Weir, Robert Carter

Born into one of the most afluent families in Virginia's history, Robert was the son of William James Weir and Harriet Bladen Mitchell, whose own great-grandfather, Robert "King" Carter, had once owned one-third of what is present-day Virginia. Carter had divided his land into twelve farms or plantations, each named for a different sign of the zodiac. When her mother died in 1823, Harriet received a 1,660-acre portion of the Cancer farm, located in northern Virginia, from her mother's estate. Six years later, William built Liberia, a handsome, two-story Federalist brick mansion. Sometime around 1850, Robert married Mary Matilda, a twenty-three year old woman from Virginia. The two would have at least four children, all daughters. In 1859, Carter bought Sudley Mills, a milling complex located on Catharpin Run in Prince William County. Though the census for the following year listed him as a farmer, he appears in the industrial schedule being connected with a grist and saw mill. Upon William J. Weir's death in 1867, his estate passed to his son Walter, who died three years later. It is not known in what capacity Robert played in his father's estate after 1867, but the following year Weir and his wife sold a twenty-five acre portion of the Liberia tract, located at the northern end of Main Street in Manassas, to Christian and Anna Mathis, who had just moved to the town from New Jersey. The deed says the Weir family was "of Prince William County, Virginia," and though the following census lists the family living in Manassas Township, Robert's occupation was still listed as a farmer. When Manassas became an official town in 1873, Robert served as the first Mayor, but resigned the following year since he had moved out of town and opened a general store. A business license for 1875-76 shows his occupation as a retail & tobacco merchant. Little else is known about the remaining years of his life. According to the 1880 census, he was working as a clerk in a store. Four years later, Robert's wife died. In 1891, at the age of 65, Robert remarried to Annie W. Adamson, a thirty-four year old woman from England. Robert Weir died in 1905 and is buried in the Manassas City Cemetery.