Pittsylvania Packet
The Pittsylvania Packet is a quarterly journal. It features articles on Pittsylvania County history and genealogy; updates on Pittsylvania Historical Society meetings, events, etc.; queries on genealogy research and property history from Pittsylvania Historical Society members; and other items deemed appropriate for this publication.
The Pittsylvania Packet began in 1991. (The Quill Pen was the title of the Pittsylvania Historical Society's preceding quarterly.)
The issues from Summer 1991 to Spring 1996 were scanned from copies in a member's collection; the scans were then converted into PDFs. A list of articles in each issue was compiled (Tables of Contents were not included originally).
The issues from Fall 2002 to Fall 2007 are presented in two formats: PDFs that closely match the original publications and as html pages (the html versions omit and/or correct some out-of-date or problematical information; some typos, etc. have also been corrected and, where possible, links were updated in the Spring of 2013).
Please note that the addresses, prices, availability, and contact information given may no longer be current (especially in the earliest issues).
Questions regarding the Pittsylvania Packet can be addressed to:
Pittsylvania Historical Society
P.O. Box 1148
Chatham, VA 24531
Pittsylvania Packet, Summer 1991, No. 1
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Table of Contents
- Thank You to Neil and Lucille Payne (For Distinguished Service)
- Successor to The Quill Pen
- Change of Command
- Coming Events for Your Calendar: Callands Autumn Potpourri and Christmas in Colonial Chatham
- Items of Interest
- Hear Ye All! [Meeting at Yeatts/Yates Tavern]
- Historical Writing Opportunities
- A Pittsylvania Institution
- Specimen from Samuel Panill Wilson's Papers
- Of Interest to All Keesees
- Queries: Witcher/Cooper; Henry Clark, Anne Clark, Cassandra Philpott; Gilbert Burnett, Peggy Cunningham
- German Ancestors Anyone?
- Petition of Harmon Cook to Virginia General Assembly (October 28, 1778)
- From the Book of Estrays
- Specimen from Pittsylvania County 1797 Land Book
- A Hard Act to Follow
- Using the Pittsylvania County Clerk's Office?
- The First Session of the Pittsylvania Court
- A Late Arriving Query: Dianne Dodson/James Tarpley Yates
- A Timely Reminder to All Members
- Society Tid Bits: In Memoriam, Robert Carrington Vaden Jr.
- Recommended Reading
- Pittsylvania Historical Society Publications
- Pittsylvania Historical Society Membership Form
Pittsylvania Packet, Fall 1991, No. 2
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Table of Contents
- Report to P.H.S. Members
- Tenth Annual Callands Festival Successful
- Finances in Good Shape
- Distinguished Speaker for Nov. 18 Meeting
- 1775 Tory Story Told: Committee of Safety Elected at Callands by Frances Hallam Hurt
- New Editor of Packet
- Did You Know?
- Four Courthouses, Eight Jails
- Some Facts About PHS Membership
- What A Difference 63 Years Makes!
- Genealogical Treasures at The Clerk's Office by Herman Melton and Henry H. Mitchell
- Oldest Active Organization
- Giles Mill: Mecca of the Frying Pan by Herman Melton
- Thanks, Thanks, Thanks
- Hundred Years Ago
- Member Writes
- Barns - Pride of the Farmers by Neil Payne
- Indigenous Foods by Patricia B. Mitchell
- Post Office Established at Pittsylvania Court House 1794
- Are You in Debt?
- From Estray Book [Entries dated] 1777 contributed by Lucille Payne
- Queries: Turner, Pitts, Dillard, Vaughan, Gregory Clifton, Berger, Walker, Midkiff, Vaden, Adams, Meadows, Allen, Murphy, Murphey, Booker
- Thanks!
- Christmas in Colonial Chatham
- For Sale
Pittsylvania Packet, Winter 1992, No. 3
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Table of Contents
- Comments by the PHS President
- Let's Hear From You
- Fun Meeting Coming Monday, February 17
- The Sergeant's Tomahawk Mill, by Herman Melton
- Grandparents Source for Genealogy Info
- Concerning Confederate Currency
- Dinner at President's House by Elizabeth Langhorne
- Recollections of a Famous Artist by Frances Hallam Hurt
- Outstanding Chatham Citizen Remembered (Dr. Ernest Overbey)
- PHS Salutes Newest Additions on Main Street
- Genealogical Resources at the Pittsylvania County Public Library by Henry H. Mitchell
- Methodist Church Believed Chatham's Oldest
- Tobacco Plays Role in Our State History
- Marriages of Pittsylvania County, Virginia, contributed by Lucille and Neil Payne
- Making Bread in Early America by Patricia B. Mitchell
- The Meaning of The Packet
- The First Session of the Pittsylvania Court
- Queries
- Members Write Letters
- 200 Years of The Bill of Rights
- Your Name
- For Sale
Pittsylvania Packet, Spring 1992, No. 4
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Table of Contents
- Report by PHS President
- May is Month to Renew Membership
- PHS Vice-President Named Laureate
- Live Sculptor Speaker at May Meeting
- Officers of PHS
- Claude Swanson of Pittsylvania by Henry H. Mitchell
- The Day the Yankee Prisoners Were Marched Through County by Miss Mamie Petty
- Pittsylvania Has the Only County Flag in America
- Pittsylvania's Salt Agent: Unsung Hero of Civil War by Herman Melton
- Ten States Have Towns of Chatham
- How We Got Five-Pointed Stars for Flag
- A Play on Words
- More Things Change, The More They Remain Same by Frances Hallam Hurt
- Is There a Lessen From Roman History?
