Two brothers born into slavery in the 1820s have been honored with newly installed “stumbling stone” historical markers along Columbia Pike, recognizing their significant yet overlooked legacy.
The bronze emblems, now embedded into the sidewalk at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Ode Street, pay tribute to the lives of Thornton and Daniel Check.
These brothers were part of a larger tragic narrative, as they were among at least 2,750 individuals held in bondage in what is present-day Arlington, Virginia, from the mid-1600s until the abolition of slavery in 1864.
The new markers were unveiled during a ceremony on June 7, located just east of the Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel.
Ken Brotherton, who extensively researched the Check family, described the experience as both challenging and rewarding.
“It was a lot of fun,” he noted, while also mentioning the difficulties posed by the scant historical records.
He metaphorically likened the research process to trying to locate individuals who appeared to be intentionally elusive.
Thornton and Daniel Check were part of a family of enslaved individuals owned by Bazil Williams, who operated a sizable farm that stretched over Columbia Pike, encompassing what are today the Foxcroft Heights and Arlington View neighborhoods.
Historical details show that Thornton Check was born in 1823 and his brother Daniel followed shortly after in 1826.
Their father was named Emanual Check, while their mother’s identity remains unrecorded.
Bazil Williams acquired his farmland in 1816 and enslaved 11 people by 1830, a number that had doubled by his death in 1854.
Williams’ farm, spanning approximately 100 acres, was adjacent to Arlington House, the estate owned by George Washington Parke Custis, father-in-law to Robert E. Lee.
Jessica Kaplan, co-coordinator of the initiative Memorializing the Enslaved in Arlington, emphasized the prevalence of places of enslavement along Columbia Pike.
She revealed that the Columbia Turnpike dates back to the early 19th century and has historically served as a main thoroughfare leading into the nation’s capital.
Before the Civil War, this corridor was also inhabited by some freed Black residents.
At the time of Bazil Williams’ death, he freed all but three individuals he had enslaved, providing each with $20 and suggesting they use the funds to relocate to Liberia.
Interestingly, none chose to make that move.
Thornton Check married Julia Check, who was enslaved at Arlington House, and together they had two daughters, Catherine and Susan, as well as a son named Henry.
In 1864, Thornton enlisted in the 117th US Colored Troops and served until his discharge a year later.
In 1878, he found his way to the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers near Dayton, Ohio, where he passed away in 1889.
His final resting place is at the Soldiers Home Cemetery.
Daniel Check, born around 1826, also gained his freedom in 1855 and subsequently lived both in Arlington and Washington, DC.
In 1873, he married Henrietta Baker, and they had at least one known daughter, Mary Check.
While Daniel’s date of death remains uncertain, various entries in District of Columbia directories suggest he lived there until at least 1899.
The concept of stumbling stones, known as “stolperstein” in German, originated in Europe during the 1990s to memorialize victims of Nazi atrocities during the 1930s and 1940s.
Arlington’s initiative aims to honor the local history of enslaved individuals and commenced earlier this year with the placement of several markers near Little Falls Road.
Going forward, county funding is expected to facilitate the installation of up to 30 markers annually, although supporters are actively looking for donations to expand this number.
The markers were created by students at Arlington Tech, and there are aspirations to establish additional markers for the other two Check brothers, Jackson and Lewis, in the future.
Support for the initiative has been heartening, with some contributions being made as gifts for birthdays and weddings.
During the unveiling ceremony, one local leader donated $600, earmarked for the placement of additional markers.
Despite extensive research, only about 1,000 of the nearly 3,000 identified enslaved individuals in the Arlington area are known by name, with ongoing efforts to uncover the identities of the remaining individuals.
Scott Taylor, who leads the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington, recounted the emotional gravity of each unveiling ceremony thus far.
He described the experience as a “sacred journey” dedicated to remembering those whose stories risk being forgotten.
“I feel them around me,” he shared, emphasizing that events like the one on June 7 serve as vital connections between the present and the past.
image source from：https://www.arlnow.com/2025/06/10/latest-stumbling-stones-honor-people-enslaved-near-columbia-pike/
