Fairfax County Court records list 33 deeds from William Fitzhugh (of Chatham) to leaseholders in Parcel 1.2 between 1767 and 1804.1

In addition to the leaseholders, 18 others are named in boundary descriptions that specify shared corners and lines with adjacent tracts. These people were most likely tenants without the benefits and protections of a written lease.2

Lease and Tenant Locations

This image and the Google Map that follows plot the locations of leaseholder tracts and adjacent tenants. The degree of confidence in location accuracy varies with the precision of information stated in the lease deeds. Some leases could not be plotted. (True also for John Ward’s lease; however, its general location was determined and is marked in the image with a tenant symbol.)

Locations of 24 leaseholder tracts and 17 tenants in Parcel 1.2

Locations of 24 leaseholder tracts and 17 tenants in Parcel 1.2

Location Ratings Explained

  • Excellent: The lease descriptions reference identifiable points on the Ravensworth boundary.
  • Good: Hawley, Potter and Williamson have reference points on the Ravensworth boundary, Rolling and Backlick Roads, and for Williamson also Accotink Creek. However, the boundaries between Potter, Kerby and the tenant Dawsy could not be determined. William William’s border on Accotink Creek was located with confidence. And his shared corners and lines with Appleton, Rigg, Tuttle and Aler Williams enabled placing their tracts with equal confidence. However, Appleton’s two northern lines are estimates.
  • Fair: The leases were located based John Sarter’s shared boundaries with Jane Williamson, stated in her deed. John Peter Sarter’s and Hall’s tracts were positioned using their shared lines with John Sarter.
  • Approximate: Several calculations were required. First and most critical was placing John Kent’s western border on Accotink Creek where the two best aligned. Second was adjusting the location of William Payne Bayliss’ tract on Kent’s eastern line, as the other leases in this category all directly or indirectly reference Bayliss’ tract. Third, adjusting the Swallow/Milan tract’s southeast corner on Long Branch influenced the positions of the tracts above it. That tract’s northeast corner is described as “near Yeaman’s old mill on long branch.” An extensive search failed to uncover information about the mill or its location, which would have been a very useful reference point.

Today’s View (in Google Maps)

In the map, circle icons designate leaseholders, diamonds represent tenants.

Chronology of Leases

The leases are listed by date in the following table. Rent was due annually in pounds of tobacco “tendered and delivered according to law at some convenient warehouse on Potomack River.”

Use the Search box to filter or search within the table. Only rows with the search word in them are shown.