- Dolley Payne Madison: A Belle of A Washington Hostess by Patricia B. Mitchell
- PHS Welcomes Newest Members
- Members Write Letters
- Queries
- Notice to Genealogical Researchers
- New Books Published
- New Publication
- McCraw Reunion July 17-20
Pittsylvania Packet, Summer 1992, No. 5
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Table of Contents
- Report by PHS President
- O'Conner is Speaker for August 17th Meeting
- 'Eldon' Through Eyes of Elizabeth Swanson by Patricia B. Mitchell
- Tracing Family Roots as Done in the Bible, contributed by Ken Kettlewell
- My Family Tree by W. Neel Jackson
- Bill of Rights
- Pittsylvania's Hidden Tourist Attraction
- Pittsylvania Minerals . . . The Jed Hotchkiss Connection by Herman Melton
- Elizabeth Lyons Swanson (Mrs. Claude A. Swanson)
- New Technology for Heirloom Family Photos by Henry H. Mitchell
- Delightful Sense of Humor in Landre's Genealogical Book [Lowell Henry Landre, No Known Candidates for Sainthood]
- Tombstone in Missouri
- You Have Over a Million Relatives!!
- Revival Leads to Building of Payneton Church Century Ago
- From The Book of Estrays, contributed by Lucille and Neil Payne
- Thanks to the DAV
- Queries
- Members Writer Letters
- Speaking of Old Photographs
- Publications for Sale
Pittsylvania Packet, Fall 1992, No. 6
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Table of Contents
- Report by the PHS President
- Unusual Program for Nov. 16 Meeting
- Pittsylvania's Unsung Hero of the Revolution by Herman Melton
- The African Influence on Southern Cuisine by Patricia B. Mitchell
- Callands Potpourri Great Success, Over 15,000 Attend
- We Have Special Interest in Mark Twain by Herman Ginther
- Congrats to Our Secretary
- Whispers of the 1700's in Pittsylvania County, prepared by Henry H. Mitchell
- Apprenticeship was Way for Youths to Learn Trade
- Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody, contributed by Patsy Hodge
- Hutchings Family Cemetery in Missouri
- Queries
- Old Relations by Marriage
- Genealogy-Pox, a Genealogist Disease; Contagious to Adults
- Christmas Celebration . . .
- Christmas in Colonial Chatham
- Publications for Sale
Pittsylvania Packet, Winter 1993, No. 7
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Table of Contents
- Comments by the PHS President
- Feb. 15th Meeting Will Be Fun Program
- An Ante Bellum Tragedy on the Old R & D Railroad by Herman Melton
- Renewing Memberships Starts in May
- Members Write Letters
- To Search Baptist Records
- Put Genealogy in Library of Congress
- Reminders of Early Chatham, compiled by Henry H. Mitchell
- Pittsylvania Picnics and Suppers by Patricia B. Mitchell
- Ivalee Dalton Solves Relations
- Queries
- Names Spelled Different Ways
- Pension Papers Tell the Story of Hardships of Revolutionary War, contribution by Karen R. Christenson
- Thanks [to Mrs. Langhorne Jones] for the Contribution
- Stop Falling Hair at 50 Cents Per Bottle
- Publications for Sale
Pittsylvania Packet, Spring 1993, No. 8
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Table of Contents
- Report by the PHS President
- Program for the May 17th Meeting
- 16-Year Crusade for a Railroad in Virginia
- Pittsylvania County's Civil War Gun Factory by Herman Melton
- A Conservative Is . . .
- Col. William Byrd's Observations 1728-1733, compiled and drawings by Henry H. Mitchell
- Thirty Years of Research Produced Family History [Forebears of Four Dunbars, about the families of Allred, Bennett, Dunbar, etc.]
- Looking for a Town?
