Chain of Ownership and Division

Sometime before their deaths, Ann (Fitzhugh) Craik received this parcel as a gift from her father, William Fitzhugh (of Chatham). His will states: “I have already given my daughter Craik four tenements of land upon the tenemented part of my Ravensworth Tract, containing somewhere about eight hundred acres and several slaves in number about sixteen which Gifts I do hereby confirm…”

Several months after Ann died, her husband William Craik received a deed (lost), which is cited in another deed (D3:411) for a later sale of that property in 1836. It identifies the tract as “being part of the Ravensworth tract of Land and heretofore conveyed by William Fitzhugh of Chatham to William Craik, now deceased, by deed bearing date the first day February Eighteen hundred and seven…”

When William Craik died in 1814, title to the land passed to James Craik, who sold it in 1836 to William A. Thompson, who almost immediately sold it to Israel P. Thompson.

Henry Daingerfield and Springfield Farm

Henry Daingerfield bought from the latter Thompson in 1851. The deed (P3:279) that conveyed the land to Henry Daingerfield includes a plat and survey, made in March 1846 by surveyor James Thrift, that established the area of the parcel as 920 acres, much larger than the original estimate of 800 acres.

Daingerfield named this property “Springfield Farm.” He was a successful Alexandria, VA, businessman and investor. As a director of the newly organized Orange and Alexandria Railroad, investment in this property was almost certainly motivated by the desire to own land in the path of the railroad right of way.¹ He bought nearby parcel 1.2.3.3 likely for the same reason.

Springfield Station was one of the first station stops created on the new railroad. It opened access to Daingerfield’s property and inspired the name for the larger community that eventually grew up around it – Springfield, VA.

Leases

The land or some major part of it appears to have been under lease circa 1800 when Ann Craik received it. Her father’s will indentified it as “four tenements of land.”

Division of Parcel 1.2.1

(pending further research)

Parcel 1.2.1 Chain of Ownership Documents

Deed	Date	Grantor	Grantee	Parcel	Transaction
will J:244	c.1800	William Fitzhugh (of Chatham)	Ann Randolph (Fitzhugh) Craik	1.2.1	Gift of 800 acres to daughter
	1807	William Fitzhugh (of Chatham)	William Craik	1.2.1	Inherited on Ann's death. Primary 1807 deed (lost) documented title, is cited in deed D3:411.
	c.1814	William Craik	James Craik	1.2.1	Inherited. Deed D3:411 is secondary reference.
D3:411	1836	James Craik	William A. Thompson	1.2.1	Sale by James and Juliet Craik, price $1800.
D3:410	1836	William A. Thompson	Israel P. Thompson	1.2.1	Sale, price $1800.
P3:279	1851	Israel P. Thompson	Henry Daingerfield	1.2.1	Price $5980. Deed cites 1846 survey confirming actual acreage of 920.

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