Leaseholder (also on lease)DateLeaseAcresRentLocation and other comments
John Sarter (Sarah Sarter, wife; John Peter Sarter, son)4/10/1767G1:181152950Beginning west side Accotink Run
William Williams (James and William Williams, sons)4/10/1767G1:1882161200On Accotink Run, two corners and a boundary shared with Aler Williams
James Appleton (Margaret Appleton, wife; Elizabeth Appleton, daughter)4/10/1767G1:219150950Beginning on Accotink Run corner to William Williams, shared boundries with Aler Williams and Hardin
John Peter Sarter (Jane Sarter, wife; Peter Sarter, son)5/10/1767G1:2152171350Beginning on Accotink Run at corner to John Sarter (same land leased to Josias Clark in 1773)
Jacob Hall (Mary Hall; William Hall)5/10/1767G1:224100654Beginning on Accotink Run at Sarter's corner, shared boundaries with Riley
John Ward1768H1:57XXOn Accotink Run, shared boundaries with John Kent and William Gilpin (lost deed, unable to map)
Thomas Hardin1768H1:62XXShared boundaries with Aler Williams and James Appleton (lost deed, unable to map)
Thomas Kerby (Sarah Kerby, wife; Thomas Kerby, son)6/21/1773L1:118105654(no location specifics to map)
Charles Smith (Mary Ann Smith, wife; Niland Grow, son-in-law)6/25/1773L1:31152950(no location specifics to map)
John Rigg (Sarah Rigg, wife; Susannah Rigg, daughter)6/25/1773L1:36166950Shared boundary with Aler Williams; shared corner with Aler and William Williams
Thomas Tuttle (Elizabeth Tuttle, wife; John Tuttle, son)6/25/1773L1:921931000Two lots. 122 acres (no location specifics to map); 71 acres: on Accotink run, shared boundaries with William Williams and Benony Kent
John Appleton (Ellener Appleton, wife; Mary Appleton, daughter)6/25/1773L1:97112750Shared boundaries with Tuttle, Shelton and Kent (no location specifics to map)
Aler Williams (Elizabeth Williams, wife; John Williams, son)6/25/1773L1:102110654Beginning in Hardin's line
William Hawley (Catherine Hawley, wife; Henry Hawely)6/25/1773L1:107160980Beginning in dividing line of Ravensworth (no specifics on where on dividing line)
Edward Potter (Rebechah Potter, wife; Reuben Harslydine Potter, son)6/25/1773L1:124150950Beginning corner to Zachariah Morris on Backlick Run, shared boundaries with Ravensworth line, Dawsy and Kerby
John Ratcliff (Richard Ratcliff, son; Mary Ratcliff, daughter)9/23/1773L1:151651300Beginning in dividing line of the Pattent and where said dividing line corners in the said Pattent line, borders road to Colchester (Backlick Road)
Samuel Hawley (Barbara Hawley, wife; James Burch Hawley, nephew)9/23/1773L1:202001000Beginning at John Ratcliff's corner in the outline of Ravensworth, borders road to Colchester (Backlick Road) and Edward Potter's line
Aaron Clark (Anne Clark, wife; John Clark, son)9/23/1773L1:26152950Beginning west side of Accotink Run
Josias Clark (Margarett Clark, wife; John Clark, son)9/25/1773L1:1122171330Beginning on Accotink Run corner to John Sarter (same land leased to John Peter Sarter in 1767)
Joseph Warner (Ruth Warner, wife; Henry Warner, son)7/10/1784O1:380100654Beginning on horse branch in William Payne Bayliss' line, shared boundaries with Richard Scriviner and John Frazer, near Yeaman's old mill on Long Branch
Zephaniah Swallow (Charity Swallow, wife; John Swallow, son)7/10/1784O1:385106686Beginning corner of Richard Scriviner, Charles Beach and Joseph Warner near Yeaman's old mill on Long Branch (same land leased to Millan in 1804)
William Rogers (Isabella Rogers, wife; Isaac Rogers, son)5/10/1784O1:390140950Beginning in the line of the Patent at corner to James Taylor (no location specifics to map)
John Devaughn (Ruth Devaughn, wife; Jonathan Devaughn, son)7/10/1784O1:395117765Beginning in the line of the Patent at John Reeds' corner, shared boundaries with Charles Smith and Barton Davis
John Kent (Dinah Kent, wife; Charles Kent, son)7/10/1784O1:4002001308Beginning on Accotink Run at John Ward's corner, shared boundaries with Peacock, near William Payne Bayliss' fence
William Payne Bayliss (Elizabeth Bayliss, wife; Thomas Bayliss, son)7/10/1784O1:406100654Beginning in John Kent's line, shared boundaries with Darton Davis, Willim Ogden and John Peacock
Samuel Smothermon (Sarah Smothermon, wife; Hugh Smothermon, son)7/10/1784O1:411135750Beginning line of the Patent and corner to Kidwell, borders Trap Branch, road to Pohick Warehouse (Rolling Road), and Satter's corner to the Patent
William Gilpin (Saviniah Gilpin, wife; Thomas Vilit)7/10/1784O1:417106686Beginning corner of John Ward in Jane Kent's line, borders William Ogden, near William Payne Bayliss' fence
Jeremiah Moore, William Hally, Edward Potter, Zachariah Morris1/7/1790S1:4222XFor 99 years for the use of the (Society of) Regular Baptists of County of Fairfax to erect thereupon a place of Publick Worship
Edward Potter12/24/1794X1:4946XVerifies sublease to Potter by Barbara Ratcliff, widow of Samuel Halley (Hawley)
Thomas Bayliss, Sr. (Thomas Bayliss, Jr., Thompson Bayliss)5/10/1796Y1:4531821119Beginning at the beginning of Ravensworth (SE corner), shared boundaries with Bladen, Hugh Voilet and Thomas Bayliss, Jr.
John Kent (sons Charles Kent, John Kent, Lewis Kent)11/6/1796Z1:207143750Beginning on Accotink Run on east side (no other location specifics to map)
Jane Williamson (grandsons John Williamson and John Barker)11/6/1796Z1:238109654Beginning on Accotink Run at corner to Sarter, borders Sarter, Charles Conners and Ravensworth line where it crosses road to Pohick Warehouse (Rolling Road)
William Millan (Stacey Millan, wife; William Millan, son)7/13/1804E2:306149974.5Beginning corner of Richard Scrivener, Charles Beach and Joseph Warner, near Yeaman's old mill on Long Branch (same land leased to Swallow in 1784)


 

  1. See Deed Book Index 1742-1797 in Fairfax County Circuit Court Historic Records Center finding aids
  2. Those named are:
    Charles Beach
    Bladen
    Thomas Bayliss, Jr.
    Barton Davis
    Dawsy
    John Frazer
    Benony Kent
    Jane Kent
    Kidwell
    Zachariah Morris
    William Ogden
    John Peacock
    John Reed
    Riley
    Richard Scrivener
    Shelton
    James Taylor
    Hugh Voilet
    Some may have had unrecorded leases. Voting, a right gained by men with a written lease, would be evidence of having one. However, none voted in the December 1, 1768 election for members of the Virginia House of Burgesses, according to “Founders Online: Fairfax County Poll Sheet, 1 December 1768,” accessed December 18, 2015, http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-08-02-0115.