Person:William Fairfax (2)

Sir William Fairfax was one of the Early Settlers of Colonial Virginia

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William Fairfax (1691–1757) was a political appointee of the British Crown and a politician: he was Collector of Customs in Barbados, and Chief Justice and governor of the Bahamas; he served as Customs agent in Marblehead, Massachusetts before being reassigned to the Virginia colony.

There he was elected to the House of Burgesses and then as President of the Governor's Council. As a tobacco planter, he commissioned the construction of his plantation called Belvoir in northern Virginia. He was the son of Henry Fairfax (d. 1708), a grandson of Henry Fairfax, 4th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, and first cousin of Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron. He acted as land agent for his cousin's vast holdings on the Northern Neck of Virginia.

Will of William Fairfax

In the Name of God, Amen I William Fairfax Esqre; Collector of His Majesty’s Customs on South Potomack River in Virginia and One of His Majesty’s Honble. Council being of sound and disposing Mind and Memory do make this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking and disallowing all other and former Wills by Me made. Firstly I resign unto God my Soul and Spirit in humble Hopes of Pardon for my Sins and of everlasting Life through the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ my Savior. And as to my Body I desire it may be interr’d near the Remains of my late Wife at Belvoir if I die in Virginia and my Executors hereafter named think It may be conveniently carried to the enclosed Place of her Sepulture, Otherwise leave it to their Discretion where and in what Manner to be deposited.

As to my Worldly Estate I give bequeath and devise all my Plantation situate lying and being on Potomack River between Pohick and Doeg Creeks now in the County of Fairfax together with all the Houses and Edifices thereon calld and known by the Name of Belvoir, and all my other Lands as well purchasd of Messrs Francis and Cadwalladar Dade as of Mr. Welsh and Others with the Appurtenances, Houshold Goods, Stock and other personal Estate to Me belonging unto my eldest Son George Willm and to his Heirs for Ever; I also give and bequeath unto my said Son George Willm and his Heirs for Ever my Negroes named Scipio and Sylvia together with their Issue and Increase, also Pompey

I also give bequeath and devise unto my Son Bryan and his Heirs for Ever all my Tract of Land near and below Difficult Run in the aforesaid County containing about Five thousand five hundred Acres together with the House, Edifices, Stock and Appurtenances thereon known and calld in my Deed by the Name of Towlston Grange, and likewise give and bequeath unto my said Son Bryan and his Heirs for Ever my Negroes now employd thereon named Pipero, Punch, Adam, Old Sarah and her Daughter Betty and their Issue, Omah and her Children Scipio, Sarah, Dolly & their Issue also my waiting Boy Jack lately purchased of Mr. Amblery: I also give and devise unto my sd Son Bryan and his Heirs for Ever my other Tract of Land contg. about One hundred & sixty Acres calld Newfoundland joyning sd Towlston Tract and Capt. Cha: Broadwater’s

I likewise give bequeath and devise unto my Son William Henry and his Heirs for Ever all my Tract of Land containing about Fourteen hundred Acres known and called in my Deed by the Name of Springfield together with the late Court House of this County, the Ordinary, or other Houses erected and Improvements thereon by Leases or otherwise: I also give and devise my other Tract of Land adjoyning contg about Two hundred and Sixty Acres (which I purchased of Mr. Thomas Lewis as by his Deeds of Conveyance may appear) unto my sd Son William Henry and his Heirs for Ever I likewise give and bequeath unto my said Son William Henry and his Heirs for Ever my Negroes named Towlston and Phillis and their children Issue, Moses, Will, Lucy and her Issue.

I also give bequeath and devise unto my Daughter Hannah and her Heirs for Ever my two Tracts of Land situate lying and being in the Gourd Vine Fork of Rappahannock River on Blackwater Run in Culpeper County, the One containing Three thousand two hundred and fifty Acres, the Other contg Eleven hundred Acres; I likewise give and bequeath unto my said Daughter Hannah and her Heirs for Ever my Negro’s named Hannah, Sarah and Polly (Daughters of old Pompey dec’d and Sarah) and their Issue and Increase, also give and bequeath unto my Said Daughter the Gold Watch, a Silver pint Mugg and two Silver Porringers marked DC which were her Mother’s my late wife.

I likewise give and bequeath unto Sarah the wife of my Said Son George Wm my Negro Girl named Suky and her Issue, my sd Daughter in Law standing as Godmother to the sd Negro Girl, therefore and other affectionate Motives desire She may have the Property and Disposal therof ____

I also give and devise unto my Son in Law Major John Carlyle his Heirs and Assigns for Ever my Tract of Land on the Branches of Tuskarora Rivulet that runs into Goose Creek containing about eleven hundred Acres first Granted by the Proprietor’s Deed to Mr. Wm. Digges of Maryland and being lapsd for Nonpayment of Quit Rents since regranted to and reconveyed by the sd Mr Carlyle.

