EVOLUTION OF THE TURNER-FAIRBANK

HIGHWAY RESEARCH CENTER PROPERTY

THE REID FAMILY PRIVATE CEMETERY

Located among pavement testing machinery, 

giant flumes, and a crash-test site, the Reid Family 

Cemetery is both an anachronism and a historical 

point of interest on the grounds of the Federal 

Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Turner-Fairbank 

Highway Research Center (TFHRC). The cemetery 

was part of the Reid family farm, which dates back 

to the mid-1800s. The farm was a focal point in local 

history. The U.S. Government acquired the farm 

from a Reid descendant in 1940 for $24,954.83. Part 

of the agreement with the Reid family was that the 

Government would maintain the private cemetery 

and that family descendants would have the option 

to be buried there if they wished.

In 2002, a special effort was made to improve the 

cemetery grounds. Maintenance staff mowed, edged, 

trimmed the area, and removed two trees on the 

site. In addition, a 1.2-meter- (4-foot-) high black iron 

fence was built around the cemetery using the plot’s 

four cornerstones as guidelines. Each side of the 

fence includes an opening for easy access by family 

members and visitors. Today, TFHRC staff continue 

to preserve, maintain, and improve the cemetery. An 

informational display will soon be placed nearby.

HISTORY OF THE REID FAMILY

The Reids’ heritage has been traced back to 

Scotland, Ireland, and England. They arrived in 

Virginia in the early 1600s, shortly after Captain 

John Smith founded the first British colony at 

Jamestown, VA. Most Reid family members 

were considered to be neutral or Unionist during the 

Civil War, but some Reids reportedly fought for the 

South.

During the Civil War, the Union Army occupied 

Richard S. Reid’s land. In 1861, Richard and his 

son William voted against secession. Several of 

Richard’s children followed suit. Marietta (Reid) 

Smith’s husband joined the Union Army. 

William, however, left home at age 19 to join the 

Confederate army. Mirroring the internal fractioning of the Reid family, onsite clashes during the 

war resulted in significant damage to their property. 

Richard’s son James ultimately filed a claim on his 

father’s behalf for wartime damage to their farm. 

The claim was for $1,260.60, but only $418.18 was 

allotted.

Richard S. Reid’s will requested that his “dutiful and 

industrious” daughter, Martha, and his son Charlie 

stay with their mother on the farm until she passed 

away. Charlie, unfortunately, died about 1 year after 

his father passed away.

REID FAMILY CEMETERY

R&D Research and Development

Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center

Preservation of the
HISTORY OF THE REID PROPERTY

Robert S. Reid, father of Richard and the first Reid 

owner, purchased his land from Richard B. Lee in 1819 

for a mere $47. He divided the land among his children, 

Richard S. Reid being one of them.

In turn, Richard divided his land, known as Harmony 

Valley at the time, among his own descendants. James 

L. Reid, Richard’s son, acquired the property on which 

TFHRC is now located. Through James’s will, the 

property was left to his wife, Mary Alice Reid, who then 

passed the land on to her son, Lawrence M. Reid. He 

then sold the 235.3 hectares (581 acres) of property to 

the U.S. Government.

SOURCES

• “Rambler.” Sunday Star, Washington, DC. February 

22, 1920. Extracted by M.L. Richardson, August 27, 

1995.

• Deed of James L. Reid. Fairfax County Courthouse, 

Fairfax, VA, Liber U-8, p. 541.

• Deed of Richard B. Lee. Fairfax County Courthouse, 

Fairfax, VA, Liber RR No.2, p. 265.

• Frain, Elizabeth, R. Fairfax County, Virginia Death 

Register 1853–1896. Westminster, MD: Willow Bend 

Books, 2002.

• Sprouse, Edith M. and Sprouse, Mitchell. Abstracts 

of Claims for Civil War Losses, Fairfax County, VA. 

Southern Claims Commission, #12013. Fairfax 

County Courthouse, Fairfax, VA.

• Sprouse, Edith M. (ed.) Fairfax County in 1860: 

A Collective Biography Compiled by Edith M. 

Sprouse. Fairfax, VA: 1996.

• TFHRC Property Deed with Lawrence M. Reid. Plat 

Book 3, p. 399.

• The Virginia Genealogies compiled by Stuart E. 

Brown et al., Virginia Book Company, 1967.

• Will of Mary Alice Reid. Fairfax County Courthouse 

Fairfax, VA. Will Book 18, p. 264.

• Will of Richard S. Reid. Fairfax County Courthouse, 

Fairfax, VA. Will Book B-2, p. 209.

• Will of Robert S. Reid. Fairfax County Courthouse, 

Fairfax, VA. Will Book U, p. 33.

F H WA - H RT- 18 - 0 0 5

 HRTM-20/12-17(1,000)E

Richard S. Reid and Elizabeth

Martha R. James L.

and

Mary Alice

Issac S. Lewis F.

Gladys Virginia

Cornwall

Charlie R.

(1801–1871)

(1842–1902) (1847–1921)

(1851–1938)

Lawrence M. Ethel

(1887–1953) (1889–1964)

(1852–1855) (1859–1865)

(1899–1900)

(Great-granddaughter

of Richard and 

Elizabeth)

(1861–1872)

(1819–1901)

This family tree includes all verified members of the Reid 

family that are buried in the family’s private cemetery. 

There is no record that states specifically if Lewis is the 

son of Richard and Elizabeth, but genealogists assume that 

he is because of his age and year of birth.

Ethel Reid Wagner (1889–1964)

Lawrence Milton Reid (1887–1953)

Mary Alice Reid (1851–1938)

James L. Reid (1847–1921)

Gladys Virginia Cornwall (1899–1900)

Elizabeth Reid (1819–1901)

Martha R. Reid (1842–1902)

Charlie R. Reid (1861–1872), died of consumption at age 10.

Richard S. Reid (1801–1871), died from a fever at age 70.

Lewis F. Reid (1859–1865)

Isaac S. Reid (1852–1855), died from croup at age 3.

In addition to the known graves, five unmarked graves are 

represented by flat flush stones. Four small footstones—

represented by unnumbered squares—and four rectangles 

represent where the cornerstones once stood. These stones, 

which likely once marked the border of the cemetery, have 

since fallen over.