- Civil War Ancestors
- Name of Women of Scotland Don't Change
- 'Truly Horrible' Danville Civil War Prisons by Patricia B. Mitchell
- Of Interest to Baptists
- Information about Mailing Letters
- Queries
- Winery in Pittsylvania Dates Back to 1869 by Patricia B. Mitchell
- Pittsylvania Courthouse is National Historic Landmark
- Melton Has Another Book Coming [Picks, Tracks and Batteaux: Industry in Pittsylvania County, 1750-1950]
- PHS has 564 Members
- Reynolds Family Reunion at Arlington, VA June 21-26
- "Everything Coming Up Roses" at Richmond, VA June 11-13
- Book about Jeb Stuart and His Staff [They Followed the Plume by Robert J. Trout]
- PHS honors Austin E. Jones
- We Receive Letters
- Membership Form
Pittsylvania Packet, Summer 1993, No. 9
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Table of Contents
- Report by PHS President
- Interesting Program Set for PHS Aug. 16 Meeting
- Fabled Hospitality, Old Southern Style by Patricia B. Mitchell
- Pittsylvania's First Tory Was 'Hell-Raiser,' by Frances Hallam Hurt
- Callands Festival October 2
- State Church of Virginia
- Illinois Historical Library
- Looking Back . . . Before 1900
- Modern Woodmen of America
- The Railroad that was Founded at County Seat by Herman Melton
- Civil War Cemetery
- Old Insurance Papers
- New Video Features Melton, Stone, and Ancient Banister River Site by Henry H. Mitchell
- Concise Genealogical Dictionary
- Railroad
- 10 Good Sources for Genealogical Research
- Children Sent West on the Orphan Train by Phil Parioi
- Land Measurement Guidelines
- Thomas Foster Phillips Day - Wallace State (MO) Park, Oct. 16
- Virginia's Lone Emery Mine is in Our County by Herman Melton
- Confusing Definitions from Colonial Times
- It's Not Too Late to Renew Membership
- August 1993 Queries
- "How to Host a Family Reunion"
- Pension Papers Filed for Revolutionary War Soldier, contributed by John E. Burrows III
- We Receive Letters
- Publications for Sale
Pittsylvania Packet, Fall 1993, No. 10
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Table of Contents
- Report by PHS President
- Suggestions for Christmas Gift
- Chief Justice Subject for PHS Nov. 15 Meeting
- John Weatherford Remembered as Unstoppable Dissenting Preacher by Henry H. Mitchell
- 20th Century Cabells and Their Kin
- World War II Vet Info Requested
- To Approve or Reject U.S. Constitution in 1788 by Herman Melton
- Christmas in Colonial Chatham Will be Merry Celebration Dec. 4
- The Evolution of Virginia Counties
- Watch Out for Fraudulent Family Histories
- Injured Knee Causes Delay, Saved Him from Alama Massacre [Dr. John Sutherland], contributed by Kenneth Crouch
- Legal Question Raised About Courthouse in 1806
- Request for Civil War Veteran's Photos
- No Words Can Really Describe Christmas by Patricia B. Mitchell
- Valuable Information in Old Newspapers
- Diphtheria Main Killer 'Back Then'; Heart Attacks, Cancer Seldom Mentioned in Last Century (from information compiled by Mrs. Lonnie Crosby)
- Ain't It The Truth!
- Virginia Vital Records on Computer Disks
- November 1993 Queries
- Epitath Raises Question
- Members Write Letters
- Thomas Foster Phillips Honored
- Make Heirlooms Part of Family History
- Your Right to Federal Records
- Publications for Sale
Pittsylvania Packet, Winter 1994, No. 11
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Table of Contents
- Comments by the PHS President
- Different Sort of Meeting February 21
- George Washington Really Spent Night in Our County, from information contributed by Robert Danny Ricketts
- Homestead Act Passed 1862
- Help to Locate a Town
- Revolutionary War Soldier Honored After 200 Years (Lt. Thomas Jones Sr.)
- 45 Justices of Peace Named in County After the War [1865] by Robert Hunt
- Pittsylvania County's Puzzling Post Offices by Herman Melton
- Melton's New Book to Aid Genealogists
- Daniel Butterfield - Composer of Taps
- In Memory of Major Neil Payne (Ret.), Died January 23, 1994
- Roll of 205 Enlistees Printed Here; Chatham Grays Marched Off to War April 24, 1861
- Chatham Hall Centennial Celebration Set April 22-24
- Goddard Association Invites Members
- Chant of the Tax Collector
- I, Myself and Me
- Rules for Female Teachers
- Betty Booth Wins PHS Raffle
- How did the Hessians Get into the Revolutionary War?
- Out of Print Maps Still Available
- February 1994 Queries
- Tracing Your Roots Thru Upshur Family?
- Elliott 'n' Kin Newsletter Coming!
- Work Shop Focuses Attention on Plans for Heritage-Tourism Week (Submitted by Jeanette Brown)
- The Story of Jeb Stuart and His Staff
- Epitath Tells Sad Story, contributed by James W. Faucette
- Members Write Letters
- In Memory of Mrs. Katherine Wallace Buck
- Publications for Sale
Pittsylvania Packet, Spring 1994, No. 12
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Table of Contents
- Comments by the PHS President
- Historical Foodways at May 16 Meeting
- One of Two in Virginia - Pittsylvania County (VA) has National Historic Landmark by Herman Melton
- Different Routes for Research
- Now is The Time to Renew
- Canister Shot from Yankee Gun Lands in Society Museum Display by Henry H. Mitchell
- Ancestry Research May Be Good for Your Health
- Known Locations of the Graves of Revolutionary War Soldiers
- Old Time Recipes for Hard Times
- Historical Markers Erected in County
- Names of Civil War Soldiers to be Listed on Computer
- Why Know the Past? by Edward Woods
- Dan River Chapter Sons of the American Revolution
- Could Lose Citizenship
- Herman Melton's Newest Book to be Released in '94
- Virginia is Important to Western State Researchers
- History of Footwear
- No Birth Control Among the Pioneer Families
- Whatever Happened to Elegance? The Social Life of Lizzie Swanson by Patricia B. Mitchell
- May 1994 Queries
- What Do You Know About Great Seal of United States? by Preston B. Moses
- Elliott 'n' Kin Newsletter Coming!
