Bacon Fort -- not Nathaniel Bacon's
Eric Robinson is a reenactor who tends to find a fort that is not on the Frontier Forts Google maps site.
For this reason we now add this fort to the map.
We don't have a lot of detail on the fort itself.
We do know this is not related to Nathaniel Bacon of the famous Bacon Rebellion of 1675.
When was it built?
With all the reports of skirmishes, battles, massacres, we make a wild guess this fort might have been constructed in 1756.
To narrow that down, a trip to the courthouse, looking over old deeds and wills, is required. We pass that baton on to the next inspired reader. For now we will give context. What was going on at the time?
Where was it built?
See the Frontier Forts Google Maps and touch icon.
It is north of Philemont, south of Airmont off of Route 734.
It is near the Bacon Fort Farm.
The source of this picture is from the Snickersville Turnpike Association.
The Snickersville Turnpike Association website has a map they sell which has all the names and dates of people in the past that owned land or stores there.
That might save time on what names to search in the deed books to discover more information about the family name of that fort.
According to the sign, the
first note of the fort's existence is
12 July 1757.
This date comes from the first ever Loudoun County Court session held.
This source corroborates that first court session date.
The sign states the fort was "twice mentioned as a highway surveyor's landmark" in that first Loudoun County Court session.
That implies the fort already existed before that first session, which means it existed under Fairfax County control before Loudoun County was created out of Fairfax County.
Would Fairfax County court records have noted this fort, in the year before Loudoun County was created?
A visit to that courthouse or to its website is necessary to answer that question.
Was the fort built earlier than 1757?
This fort may have seen quite a parade of White Settlers file past. This fort is located east of the Blue Ridge. Was it built earlier enough to see the big flight away from the west after April 1756?
The sign quotes a letter
about that flight in April 1756 making the Blue Ridge our frontier.
The sign quotes Colonel George Washington writing Lt Gov Dinwiddie:
"Desolation and murder still increase. The Blue Ridge is now our frontier."
The sign quotes that letter to show why this fort might have importance being just east of the Blue Ridge.
It may explain why it was built. It might imply the fort was built earlier than 1757.
That quote is legitimate, but the actual quote from the 27 April 1757 letter is:
Desolation and murder still increase;
and no prospects of Relief.
The Blue-Ridge is now our Frontier;
no men being left in this County,
except a few that keep close
with a number of women and children,
in Forts which they have erected for that purpose.
Source:
The Frontier is Moving
In fact on 7 April 1756 Colonel George Washington writes," . . . the Blue-Ridge will soon become our Frontier."
By 27 April 1756 he writes from Winchester VA to Lt Gov Dinwiddie, "The Blue Ridge is now our Frontier."
And this frontier? This was the Indians' backyard. It was the hunting grounds for the Indians. The Indian indigenous nations didn't live in this area anymore. They live north up in parts of PA and more dominantly in NY, or south in North Carolina, or west in Ohio. This area's hunting opportunities were dying from the White migration.
Attacks, Skirmishes, Battles
So before all these battles occur, GW writes on 7 April 1756, ," . . . the Blue-Ridge will soon become our Frontier."
GW and his fellow group travelers have just returned from Boston. GW was seeking solution on hierarchy of rank, Can A British Major or even Captain overrule a provincial Colonel? And GW sought a British Army commission for his officers and for himself.
Everything is in an uproar upon his first day back in Winchester VA. This is by no means a complete list.
End of March 1756 Battle of the Lost River
End of March Early April 1756 – Battle of the Trough
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3 April 1756 Cocks Fort attacked
8 April 1756 Lt Bacon of Maryland and 5 Ashby's Rangers reported killed
Early April Attack on Lt Col Adam Stephen and men at the Flats, 6 miles from Fort Cumberland
15 April 1756 Attack on Martins Fort (Seller's Fort?) aka fort at the mouth of Patterson's Creek
15 April 1756 Surrounding Fort Ashby .
17 April 1756 Daniel Morgan and his copilot are attacked
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18 April 1756 Battle of the Great Cacapon near Fort Edwards, 20 miles from Winchester
After all these events, GW on 27 April 1756 writes, The Blue Ridge is now our Frontier."
