Part 2

[Footnote 3: George William Fairfax, eldest son of the Hon. William Fairfax, of "Belvoir," Va., was born in Nassau, New Providence, West Indies, in 1724. His father having been appointed to the custom house in Salem, Massachusetts, he was taken to that town and resided there until 1734, about which time his father accepted the agency of Lord Fairfax's lands in Virginia, and removed to that province. For a time he resided in Westmoreland county, Va., but after a couple of years he settled upon and developed the "Belvoir" estate on the Potomac river. George William Fairfax was educated in England, and coming to his majority settled at "Belvoir," and married Sarah, daughter of Col. Wilson Cary, of Hampton, Va., who some writers, on rather apocryphal testimony, endeavor to show was an object of Washington's ardent devotion when a mere youth. The same compliment has also been claimed for her sister Mary, who married Edward Ambler, and for other belles of that period in Virginia, as well as in some of the other colonies. George W. Fairfax, after his marriage, resided part of the time at "Belvoir," and part at "Greenway Court," as agent of Lord Fairfax, in the vicinity of which he owned and cultivated lands. On his father's death in 1757 he inherited "Belvoir," where he continued to reside until the summer of 1773, when, accompanied by his wife, he went to England to look after some property he had inherited there. The proprietors of "Belvoir" and "Mount Vernon" and their families were always on the most friendly terms, as the letters extant of each attest, and Washington's diaries fully confirm. Mr. Fairfax favored the early protests by the colonies and petitions to the king in the interests of the colonies, but opposed measures looking to forcible resistance. Washington consented to act as his agent while he was absent, presuming his stay in England would be of short duration. But a complication of matters detained him abroad so that he instructed his agent to sell off his stock at "Belvoir" and lease the property. A sale was accordingly held on the estate in August, 1774, which continued two days. A second and further sale was held in December the same year. The property was leased in 1774 for seven years, but shortly after this the mansion house was burned down and never rebuilt. During the Revolutionary war some of Mr. Fairfax's property in Fairfax county was escheated to the state. His loss of income from America led him to limit his expense, he therefore removed from Yorkshire to Bath and lived in a modest way, dividing generously, from his limited means, with the American prisoners of war held in England. He had no children. A friendly correspondence was kept up between him and Washington to the close of his life. He was urged to return to America, but his mansion at "Belvoir" having been destroyed by fire he kept putting it off and never returned. He left "Belvoir" and some other landed property to Ferdinand, son of his half-brother, Rev. Bryan Fairfax, and died at Bath in England, April 3, 1787, and was buried in Wirthlington church. His will appointed George Washington as one of his executors. His wife survived him until 1812. Her remains were placed by the side of her husband's.]