- For Research About Methodists
- Members Write Letters
- Smith/Green Reunion in July
- The Worldwide Blanton Convention
- Phillips Family Reunion
- PHS Publications for Sale
Pittsylvania Packet, Summer 1994, No. 13
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Table of Contents
- Comments by the PHS President
- Learn About Chatham at at August 15 Meeting
- Watson Memorial Methodist Chatham's Oldest Church by Herman Melton
- Look for the Asterisk
- Letter by Jefferson Davis' Widow Poses Real Mystery by Patricia B. Mitchell
- Social Security Number Might Tell
- Novel Set in Pittsylvania County to be Off Press Soon [Ride into Darkness by Kenyon McCann (pen name of Helen Melton)]
- Callands Festival Slated October 1
- Pittsylvanians Play Key Roles in Three Great Battles by Henry H. Mitchell
- History Plays a Positive Part in Genealogical Research by Mrs. Lonnie Crosby
- Packet Contributor Featured at Mississippi Literary Festival (Patricia B. Mitchell)
- Tip on Finding Adoption Records
- Meaning of "Grass Widow"
- August 1994 Queries
- Book on Hendersons to Come Off Press in Dec. [Hendersons of Early South Carolina Part 3 (1850-1870)]
- Tips for Researching Period Before 1850
- Interesting Items Gleaned from 120-Year-Old Chatham Newspaper by Preston B. Moses
- Yeatts Reunion at Crews Sept. 11
- Reynolds Family Reunion in Chicago Sept. 22-24
- Barksdale Family Reunion Oct. 9
- Members Write Letters
- Now is The Time to Renew . . .
- How to Find Ancestor's Homestead Land
- Seaman's Protection Certificates
- PHS Publications for Sale
Pittsylvania Packet, Fall 1994, No. 14
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Table of Contents
- Report by the PHS President
- Author to Read from Her Novel [Kenyon McCann; Helen Melton]
- Markers and Portrait Local Reminders of Rachel Jackson by Henry H. Mitchell
- Estray Book Has Many Names
- Christmas in Colonial Chatham Set for Saturday, December 3
- Are You Tired?
- Moses Mill was 2nd Largest in County Back in the 1880's by Herman Melton
- Old 1884 Newspaper Supported Democrats, Grover Cleveland
- Patricia Mitchell's Books Now Available Through Society
- What Do You Know About the Civil War?
- Little Humor Mixed with War
- Lend an Ear to the Story
- Five Years After the War
- Researching Swedish Genealogy?
- Ellen Says It Works
- Quarantine
- If You Don't Know the Address
- Thanks Barbara for Your Letter
- Members Write Letters
- Cookbook Gets Second Printing [Idle Hens Don't Lay]
- November 1994 Queries
- All About County's Largest Family [Shelton County by April Miller]
- Heartfelt Thanks to PHS Members for Contributions
- Publications for Sale
Pittsylvania Packet, Winter 1995, No. 15
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Table of Contents
- Report by the PHS President
- Painting Exhibit at Feb. 20 Meeting
- Whiskey Production Was Big Business - Censuses Over Years Trace Industries in Pittsylvania by Herman H. Melton
- Ancestor Fair in Arkansas July 21-22
- Harking Back to Good Ole Dazes - Chatham's Wild Oats, Also Corn, Rye and 10 Barrooms by Frances Hallam Hurt
- Somethings You Might Not Know!
- A Prayer for Genealogists
- Human Interest Stories About Civil War Told by Confederate Veterans
- Common Mistakes Made by Researchers
- What do These Initials Mean?
- Did Your American Ancestors Go to Sea?
- C of E [Church of England] Minister Performed Marriages
- 100-Year-Old Man Tells About His Life as a Former Slave by Patricia B. Mitchell
- Mother Shipton's Prophecy Reprinted
- Searching for Identity
- Pioneers Thought It Was a Short Walk to California by Henry H. Mitchell
- What They Said About Punctuality
- Biblical History According to High School Student Bloopers
- Attention Politicians
- Author [Helen Melton] Relates Experiences After Her Book is Published
- Prisoner of War Records
- Occupations of Persons of Colonial Period
- Preparing for Annual Church Stew
- Most Americans of German Ancestry
- How To Determine a Cousin
- Bird Watchers Epitath, contributed by James W. Faucette
- February 1995 Queries
- Members Write Letters
- The Family Tree by Willis Corbitt
- Publications for Sale
Pittsylvania Packet, Spring 1995, No. 16
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Table of Contents
- Report by the PHS President
- Mrs. Payne to Tell About Her New Book
- Civil War Cannons Believed to Have Been Forged in Pittsylvania by Herman H. Melton
- You Know You're A Genealogist Addict
- Inventories and Accounts Current Put in Book Form [Pittsylvania County, Virginia Inventories and Accounts Current 1770-1797 edited by Lucille Payne]
- Genealogical Information Available About Virginia Vital Statistics
- Bumgardner Family Association Reunion June 13-15 in Kentucky
- Confederate Soldier Documents the Conditions of Surrender Week 1865 by Henry H. Mitchell
- PHS Gets 29 Brand New Members in Recent Weeks
- New Book About J.E.B. Stuart is Coming Off Press in June [With Pen and Saber: The Letters and Diaries of J.E.B. Stuart's Staff Officers by Robert J. Trout]
- Do You Happen to Know the Meaning of Your First Name by Sarah E. Mitchell
- Over 5,000 Years You'll have 1,048,576 Ancestors
- Did You Know You May Have 33,554,432 Ancestors?
