Evening star., 1927-05-29

the First. The family had been ruined
in the Rebellion. The best position Sir
John was able to obtain was that of
military governor of the Isle Of Wight,
where his dissipated life shocked the
inhabitants so greatly that they asked
for his recall.
Culpeper recalled the ill-def1ned Vir-
ginia grants to his father and sought
to have them renewed, with the idea
that some little badly needed revenue
might be extracted from the new land.
Through the intercession of his
friend Bennett, he was given royal
patent by Charles to the entire north
ern neck Of Virginia.
This act Of personal friendship ends
the Earl Of Arlington's personal con-
nection with the New World. Culpeper
made two brief visits to his palatinate.
His rapacity tended to anger the set.
tiers. There was a world of differ
ence between this visionless knight
and the other great royal proprietor
in America-George Calvert, baron Of
Baltimore. From Culpeper the grant
descended to and was confirmed in
the person of his grandson, Thomas
Fairfax, Baron of Cameron, who was
the first of the proprietors ever to
visit the land now covered by Arling-
ton County. Fairfax, solemn, pro-
found young man, apparently repre-.
sented the finest type of British pio-
neer. He was a man Of culture. Some
say he wrote one of the anonymous
articles in the Spectator. He was dis
gusted with the dull, artificial life of
the British court. He went to Vir-
ginia and remained there for the rest
Of his life. Fairfax had much to do
with developing the character Of
George Washington.
Clash Of Characters.
1t is an interesting coincidence that
the name Of the principal town in Ar
lfngton County should be Clarendon.
Whether the real estate developer re-
sponsible for the latter name was
T, aware OF the relations of Sir Henry
| Bennett and Sir Edward Hyde, Earl of
Clarendon, cannot be ascertained.
Probably he merely selected a
| euphonious name for his subdivision
without considering its connotation.
Hyde. lord chancellor of England
! after the Restoration, was the invete-
rate enemy of Arlington. The latter
was suave, crafty and ingratiating.
| The former was cold, stern, repelling
and with high ideals Of personal
honesty to which he clung tenaciously
| through all the changes Of office and
fortune. He probably would feel
little complimented at having a town
OF Clarendon" in an Arlington"
county.
The rights Of culpeper in the
northern neck were not universally
recognized and some grants We're
| made over his head. In 1860 a grant
| Vuh 4ra h.
city OF Alexandria and all the eastern
part OF Arlington County, was made
directly, as from the crown, to one
| Robert Howson by Sir William
Berkely, Governor of Virginia. The
land now covered by the western half
or the county was granted by Lord
Fairfax to George Mason OF Gunston
| Hall, signer of the Declaration OF
| Independence. from whom it was in.
herited by his son John.
Court Fight Won.
Howson sold his land in 1869 to
John. Alexander OF Bellehaven, the
present Alexandria. 1t continued in
the direct line OF the Alexander
family, with various tracts being sold
from time to time, until 1890, when
Lord Fairfax, disdainful Of Berkely' s
| patents, granted the whole tract To
one Thomas Robertson. The Alexan
ders defended their rights in court
and won. In 1748 the controversy
was ended finally by an act of the
House of Burgesses confirming the
rights Of all the holders of Berkely's
patents in the northern neck terri
tory. Fairfax, a model colonial pro
prietor, evidently accepted this settle
ment with good grace.
All the land titles In Arlington
County descended directly from the
| Alexander and Mason families ant
can easily be traced in the county
courthouse, although the origina
patents are kept in Richmond.
In 1911 Philip Alexander, grandson
OF the original proprietor. sold big
tract adjoining the Potomac Il
estate known as Arlington--now thu
National Cemetery. Fort Myer ant
the experimental farm-~was laid on
and the mansion which crowns Thu
Potomac bluffs built by Georg'
Washington Park Gusts, the boy VIII
had been brought up at Mt. Vernon
and whom George Washington con
sidered practically in the light of ;
son. 1t was he, presumably, who's
thoughts went back to the long dea'
Sir Henry Bennet in selecting 1
name for his estate. 1t is from TIL
: Arlington estate, Of course. that tn
county gets its name.
Coded by Virginia.
Arlington County was a corner o
Fairfax County until the District o
Columbia was laid out in 1888. 1t the
/ was ceded by Virginia to the Fedora
= Government as the States contribu
+, ton TO the 10-mile square tract tha
g was tn make up the National Capital
=. 1t remained a part OF the District o
! Columbia for 81 years. 1t was cede
: back to Virginia and named A1exar
, driA County, In 1s4s. Some Of Georg