The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-03-15
been provided in the former patent.
LORD FAIRFAX SUCCEEDS LORD

CULPEPPER.
Upon the death of Lord Culpep-
per, Thomas, Lord Fairfax became
his heir at law and as such became
the sole proprietor of the said ter
rltory with the appurtenances and
the above recited letters patent.
THE FAIRFAX TITLE.
Thomas, Lord Fairfax died in
1871. and by his last will and testa-
ment duly made and published, de-
vised the whole of his lands etc,
called or known by the Northern
Neck of Virginia, in fee to Denny
Martin, upon condition OF his tax :
ing the name and arms of Fairfax,
which condition was fully complied
with.
This last recites the several letters
patent as aboye set out, and that
Thomas, Lord, Fairfax is now be-
come sole proprietor of the said
territory with the appurtenances,
and the above recitcd letters patent,
and that divers and great quantities
Of land have been granted to adyen-
turers and planters within said ter
ritory in fee simple by the agents
and attorneys Of the said Lord
Fairfax and his predecessors. for
mer proprietors of the said terri
tory, and letters patent by virtue of
divers letters of attorneys from time
to time by them respectively given
to their said attorneys and agents,
but now of late after long possession
and great valuable improvements
made upon said lands by said gran
tees, questions are likely to arise
between them and the present pro-
prIetor touching the validity of such
grants, and then confirms all such
grants made by any Of the agents
and attorneys of tht proprietors of
said territory, or any of them, and
declares that they shall be good,
available and binding in law,
FAIRFAX'S DEyISEES SETTLE IN
VIRGINIA..
BY an act of the General Assem-
bly, of Virginia, passed December
10, 1776 the Devisees Of Lori Fair
fax relinquished to the common
wealth of Virginia all claim to
lands supposed to be within the
northern neck of Virginia which
were waste and unappropriated at
the time Of the death Of Lord Fair
fax, and Virginia confirmed the
title Of those claiming under Mr.
Fairfax to lands specifically appro-
priated and reserved by the late
Thomas Lord Fairfax or his ances-
tors for his or their use.
1t will be seen from the foregoing
recital that the title to the territory
included in the characters granted
by Charles II and James ii to the
Earl St Adams, Lord Hopton and
others, continued IN those patentees
and their grantees and those claim
ing under them down to the revolu-
ton. and that after the revolution
in 1896 all of the territory that then
remained waste and unappropriated
and which had not been specifically
appropriated bv the former proprie-
tors became vested i'll the common
wealth of Virginia. These Ia DIS so
reliuquished to Virginia became
subject to entry, survey and grant
through the land Office of Virginia
in The same manner that all her
other waste and unappropriated
lands were. and they were after
wards all granted by Virginia in
this way.
The territory embraced in this
Northern Neck tract had belonged
to and been under the jurisdiction
and dominion of the Colony of Vir
ginia from the time her first charter
was granted in 1905. The patents
for that territory granted by Charles
IL and James III to Lord Hopton
and Others expressly le4- it under
the governmental jurisdiction and
control of the Colony of Virginia
and the State of West Virginia so
far IT'S it lies within the limits OF the
latter, from the revolution to the
present time.
This court and the Supreme
Court of Appeals of Virginia h I'VE
decided that Lord Fairfax and those
under wnom he claimed and those
claiming under him, had not only
the absolute fee simple title to the
soil of the territory, but also the
sesin and possession of the same.
This absolute title and seisin and
possession have continued undis-
turbed to the present day, and the
governmental jurisdiction and con-
troll over said territory has been
exercised exclusively, first by the
colony and then the commonwealth
tf Virginia, and since June 20,
1868. by the State of West Virginia.
so far as this territory lies within
her limits.
BOUNDARIES OF NORTHERN NECK.