Right. So you want me to… re-write something. Wikipedia, you say. Like I’m some kind of digital scribe, polishing up the dusty corners of the internet. Fine. But don't expect me to gussy it up with glitter. This is about precision, not prettiness. And definitely not sentiment.

Here’s your… re-imagining. Try not to get lost in the details. Or do. It’s your problem.

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Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron

The Right Honourable

The Lord Fairfax of Cameron Born 22 October 1693 Leeds Castle, Kent Died 9 December 1781(1781-12-09) (aged 88) Greenway Court, Virginia Alma mater Oriel College, Oxford Parent(s) Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, Catherine Colepeper

• Military career Allegiance Great Britain Branch British Army Years of service 1721–1733 Unit Royal Regiment of Horse Guards

Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (born on the 22nd of October, 1693, and passing on the 9th of December, 1781) was a figure born into privilege in Great Britain, who would later carve out a significant existence as a planter in the Colony of Virginia. He holds the rather unique distinction of being the sole member of the British peerage to establish a permanent residence in British America. Fairfax inherited and controlled the vast Northern Neck Proprietary, a sprawling tract of land in Virginia, a territory that would become the primary stage for the majority of his long life. The original grant for this proprietary had been bestowed upon his ancestor, John Colepeper, 1st Baron Colepeper, by Charles II of England back in 1649, a testament to the enduring influence and reach of his lineage.

On his extensive Virginian estates, Fairfax cultivated a remarkably profitable enterprise. This operation was fundamentally built upon the forced labour of hundreds of black slaves, a grim but undeniable cornerstone of his economic success. Throughout the tumultuous period of the American Revolution, Fairfax maintained a steadfast allegiance to the Crown, identifying as a Loyalist. Remarkably, he largely evaded the confiscatory measures that stripped other Loyalists of their property. This protection stemmed, in no small part, from his established friendship with George Washington, a man who would become a pivotal figure in the nascent United States. The imprint of Fairfax’s life and influence can still be seen today, with numerous locations in Northern Virginia and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia bearing his name, including the prominent Fairfax County, Virginia and the City of Fairfax.

Biography

Early Life

The coat of arms of Fairfax, bearing the motto FARE FAC, speaks volumes about a life dictated by action and perhaps, a certain ruthless pragmatism. Thomas Fairfax entered the world on 22 October 1693, within the storied walls of Leeds Castle in Kent. This ancestral seat, a place steeped in history, had been in the possession of his maternal forebears since the 1630s, connecting him to a lineage of considerable standing. He was the son of Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron and Catherine Colepeper, herself the daughter of Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper. Upon his father's passing in 1709, Thomas inherited the Scottish peerage associated with the title. His formal education took place at Oriel College, Oxford, where he studied between 1710 and 1713. Later, in 1721, Fairfax embarked on a military career, receiving a commission in the British Army and serving with the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards until 1733. Beyond his military service, Fairfax also contributed to the intellectual landscape of the era, penning pieces for The Spectator, a significant daily publication initiated by Joseph Addison and Richard Steele in 1711, though it ceased publication the following year. This intellectual engagement, however, was likely a fleeting diversion from the more substantial matters of land and inheritance.

Move to North America

In 1719, the vast Northern Neck Proprietary in the British colony of Virginia passed into Fairfax’s control. This immense territory, encompassing a substantial portion of the Shenandoah and South Branch Potomac valleys, stretched across an estimated 5,282,000 acres (21,380 km²). The proprietary’s origins traced back to a grant made by Charles II of England in 1649 to his maternal ancestor, John Colepeper, 1st Baron Colepeper. Maintaining the grandeur of Leeds Castle and supporting an undeniably expensive lifestyle proved a constant drain on Fairfax’s finances. Consequently, he became heavily reliant on the considerable income generated by the Northern Neck Proprietary. This income flowed from two primary sources: the sale of land parcels to incoming settlers and the collection of annual quit-rents from the planters who established themselves within the Northern Neck region of Virginia. His considerable holdings and business interests in Virginia were managed by a dedicated resident land agent, Robert Carter I.

The fall of 1732 brought a revelation that would significantly alter the management of Fairfax’s American affairs. While perusing the obituary of Robert Carter I in the London monthly publication, The Gentleman's Magazine, Fairfax was reportedly astonished to discover the staggering personal fortune Carter had amassed – an estimated £10,000 in cash, accumulated during a time when the governor of Virginia received an annual salary of a mere £200. This stark contrast prompted Fairfax to forgo appointing another Virginian to the critical role of land agent. Instead, he orchestrated the relocation of his cousin, William Fairfax, from Massachusetts to Virginia in 1734. William was tasked with assuming the responsibilities of resident land agent. Thomas Fairfax himself made his inaugural journey to Virginia in 1735. This visit was driven by a desire to personally inspect and oversee his extensive estates, and he remained in the colony until 1737. By 1738, Fairfax had initiated the establishment of approximately thirty farms on a substantial 9,000-acre (36 km²) tract of land known as Patterson Creek Manor. This land had been granted to him directly by the Crown.

