Appendix^ N° /]. 



Having so frequently mentioned William Fairfax, Esquire, 

 who came from New England, to take upon himself the 

 agency of the Northern Neck, it may not be unacceptable 

 to the reader, to learn something of the history of that 

 worthy and respectable gentleman; and of the several 

 branches of the Fairfax family descended from him, who 

 are now settled in Virginia. William Fairfax, was the 

 second son of the honourable Henry Fairfax of Towlston 

 Hall, in Yorkshire. This gentleman's father Henry, fourth 

 Lord Fairfax, left, besides other children, two sons, viz. 

 Thomas, who succeeded him in the barony, and who 

 married the heiress of the Culpepper family; and Henry, 

 father of William, of whom I am now speaking. William, 

 his father dying while he was young, was educated under 

 the auspices of his uncle and godfather, the good Lord Lons- 

 dale, at Lowther school, in Westmoreland; where he ac- 

 quired a competent knowledge, not only of the classics, but 

 of the modern languages. At the age of twenty-one he 

 entered into the army, and served in Spain during Queen 

 Anne's war, under his uncle Colonel Martin Bladen, to 

 whom he was also secretary. At the conclusion of that war, 

 he was prevailed upon to accompany captain Fairfax of 

 the navy, who was also his relation, and other godfather, 

 to the East Indies; but the sea not agreeing with him, he at 

 his return took a second commission in the army, and went 

 upon the expedition against the Island of Providence, at 

 that time in possession of pirates. After the reduction of 

 the island, he was appointed governor of it, and he there 

 married, March the 27th, 1723-4, Sarah, daughter of 

 Major Thomas Walker, who, with his family had accom- 

 panied the expedition, and was afterwards appointed chief 



[207] 



