Chain of Ownership and Division

Battaile Fitzhugh inherited this parcel following the death of his father, Henry Fitzhugh (Colonel), in 1783. It is Lot 1 of seven lots created by deed A2:186 in the division of parcel 1.1 (Ravensworth North) among Battaile and four brothers.

Division of Parcel 1.1.1

Battaile and his brother Giles Fitzhugh traded parcels in 1796; he sold 600 acres (Parcel 1.1.1.1) to Giles, who sold Parcel 1.1.7 to him.

Unlike his brothers, who settled on and worked their Ravensworth tracts, Battaile in September 1797 sold all of his land in this parcel and Parcel 1.1.7. The buyers were two doctors, Henry Rose and Augustine Smith. They became the second Ravensworth owners outside the Fitzhugh family, after Colonel William Payne.

This was a joint business venture from which they sought profits by further subdividing and selling the land. After less than a year, they partitioned the land into equal-value shares: 820 acres to Rose (Parcel 1.1.1.2) and 857 acres to Smith (Parcel 1.1.1.3).

Parcel 1.1.1.1 was merged with Parcel 1.1.5 in an exchange of land between Giles Fitzhugh and Mordecai Fitzhugh.

Division of Parcel 1.1.1.2

Henry Rose’s land, which he had mortgaged, was advertised for sale after his death in 1810.

Alexandria Gazette, Feb. 14, 1812 Valuable Lands for Sale – Under the authority of two Deeds of Trust from Henry Rose, deceased, to the subscribers we will offer at Public Sale on Monday the 16th day of March next, at Fairfax court house, Two TRACTS of LAND – One containing 290 acres, lying on both sides of the Little River Turnpike Road – the other containing about 530 acres, adjoining the first mentioned Tract on the north side, distant from Alexandria and the city of Washington about seven miles. The Tracts will be sold entire, or divided into smaller lots to accommodate purchasers. On both there is a sufficient quantity of wood to support the cleared land. On one a well improved productive Meadow and an inexhaustible quarry of Soap Stone, of which the value for fire places, ovens, &c is now generally understood. The nature of the soil is well adapted to the use of plaister of Paris. The lands adjoin those of the subscriber Wm. Moss, by whom they will be shown to those who wish to purchase – Terms of sale – One third of the purchase money in hand – one third in Six, and one third in Twelve months. Richard M. Scott, William Moss¹

The land was sold in two parcels:

1. Parcel 1.1.1.2.2, 535 acres, sold by Richard M. Scott, to whom Rose had conveyed title in trust in 1808, to John Calle Scott in April 1813 for $2862, who sold it a month later to Jonathan Butcher for $5350.
2. Parcel 1.1.1.2.1, 290 acres, sold by Rose’s administrator, sometime between his death in 1810 and 1814, to Nicholas Fitzhugh. Fitzhugh merged it with Parcel 1.1.2.1. The sale was via a personal contract rather than a recorded deed. Rose’s widow, Ann, signed a deed in 1820 relinquishing her dower interest in the property.²

Division of Parcel 1.1.1.3

Augustine Smith sold his land in three parcels:

1. Parcel 1.1.1.3.1, a 6-acre lot, sold in 1808 to Chandler Spinks
2. Parcel 1.1.1.3.2, 313 acres, Smith sold in 1810 to William Moss.The land changed hands three times before the Civil War:
   • In 1839, then called Aspen Hill, it was sold to Owen Leddy in settlement of a legal suit between Moss heirs.
   • In 1845, Leddy sold it to James. M. Benton.
   • Benton sold it in 1859 to William Benton.
3. Parcel 1.1.1.3.3, 538 acres, Smith sold in 1814 to William S. Moore. The land passed to two more owners before the Civil War:
   • Moore sold to Jonathan Scholfield and Thomas K. Beale in 1816, who conveyed title to R. J. Taylor in 1847 as security for debt owed Moore.
   • In 1849, sold to Thomas Irwin in a court settlement of a legal suit.³

Parcel 1.1.1 Chain of Ownership Documents

Deed	Date	Grantor	Grantee	Parcel	Transaction
A2:186	7/11/1797	Court	Nicholas, Richard, Mordecai, Battaile & Giles Fitzhugh	1.1.1 – 1.1.7	Survey (1792) and plat for divison of parcel 1.1 into seven parcels bequeathed to these five youngest sons of Henry Fitzhugh (Colonel) (died 1783)
Z1:236	9/1/1796	Battaile Fitzhugh	Giles Fitzhugh	1.1.1.1	Sell 600 acres
Z1:480	9/1/1797	Battaile Fitzhugh	Augustine J. Smith, Henry Rose	1.1.1	Sell 1677 acres for 5 shillings (token payment, separate financing arranged)
R2:354	3/5/1820	Ann W. Rose	Sarah Fitzhugh	1.1.1.2.1	Sell dower right to 290 acres for $389, confirming earlier sale (c.1810-1814) to Nicholas Fitzhugh by administrator of Henry Rose's estate

The following information was developed from Beth Mitchell’s unpublished deed analysis documentation for Tax Maps 60 and 71 supporting her “Fairfax County in 1860: Property Owners” maps.

Deed	Date	Grantor	Grantee	Parcel	Transaction
M2:208	4/17/1813	R. M. Scott, Trustee	John Calle Scott	1.1.1.2.2	Sell 526 acres for $2862
M2:352	5/31/1813	John C. & Ann Scott	Jonathan Butcher	1.1.1.2.2	Sell 535 acres for $5350
H2:310 (lost)	1808	Augustine J. Smith	Chandler Spinks	1.1.1.3.1	Sell 16 acres; deed lost, assume this correct deed; lot discovered in metes & bounds from deed F3:3 for adjacent tract.
E3:149	1839	Augustine J. Smith	William Moss	1.1.1.3.2	Agreement of 1/6/1810 to sell, Moss to pay note due to Bushrod Washington. Smith to make deed when note for $4200 is paid
F3:3	6/15/1839	Thomas Moss, Acting Commissioner	Owen Leddy	1.1.1.3.2	Sell for $7833, Aspen Hill, in settlement of suit among Moss heirs
K3:81	9/27/1845	Owen & Malinda Leddy	James Benton	1.1.1.3.2	Sell Aspen Hill farm for $6500
A4:365	1859	James M. & Margaret A. Benton	William Benton	1.1.1.3.2	Sell Aspen Hill for $17,150
N2:352 (lost)	1814	Augustine J. Smith	William. Moore	1.1.1.3.3	Sell 538 acres; deed lost, see P2:218 confirming
P2:218	11/14/1816	William S. & Catharine Moore	Jonathan Scholfield & Thomas K. Beale	1.1.1.3.3	Sell 538 acres
O3:135	12/15/1849	Comm., Circuit Superior Court	Thomas Irwin	1.1.1.3.3	Sell 538 acres for $5.05 per acre; 1 of 2 tracts in deed

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