Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection open for research.

Use Restrictions

No physical characteristics affect use of this material.

Preferred Citation

Ashburn Colored School, 1870-1962 (SC 0071), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.

Acquisition Information

Bronwen Souders, Waterford, VA

Alternative Form Available

None

Accruals

2005.0075

Processing Information

Rebecca K. Ottinger, 16 May 2011

Historical Information

Records are unclear about when Ashburn Colored School was started. It was built on land distributed from the estate of John McComly (McCanerly) (ca. 1786-ca. 1867) between Anna Elizabeth Adrain (ca. 1808-?), who was his housekeeper, and her sons Peter E. Adrain (1837-after 1910) and James A. Adrain (1838-1915). The Adrains are also identified in some documents as "Adrian." In 1892 James A. and Olivia E. (1852-1940) Adrain sold two and one fourth acres to B.F. (Benjamin Franklin) Noland (1858-1939), who sold one half acre of the property to the Trustees for the Public Free Schools of Broad Run District, Loudoun County, VA.

In 1869 Virginia's General Assembly mandated public schools for all children in the commonwealth, with the stipulation that white and African American students would have separate facitilies. In 1870 Loudoun County's first public schools opened with 55 schools - 46 for white students and 9 for African Americans. In the early years of these public schools the county was divided into six districts: Leesburg, Mt. Gilead, Mercer, Jefferson, Lovettsville, and Broad Run. The County School Board of Loudoun County, Virginia sold the tract to John Kerns (1921-1960) in 1959 after the school closed.

It is unclear when the Ashburn Colored School was built, but the description for insurance purposes in 1940 shows a one room frame building estimated to be 20 1/2' by 32 1/2' with three windows on two sides, heated by a wood stove. The enrollment for the years 1920-1958 varied between 11 and 49.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of photocopies of land records about property belonging to John McComly that was later acquired by the Loudoun County Public Schools. There are transcriptions of two deeds from 17 December 1870 and 17 December 1892, and of McComly's will prepared by Bronwen C. Souders, a member of the Education Committee of Waterford Foundation. The collection includes photocopies and typed transcriptions of articles concerning the history of Loudoun County's public schools, and lists of students who attended Ashburn Colored School. The lists also have information about the teachers, their salaries, and physical description of the building.

Arrangement

Folder

Related Material

None

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Bibliography

Other Finding Aid

None

Technical Requirements

None