[Footnote 4: George Neville, Esq., was among the earliest planters to settle in the western part of Prince William county, Va. As early as, or before 1730, he selected a large body of desirable land lying on the main road by way of Ashby's Gap from Fredericksburg to Winchester. Here his residence was beautifully situated on high, healthy and productive land near the head springs of Bull Run, a tributary of the Occoquan river, and 34 miles from Fredericksburg, the head of tide water on the Rappahannock river. Squire Neville, the proprietor of this fine estate, as he was usually called, was a man of steady and industrious habits, possessed a fine constitution, gentle in his manners, and cultured in his tastes, enterprising and thrifty, with a genius for overcoming such difficulties as always beset the path of the pioneer in a new country. As the lands to the west of him, and particularly those in the Shenandoah valley beyond the Blue Ridge, began to attract settlers the travel on the road past his house became considerable, and as a matter of accommodation to the public he opened an ordinary and kept a store for general merchandizing. Neville's Ordinary was a land mark, and is to be found on Fry and Jefferson's Map of Virginia, as well as on Governor Pownall's and other early maps of Virginia. In 1750 Washington surveyed for Mr. Neville 400 acres of land. By marriage George Neville was related to the Fairfax family of Virginia. His wife, Ann Burroughs, was a cousin to Lord Thomas Fairfax of "Greenway Court," the proprietor of the Northern Neck of Virginia. Squire Neville and his wife were blessed with a numerous family of healthy sons and daughters, who inherited the sturdy virtues of their parents, and who founded families for themselves, and whose descendants are to be found throughout the southern and western states. Joseph Neville, son of George, was a prosperous planter in the western part of Prince William county, Va., in 1760. (See Washington's Diary.) He served as a colonel in the Revolution, was one of the commissioners for running the boundary line between Pennsylvania and Virginia, and was a member of Congress 1793-5; died in Hardy county, Va., 1819. John Neville, another son, was colonel of the 4th Virginia regiment in the Revolution, and brigadier-general in the Pennsylvania militia at the close of the war. He was born in Virginia 26 July, 1731. From his youth he had a fondness for military affairs and served in the Braddock expedition, and also in the Dunmore Indian war. He and his brothers were early and life-long friends of General Washington, the acquaintance beginning when they were youths. At an early date John Neville took up considerable tracts of land in Frederick and Augusta counties, Va. He resided for some years in the Shenandoah valley, being at one time sheriff of Frederick county. He also acquired large tracts of land on Chartier's creek in Pennsylvania, and had built himself a house preparatory to taking up his residence there, when the Revolutionary war began, in which he took an active and honorable part. This event postponed, for some years, his removal with his family to Pennsylvania. On the 24th August, 1754, he was united in marriage to Winifred Oldham, by whom he had two children, a son and a daughter, Presley and Amelia. Presley Neville married Nancy, daughter of General Daniel Morgan, and they became the progenitors of the large and influential family of Nevilles of Pittsburg, Pa. Colonel Presley Neville, as he was called, served in the Revolution for three years on the staff of General Lafayette. Amelia Neville married Major Isaac Craig of the Revolution, and they became the founders of the well known and esteemed family of Craigs of Pittsburg.--_Eagle's Pennsylvania Genealogies._]

[Footnote 5: Prince William county, Va., formed in 1730 from Stafford and King George counties, embraced territory extending from the Potomac river on the east to the summit of the Blue Ridge on the west; it was divided from Loudoun county by the Occoquan and Bull Run streams. Prior to 1822 the county seat was at Dumfries, but at that date it was removed to Brentville.]

Saturday March 12^{th} this Morning M^r James Genn y^e surveyor[6] came to us, we travel'd over y^e Blue Ridge[7] to Cap^t Ashbys[8] on Shannondoah River,[9] Nothing remarkable happen'd.

[Footnote 6: James Genn, a licensed surveyor in Virginia, much employed by Lord Fairfax, and frequently mentioned by Washington, and whose name often appears signed to surveys in which the latter was engaged, as the surveyor or director, is doubtless the person to whom reference is here made.]

[Footnote 7: Blue Ridge--the most easterly of the mountain ranges of the United States. The name properly restricted however, applies especially to that portion of the Appalachian range south of the Potomac river. In some parts of Pennsylvania it is known as Kittatinny and at some places in Maryland as South Mountain. It attains its greatest altitude in Virginia at the Peaks of Otter, which are about 4,000 feet above sea level.]

[Footnote 8: Capt. Ashby resided on the Shenandoah river above Burwell's island and the great bend of that stream, at which place he maintained a ferry and kept a house of entertainment. It was on the natural line by which travel came from the tide-water region of Virginia, through a gap in the Blue Ridge and across the Shenandoah valley to the country beyond. Being a man of great courage and usefulness, he was deservedly popular among the early settlers, and his name was given not only to his ordinary but also to the gap and to the ferry. There was, too, a Fort Ashby on Patterson creek, near the town of Frankfort. There are numerous families bearing the name of Ashby throughout the southern and western states, who are probably descendants of this famous pioneer. General Turner W. Ashby, an officer of distinction in the Confederate army, is presumably of this family. The name still attaches to the gap in the mountains, but it has been superseded at the old ferry.]

[Footnote 9: Shenandoah river--this is the largest tributary of the Potomac. The name is of Indian origin, and in the aboriginal language is said to signify "the daughter of the stars." Kercheval, in his History of the Valley of Virginia, says the name was first written Gerando, then Sherandoch, and now we have Shenandoah. The river has its head in Augusta county near the divide where the head-waters of the James river take their rise. The Shenandoah flows for about 170 miles through a broad valley over a limestone bed between the North mountain on the one side and the Blue Ridge on the other, to the Potomac river at Harper's Ferry. This valley was the theater of many important military operations during the late war. The name of Sherando is perpetuated in the name of a post-office in Augusta county on the head-waters of the Shenandoah.]

