Note: Regarding the comment by Wendell Ware, I found this information about Ware’s Wharf. Follow the link
Ware’s Wharf was a 17th century landmark with a mill, formerly on the river branch.
“Ware’s Wharf is located in Essex County, VA., on the right bank of the Rappahannock River, about 67 miles below Fredericksburg. The wharf is a P-shaped pile structure, 682 feet long over all. The piles are not braced. There are two warehouses, one 16 by 32 feet and one 28 by 39 feet, and a stock pen. An industrial steel track of 42-in gauge runs out on the pier. A small jib crane for hoisting oysters and fish is located on the back side of the wharf end.
The wharf receives 30 dockages per week, including steamers, fish and oyster boats. An average of 20 passengers per week arrive and depart. The outgoing freight amounts to about 16 tons per week, and consists of oysters, fish, potatoes, peas, fruits, fowls, eggs, calves and canned goods. The freight received is mostly fertilizer and store goods and will verage 30 tons per week. The wharf is closed to water carriers except Maryland, Delaware & Virginia Railway Co. That company pays a wharfage rate of 10 per cent of the transportation charges, both for freight and passengers.
The nearest railroad is at Lestor Manor, 25 miles distant.
An unimproved wagon road leads to Dunnsville, Va.
Mrs. A.E.B. Ware owns this wharf, also about 205 feet of water front. The gross revenue is $800 per year. There are no persons or firms in this vicinity engaged exclusively in the transfer-delivery business. About 15 county stores are served from the wharf, the service of the most distant regular patron requiring a trip of about 12 miles.”
Source: 63rd Congress, 1st Session, House of Representatives, Water Terminal and Transfer Facilities, Doc. #226, Sept., 6, 1913, Washington 1913, page 546
“The first important group of wells down river is at Ware’s Wharf, where there are 5 which, though shallower than those at Tappahannock, going to an average depth of 185 feet below sea level, yield water of the same general character. The flows at individual wells vary with the tide, but range from 1/2 to 2 gallons per minute, with heads as high as 16 feet above sea level. ” (well owned by R.L. Ware, Dunnsville, Essex Co., VA)
Source: A Treatise on the Steam Engine, Virginia Geological Survey, Thomas Leonard Watson Ph.D., Director, Bulletin No. 5, The Underground Water Resources of VA, by Samuel Sanford, prepared in co-operation with the USGS, Charlottesville, University of Virginia, 1913, page 167
This is very good information. I grew up in Dunnsville in 70s and 80s. After a recent trip there, a desire to learn more about Dunnsville history led me to Ware’s Wharf & of course i thought about the general store. When I was a small child I remember the man who ran that store who was older and quite the salesman. I remember it had everything from clothes to ice cream and My grandmother Martha took me there often as we went about her day. Recently learning the importance of Ware’s Wharf as a water terminal I thought back to that store and wondered how many of its goods came from that Wharf and its importance to the economy of Dunnsville in that late 19th to early 20th century period at least up until the bridge in Tappahannock was built. This conversation fills in so many blanks. I hope people share more
Heather, I just ran across this site/ post. The half brother of Thomas Croxton Ware would have been my grandfather, Macon Ware (1890-1952), who also was a pharmacist at Ware’s Pharmacy in East Falls Church. His whose youngest son Neill (1928- ) is my father. My sisters and I own Bellevue and dad, who just turned 90 in June, still lives there.
I believe that Thomas Croxton lived to be about 50- your dates put him at only 21- but I am not sure whether he is buried at Bellevue. I’ll check when i am down there next. Unfortunately I can’t provide info on his first wife, but if you are interested in visiting the cemetary ping me and we can discuss. HW
Teying to find more information about my great-great uncke Thomas Croxton Ware. Son of E. Macon Ware of Dunnsville/Ware’s Wharf and his first wife Sarah Croxton. Thomas lived from 1879-1900, was mrarried twice. Very curious about first marriage, as he was widowed, but cannot find any info about the first wife and where she is buried, where they lived, etc. He was a pharmacist in Falls Church before selling the business to his half brother. Have just one photo of him. Would love to see other pics if someone has them. He had no surviving children, but there are nieces and nephews. He is buried at the old Bellevue property.
P.S.
If memory serves me Robert Lowery Ware
owned the store.
My cousins? Neil & Betsy Ware still live at the Ware’s Wharf, their home was built on the foundation of the old house, where Edward Macon Ware had lived,and the Ware General Store is still at Dunnsville. Many years ago Betsy’s aunt died and she was cleaning out her attic when she found in an old lard can a receipt for the sale of a slave boy by William Ware who was the executor of my ggg grandfathers will Samuel Ware who died 1830, this money $311 went to Wm sister per Sam’s will. Betsy was kind enough to mail me the receipt.
Wendell