That's why there is this fort east of the Blue Ridge
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The websites for both Loudoun Co Courthouse and Fairfax Co Courthouse are being researched to find info on Bacon and Bacons Fort.
George Washington references a Bacon in his 1754 in his journal of his 2nd trip to the future Pittsburgh area.
George Washington also travels north of where Bacons Fort was when he travelled to join Braddock's Expedition in 1755.
In both journeys he mentions Thompson's.
North of Bacons Fort is that Thompson's, located on intersection of Route 9 and 287 in today's Wheatland, VA.
And a note of thanks and acknowledge to adding this fort to the Frontier Forts Google Maps is in order.
Form left to right is Eric Bartock, Tony Elar Jr, Marc Robinson, Eric Robinson, representing some of Captain George Mercer's Company of the Virginia Regiment at Fort Loudoun, Winchester VA.
The two Robinsons were at the Bacon Fort location (it no longer exists) 12/18/2021 Saturday. They were the ones who mentioned yet again a fort we did not know.
Is this fort related to Lt John Bacon?
I could not confirm if that was the same John Bacon. I wondered about that. Your Lt John Bacon was assigned by Col George Washington to supervise the build of 2 Ranger Forts, Fort Ashby and Cocks Fort on the Patterson.
Prior to 8 April 1756
LT BACON IS KILLED
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Lieutenant John Bacon who, 5 months ago supervised the construction of Ashby and Cocke’s fort as ordered by Col Washington, was killed and then scalped. So if he is killed by April 1756, he might not have been involved in building this Bacon's Fort. He was mostly ranging in the Patterson Creek area up to Fort Cumberland, so he might not also have been around to build this Bacon fort before he was killed.
Blog written and compiled by Jim Moyer 12/21/2021, 12/22/2021, updated 1/10/2022
Sources:
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April 7, 1757 letter
April 27, 1757 letter
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Snickersville Turnpike Association
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Loudoun County old roads
Finding other interests
in the course of doing research on Bacons Fort in Loudoun County VA
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Loudoun County Courthouse
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Brief History of the Courthouse and the Confederate Monument Heidi Siebentritt Courthouse History and Construction The Loudoun County Court convened for the first time on July 12, 1757, approximately three months after the April 1757 designation of Loudoun as a county, separate from Fairfax County. The court met at the property of Nicholas Minor of Leesburg until the construction of a formal courthouse structure1 was completed in 1761 on land that was deeded to Francis Lightfoot Lee (the appointed Lieutenant of the County Militia) by Nicholas Minor for County use2 . Loudoun’s first Sheriff, Aneas Campbell, was awarded the contract (as the lowest bidder) to construct the courthouse, receiving 50,000 pounds of tobacco as payment.3 The courthouse grounds contained a whipping post and stocks. Citing the insufficiency of the jail constructed with the new courthouse, a new jail was erected on the property of Aneas Campbell (known now as Raspberry Plain). This jail burned down by 1767 and another jail was constructed again, near the courthouse.4 Historic court records show that in 1779, the Court Justices granted a request to build a school on the courthouse grounds. This appears to be the first school constructed in the County. 5 The second courthouse building was constructed on the site of the original courthouse between 1809 and 1811. At the same time, a new clerk’s office and jail were constructed at the cost of $10,500. This courthouse was in use until 1895 when the Justices decided that the building was inadequate to the needs of the court. 6 The building was razed and the third and current courthouse was constructed in 1895. William West, a Richmond architect designed the structure and Leesburg’s own Norris Brothers were contracted to build the structure. At that time, the clerks’ office was housed in
the former Leesburg Academy, constructed in the early 1800’s and sold to the County for that purpose in 1879.7 Throughout its history the courthouse grounds has been the center of community activity including trials, public displays of corporal punishment, daily markets, Court Day celebrations and Memorial Day celebrations. On September 17, 1862 (the same day as the Battle of Antietam) a small battle was fought on the courthouse green.8
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Title: Legends of Loudoun
An account of the history and homes of a border county of
Virginia's Northern Neck
Author: Harrison Williams
Release Date: November 25, 2011 [EBook #38130].
