Fairfax family Northern Neck Proprietary papers, 1688-1810

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888
Restrictions:

There are no restrictions.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Fairfax Family Northern Neck Proprietary Papers, 1688-1810. Accession 24062, Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia

Summary

Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Fairfax Family Northern Neck Proprietary Papers, 1688-1810. Accession 24062, Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia

Background

Scope and content:

Northern Neck proprietary papers, 1688-1810, of the Fairfax family, including advertisements, accounts, bonds, deeds, grants, leases, legal papers, letters, plats, rent rolls, surveys, and wills.

Consists of: a) rent rolls, 1771-1779, for Culpeper, King George, Prince William, and Stafford Counties, Virginia; b) land grants and surveys, 1688-1780, containing the Northern Neck land grant by James II, King of England, to Thomas, Lord Culpeper and others, and land grants from Margaret, Lady Culpeper, Thomas, Lord Fairfax, Catherine, Lady Fairfax, and Thomas, Lord Fairfax; c) bonds, 1742-1789, for collectors of quit rents of Northern Neck properties; d) deeds and leases, 1707-1786, for Northern Neck properties; e) wills, 23 November 1777 and 4 May 1793, of George Smith of Frederick County and William Allison of Fauquier County; f) plats and surveys, 1741-1793, for lands leased in the Northern Neck, most surveys were made by Elias Poston and George Murray; g) legal papers, including forms, powers of attorney, inquisition, legal opinions, court records, depositions, acknowledgements, arbiters' decisions, notification, agreements, judgments, summonses, and chancery bills; h) letters, 1743-1785, mostly to and from William Fairfax, Thomas, Lord Fairfax, Bryan Fairfax, and Thomas Bryan Martin; and i) miscellaneous items, 1693-1788, including accounts, petitions, reports, memorandums, lists, advertisements, receipts, bills of sale of slaves, plan of the town of Bath (Berkeley Springs, West Virginia), certifications, and statements.

Biographical / historical:

The Northern Neck Land Office controlled 5,282,000 acres in land grants located between the Rappahannock and Potomac rivers, which were give to seven loyal supporters of King Charles II, including Lord Fairfax. Agents of the Northern Neck Proprietary issued the first land grant in 1690. The Proprietary operated until the death of Thomas, Sixth Lord Fairfax, in 1782. For the next thirty years, however, the ownership was in dispute. Fairfax family interest was terminated in 1808, when the last surviving heir sold the title to his remaining manor to a syndicate.

Acquisition information:
Purchased, 29 October 1953.
Arrangement:

Organized into the following nine series: A. Rent rolls, 1771-1779; B. Grants, 1688-1780; C. Bonds, 1742-1789; D. Deeds and Leases, 1707-1786; E. Wills, 1777, 1793; F. Plats and Surveys, 1741-1793. G. Legal papers, 1721-1810. H. Letters, 1743-1785. I. Miscellaneous, 1693-1788.

Arranged alphabetically.

Arranged alphabetically.

Arranged alphabetically.

Arranged alphabetically.

Organized into the following two subseries: 1. Plats and surveys made by Elias Poston; 2. Plats and surveys made by George Murray and John Mauzy.

Arranged alphabetically.

Arranged chronologically.

Arranged chronologically.

Arranged chronologically.

Arranged chronologically.

Physical location:
Personal papers collection, Acc. 24062
Physical description:
0.8 cubic feet