Sunday March 13 Rode to his Lordships Quarter[10] about 4 Miles higher up y River we went through most beautiful Groves of Sugar Trees & spent y^e best part of y Day in admiring y^e Trees & richness of y^e Land.

[Footnote 10: Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord and Baron of Cameron, born in England in 1691, died at his residence "Greenway Court," Frederick county, Virginia, on the 12th of December, 1781. His remains were interred within the Episcopal church of Winchester, Va. His residence and other improvements were familiarly called "Quarters" and "Hunting Lodge," chiefly because he had in contemplation the erection of a commodious mansion. Lord Fairfax was the son of Thomas, 5th Lord Fairfax and his wife Catherine, daughter of Lord Culpeper, once governor of Virginia. He was educated at Oxford and afterward held a commission in the British army. He was a fine scholar, and is said to have been a contributor to _The Spectator_. He succeeded to his father's title and to his mother's extensive landed estate known as the "Northern Neck of Virginia," lying between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers and estimated at 5,700,000 acres. For some years after coming into possession of this property it was left in the hands of agents. He finally employed his cousin, the Hon. William Fairfax, son of Henry and Anne (Harrison) Fairfax, as his agent in the management of his lands. About 1739 Lord Fairfax first visited his estate in America. For a year he devoted himself to becoming thoroughly acquainted with his possessions and then returned to England. Four years later, in 1745, he returned to this country and for a time made his home at "Belvoir," the seat of his relative and agent.

A branch office for the sale of lands in the valley of Virginia, had been opened in Frederick county in 1742. The main office and records, however, were not removed from "Belvoir" until 1761.

Lord Fairfax built for himself a stone lodge with quarters for his servants, reserving around it a manor of 10,000 acres which he called "Greenway Court." The lodge was about twelve miles south-east of Winchester, at which place he purposed to build a castle, but this was never erected. His lodge was, however, sufficiently spacious for him to live in comfortably, and exercise a generous hospitality. He possessed a good library and was frequently visited by men of note whom he entertained in an elegant manner. He was fond of the chase and took an active interest in the management of his estate, as well as in the affairs of the colony, as his letters fully prove. He identified himself with the people as far as was practicable, and was deservedly popular. He served as lieutenant of Frederick county in the militia organizations; presided as one of the judges in the county courts at Winchester, and was an overseer of the public roads.

He met at "Belvoir," George Washington, when a youth, and, pleased with his energy and talents, employed him to survey lands beyond the Blue Ridge, which were to be sold. This was Washington's first remunerated employment. The acquaintance thus begun, ripened into a friendship that was cherished by both through life.

Although a frank loyalist, his age and prudence in refraining from all participation in the Revolutionary struggle, protected him from being interfered with either by the government or by his neighbors. He died at the age of ninety-three, before peace was restored. His barony and its prerogatives, according to English law, descended, in the absence of a son, to his eldest brother, Robert, who thus became 7th Lord Fairfax. The latter died in Leeds Castle, England, 1791, without a son. The baronial title then fell to the Rev. Bryan Fairfax, of "Towlston Hall," Fairfax county, Va., who died 7 August, 1802. The great landed estates with their entails were, however, in effect confiscated by the success of the Revolution. The Legislature of Virginia in 1785 passed an act in relation to the "Northern Neck" to the following effect. "And be it further enacted, that the land holders within the said district of the Northern Neck shall be for ever hereafter exhonorated and discharged from composition and quit rents, any laws, customs or usage, to the contrary notwithstanding." Revised Code of the Laws of Virginia, vol. 1, p. 351, 2, 3. "Greenway Court" was devised by his lordship to his nephew, Rev. Denny Martin, residing in England, on condition of his obtaining the consent of Parliament to change his name to Fairfax. This was done, and he was afterward known as "Denny, Lord Fairfax." Like his uncle, he left no children and therefore bequeathed the estate to two maiden sisters in England. The legatees of the Fairfax estate sold their interest to Chief Justice John Marshall, Raleigh Colston, Esq. and General Henry Lee. They divided it up and sold it out in small farms, and quieted the titles. It is believed that no part of this vast body of Fairfax land is now held by any member of the family.--_Sparks, Drake and others._]