It is also my Will and Desire that my other Lands not herein before mentioned and devised be sold if my Executors think it necessary and approv thereof, Or the said Lands Or their Value as may be agreed on, to be devided among my Children Bryan, William Henry and Hannah giving to each of Them such a Part, Share or Portion of such Lands or their Value according to their respective Occasions and Circumstances, of which the Executors are earnestly entreated to Examine and Determine

Lastly I hereby constitute and appoint my said son George Wm, my Sons in Law Colo George Lee, Major John Carlyle and my loving Friend the Honble Colo Wm Beverley to be the Executors of this my last Will and Testament written with my own Hand; And I request each of my Executors and each of their Wives to accept of Five Pounds sterling to purchase the small Token of a Ring.

In Testimony of all which Devises and Bequests I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal the sixth day of February 1755 and in the twenty eighth Year of the Reign of his Britanick Majesty King George the Second

W. Fairfax

Signd, Seald

[Source: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/COURTS/CIRCUIT/pdf/william_fairfax_transcript.pdf]

Deeds in Prince William County, Virginia

Dated eighteenth day of January in the thirteenth year of the reign of our sovoreing Lord George the second by the grace of god of great Britian, France and Ireland. King Defender of the faith and in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and thirty nine. It's talks about a deal between Edward Washington and William Fairfax in the sell of some parcels summing about 1066 acres somewhere in the county of Prince William upon the Head Droughts of Kittoktan ( can't make out that one) upon the broken hill joining to the land of Benjamin Grayson. It gives the survey of the land in Poles. I can send a picture of it if your interested and what more detail. Document that is signed by Edward Washington, Thomas Washington, Rich Shurman, and Edward Barry."

deed(s) recorded in the Prince William County, Virginia, Deed Book, Liber [Book] D (1738-1740). On pages 300-324, there are a series of deeds of lease and release*, dated the 8th and 9th of January, 1739 and recorded between January 9th and 19th, 1739. They represent the transfer of several parcels of land from Edward Washington, of Truro Parish**, Prince William to William Fairfax, of Hanover Parish, King George County (being the 1066 acres in Prince William County, orignally patented to Edward Washington on May 19th, 1739). All of these documents are signed by Edward Washington and witnessed by Edwd. Barry, Richd. Sturman and Thos. Washington

Land in Prince William County, VA

Acquisition of Land from Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants 1742-1775, Vol. 2:

• F-284: William Fairfax Esq. of Fairfax County, 488 acres in Prince William County. Surv. Mr. James Genn. On Carter's Run, adj. Capt. Thomas Carter, Richard Thornberry's now Dennis Conyers, James Crap(?), John Dagg, Benjamin King, Peter Kemper, Peter Hitt. 3 Aug. 1747. [Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 1742-1775, Vol. 2, pg. 16].

Information on William Fairfax

Governor of the Bahamas and later agent for the Fairfax estates in Virginia

Colonel William Fairfax (1691-1757) of Belvoir plantation purchased the quarter block on which this house stands at the first sale of town lots in 1749, and he probably had a building here within four years of his purchase. His son and heir, George William Fairfax (1725-1787), sold it before he moved permanently to England in 1771.

William Fairfax was the business agent of his cousin, Thomas the sixth Lord Fairfax, who controlled 5,282,000 acres of Virginia (one-fifth of Virginia). Both William Fairfax and his son George William were members of the Virginia House of Burgesses, members of the Governor’s Council (William was president of the Council, a position second only to that of governor), and co-founders and trustees of the City of Alexandria. One of William Fairfax’s daughters was the wife of Lawrence Washington (1718-1752), George Washington’s older half-brother through whom he inherited Mount Vernon, and another daughter married John Carlyle. George Washington was a frequent visitor to Belvoir and, in 1748 at the age of sixteen, went on a surveying expedition to the Blue Ridge Mountains with George William Fairfax, one of his closest friends.

George William Fairfax’s wife, Sally Fairfax (1730-1811), may have been the great love of George Washington’s youth. When Washington became engaged to Martha, he responded to teasing from Sally Fairfax by telling her that she (Sally) was the only woman he really loved. Although his marriage to Martha Washington was a strong one, his feelings for Sally perhaps remained. At the age of 66, after twenty-five years of separation from her, after he had won the Revolutionary War, and after he had been twice President of the United States, Washington said in a letter to Sally Fairfax that: “None of which events, however, nor all of them together, have been able to eradicate from my mind the recollection of those happy moments, the happiest in my life, which I have enjoyed in your company.” However, it should be noted that Martha Washington wrote a note to Sally on this same letter. Thus, it is obvious that Martha saw George’s oft-quoted comments. Perhaps they were nothing more than nostalgia for his happy youth at Belvoir.

Source: http://www.localkicks.com/towntalk/history/william_fairfax_george_william_fairfax_and_sally_fairfax_207_prince_street