A Message from the Executive Director |
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Greetings from Waterford! As I write this message, I am listening to the drone of cicadas and the hum of my window fan. Wasn’t it just winter yesterday? But sure enough, signs of summer are all around. Pools are opening, students are counting down the days until summer break, and peonies are blooming just in time to be pummeled by early summer thunderstorms. Time flies, I suppose, and we have certainly been busy enough here in Waterford for time to take flight.
This month we are bringing you news of a new donation to our Local History Collection that provides a look at one of Waterford’s earliest residents. Keep reading to meet one of our newest Board members. Help us celebrate the work of two volunteers who helped us prepare the Old School for a return to private event rentals. Don’t miss updates from the Waterford Craft School and hear the latest news about this year’s Waterford Fair. And of course, read to the end to find a story from Waterford’s past.
Unfortunately, we also have some sad news to report this month: two members of the Waterford community have passed away in the past month, and we are saying goodbye to a treasured staff member who is moving on to new career opportunities. The Foundation has been successful over more than 75 years thanks to the broad base of supporters from the community and elsewhere. As we say goodbye to old friends, it's a comfort to reflect on the many friends who remain. Thanks for your support!
Enjoy!
Stephanie C. Thompson
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Early Waterford Portrait
Returns to the Village
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Members of the Foundation’s Archives and Local History Collection Subcommittee recently gathered at the Old School to view the latest donation from Waterford’s past: a portrait of Mary Gibson Janney (1777-1846). Mary Gibson married Elisha Janney (1761-1827), son of Jacob (1723-1786) and Hannah Ingledue Janney (1725-1818). Together, Elisha and Mary had eleven children, including John Janney (1798-1872). One of Loudoun’s leading Whigs, John came within one vote of becoming the vice presidential candidate in the election of 1840, failing only because he declined to vote for himself. Within a month of taking office, President William Henry Harrison died, and John Tyler succeeded him, rather than John Janney.
Mary and Elisha were members of Waterford’s Fairfax Meeting. Another of their sons, James Craik Janney (1804-1878), married Rebecca Walker of another prominent Quaker family of Fairfax meeting. Their son, in turn, Charles Phillips Janney (1839-1925) was county clerk of court after the Civil War. He, like his father James, was a director of Waterford’s Mutual Fire Insurance Company (Loudoun Mutual), which is still going strong.
While she married a Janney, Mary was herself a granddaughter of Waterford’s founder Amos Janney. Mary’s mother Ruth was Amos’s daughter and sister of Mahlon Janney who operated Waterford’s earlier mill. Thus Mary was Mahlon Janney’s niece. At some point Mary moved to Lincoln and became a member of Goose Creek Meeting, and she is buried in the Goose Creek burial ground.
The Waterford Foundation received the portrait as a donation from Mrs. Anne Stabler, a gift made in memory of her father Laurence Janney Stabler, Jr. (1926-2019). Members of the Goose Creek Meeting Archives committee helped Mrs. Stabler to find a home for the portrait in Waterford. We are honored to be entrusted with the care of this painting, as we get so few opportunities to see the faces of Waterford’s earliest inhabitants. We are grateful to Mrs. Stabler and the Goose Creek Meeting Archives committee for bringing Mary’s portrait to Waterford.
Are you interested in donating an artifact or document to the Waterford Foundation Archives and Local History Collection? Or would you like to help document and care for the items in our collections? Please reach out to us at oldschool@waterfordfoundation.org and we will put you in touch with members of our Archives and Local History Collection Subcommittee.
