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Subject: Re: [VAROOTS] the name of a town in Fairfax County, Va_cluse 1829
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 06:55:41 EDT
George,
You are probably referring to Vaucluse, the estate owned by Thomas, 9th
Lord Fairfax. It was located on present-day Seminary Road in Alexandria, but was
destroyed by Federal Troops during the Civil War. Today, Alexandria Hospital
stands on the site.
For an internet source, you might try RECOLLECTIONS GRAVE AND GAY, a memoir
by Mrs. Burton Harrison, a descendant of Lord Fairfax. Her mother was Monimia
Fairfax who married one Archibald(?) Carey. Mrs. Harrison talks about her
Fairfax and Carey heritage in the first few pages of her memoir.
You can simply enter the terms RECOLLECTIONS GRAVE AND GAY into Google, and
you will get the site as the first hit. Or you can go to the UNC site,
DOCUMENTING THE AMERICAN SOUTH, to do other searches.Mrs. Harrison's memoir is at:
_http://docsouth.unc.edu/harrison/harrison.html_
(http://docsouth.unc.edu/harrison/harrison.html) .
From my old notes, I see that George Washington's physician, James Craik,
also had an estate he called Vaucluse, possibly located in the Mount Vernon
area--I never pinned down the location. At one time I thought Vaucluse was one
estate owned by Craik first and then purchased by Thomas Fairfax. I no longer
believe this is true--partially because I think Mrs. Harrison would have
mentioned this in her memoir if it was true, and I didn't see Craik's name in
her work.
There was also a Vaucluse in the Brentsville area of Prince William County.
It was owned by John Towles, an Episcopalian minister who attended Virginia
Theological Seminary, records show, in the late 1830's. The Seminary still
stands today, close to the site of the Fairfax estate, and Mrs. Harrison says
that students from the school had Sunday supper at the Fairfax's Vaucluse from
time to time.
It's possible that Rev. Towles got the idea to name his farm Vaucluse from
the name of the Fairfax farm near the Seminary,
Hope this isn't too rambling or confusing--I'm still not to sure about my
notes .I've googled the word Vaucluse and gotten many hits. Apparently, it was
a popular name. However, I think you are probably looking for the Vaucluse
that used to be in Alexandria. If you live near the town of Fairfax, go to the
Regional LIbrary's Virginia room. They have a file on Vaucluse.
Whew, let me stop,
Rhonda Jackson
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