Monday 14^{th} We sent our Baggage to Cap^t Hites[11] (near Frederick Town)[12] went ourselves down y^e River about 16 Miles to Cap^t Isaac Penningtons (the Land exceeding Rich & Fertile all y^e way produces abundance of Grain Hemp Tobacco &c^a) in order to Lay of some Lands on Cates Marsh & Long Marsh.[13]

[Footnote 11: Capt. Joist Hite came to Virginia from Pennsylvania in 1732 with his family, settled on the Opequon creek about five miles south of the town of Winchester. The year before he had bought from John and Isaac Van Meter a warrant for nearly 40,000 acres of land in the Shenandoah valley which they had obtained from Governor Gooch of Virginia in 1730. Capt. Hite brought with him from Pennsylvania sixteen families, all of whom settled in the same vicinity on fine arable ground. They were all judges of good lands and devoted to agriculture. The descendants of Hite are quite numerous throughout the southern and south-western states, and many farms in the valley are still held under titles derived from him. Kercheval says, Joist Hite built a stone house on the Opequon shortly after his coming to the valley. It is still standing and has a very ancient appearance though there are no discoverable marks to fix the date. On the wall plate of a frame barn, however, built by Hite, the figures "1747" are plainly marked and can still be read.]

[Footnote 12: "Frederick Town," properly Winchester, is the capital of Frederick county, Va. The latter was formed out of Orange county by Act of Assembly of Virginia in 1738, at the same time that Augusta county was formed. The choice of this site for the capital of the county was determined by the simple fact that a few hardy, adventurous Indian traders, as early as 1732 or even before that date, had built themselves cabins at this point known as the "Big Shawane Springs." These settlers gradually attracted others until a village was developed. This spring or one near it, an example of the great springs which are to be found in most limestone regions, furnishes the town of Winchester, to the present time, with an abundant supply of pure potable water. The site of the town was, all things considered, well chosen, in a fertile region and on the line of travel, whether across the valley to the Alleghany mountains and the waters of the Ohio river beyond, or along the great valley of the Shenandoah. James Wood was the projector of the town of Winchester, which was incorporated in 1752 by the Assembly of Virginia. However, twenty-six lots had been laid out and sold by James Wood prior to this. Lord Fairfax shortly after this date made an addition to the town, and donated the ground for an Episcopal church. Frederick county early took measures to give protection to its settlers by building forts, making roads and establishing ferries. Its productive soil at the same time bountifully rewarded the husbandman for his labor. As the Frederick county courts were held at Winchester, the people adopted the southern habit of calling the place where the courts met by the name of the county, thus it was frequently spoken of as Frederick Town and is so designated in several of the early maps. Fort Loudoun was erected here by direction of the Assembly of Virginia in 1756, under the immediate supervision of Major Washington.]

[Footnote 13: Cate's marsh and Long marsh--these are names of small streams which flow from the foot hill of North mountain to the Shenandoah river and have along their course considerable meadow or marshy land. Long marsh is of sufficient importance to be named upon the maps of Virginia.]

Tuesday 15^{th} We set out early with Intent to Run round y^e s^d Land but being taken in a Rain & it Increasing very fast obliged us to return, it clearing about one oClock & our time being too Precious to Loose we a second time ventured out & Worked hard till Night & then return'd to Penningtons we got our Suppers & was Lighted into a Room & I not being so good a Woodsman as y^e rest of my Company striped myself very orderly & went in to y^e Bed as they called it when to my Surprize I found it to be nothing but a Little Straw--Matted together without Sheets or any thing else but only one thread Bear blanket with double its Weight of Vermin such as Lice Fleas &c[14] I was glad to get up (as soon as y Light was carried from us) I put on my Cloths & Lays as my Companions. Had we not have been very tired I am sure we should not have slep'd much that night I made a Promise not to Sleep so from that time forward chusing rather to sleep in y. open Air before a fire as will appear hereafter.