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Volunteer Spotlight:
Ed Lehmann & Ann Belland
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With our rental schedule quickly filling up and having hosted our first wedding this past weekend at the Old School, we wanted to take a moment and thank Ed and Ann for their hard work in preparing our terrace for our Bride and Groom and their guests. They washed, fixed and painted the outside of the building, pillars and the benches. Thank you Ed and Ann for your hard work! |
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Meet our Board: Emily Houston |
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Emily Houston lives on a small horse farm on Old Waterford Road, where she has maintained a modest horse boarding and riding lesson business for the past 17 years. She was the editor of Horse Times magazine for 10 years, and worked in both the editorial and marketing sides of publishing previously. Emily is currently working with the publishers of the new magazine WANDER, which encourages appreciation of the “beauty, bounty and byways of the Loudoun County countryside” (to borrow the magazine’s tag line). Emily is on the board of the Loudoun County Equine Alliance, is a member of the Rural Roads Committee, the Waterford Citizens’ Association Traffic Committee, and is a founding member of America’s Routes, a nonprofit enterprise working to preserve Loudoun’s unpaved road network. |
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Jurying is complete and invitations have gone out to the Demonstrating Artisans. We cannot wait to see who accepts and will be joining us in-person in October!
We are now accepting applications for the Old Mill Shop. Artisans and crafters can apply by following this link. Know someone who you think would be a great fit for the Fair, but they do not have a lot of inventory or are just getting started? Let them know their work may be perfect for the Old Mill Shop. Functional and decorative items in these media are accepted upon jurying: baskets, glass, metal, mixed media, paper, small furniture, jewelry, fiber/textiles, pottery, wearables, wood, and holiday decor. The application deadline is July 15, 2021.
Guess who is turning 100 -- the Red Barn! And the Fine Art Show and Art Mart will be back in there to celebrate! Applications will open mid-June and are due by September 1, 2021.
We need great food and drink. As we talk with our "regulars" we are hearing how much of a challenge it is to get staffed back up now that pandemic restrictions are being lifted. If you come across an awesome food or drink purveyor, please let us know. A quick and easy way to do so is to take a photo of the side of their truck or their menu and email it to the Fair office at fairadmin@waterfordfoundation.org.
Interested in volunteering as an individual or part of a group? We can use the help! Check out the full list of projects we need help getting ready for the Fair and let us know you are interested: https://tinyurl.com/waterfordvolunteer.
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What’s new with the Waterford Craft School |
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We look forward to welcoming both basketry and stained glass students to the Old School this month. I cannot tell you what a relief it is to begin the summer sessions with the easing of CDC restrictions for fully vaccinated students. It's often said the eyes say it all, and while that may be true, I personally cannot wait to see the smiles as the lesson 'clicks', the feeling of accomplishment fully reflecting on their faces. Camaraderie develops among the students and instructor, tension dissipates. There's nothing like it.
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FREE Online Artists Talk Have you ever noticed the painted quilt square on the side of the Bond Street Barn? We've added an informative and inspiring online Artists Talk with local quilter Jeanne Niccolls and printmaker Jill Evans-Kavaldjian. They'll discuss historical Virginia quilts and the inspiration and process behind the Loudoun County Barn Quilt Trail. It's free and open to the public (donations accepted).
We'll broadcast it live, Monday, June 14th at 7 PM, simultaneously on the Waterford Craft School's Facebook and Instagram pages, and on the Waterford Foundation's YouTube channel. Click the preceding links and 'like', 'follow', or 'subscribe' so the event shows up in your feed. Bring your curiosity–the artists will field questions you type in the comment section. Invite your history/quilter/painter/ farm-lovin' friends to join you in the experience.
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There are many other opportunities to experience the joy and satisfaction of learning a heritage craft. Gift certificates are available online in $25 increments.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube!
As always, if you have suggestions for classes, or have created something that was inspired by a Craft School workshop, we'd love to hear from you. Send your comments and images to lkovatch@waterfordfoundation.org.
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In Memoriam: Mary Sue Couser |
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We were saddened to learn of the recent unexpected passing of Mary Sue Couser. Mary Sue and husband Skip have lived in the village and been Foundation supporters for decades. Mary volunteered with the Homes Tour committee of the Fair for many years. Friends and fellow residents will remember Mary Sue’s love of gardening and historic homes, and we will miss her smiling face in the village. Find more information here:
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In Memoriam: Dr. Claude Gravatt, Jr. |
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Another longtime Waterford supporter passed away over Memorial Day weekend. Dr. Claude Gravatt, Jr, or Cary as we knew him, was a steadfast supporter of preservation in Waterford. Cary and wife Ann often volunteered their home, the William Nettle house, for the Homes Tour during the Fair, and Cary served on the Foundation Board, including two years as president. We are honored by the Gravatt family’s request for donations to be made in Cary’s memory to the Waterford Foundation to continue his support for our mission.
