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

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.