- Surnames Are Spelled Many Different Ways
- 3-Act Play Written by Helen Melton - The Last Man Hanged is True Story About County Murder by Helen Melton
- Now is the Time to Renew
- Does Anyone Have Answer to Name and Nickname Problem?
- How Tightsqueeze VA Really Got Its Name by Preston B. Moses
- The Fellows Got to See Ladies' Legs During the Era of Stepping Stones by Preston B. Moses
- Letter Gives All Details of 1902 Chatham Wedding by Patricia B. Mitchell
- It is Really a Small World!
- Polygamy in Germany 1618-1684
- Abby Crawford Milton Woman Suffrage Leader
- Interesting, Amusing Items Gleaned from Old Newspapers by Preston B. Moses
- This is Breathtaking!
- Chain Reaction
- Ode to the IRS
- Led Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg - Doctor Rawley Martin Became Colonel in War
- Early Tax Lists Not Military Lists
- Ancestor of Coal Miner
- Mexican War Veterans
- Difficult to Comprehend - Many Changes Have Been Made in Last 100 Years
- Extra Help for British Ancestry
- They Didn't Have a Welfare Program - You Don't Have to Feel Sorry for Our 'Poor' Forefathers
- You Can Have Your Dial or Touch Tone Telephones, Give Me 'Miss Lillie' by Preston B. Moses
- Texas Justice in 1838
- Marriages of Pittsylvania County, Va., contributed by Lucille Payne
- May 1995 Queries
- Members Write Letters
- Publications for Sale
Pittsylvania Packet, Summer 1995, No. 17
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Table of Contents
- The President's Report
- The May Meeting
- Hear Ye, Hear Ye
- The Autumn Potpourri
- John Randolph of Roanoke - A Politician Extraordinaire with Pittsylvania Connections by Kenyon McCann [pen name of Helen Melton]
- Family Historians, Take Note!
- Tips for the Researcher
- Ladies of the DAR by Frances Hallam Hurt
- Pittsylvania Rememberances
- Going to the Mill by Robert Harris
- Miss Maud's Marriage by Patricia B. Mitchell
- Unusual Names are Often Found in Public Records by Sarah E. Mitchell
- Scraps from the Editor's Desk
- Coming Packet Attractions
- August 1995 Queries
- Give Our Membership Secretary a Break
- Gleanings from Our Readers
- How Tightsqueeze VA Really Got Its Name by Preston B. Moses
- Your Help is Needed
- Union Prisoner's Memoir Recalls Rail Ride to Danville
- Samuel P. Wilson and John Dix Specimens
- Publications for Sale
Pittsylvania Packet, Fall 1995, No. 18
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Table of Contents
- The President's Report
- The August Meeting
- Mark Your Calendar for Your Best Day Ever
- Where Our Members Live
- Chatham's First Automobile Run Off Main Street By Judge by Preston B. Moses
- Visiting Pittsylvania County, Virginia by Frances E. Parker
- Look for the Asterisk
- Miscellany
- Never Give Up by Lucille Payne [About Adams, Wilson, and Vaden families]
- Pittsylvania County WPA Writer's Project May Return
- The Packet's Latest Kudos Go To: Old Pittsylvania County Map Showing Grave Sites of Revolutionary War Soldiers
- How Long Since You Took in a 25 Cent Movie?
- The November Meeting
- Pittsylvania County Court Order for Feasibility Study of Franklin Turnpike
- The Franklin Turnpike by Herman Melton
- Footnote
- Notice to All Readers
- November 1995 Queries
- Scraps from the Editor's Desk
- Acrostic for Preston by James W. Faucette
- More Good Tips from Betty Bruno
- If You Will Read Carefully
- The Peytonsburg Explosion?
