Extracts from a pamphlet written by Alice M. Coates read:
"In the advance of Federal Troops to Bull Run, some of the Federal officers stopped overnight with Mr. Ford at Fairfax.
His daughter, Antonia, a heroic young lady of 22 intensely loyal to the South, listened at the keyhole and heard the plans proposed. Next morning she asked for a pass to visit a sick aunt, a few miles South, which was granted.
She immediately reported these plans to the Southern troops."
Antonia aroused no suspicion on this venture in August of 1862, but only after March 8, 1863, was she questioned and by March 17th, Major Willard of the Union Army arrived to take Antonia to the Old Capitol Prison.
Although Major Willard was quite a few years older than Antonia, he had been to the Ford home quite frequently as a visitor and had found Miss Ford most charming. She, in turn, had been attracted to him.
How wretched this Union officer must have felt when he was given the responsibility of personally arresting her and her father and taking them to prison.
He fulfilled his duty, however, and then dedicated himself to securing her release and before many months had passed Antonia and her father were free again. Evidently they harboured no hard feelings towards Col. Willard, for they, at a later date, smuggled him through Confederate lines when they were taking him back to Washington by wagon after one of his frequent visits to their home.
In March of 1864 Col. Willard and Antonia were married. Seven years later Antonia died (some think due to malnutrition suffered from her stay in prison) and left one son, Joseph.
This son lived with his grandmother at Fairfax until his marriage when he built the beautiful large home on the original Willard estate, which now includes Layton Hall Subdivision, University Drive extended, the Belle Willard School, the Joseph Willard Health Center. (His father before him owned the Willard Hotel in Washington).