Thomas Fairfax, 9th Lord Fairfax of Cameron

Thomas Fairfax, 9th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1762–1846), was an American born Scottish peer, who along with his father, on 11 December 1799, was among the last guests at Mount Vernon before Washington died.[1]

The Lord Fairfax of Cameron
9th Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Tenure	1802—1846
Known for	Plantation owner
Born	1762
Died	1846
Nationality	American
Parents	Bryan Fairfax, 8th Lord Fairfax of Cameron Elizabeth Cary

Early life and family

Thomas Fairfax was born in 1762. He was the son of Bryan Fairfax, 8th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1736–1802) and his wife, Elizabeth Cary, daughter of Colonel Wilson Cary and Sarah Cary. His brother was Ferdinando Fairfax (1766–1820),[2] whose godparents were George Washington and Martha Washington.[3]

Plantation

In 1802, he succeeded his father to the title of Lord Fairfax of Cameron after his father's death. He lived the life of a country squire overseeing his 40,000 acres (160 km²), lived at Belvoir, Ash Grove, and Vaucluse, where he died.

Personal life

He married three times: Mary Aylett, Laura Washington, Margaret Herbert. Fairfax birthed children with Mary Aylett, a Native Indian woman. He had seven children by his third wife Margaret:[4]

• Albert Fairfax (1802–1835), who married Caroline Eliza Snowden (1812–1899)
• Henry Fairfax (d. 1847), who fought and died in the Mexican–American War, at Saltillo, Mexico.
• Orlando Fairfax
• Reginald Fairfax
• Eugenia Fairfax
• Aurelia Fairfax
• Monimia Fairfax (1820–1875), who married Archibald Cary (1815-1854), the son of the son of Wilson Jefferson Cary (1783–1823) and Virginia Randolph (1786–1852).[2]

He maintained a winter home at 607 Cameron Street, Alexandria, Virginia, which he built in 1816.[5]

Thomas Fairfax was a follower of Swedenborg. Because of these religious beliefs, he manumitted his slaves (including the great-great-great grandfather of Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax[6]), some of whom he taught a trade and sent to Liberia.[7] This is consistent with the thinking of the American Colonization Society.

Descendants

His grandson, Charles Snowdown Fairfax,10th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1829–1869), succeeded him as the 10th Lord Fairfax of Cameron as Fairfax's eldest son, his father, predeceased him. Another grandson, John Fairfax, 11th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1830–1900), a physician, became the 11th Lord Fairfax of Cameron as his brother Charles died without issue. His granddaughter was the writer Constance Cary (1843–1920).[2]

In popular culture

Thomas Fairfax was referenced by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson on rap musician Logic's 2017 album Everybody on the song "Waiting Room."[8]

References

1. "Mount Vernon - The Year 1799". Old and Sold Antiques Digest. 1925.
2. du Bellet, Louise Pecquet (1907). "Some Prominent Virginia Families". Bell company: 176. bryan fairfax. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
3. Great Falls Historical Society (January 2009). "The Fascinating Story of Towlston Grange". Great Falls Historical Society. Archived from the original on 7 April 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
4. thePeerage.com
5. 607 Cameron Street
6. "Poised to make history, Justin Fairfax got a powerful reminder of his own heritage". Retrieved 29 January 2018.
7. Constance Cary Harrison, Refugitta of Richmond Gail Bowman Master's Thesis
8. Logic – Waiting Room, retrieved 7 May 2017