- Gleanings From Our Readers
- Publications for Sale
Pittsylvania Packet, Winter 1996, No. 19
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Table of Contents
- The President's Report
- The February Meeting
- Chatham's Great Fire: Large Portion of Town Destroyed 94 Years Ago by Preston B. Moses
- The November Meeting
- The Willow Del Commissary: Pittsylvania's Secret Confederate Supply Base by Herman Melton
- New Opportunities for Historical Researchers by Helen Melton
- Coming Attractions
- February 1996 Queries
- Gleanings From Our Readers
- Yesterday's Country Store [Grant's Store, Dry Fork]
- Publications for Sale
Pittsylvania Packet, Spring 1996, No. 20
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Table of Contents
- The President's Report
- The May Meeting
- The Origin of Pittsylvania's Kudzu: The County's Civilian Conservation Crops by Preston B. Moses
- Memories of a Country Store at Laurel Grove by Mary Jane Vaden
- The Border Book Club: Pittsylvania's Oldest Book Club by Anne Scales Hairston Sims
- Urgent Request [Chatelaine Mementos]
- Hard Choices on the Home Front: Pittsylvania's Care for Indigent Families of Civil War Soldiers by Herman Melton
- Henry's Mill as it Appeared in an 1890 Oil Painting
- May 1996 Queries
- The Lord is My Archivist by Ila Hayworth Breeden
- Have You Paid Your Dues
- If You Were Born Before 1945
- Gleanings From Our Readers
- The Grave Site of Thomas Jones Sr. (A Revolutionary War Soldier from Shockoe)
- The Mill on The Great Rock: Henry's Mill in Pittsylvania County, Once Owned By Patrick Henry's Cousin by Herman Melton
- Furguson Papers at UNC Contain Chatham Grey's Roll Book by Henry H. Mitchell
- Pickeral's Crossing
- The February Meeting
- Scraps from the Editor's Desk
- Thanks to Lynn Gochenour and Martha Piazza
- Publications for Sale
Pittsylvania Packet, Fall 2002, No. 46
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Table of Contents
- President's Report by J. Fuller Motley
- Fall Meeting Features Clerk's Office Museum Plans by Langhorne Jones, Jr., Chairman, Museum Committee
- Heating and Air Added to the 1813 Clerk's Office
- Train Station Grant Received by Susan Worley
- Reynolds Homestead Exhibits Jesse Andrews' Photodocumentary
- November Bus Tour Focuses on Mid-1800's, Southeastern Pittsylvania
- “Christmas in Historic Chatham” Planned for December 6-7
- Herman Melton's New Book Tells of Crime and Punishment in County
- Sarah Mitchell Appointed Packet Editor
- Pittsylvania County Jails (from research notes by Langhorne Jones, Sr.; submitted by Langhorne Jones, Jr.)
- A Chatham History Quiz by Henry H. Mitchell
- A Hundred Years of History: Society Acquires Valuable Publications
- Tobacco Curing Barn Reconstructed by Frances Hallam Hurt
- Tobacco Barn Replica Available
- Pittsylvania and the Beginnings of Bright Leaf by Maud Carter Clement (1879-1969)
- Queries: Thurman family
- New Membership Rates, New Members Drive Announced
Pittsylvania Packet, Winter 2003, No. 47
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Table of Contents
- President's Report by J. Fuller Motley
- Note from the Editor by Sarah E. Mitchell
- Notes from the Veterans History Project Committee
- Notes from the Museum Committee
- Winter Meeting to be held January 20th at 1813 Clerk's Office
- Melton Publishes 6th Hardcover Book
- Osborne Releases 4th Book
- Virginia Historical Inventory Available Online
- Red Means Renew
- Deadline for Submissions
- Housekeeping in Old Pittsylvania by Patricia B. Mitchell
- A Revolution That Failed: Secession in Pittsylvania County by Herman Melton
- What was the News In the Late 1800's? by Preston Moses
- The Packet Mailbag
Pittsylvania Packet, Spring 2003, No. 48
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Table of Contents
- Happy Spring! from Sarah E. Mitchell, Editor
- Spring Meeting to be held April 21st at 1813 Clerk's Office
- Virginia Garden Week: April 19-23
- Blossom's Garden Party: May 2 & 3
- Stanley Family Reunion: June 21
- New Directors Added to PHS Board
- Historical Society resubmits application for Train Station Funds
- HistoricChatham.com: Guides, Articles, Etc.
- PittPaths.com: Natural History Information
- Deadline for Submissions
- Mitchell Highlights Pringle Meyer's Collection at Winter Meeting by Chris Smith
- A 1914 Water Rent Bill
- Mama Sent Me To The Spring by Glenn Giles
- A Bit of Humor: Quotes from Sam Lovelace
Pittsylvania Packet, Summer 2003, No. 49
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Table of Contents
- Notes from the Editor from Sarah E. Mitchell
- Summer Picnic to be held July 21st at a Markham farm
- Saunders Family Reunion: August 2nd
- Rotary Club Event: September 20th
- Callands Festival: October 4th
- Historic Preservation Committee Accepts Nominations
- Interviewers, Interviewees Needed for Veterans History Project
- Pittsylvania County Heritage Book Seeks Writers
- Deadline for Submissions
- Civilian Conservation Corps Came to Life at Spring Meeting
- Three Virginia Revolutionary War Heroes
- The Menaboni Mural at Chatham Hall
- Uncommon Generosity: Landon Fuller
- “Cupids” Come to a Chatham Wedding
- Property Queries: Callands Courthouse; E.H. Fox and R.C. Saunders
Pittsylvania Packet, Fall 2003, No. 50
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Table of Contents
- President's Report from Fuller Motley
- Note from the Editor from Sarah E. Mitchell
- Fall Meeting to be held October 20th at 1813 Clerk's Office
- Christmas In Historic Chatham: December 5th-6th
- Chris Smith Resigns
- Correction Regarding Heritage Book
- Herman and Helen Melton Move
- Herman and Helen Melton Historical Fund Formed with DPC Foundation
- Deadline for Submissions
- Calland Cemetery to be Restored
- A WWII-Era Letter from Sgt. William Yeatts
- History Within A Day's Drive
- Family Queries: Brumfield and Whitehead
- Property Queries: Maud Carter Clement's Former Home
Pittsylvania Packet, Winter 2004, No. 51
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Table of Contents
- Retiring President's Report from Fuller Motley
- New President's Report from Langhorne Jones
- Winter Meeting to be held January 19th at 1813 Clerk's Office
- Danville Civil War Encampment: February 20th-22nd
- Gifts to PHS Tax-Deductible
- Remember to Renew!