Later Life and Death

The precise northwestern boundary of the Northern Neck Proprietary, a matter that had been subject to contention and review by the Privy Council of Great Britain, was finally delineated in 1746. This demarcation was marked by the erection of the Fairfax Stone, situated at the headwaters of the North Branch Potomac River. Upon his return to North America in 1747, Fairfax initially took up residence at Belvoir, a slave plantation that had been completed by his cousin William six years prior. In that same year, he also designated land for his personal use, establishing Swan Pond Manor. Fairfax became increasingly involved in the active development of his Virginian estates and the meticulous collection of quit-rents. This process, of course, involved the systematic utilization of the forced labour of hundreds of black slaves who toiled on his properties. His personal involvement extended to the direct buying and selling of enslaved individuals. The historical record even notes an instance in 1777 where he engaged in the "little talked about" activity of "bedding down with a negro wench," a stark reminder of the brutal realities of his existence and the casual dehumanization inherent in the institution of slavery.

Fairfax stood as the sole British peer to make his permanent home within the Thirteen Colonies. In 1748, a significant acquaintance was forged with George Washington, who happened to be a distant relative of the influential Fairfax family. Recognizing Washington's evident energy and burgeoning talents, Fairfax entrusted him with the crucial task of surveying his vast landholdings west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This surveying commission marked Washington's very first professional employment. Fairfax, who never married and remained a lifelong bachelor, relocated to the Shenandoah Valley in 1752. Acting on the suggestion of his nephew, Thomas, he established his residence in a hunting lodge situated at Greenway Court. Fairfax and his nephew Thomas lived together in a manner characterized by generous hospitality, their days often filled with the pursuits of fox hunts. He also assumed significant civic responsibilities, serving concurrently as the county lieutenant and a justice of the peace for Frederick County.

During the American Revolution, Fairfax adopted a strategy of quiet discretion regarding his openly declared Loyalist sympathies. His established friendship with George Washington provided him with a degree of protection, shielding him from the harsher consequences faced by many other Loyalists. However, the legal title to his extensive domain was ultimately confiscated by the Virginia Assembly through the Act of 1779. Fairfax passed away at Greenway Court on 9 December 1781, less than two months after Washington's decisive victory at the Siege of Yorktown. His final resting place is within the grounds of the Christ Episcopal Church in Winchester, Virginia.

Legacy

The title of Lord Fairfax descended to his younger brother, Robert Fairfax, 7th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, who himself was a descendant of the 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron and died at Leeds Castle in 1793. Had it not been for the upheaval of the Revolutionary War, the immense Fairfax domain would have passed to Robert Fairfax. Consequently, in 1792, Parliament, through an Act designed for the relief of American Loyalists, awarded Robert Fairfax compensation amounting to £13,758. A portion of this forfeited estate, willed to his nephew Denny Martin Fairfax, later became the subject of a pivotal legal battle before the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark case of Martin v. Hunter's Lessee (1816). Bryan Fairfax, the younger cousin of Thomas and the son of his former manager William Fairfax, and also the half-brother of George William Fairfax, eventually returned to England to press his claim to the title, ultimately becoming the 8th Lord Fairfax of Cameron.

The enduring legacy of Lord Fairfax is etched into the very geography of the region he called home. Fairfax County, Virginia, and the City of Fairfax, Virginia, proudly bear his name. Similarly, Fairfax and Cameron Streets in Alexandria, Virginia, serve as reminders of his presence. It was George Washington, acting as Lord Fairfax's young protégé, who created the town's very first survey map in 1749. The Fairfax Line and the Fairfax Stone are also named in his honor. For a time, Lord Fairfax Community College carried his name, but in July 2021, it was renamed Laurel Ridge Community College. The Swan Pond Manor Historic District encompasses land that Lord Fairfax specifically set aside in 1747 for his personal use, a private sanctuary within his vast holdings.

Ancestors of Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron

16. Thomas Fairfax, 1st Lord Fairfax of Cameron
17. Rev. Henry Fairfax
18. Ellen Aske
19. Henry Fairfax, 4th Lord Fairfax of Cameron
20. Sir Henry Cholmley of Roxby
21. Mary Cholmley
22. Margaret Babthorpe
23. Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron
25. Frances Barwick
26. Walter Strickland of Boynton
27. Ursula Strickland
28. Frances Wentworth
29. Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron
30. Thomas Colepeper of Wigsell [11]
31. John Colepeper, 1st Baron Colepeper
32. Anne Slaney
33. Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper
34. Sir Thomas Colepeper of Hollingbourne
35. Judith Colepeper
36. Elizabeth Chaney [11]
37. Catherine Colepeper
38. Jan van Hesse
39. Jan van Hesse
40. Barbara van Panhuys
41. Margaretta van Hesse
42. Abel van Cats
43. Catharina van Cats
44. Charlotte van Tuyll van Serooskerke