Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1902-03-05


of truth and history, il had as well be correct.
A recent writer over the initials of -. e. c.
(whether his own or stolen from the name
of that inimitable writer. John Esten Cooke,
1 do not know, boldly stated in the winches-
ter Evening Star that Lord Fairfax died in
Winchester One would naturally infer.
from the defiance with which he spoke. that
he was present when the old man kicked
the bucket, and was the man who placed the
cOppers on his eyes. Now. Mr.. Editor,
will give you my reasons. for saying that
these people are all mistaken. First, have
had it from my grandmother, who resided
at Greenway Court at the time. scores and
scores of times (she entering into all the
minutae of his DEATH, that he died in the
old house that l have spoken of. And
| secondly, have listened TO the old servants
Several of the old Fairfax servants being
still living when I was boy tell of the
occasion of his death and the immense cor
tege, composed of his retainers. neighbors
servants and kinspeople from Alexandria
that accompanied the remains 70 Winches-
ter. But / will give you better proof even
than this. Some years ago when this same
question as TO the place of Ny Lords death
was up for discussion. / wrote 20 Mrs
Burton y. Harrison, of New York, whose
mother was Fairfax. 70 know if she could
furnish me with any information on the
subject She not only fully endorsed the
correctness of my statement that Lord
Fairfax died at Greenway- Court but
enclosed 10 me the original letter. from Col
Thomas Bryan Martin, written from
Greenway Court to her grandfather. Mr.
William Fairfax. announcing the death
that morning Of My Lord, giving the hour
at which ne died and requesting that Mr.
Fairfax would have the hearse and coffin
sent from Alexandria, to be accompanied by
as many of the relations as possible This
letter was sent by a special messenger on
| horseback 10 Alexandria, 65 miles away.
/ Now, If there still be any Doubling
/ Thomases as To the accuracy Of this, / can
again procure from Mrs. Harrison this same
letter, which could he published in the
| COURIER
There are several reasons Mr.. Editor,
| why the uniformed should think that
Lord Fairfax died in Winchester. I'm
prints, the fact of his being buried there
would be one reason, and, secundus. the
fact of his boots being found in Winchester,
years after his death-the same high top
boots which were willed, by Governor
Holiday 20 the Virginia Historical Society.
! / happened 90 know the full history of the
boots though The information has been bat
of "A recent date About 1870, sold for our
family. a good many old Fairfax relics, the
sales being made principally to Mr.. George
| w. Childs of Philadelphia and Mrs. Burton
| y D
the old bell which hung in the belfrey az
| Greenway Court. having the figures 1856
cast in the bell when il was first made.
! The proceeds from the sale of the bell being
applied Co the purchaser of the present bell
Of the Episcopal Church at " hite Post
About that time ! received a letter from
| Wildly Tidball. son of my old friend. Jo
ridball. OF Winchester, asking if could not
find "a purchaser for the old top boots of
Lord Fairfax. which his mother had
replied that l had never heard of the boot,
and ask him 90 give me some Information
about them. his reply was that. he coul,
not give the information, but, that If
would write 10 his uncle Or. Robert Baldwin
then in charge of the asylum, at Staunton
he could give the information. l did SD
desired Information. which was. that /,
years previous 10 the death of Nv Lord
and before the War Of the Revolution, Lor,
Fairfax, accompanied by his body servant
rode 20 Winchester from Greenway Court
On horse back, and that he was taken sicb
at the house of his grandfather, DR.. Mackey
Who was personal friend of My Lord an,
also his family physician. and that when D,
was able To return 10 The Court he did So
in "a Coach, accompanied by Or Mackey
Such, Mr.. Editor is the true history of
the boots which were left at the home OF
DR.. Mackey and which were finally presented
TO Governor Holiday by Mrs Tdball IN,
granddaughter of DR.. Mackey, and which
has no doubt, furnished one of the reasons
for surprising that Lori Fairfax died in
Winchester, for it isn't everybody who die,
| with their boots on. Another thing that
his writer y. Z. c." who knows it all
tells us, viz, that Ny Lord inherited hi,
immense landed possessions from hi,
| mother, who was daughter of Lord Cul
pepper" In the first place, there was n,
Lord Culpepper there was a Lord Cole
pepper one of the early Colonial Governor:
Of Virginia, Lady Colepepper Fairfax Wa:
the mother of Thomas, Lord Fairfaix,
and she did inherit, from her father theS,
immense tracts of Virginia lands, but they
lid not descend to Lord Fairfax by inner
itance; but, when he determined TO eNpatri
ate and bury himself in the wilds of the New
World Ga woman it is said, being at the bot
tom of it, for they are at the bottom of al
devilment) he exchanged with his mothe
his ancestral home, Leeds Castle, for he
Virginia lands; and that's the way he cam,
by his immense landed possessions and no
by grant or inheritance. Mr. Editor, this Is
the third or fourth time in my life that
have been called upon to put people straight
about old Lord Fairfax, and it is the las
time The curious hereafter have got +,
find ont for themselves. l never had tn,
pleasure of meeting with the old gentleman
but from heresay think have spotted him
pretty correctly.
w. c. X
| q WNm1