"The Essence of a People: African Americans Who Made Their World Anew in Loudoun County, Virginia and Beyond"

is a collection of profiles of people unique for their times;

The series was created by The Black History Committee of Loudoun County, Virginia and this volume was published in 2002

From the essay, "Zilpha Davis," by Meredith Bean McMath:

Zilpha Davis was an anomaly: a freed woman in a world of slaves; a reader of books in an age of ignorance; apparently independent in an society of patriarchs; a woman who retained her faith and humor in the midst of war. Her vivid personality was drawn for us in a chatty Civil War letter written by Union forager Tom Syphert. Syphert, the son of a Lovettsville blacksmith, traveled through Lovettsville, Waterford and Hillsboro (then known as Hillsborough) in hopes of acquiring horses for the Union Army. He wrote his brother,

"Most of the old residenters are still there, and among others I saw Old John Jones; Old Ben Lasly; Old man Torrison; Barnett Huff; old Silas Marmaduke, the Janneys who kept the mill; and above all, I saw Old Aunt Zilpha!

"The poor old soul still lives and looks as hearty as ever though she is very old - she has no idea how old she is. The people there gave her a little lot down on the creek as you go down toward Van Vactor's Mill, and built her a little house on it and there she lives with her little garden, and the neighbors give her the balance. When I went in she was shelling beans and her open bible lay on her lap. I told her that I knowed her but she didn't know me. Says she 'wait honey, let me put on my specs and take a good look at you.' After gazing some time she said 'No, honey; I doesn't know ye.' When I told who I was she burst out laughing and crying both and said 'why God bless de chile, I guess I does know ye; yes indeed, I knows ye, and all your ____ [manuscript blank] - I'se bussed [kissed] ye a many a time, and your mammy afore ye.' She asked about Father and wanted to know if he was still 'fighting for de Kingdom.' She is very pious and talks more good religion than nine-tenths of fashionable white folks...."

Review from Nikki D. Graves, Ph.D., Grants Officer, Humanities Council of Washington, D.C.:

"The Essence of A People: African Americans Who Made Their World Anew in Loudoun County, Virginia and Beyond is by far the most fascinating and inspiring account of black history in Loudoun County to date. The committee has taken carefully researched, detailed and documented life stories of a wide range of Loudoun Counties black citizens and created an accurate snapshot of the lives of extraordinary citizens, ordinary folks and ordinary citizens who accomplished extraordinary feats, thereby reflecting the wide range of the African American experience in this country. The book takes a number of black history gems and compiles them into what is a virtual treasure trove of information that black and white Loudoun residents will find beneficial. I am certain the book will serve as an important resource for historians, researchers, educators, students and the community for many years to come. It should be required reading for every Loudoun County citizen!"

How it began... from Elaine E. Thompson's article, The Making of a Book, The Thomas Balch Chronicle, Fall 2002.

"Our first task was selecting people to be included in the book. Unlike Essence I, which consisted of biographical sketches of persons nominated for naming the rooms at Balch [Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg], we wanted this volume to include people who were largely unacknowledged or forgotten, but who had made singular or significant contributions to Loudoun's African American and - in some cases - United States history.

"With the list of names in hand, we set out to find people with an interest in African American and/or public history to research and write essays on the people selected. Surprisingly, we had few refusals. Our authors run the gamut from rank amateurs to established writers such as Meredith Bean McMath."

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