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Thank You to Our New & Renewing Members! |
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Memberships provide a vital portion of the Waterford Foundation's funds to pay for the upkeep and repair of thirteen properties protected by the Waterford Foundation, as well as programs like the Second Street School living history program, the Waterford Craft School, the Waterford Fair, and special programs throughout the year. We would like to thank the following new and renewing members who have joined or renewed in May 2021!
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New & Renewing Members: May 2021 |
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Mr. Andrew Black
Ms. Jennifer Diffenderfer
Ms. Jecholia Gallagher
Mr. Nicholas Gordon
Ms. Susan Manch
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Ms. Mary Mastapeter
Mr. & Ms. David & Cristen Parks
Ms. Deborah Robinson
Ms. Kathie Ruedisueli
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Our Sustaining Members are: Mr. John Caron & Ms. Nancy Doane, Mr. and Mrs. Goode (Joe and Annie), Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Hale (Bob and Susanne), Ms. Joan Kowalski, Mr. Ed Lehman and Ms. Edith Crockett, Robert and Stephanie Thompson, Mr. & Mrs. Mark Sutton, Mr. & Mrs. Brandon & Clare Synge, Ms. Carrie Beach, Mr. Adam Groenhout & Mr. Eric Christenson.
To become a sustaining member, click here and choose "recurring donation" to set up a monthly gift!
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Fond Farewell: Claressa Shipman |
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Weathering the storm of Covid-19 with grace, Claressa Shipman has been a tremendous asset to the Waterford Foundation office, so we are very disappointed that we are now saying farewell to Claressa as she moves on to another position. Claressa joined the staff in January 2020, and it is largely thanks to Claressa’s strong organizational skills and dedication that our operations have continued to function smoothly throughout the changing landscape of Covid-19. Claressa was indispensable during the first virtual Waterford Fair, editing the video content and facilitating the livestreaming Mill sales. And Claressa’s professionalism with facility rental clients has been critical as events were rescheduled, adapted, and cancelled during government restrictions. We are excited for Claressa’s new position in marketing as she moves on in her career path, but we will definitely miss having her in the office! |
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As Father’s Day approaches, we would like to recognize some of Waterford’s hardest-working fathers. With the new opportunities of freedom after Emancipation, Waterford’s Black fathers wanted the best for their families and worked hard to make those dreams become reality. They worked not only to provide for their families, but also to create a thriving community including a church and a school. |
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Hiram Price, wife Rosella, and daughter Leanna, lived as tenants on Scotland Farm at the northeast edge of Waterford. Price served during the war as a private in the 45th Regiment, U.S. Colored Troops. |
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“Edward Collins, a stonemason skilled at ‘blind ditching’ -- building stone culverts-- laid the foundation for the church with help from fellow war veteran James Lewis.”
“Some black men were credited with talent and experience at particular tasks. ‘Web’ Minor made his living as a ‘post-and-rail fencer.’ Jonathan Kennedy was a whitewasher. Alfred Craven worked as a ‘wagoneer.’ These last three, incidentally, were among the initial trustees of the postwar school.”
While Black fathers’ hopes were high, the road was long and hard, and freedom did not put an end to child labor. “Some black families outside Waterford ‘put out’ their children as young as seven years in the homes of white villagers to work as nursemaids, domestic help, and even ‘cowboys.’ They might then be able to attend school at least part time. The less fortunate remained on the white-owned farms, laboring alongside their parents.”
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Waterford Foundation Staff
COVID-19 Action Plan
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Due to safety precautions for COVID-19, the Waterford Foundation office is closed is closed to the public. The staff are teleworking and we are available via email, phone or on video calls and are happy to help with anything you need!
Our staff has updated all of our policies and procedures to make sure the Old School is clean, sanitized and ready for events and programs. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns! Check out our newest website page introducing our Waterford Staff.
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