Col. E. T. Warren Home.
Number 301 South Main Street, Harrisonburg, Virginia, west side.
About 1854 or 1855.
None.
Colonel E.T. Warren, born June 19, 2024 the son of Jehu and Harriet Rice Warren, is a descendant from a long line of early settlers in Rockingham County, the first of whom, Michel Warren, was the pioneer. The ashes of Michael Warren rest in the old cemetery of the New Erection Church not far west of Harrisonburg. By his tombstone there stands another in memory of Catherine Warren, who died in 1804, aged 78 years. Michael died in 1795, at the age of 84 years.
The Warrens, like the Harrisons, were of an Oyster Bay family connection. Several of the town’s first settlers were from the old Plymouth Colony, in Massachusetts. One Richard Warren was a passenger on the Mayflower. Among the old deeds preserved in the town vault of Oyster Bay is that of "John Waring (Warren) in the county of Philadelphia. But lat…of Oyster Bay yeoman to Joseph Frost of Oyster Bay" 10th of November 1732 and later to Rockingham County, Virginia. Michael Warren was born July 5th, 1711 and died….1795.
John Warren, son of Michael above, married about 1779, Sarah Harrison, the youngest daughter of Thomas Harrison, founder of the town of Harrisonburg, and were one of the very first families to locate in the town after its establishment.
Thomas Warren, son of John and Sarah Warren, married Elizabeth, the daughter of Captain Reuben Harrison. Were among the early residents of the town. The old Warren House on Court Square, still standing and now the present Warren Hotel, was perhaps the first tavern of the town, and is thought to have taken its name from John Warren or from Thomas.
Jehu Warren was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Harrison Warren and the father of Col. E.T.H. Warren, of whom I am writing.
As a young man Col. Warren attended the University, graduating in law and was a promising young attorney in the practice of his profession at the Harrisonburg bar at the beginning of The War Between The
States. His home was at 301 South Main Street in Harrisonburg, Virginia, to which place he took his bride,
Col. E.T Warren Home
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who was Virginia Watson Magruder, of Frascatie in Orange County, Virginia, after their marriage December 5th, 1855, to make their home.
Early in the war, in fact, at its very beginning, he enlisted in the Confederate Army, in April 1861, and became the Lieutenant Colonel of the 10th, Virginia Infantry Regiment, and after the death of Colonel Gibbons, became its Colonel. Like his predecessor, Col. Gibbons and his successor, Col. Martz, Col. Warren was a brave and gallant soldier, leading his regiment in many a hard fought engagement. Not many if any regiments in the army saw harder service than the 10th Virginia, and certainly none braver, more dashing and loyal or gallantly led. That it saw hard and hot fighting is abundantly attested by the small number of its membership who laid down their arms at Appomattox on that fateful 9th of April 1865.
Col. Warren joined the army at the age of 32 years, his service being an active one from the beginning. He was killed in action at the battle of the Wilderness, May 5th 1864; eleven months and four days before the flags were furled at Appomattox. That his regiment was in a position requiring hard fighting, and that he was in the midst of it, is evidenced by the fact that his body was pierced by seven bullets. On the same day in which he was killed, he was elevated to the rank of Brigadier General, recognition of a service richly merited and splendidly won.
Court Records.
Confederate Veteran Records.
Houston Harrison.
June 30, 1937 George W. Fetzer
Harrisonburg, Virginia