Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-04-20

pA Is and SAIU MIA -, at FIVE DOLLARS
PER ANNUM, payable in advance.
REMINISCExCEs AND RAMBLEs
ABOUT ALEX ANDkIA.
We have been kindly furnished by friend
with series Of very interesting and ably writ
ton articles, With the above heading, published
in the National Inteliigencer 10 September,
1867, which we shall publish in short numbers,
satisfied that they will be read with interest by
all of our citizens.
There is no city in the country more inter-
esting in its historical memories than Alexan
dria, Virginia. The very aspect Of its ancient
residences as we'll as the names Of the streets
backward into colonial days The city is re-
gularly laid out, like Philadelphia, and, as you
Stroll through the central AMI older portions,
YOU find yourself 10 streets with such names as
King, Queen, Princess, Royal, Duke, Gibbon,
Wilkes, Wolfe, Pitt, Alfred, Patrick, Camron,
ST. Asaph, Columbus, Fairtax-all redoent of
revolutionary tastes and :ideas-Whlle, OF
later origin, We find Frankn, Jefferson, Greene
Feudleton, Wythe, Madison, Henry, Fayette,
aud Washington, names cOnsecrated with re-
voutionary glory, though, as Washington is
central street, we are not sure that 1t was not
au original name given before the Father of
his country had come to manhood aud fame.
Franklin, Greene, Jeferson-New England
the Oh Dominion, the Yankee hero, the Yam
kee philosopher, and the Virginia Statesman,
side BY side-carry you back into communion
with greater names aud better times than be-
long to this calamitous generation. One of
the most Interesting Of the names commemo-
rated 10 those streets Is that OF
FAIRFAX.
The city of fAlexandriawaS foundedin the year
l74S, the year 10 which Washington, then six
teen years old, set off with George Fairfax on
his first surveying expedition. George Fairfax
was the eldest son OF William Fairfax, Of Bel
vor, whose daughter, Washington's eldest
brother, Lawrence, had married. Lord Thomas
Fairfax had this same year returned from Eng
land, 10 take up here bis permanent residence.
He mad Inherited from his aunt, the wife OF
Lord Culpeper, the immense domain known as
the "Northero Neck Of Virginia" aud Wash
ugtou and young Fairfax started out to explore
the region for him. Lord Fairfax was an eccen-
tric. but very generous and hospltabie. He had
been educated at Oxford University, and bred
he wrote some of the papers in the Spectator
passiopatey foud of the chase, and after spend
ing some years at Belvoir, he went over the Blue
Ridge, built home in the wilderness, about
thirteen miles from Winchester, calling it
Greeuwsy Court. de lived and died iu small
story -and-a-half house, and had some l5O
negro servants living In log huts about hlm
in the woods. A small limestone structure,
10 which quit-reDts were given and titles
drawn of bis LordShip's domain, was stand
ng as late as 1850, and about that period,
near the structure, 10 excavating, large quan-
tity of coin, supposed to have been secreted
there by Lord Fairfax, was discovered. They
we're jocs and halt joes, known as cob coin, of
square form, dated 1880, and amounting to
the value of some $3.50. Lord Fairfax though
frank and open Loyalist, was never molested
by the Wings. When we heard Of the surren
der Of Corvallis it is related OF him that he
called to his favorite servant, saying: Come,
Joe, carry me to bed, for It is high time for
me t6 die"
He died in 1882 at pinety-four years of age,
soon after Coruwus's surrender, his death be-
ing hasteued, it was said, BY that event, and
his estate, which, according to Parliamentary
record, amounted to FIVE millions two hundred
and eighty thousand acres, the largest and most
valuable in America at the Revolution, was
coutscated The estate had come down to him
irom Thomas Lord Culpeper, his grandfather
to whom it had been granted by Charles Ii. IN
1851, on "a rent of e6, l3s 4d." A commit
tee OF Parliament, in considering the compensa-
ton to be allowed to his heirs as loyalst suffer.
ers, estimated it's value at 100000, which,
after much delay and great discussion, was
fauay, it is believed, paid. Lord Fairfax was
buried at Winchester, under the communion
table of the Episcopal Church, the ground up
on which it stood having been given BY bin
for the construction of the church. This OLD
stone church was torn down many years ago,
and the remains of Lord Fairfax buried under
the new church, and in it q marble slab placed
to his memory. He was Tilted, it is said, in
married His sufficient eulogy is that he was
honest, coed to the poor. and the early patron
and life long friend of Washington.
George William Fairfax, who went on the
surveying tour with Washington, had been
educated in England and was eighteen years
older than Washington. His father, the owner
of Belvoir, adjoining Mount Vernon, was lieu
tenant of the county of Fairfax, Collector Of
the Customs of South Potomac, and president
of the Kings Council of Virginia. At bis
death. in 1857, George succeeded to his estate,
aud resided at Belvoir, having married daugh-
ter Of Colonel Carey, of Hampton. He was
member OF the Kings Council. In 1772 he
Went to England to attend to some property
that had fallen to hlm in Yorkshire, and the
revolutionary strife opening, he never returned
Durug the war he was conspicuous tor bis
kindness to American prisoners 10 England,
and died at Bath in 1887, aged 63 years. a
portion OF his estate iu'Virginia was con6scated
Washington, who continued ever to remember
him with great attachment, was named as an
executor Of his will, by which, as he had no
children, be bequeathed his estate to the sec
eoud sou, Fernando, Of his only surviving
brother.
Bryan Fairfax, third son of Colouel
William, married a daughter of Wilson
Carey, and his residence in Fairfax county
vas known as Tarleston Hall. He was
very near the age of Washington, and they
were very warm friends to the last 10 l774
Washington pressed his triend to stand as eau
dldate for the House Of Burgesses, which he de: