-L] Possum Point

That's really interesting about the old dock pilings being found near Dumfries. I love reading about that sort of stuff. Was Quantico Creek once called Quantico River? What caused so much silt to build up in just a relatively short time? Fascinating. Do you know of any published histories about Quantico Creek and environs? Bill, do you know of any Thomas or Jones families in your neck of the woods? -- or any old Thomas or Jones family cemeteries? How about old Baptist churches? -- I believe my ancestors were Baptists. They may be buried in a church yard somewhere in the area. Shelley ------------------------------ Remember Quantico Creek was once navigable all the way up stream to Dumfries. It did silt in and become un-navigable (date unknown by me). And the area about a mile or so up stream form the Potomac on BOTH Powel's Creek and Chopawamsic Creek was navigable. I would guess they were on or near either Quantico or Chopawamsic Creek. Unfortunately, that includes two peninsulas and a large area that has change dramatically. A few years ago the town of Dumfries built a new basketball and tennis court behind the town hall. The town hall is located in a very wide spot between the north and south sides of U.S. Hwy 1. The land is 200 yards wide more or less. Guess what they found when they started the excavation... pilings from an old dock. The dock was large enough to have handled ocean going sailing ships from the 1700s. Last year they widen and leveled a small portion of the north bound side of U.S. Hwy 1 about 1/4 mile north of town hall, once again pilings. The area of Dumfries that we today drive through was mostly under water, lots of water, two hundred years ago (plus or minus). Good Luck.....

The creeks silted due to poor farming techniques that went on to ruin the land. Happily, this eventually led to the development of what is now Prince William Forest National Park. Don't know of any published works on the Quantico Creek area. You might want to contact the PWC site or try writing to the Historical Society. I believe both have a web site. The Potomac News, a local newspaper, has had a number of articles on the subject. Maybe if you contact them they can dig out their old articles. However, I wouldn't bet on that. I have had bad luck with various newspapers looking through their morgues for me. If you can make friends with a features writer then maybe you can get them to search when they have time. Most newspapers have searchable data bases of old stories. Problem is that genealogy is NOT their business and reporters cost money. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Hundertmark" <hundert@ismi.net> To: <VAPWILLI-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2000 9:45 PM Subject: Re: [VAPWILLI-L] Possum Point > That's really interesting about the old dock pilings being found near > Dumfries. I love reading about that sort of stuff. Was Quantico Creek once > called Quantico River? What caused so much silt to build up in just a > relatively short time? Fascinating. Do you know of any published histories > about Quantico Creek and environs? > > Bill, do you know of any Thomas or Jones families in your neck of the > woods? -- or any old Thomas or Jones family cemeteries? How about old > Baptist churches? -- I believe my ancestors were Baptists. They may be > buried in a church yard somewhere in the area. > > Shelley > ------------------------------ > > Remember Quantico Creek was once navigable all the way up stream to > Dumfries. It did silt in and become un-navigable (date unknown by me). And > the area about a mile or so up stream form the Potomac on BOTH Powel's Creek > and Chopawamsic Creek was navigable. I would guess they were on or near > either Quantico or Chopawamsic Creek. Unfortunately, that includes two > peninsulas and a large area that has change dramatically. A few years ago > the town of Dumfries built a new basketball and tennis court behind the town > hall. The town hall is located in a very wide spot between the north and > south sides of U.S. Hwy 1. The land is 200 yards wide more or less. Guess > what they found when they started the excavation... pilings from an old > dock. The dock was large enough to have handled ocean going sailing ships > from the 1700s. Last year they widen and leveled a small portion of the > north bound side of U.S. Hwy 1 about 1/4 mile north of town hall, once again > pilings. The area of Dumfries that we today drive through was mostly under > water, lots of water, two hundred years ago (plus or minus). Good Luck..... > > > > ==== VAPWILLI Mailing List ==== > Visit the Prince William County, USGenWeb Home Page! > http://www.rootsweb.com/~vapwilli/pw.htm > Check out the Prince William Archives and add your records! > http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/va/princewi.htm > >

>>And the area about a mile or so up stream from the Potomac on BOTH Powel's Creek and Chopawamsic Creek was navigable. I would guess they were on or near either Quantico or Chopawamsic Creek. << I am searching for a land claim granted on CHOPAWAMSIC Creek to a HARLE, HARROLD etc. for transporting immigrants about 1650-1700 Does anyone know if the area being discussed was being settled during that period? I have seen a reference to the land grant but had assumed Chopawamsic was further down in Va.. If this creek is the location of the claim, it could be of great importance in my research.. Thank You, G. Lee Hearl Authentic Appalachian Storyteller Abingdon, Virginia