- Corrections
- Heritage Book Deadline Extended
- Whitmell Farm Life School Materials Loaned to PHS
- New Board & Committee Members Announced
- PHS Restores Historic Books
- Deadline for Submissions
- Fashion Advice from a 1903 Pittsylvania Tribune
- Dolley Madison and The Coles Family of Virginia
- Pittsylvania County's Communities in The 1880's: Part I
Pittsylvania Packet, Spring 2004, No. 52
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Table of Contents
- President's Report by Langhorne Jones, Jr.
- Spring Meeting April 19th at 1813 Clerk's Office
- Virginia Garden Week: April 17th-25th
- “The Meadows” Bus Tour: May 15th
- Blossom's Garden Party: May 15th
- Red Dot Means Renew!
- New Ways to Order PHS Books
- Deadline for Submissions
- History & Genealogy at the Chatham Library by Sarah E. Mitchell
Pittsylvania's Missing Confederate Cannons by Herman Melton
- Genealogy Query: The White Family
- Architectural Query: Poindexter-Wood-Carpenter House
Pittsylvania Packet, Summer 2004, No. 53
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Table of Contents
- President's Report by Langhorne Jones, Jr.
- Note from the Editor by Sarah E. Mitchell
- Special Thanks to Our Patrons
- Summer Picnic: July 19th at Frances Hurt Park
- Callands Festival: October 2nd
- Deadline for Submissions
- Pittsylvania and Henry County Poor House Farms by Desmond Kendrick
- An Unusual Will
- The Last Five Hangings in Pittsylvania County
- Pittsylvania County's Communities in the 1880's: Part II
- Picture of the Past: Selling War Bonds
- Genealogy Query: Ingram/Dodson
Pittsylvania Packet, Fall 2004, No. 54
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Table of Contents
- President's Report by Langhorne Jones, Jr.
- Note from the Editor by Sarah E. Mitchell
- Callands Festival: October 2nd
- Fall Meeting: October 18th
- Parade: November 28th
- Christmas in Historic Chatham: December 2nd-3rd
- Deadline for Submissions
- Reprint of Herman Melton's Mill Books by Henry Hurt
- Some Recollections of My Grandfather by Langhorne Jones, Sr.
- Local Lady Leads the Way by Patricia B. Mitchell
- Going to the Store by Dail Yeatts
- A Couple of Old Car Stories by Dr. Ernest Overbey
Pittsylvania Packet, Winter 2005, No. 55
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Table of Contents
- President's Report by Langhorne Jones, Jr.
- Note from the Editor by Sarah E. Mitchell
- Winter Meeting: January 20th – Note different place, date, and time
- Deadline for Submissions
- Spring Bus Tour: April 9th
- Board Member Mack Doss Honored by Langhorne Jones, Jr.
- Callands Clerk's Office is Historic Gem by Mrs. Sam Hairston
- Blandwood by Sarah E. Mitchell
- Mysterious Millner Imprisoned in New York by Sarah E. Mitchell
Pittsylvania Packet, Spring 2005, No. 56
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Table of Contents
- President's Report by Langhorne Jones, Jr.
- Red Dot Means Renew!
- Note from the Editor by Sarah E. Mitchell
- Spring Bus Tour: April 9th
- Veterans Memorial Wall and Walkway
- Free Danville Genealogy Seminar: May 7th
- Second Heritage Book in the Works
- Group Formed to Preserve Harvey School
- Deadline for Submissions
- From Slave to Landowner: The Story of Ellen J. Miller
- Diphtheria and Pittsylvania County by Sarah E. Mitchell
- Feedsack Dresses by Jordan Kee
- Chatham Hall's Movie Star Margaret Sullavan by Sarah E. Mitchell
- Punishing A Profiteer in Pittsylvania
- Chatham's Papers & Population in 1876
Pittsylvania Packet, Summer 2005, No. 57
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- Announcement Concerning the Melton Historical Fund from The PHS Board
- Summer Picnic: July 18th
- Saunders' Family Reunion: July 30th
- Vendors Needed for October 1st Callands Festival
- Deadline for Submissions
- Historical Society Receives Grant
- July 4th, 1860 in Chatham by Sarah E. Mitchell
- Hobo Lot by Frances Hallam Hurt
- The Old Whitefall House by James (Mack) Doss
- Queries: Banister River Baptist Church; Atkins/Adkins Family; Williams, Motley, Gravely, and Gordon Families
Pittsylvania Packet, Fall 2005, No. 58
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Table of Contents
- Bus Tour: September 10th
- Special PHS Membership Meeting: September 19th
- Regular PHS Membership Meeting: October 17th
- Deadline for Submissions
- Callands Festival: October 1st
- Callands Festival to be Held for the 25th year (A Retrospective)
- Gasoline and Other Prices of 1916 in Pittsylvania County (compiled by Sarah E. Mitchell)
- Discovery at Beavers' Mill (written by Robert (Bobby) Ricketts; research by Danny Ricketts)
- A Vignette on John William Compton, Civil War Soldier
Pittsylvania Packet, Winter 2006, No. 59
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Table of Contents
- President's Report
- Blue Means Do NOT Renew!
