Fauquier Historical Society

The Fauquier Historical Society of today was organized in 1964, primarily to save the historic Old Jail from destruction, and to create within the jail a museum of local history. The core membership of the new society was drawn from the "Save the Jail" committee. It was led by Gen. J. B. Rose, who served as president during the organizational period; Mrs. H. P Kelly, secretary; and George Coyle, treasurer. The charter creating the new Fauquier Historical Society, incorporated in November, 1964, outlined the organization's six major responsibilities:

1) To preserve and maintain the jail complex as a museum, without any expense to Fauquier County, with the exception of structural maintenance and outside repairs.
2) To collect and preserve any documents, manuscripts, furniture, or other items of historical significance to the county, state, or nation.
3) To acquire, purchase, lease, or manage for preservation historical homes, buildings, monuments and land connected with the history of Fauquier County.
4) To encourage and foster public interest and education in the history of the county, state, and nation.
5) To receive and administer funds and properties, of all kinds, for the above purposes.

Following the chartering of the Society, a permanent slate of officers and board of directors was elected. Gen. Lemuel C. Shepherd, USMC (Ret.) was elected president: James C. Ambler, first vice president; John K Gott, second vice president; Harry Pearson, recording secretary; John Chilton, corresponding secretary; and George Coyle, treasurer.
The first directors, in addition to the officers, were Sen. John H. Alexander, Dr. Evan Ashby, John B. Adams, Randolph Carter, Alan Day, Harry deButts, William D. Doeller, Tom Frost, Thomas Furness, Jason Paige, Hubert Phipps, Douglas Smith, C. Hunter Ritchie, Philip Sanders, Washington Reed, Willis Van Devanter, D. E Wood, Harcourt Lees, and Mrs. Robert Neilson.

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