| The Lord Fairfax of Cameron | |
| Honorific-Prefix: | The Right Honourable |
| Birth Place: | Belvoir, Virginia, British America |
| Birth Date: | 1736 |
| Death Date: | 1802 |
| Death Place: | Mount Eagle, Virginia, U.S. |
| Known For: | Relationship with George Washington |
| Occupation: | Planter, clergyman |
| Nationality: | American |
| Spouse: | Elizabeth Cary Jennie |
| Children: | 4, including Thomas and Ferdinado |
Bryan Fairfax, 8th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1736– 1802) was an American planter and clergyman who also held a Scottish peerage. He was a lifelong friend of George Washington and became the first member of the British peerage to be born in North America after travelling to England and claiming the peerage there. Fairfax was the first cousin once removed of Robert Fairfax, 7th Lord Fairfax of Cameron. He lived in Virginia for his entire life, and was the grandson of Henry Fairfax, a son of Henry Fairfax, 4th Lord Fairfax of Cameron. However, it was not until 1800 that he was confirmed in the title by the House of Lords.
Bryan Fairfax was the son of Col. William Fairfax (1691–1757) of Belvoir and Deborah Clarke (1708–1746). As a young man, Fairfax lived at Belvoir with his father who was the business agent for his cousin, Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron. His brother, George William (1729–1787) and his wife, Sally Cary Fairfax (1730–1811), also lived there and were close neighbors to George Washington's Mount Vernon. As a young man, George Washington and his brother, Lawrence Washington (1718–1752), visited the Fairfax family at Belvoir often and Lord Fairfax employed Washington to join a surveying team of his western lands, in the valley of Virginia.[1]
Fairfax did not pursue his peerage until 1798, while on a business trip to England. The previous Lord Fairfax, his cousin Robert, had died in 1793.[2] After his death in 1802, his widow sued his executor, but the Supreme Court found for the executor in 1809.[3] His son Thomas Fairfax became the 9th Lord Fairfax of Cameron.
In 1740, he was deeded 3400acres, and 1741 was deeded 232acres, at Little Run or Hunger Run.[4]
In 1754, Bryan Fairfax clerked for his brother-in-law, John Carlyle (1720–1780), in Alexandria, Virginia, and was appointed as a deputy clerk for Fairfax County, Virginia.[5] Bryan Fairfax served as a lieutenant in George Washington's militia regiment, in George Mercer's company early in the French and Indian War, but he resigned his commission in 1756. He later served as a justice for Fairfax County at the same time as Washington. Fairfax was an avid foxhunter, and he and Washington often rode together.
In 1757, he was given Towlston Grange with 5500acres, in his father's will.[6] As a large landowner, Fairfax was active leasing out his property to smaller farmers, such as Perrygreen Mackness [7]
In 1772, he deeded a 600acres farm, Chattins Run, on Goose Creek, in Fauquier County, Virginia to Washington to repay a debt.[8] [9]
In 1773, Fairfax deeded Towlston Grange to his daughter Elizabeth and her husband, David Griffith.[10]
When the Fairfax Resolves were debated in 1774, Fairfax corresponded with George Washington, the chairman of the committee considering the Resolves.
Fairfax was torn over the question of American independence during the American Revolutionary War. In 1777, he tried to travel to England and was arrested in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for refusing to sign an oath of loyalty. He wrote to George Washington, who sent him a pass to permit him to travel between the lines. After arrivving in New York, British officials also sough an oath of loyalty as a prerequisite for transit. Fairfax again refused, and returned home. While en route, he visited Washington at Valley Forge.[11]
When the Fairfax Resolves were debated in 1774, Fairfax sent the following letter to George Washington, the chairman of the committee considering the Resolves, giving reasons why they should not be adopted:R
For I think myself bound to oppose violent measures now. The entering upon a Plan of having no Trade would be an arduous undertaking. I mean if persisted in, and if once entered upon it ought to be strictly kept. I therefore think it would be more proper to try first what Effect a petition might have toward obtaining a repeal of the Duty.[12]
Washington responded, writing:
As to your political sentiments, I would heartily join you in them, so far as relates to a humble and dutiful petition to the throne, provided there was the most distant hope of success. But have we not tried this already? Have we not addressed the Lords, and remonstrated to the Commons? And to what end? Did they deign to look at our petitions? Does it not appear, as clear as the sun in its meridan brightness, that there is a regular, systematic plan formed to fix the right & practise of taxation upon us?[13] [14]
But Washington added:
Fairfax respectfully disagreed, wrting:
There is a new opinion now lately advanced in Virginia that the Parliament have no right to make any or scarce any Laws binding on the Colonies. It has given me much Uneasiness. For altho' I wish as much as any one that we were legally exempted from it, yet I hold it clearly that we ought to abide by our Constitution. The common Consent and Acquiescence in the Colonies for such a Length of time is to me a clear Proof of their having a Right. And altho' it is said that it has only been exercised in Matters of Trade, it will be found to be a Mistake.[15]
During September 1777, Fairfax was detained in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. However, he wrote to Washington, who sent him a pass to travel between the lines:
Washington responded, writing::
The difference in our political Sentiments never made any change in my friendship for you, and the favorable Sentiments I ever entertained of your hon'r, leaves me without a doubt that you would say any thing, or do any thing injurious to the cause we are engaged in after having pledged your word to the contrary. I therefore give my consent readily ...[16]
In 1757, after a whirlwind social scene in Westmoreland and Essex County, Fairfax's brother-in-law John Carlyle caught up with him in the Annapolis gaol and brought him back to Belvoir.[17]
In 1759, he married Elizabeth Cary (1738–1778), daughter of Colonel Wilson Cary and Sarah Pate. Elizabeth was the sister of his brother's wife, Sally Cary Fairfax. Together, Bryan and Elizabeth had three children:[18]
After his wife's death, Fairfax married Jennie Dennison (d. 1805). With her, he had another daughter:[20]
From 1760 until 1765, Fairfax lived at Greenhill at Accotink Creek and Back Road, on present-day Telegraph Road. He later moved to Towlston Grange in present-day Difficult Run and Leesburg Pike, now VA Route 7, where he lived from 1768 until 1790. In 1790, he moved to Mount Eagle, south of present-day Hunting Creek and Alexandria, where he lived until his death.[21]
On rap musician Logic's 2017 album Everybody in the song "Waiting Room," Bryan Fairfax is described as the next reincarnation of the character Atom.[22]