- PHS Membership Meeting: January 16th
- Encampment at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History: March 4, 2006
- Deadline for Submissions
- Bus Tour Provided Glimpse of County's Past by Susan Worley
- A Bit of Pittsylvania Poetry (introduction by Sarah E. Mitchell)
- Have You Worn A Chicken Lately? by Frances Hallam Hurt
- Abraham Chaney and his Revolutionary War Service (from Maud Carter Clement)
- The Double Payne Wedding on New Year's Eve, 1904
- Competition's Name Change to Chatham
- A True Story by Langhorne Jones, Sr., Glenn B. Updike, Sr., and Langhorne Jones, Jr.
- Genealogy Queries: McCarty/ McCarthy and Gaines
Pittsylvania Packet, Spring 2006, No. 60
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Table of Contents
- If Blue Dot on Label, Please Renew
- PHS Membership Meeting: April 17th
- PittsylvaniaHistoricalSociety.org launched
- Deadline for Submissions
- Update on the Southern Railway Depot Restoration
- Our Covered Bridge by James E. Stone
- The Stewart Family of Pittsylvania, Amelia, Henrico, and other Counties by Betty Brown
- Third Lieutenant Dryden Wright, Pigg River Invincibles, Co. C2, 46th Virginia Infantry: Letters to Home – September 1863 to April 1864 (Part I) by Stephen Thornton
- Baptist Church's Fundraising in 1869
- Spring Garden in 1835
- Research Queries: Haden family; Fenlaw (Fendlay), Stone, and Price families
Pittsylvania Packet, Summer 2006, No. 61
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Table of Contents
- Bus Tour and Luncheon: July 8th
- Virginia Historical Society opens Exhibit featuring Pittsylvania County Water Wheel: July 22nd
- Deadline for Submissions
- Picture from the Past: Car on Main Street in Chatham (circa 1920)
- Memorial Day Ceremony at 1813 Clerk's Office by Susan Worley
- Third Lieutenant Dryden Wright, Pigg River Invincibles, Co. C2, 46th Virginia Infantry: Letters to Home – September 1863 to April 1864 (Part II) by Stephen Thornton
- Queries: Hatchett family
Pittsylvania Packet, Fall 2006, No. 62
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Table of Contents
- PHS Membership Meeting: October 16th, 2006
- Callands Festival: October 7th, 2006 by Susan Worley
- Christmas in Historic Chatham: December 1st and 2nd, 2006
- Death of Richard Anderson Mourned
- Answer to the Summer Issue's Picture of the Past
- The Little Station that Stood by Glenn Giles
- Third Lieutenant Dryden Wright, Pigg River Invincibles, Co. C2, 46th Virginia Infantry: Letters to Home – September 1863 to April 1864 (Part III, Conclusion) by Stephen Thornton
Pittsylvania Packet, Winter 2007, No. 63
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Table of Contents
- Blue Means Do NOT Renew!
- PHS Membership Meeting: January 22nd
- Herman Melton Releases New Book
- Pictures from the Past: The Chatham Pharmacy and the Safe
- Chatham is Fire Swept: May 29, 1905
- An Important Dinner Party for Claude Swanson by Charles Minor Blackford, III
- “Pittsylvania” by Duval Porter
- Our Ice House by James Stone
Pittsylvania Packet, Spring 2007, No. 64
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Table of Contents
- PHS Membership Meeting: April 16th
- Local Garden Week Events: April 22nd and 26th
- Books on Growing up in Victorian Pittsylvania County Given to Area Libraries
- Picture from the Past: Mrs. Maurice Fitzgerald and Daughter
- Competition Laid Out: June 16th, 1807
- Our First Meeting: A Love Story by F. Zane Kinn
- Efforts to Care for Injured Horses During the Civil War by Sarah E. Mitchell
Pittsylvania Packet, Summer 2007, No. 65
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Table of Contents
- PHS Membership Meeting at Callands: July 16th at 6:30 PM
- Saunders/English Family Reunion: Aug. 4th
- 27th Annual Callands Festival: Oct. 6th
- Guide to Virginia Historical Markers Given in Honor of Paul Harold to Local Libraries
- The Race to the Dan Published
- Local Sources For Race to the Dan Info
- Bathrooms Added Near Clerk's Office
- Preservation Prevails
- Advertisement from the Past: A Tavern for Sale in the 1820's
- Picture from the Past: Geese in Chatham
- The County Flag: Pride of Pittsylvania by Mrs. Archie Beverley
- Query: Searching for Hodges' Family
Pittsylvania Packet, Fall 2007, No. 66
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Table of Contents
- “Musical Traditions from Pittsylvania County:” Fall Membership Meeting, Monday, October 15, 2007 at 7:00 PM at Yates Tavern near Gretna, Virginia
- 27th Annual Callands Festival: Oct. 6th
- Virginia Genealogical Society Conference: November 2 and 3, 2007
- Christmas in Historic Chatham: December 7 and 8, 2007
- Advertisement from the Past: A 1903 Barbershop
- Chatham Depot Baggage Cart Restored by Glenn Giles
- Yates Tavern
- Pittsylvania Ponders Secession