[Footnote 14: For comments on fleas and other vermin see note 4. Washington's "Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour," p. 14, Washington's association with frontiersmen in their primitive cabins, which the position of a surveyor in the then almost unbroken forest necessitated, was to him a new and peculiar experience. His observations and reflections of the first few days are recorded with a naivete which is truly charming.]

March y. 15^{th} 1747-8 Survey'd for George Fairfax Esqr. a Tract of Land lying on Cates Marsh and Long Marsh Begining at three Red Oaks Fx on a Ridge the N^o Side a Spring Branch being corner to y^e 623 Acre Tract & Extending thence N^o 30° E^t 436 poles to a Large Hickory and Red Oak Fx near John Cozines house thence N^o 60° W^t 90 Poles to a Large White Oak Fx thence N^o 7° E^t 365 poles to Long Marsh 420 poles to 2 Red Oaks and W: Oak in a Poyson'd field[15] by a Road thence N^o 65° W^t 134 Poles to a W: Oak by y^e s^d Marsh thence crossing y^e Marsh S^o 20° W^t 126 poles to another Branch: of Long Marsh 218 poles to a Red Oak Fx thence N^o 80° W^t 558 po: to a Large Red Oak & White Oak Fx in a Valley thence S 25° W^t 144 poles to a Black Walnut in a Poysond Field by a Lime stone Rock thence S^o 33½° E^t 96 to a White Oak thence S^o 20 E^t 316 po. to three Red Oaks in a Bottom in W^m Johnstones line thence with Johnstones S^o 80° E^t 30 po to a Double Hickory Coll^o Blackburns corner 114 po to 3 Hickorys Johnstones corner & corner to y^e afores^d 623 Acre Tract thence along y^e lines thereof East 280 poles to 3 Red Oaks finally along another of the lines thereof S 15° E^t 262 po. to y^e beginning

HENRY ASHBY } _Chainmen_. RICHARD TAYLOR } ROBERT ASHBY _Marker_. W^M LINDSY _Pilot_.

[Footnote 15: This probably has reference to some pernicious weeds unfavorable to tillage and injurious to grazing animals, as St. John's wort. Farmers believe that this, and certain other noxious weeds which occasionally invade pasture fields, cause sore mouths and legs in horses and horned cattle and affect the milk of cows grazing where it grows.]

Wednesday 16^{th} We set out early & finish'd about one oClock & then Travell'd up to Frederick Town where our Baggage came to us we cleaned ourselves (to get Rid of y. Game[16] we had catched y. Night before) & took a Review of y. Town & thence return'd to our Lodgings where we had a good Dinner prepar'd for us Wine & Rum Punch[17] in Plenty & a good Feather Bed[18] with clean Sheets which was a very agreeable regale.

[Footnote 16: This facetious term "game," referring to his misfortune the first night he lodged in the valley, has a touch of humor in it; and while it is true that Washington was not given to punning or indulging in witticisms, he was not deficient in imagination or unappreciative of the exercise of this talent on suitable occasions by others. He knew that good humor minimized most of the petty annoyances of life.]

[Footnote 17: The office and art of the surveyor were held in high esteem by the early settlers. It is, therefore, not surprising that the people for whom surveys were executed, made special efforts to give the surveying parties good dinners, even going so far as to set before them "wine and rum punch." I may add here that there is neither tradition nor record that Washington was ever known to have been indiscreet from youth to age in the use of wine or strong drinks.]

[Footnote 18: Feather beds, a great luxury in former times, have nearly gone out of use among well-to-do people. By the wealthy, as well as by the laborers, they were once a greatly prized comfort and often devised by will as valuable inheritances. Hair, cotton and spring mattresses have displaced them from popular favor, but "clean sheets" belong to the category of comforts in even early times and must be a delight and joy forever.]

Thursday 17^{th} Rain'd till Ten oClock & then clearing we reached as far as Major Campbells one of there Burgesses about 25 Miles from Town. nothing Remarkable this day nor Night but that we had a Tolerable good Bed lay on.