101 Chester Street
Front Royal, Virginia 22630
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Directions from Williams Chapel to site 29:
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Open Tues-Sat 10AM - 4PM, and by appointment; warrenheritagesociety.org
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The Warren Heritage Society (WHS) is the Front Royal/Warren County community’s historical society, museum, and archives. Established as a non-profit organization in 1971, the Warren Heritage Society has done a significant amount of work to preserve and share Warren County’s history, including a recent study on the lives of three African American women who were born enslaved and prospered after emancipation: Julia Allen Wanzer, Mary Fristoe, and Martha “Mattie” Thompson.
Julia, born in 1851, was one of 12 children born to enslaved parents Henry Allen and Ellen Blair. In 1868 Julia married John Wanzer, who the Balthis family possibly enslaved at 55 Chester Street. They had at least seven children together. At some point after the 1870s, a playhouse behind the Balthis house was enlarged and expanded, and the Wanzers purchased it. A 1906 deed mentions “Wanzer Lane” to the south of the Balthis house, no doubt named for the Wanzers still living in the old playhouse.
Julia, born in 1851, was one of 12 children born to enslaved parents Henry Allen and Ellen Blair. In 1868 Julia married John Wanzer, who the Balthis family possibly enslaved at 55 Chester Street. They had at least seven children together. At some point after the 1870s, a playhouse behind the Balthis house was enlarged and expanded, and the Wanzers purchased it. A 1906 deed mentions “Wanzer Lane” to the south of the Balthis house, no doubt named for the Wanzers still living in the old playhouse.
Mary Ellen Barbee was born enslaved on James M. Barbee’s farm in Chester Gap, about four miles south of Front Royal. After her mother’s death, Mary was bound out as a young girl to Milton T. Fristoe, a dry goods merchant. By 1880 Mary had taken the Fristoe name for herself, and she lived with the family until their deaths in 1898. Mrs. Fristoe willed Mary $1,000.
She then worked for the Williams family, and by 1907 Mary had saved enough money to purchase one-quarter of an acre on the corner of Chester and Peyton streets “comprising 2 lots with houses. The rent from two small houses on said street goes to Mary Fristoe…” She then built herself a small house on the property.
She then worked for the Williams family, and by 1907 Mary had saved enough money to purchase one-quarter of an acre on the corner of Chester and Peyton streets “comprising 2 lots with houses. The rent from two small houses on said street goes to Mary Fristoe…” She then built herself a small house on the property.
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Martha “Mattie” Thompson was born enslaved around 1850 on Jacob VanNort’s farm in the Riverton area of Warren County. After the death of VanNort, Mattie was purchased by his daughter and her husband for $900. Sometime after the Civil War, Mattie moved to Charlottesville, VA, and opened a brothel on Garrett Street. By 1885 she had accumulated enough wealth to purchase the brothel house outright. Mattie was a Madam for over 40 years but kept in touch with her VanNort and Samuels connections in Warren County. She contributed to the college fund of Bernard Samuels, who later became a world-renowned ophthalmologist. She willed her entire estate to Samuels on her death in 1925. She was the first African American buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery.
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