You may have noticed that this blog is my way of reviewing and analyzing the information that I have.  Many primary sources have been difficult or even impossible to find.  I've made timelines for Thomas and each of his children to help determine what additional information I need to look for next.

Margaret's daily life was just a difficult as that of Thomas working on the railroad.  She had a child every two years so at least one was always in diapers and nursing at the breast.  Diapers were made of cotton or linen.  If the diaper was only wet, it was usually dried by the fireplace and reused.  Laundry meant going to a well to collect water. There may not have been a well on Thomas's small plot, so just getting water may have taken a lot of time.   Putting it over an open fire to heat it.  Soaking clothes in the hot water and rinsing in another tub with water.  In winter laundry was hung around the fireplace to dry.  I doubt it was done very often.  Left over bath and laundry water was put on the garden.  Drinking water was kept in a bucket with a cup used by everyone. 

The garden was where Margaret got most of their food.  It was still necessary to buy flour, sugar, and tea.  Often meals were prepared in one pot and set to simmer most of the day so she could get along with her other chores.  Everything was made from scratch - bread, canning, butchering any meat they had available. 
She was often sewing or mending their clothes and linens to keep them useful for as long a time as possible.

Light from the fire and a kerosene lamp or candle were their only sources of light when the sun went down. Everyone turned in early because they were exhausted and rose early to get started again.

Fairfax Station was a quiet little railroad station used to take passengers and freight from northern Virginia to the southern part of the state.  There were only a few trains using the rails, but things were about to change drastically for the community.

In May, 1861 Virginia had a vote to secede from the Union.  Thomas was eligible to vote, but it isn't know if he did.  If he did vote, an armed man stood at the door of the voting site and told voters to vote to secede or they would be shot.  If you did not agree, it would be impossible to hide because all voting was oral.

It's not surprising that eastern Virginia voted to secede while the western part stayed with the Union to eventually become the state of West Virginia.  The mountains separating east and west were a significant factor in their divided opinions.  Those east of the mountains thought of themselves as "southern" and many were slave owners.  Those west of the mountains identified themselves with the north and were farmers rather than plantation owners.

Thomas and Margaret must have been extremely worried.  They were located right in the heart of things.  The first real battle of the Civil War was at Manassas, only a few miles from them.  Fairfax Station was of great strategic importance.  It was the staging area for Confederate soldiers and the Union Headquarters was only a few miles away in Fairfax Courthouse.  In the course of the war, the little train station changed hands several times.  It was one of the main ways to move troops and equipment.

A family story is that Thomas was very much against slavery so he loaded his wife and children with their few belongings in a wagon and set off for northern territory.  Hopefully the little family got away before the first battle at Manassas.