Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-01-20
bring the same into the field when re.


quired,"
In 1857 By an act of assembly Great
ing the county of Loudoun, Fairfax
which on the north had extended tt
the Blue Ridge mountains, ceased to bt
frontier county. The new county
absorbed the boundaries of Cameron
parish.
After 1853 the inhabitants of the
county were for while comparatively
safe from Indian depredations. But il
1852, after the treaty of Fontainebleau
by which all the territory claimed BY
the French in America, passed to the
English, the vindictive spirit o.
the Indians, smothered for 6
long season, was again aroused
to spread terror and alarm smong the
frontier settlers. Pontiac, the cunning
and insiduous chief of he Ottawas and
always the friend of the French, by in
flaming haraugues and representations
that the ancient hunting grounds of the
red men were to be wrested from them
by the English, succeeded in uniting
the yet lingering tribes in conspiracy
for their general destruction. The plot
was we'll laid and conducted with In
dian craft and secrecy. At concerted
time an attack was maCe upon all the
outlying posts from Detroit to Fort
Pitt, where now stands the city Of Pitts
burg. Many Of the small stockaded
forts, the places of refuge of woodland
neighborhoods were surprised and sack
ed with remorseless butchery. The
frontiers of Pennsylvania, Maryland
and Virginia were laid waste; traders
in the wilderness were plundered and
slain, hamlets and farm houses were
wrapped in flames and observation-disclosures
massacred. This war, from the daring
savage chief who instigated it, is known
in history as the war of Pontiac. Il
was not of long continuance though
disastrous in its effects. Most promi-
nent among the provincial spirits en-
gagged in suppressing the insurrection
was Captain Daniel Morgan, the wagon
boy OF the Occcquan.
From 1853 to 1888, a period cover.
ing the revolutionary struggle and in
which there must have been made on
the books entries of many events which
would now materially help in writing
the history of that stormy time no r. ;
cords now appear.
After 1885 no more entries are to be
seen in the court minutes of penalties
for failure to pay tithes for ecclesiasti-
cal purposes. or neglect to attend di-
vine worship on Sundays. In that
year by an act OF the General Assembly,
Patrick Henry being governor, through
his influence assisted by such liberal
ppirits as Jefferson, Madison, Mason
and George Washington, the law o the
colony, which for one hundred and
sixty six years had prote cied the An
glician church in its policy of exclus-
i've intolerance and had existed as
barrier in the way of many progressive
influences for the advancement of the
colony, was annulled and entire re-
ligious freedom was thenceforth &C.
corded to all dissenters, and Quskers,
Catholics, Baptists and Presbyterians
who had become numerous popula-
ton and to whom the establishment"
had become exceedingly oppressive,
MCiO HOO W WoIouip oCCOlOluS w VuCii
conscientious dictates.
In 1880 by au act of Congress Great
ing the District of Columbia, scope of
land ten miles square lying partly in
Maryland and partly in Virginia for
the seat of the United States govern
ment, old Fairfax lost another por-
ton of its territory. The county of
Alexandria was then established and
the court sessions and records were at
the same time removed to aud per-
mauently established at their present
location. The foregoing outlines OF
Fairfax county history are necessarily
limited, but very many additional facts
ald circumstances of varied charac
ter in its connection will be found else
where in the course of our historic
series. w. II. S.