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Ctrl F to Find Bacon
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Historic Records Newsletter
Little Gems The Historic Records and Deed Research Division publishes a quarterly newsletter titled "Little Gems." "Little Gems" refers to a binder of references for interesting records originally compiled by late Deputy Clerk, Louisa Hutchison. The newsletter is meant to provide you information about upcoming programs and exhibits, updated indexes, processed records, tips for research, as well as some articles on a few of the "little gems" we continue to find.
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An Introduction to the Road Cases Collection 1757-1933 By Alyssa Fisher Loudoun’s
Page 7
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THE MASON-McCARTY DUEL
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Looking at Fairfax County for 2 reasons
Gw was hit by a cane by Payton in Dec 1755
It might have records on Bacons Fort when it was part of Fairfax before 1757
Three Courthouses
Fairfax County was established in 1742. This is the third courthouse. The first was near today’s Tysons Corner. The court moved to the second in Alexandria in 1752
This design concept was used in the courthouses of Fairfax County at
Springfield (1742-1752) and Alexandria (1752-1800); and it was
followed in the county's third courthouse which was completed in 1800.[Illustration: Cartograph of the Market Square and Fairfax County
Courthouse in Alexandria, as they might have appeared in the
eighteenth century. Drawn by Worth Bailey, 1949.]
In 1750, Fairfax County's western border closely approached the edge
of English settlement in Virginia. Settlements in the western part of
the County were growing far less rapidly than in the centers of
population in the eastern part. Alexandria, established as a town in
1749, showed signs of becoming a major seaport, and its merchants
complained that travel to the courthouse at Springfield was
burdensome, and that service of process and execution of writs was
well-nigh impossible.[12] They actively campaigned for moving the
courthouse to Alexandria, and overcame the opposition of the
"up-country" residents by offering to provide a suitable lot and build
a new courthouse in Alexandria.
Alexandria prevailed in 1752, and the records of the colonial Governor
in Council showed the following entries:
March 23, 1752. A petition subscribed by many of the principal
inhabitants of Fairfax County for removing the court house and
prison of that county to the town of Alexandria, which they
propose to build by subscription, was this day read, ORDERED that
the justices of the said county be acquainted therewith and
required to signify their objection against such removal, if they
have any, by the 25th of next month, on which day the Board will
resume the consideration thereof.
And:
April 25, 1752. Upon the petition of many of the inhabitants of
Fairfax County for removing the court house and prison of the said
county by subscription to the town of Alexandria, the Board being
satisfy'd that it is generally desired by the people, and on
notice given, no objection being made to it, ORDERED that the
court house and prison be removed accordingly to the town of
Alexandria.[13]
By May 1752, the County Court's Minute Book carried the final record
of business transacted at the Spring Fields Courthouse.
In Alexandria, the townspeople set aside two lots in the block of the
original town survey bounded by Fairfax Street, Cameron Street and
King Street.[14] By ordinance, all buildings in the town had to face
the street and have chimneys of brick or stone, rather than wood, to
prevent fires.[15] The building erected as the new courthouse faced
Fairfax Street, between Cameron and King Streets. A prison was built
behind the courthouse building in the dedicated lots. The gallows,
however, are said to have remained at Spring Fields for some time.[16]
Neither the architect nor the builder of the courthouse at Alexandria
are known, although there is evidence that John Carlyle helped with
the building of both the courthouse and market square.[17]
In the last half of the eighteenth century, Alexandria prospered as
the principal seaport of the Northern Neck. Its wharves and warehouses
were busy, and its politics were enlivened by the presence of some of
the colonies' most distinguished residents and visitors. As tobacco
gave way to diversified farming, wheat and flour comprised two of
Alexandria's major commodities of trade, and enforcement of the flour
inspection and marking laws became an important governmental function.
Criminal justice was dispensed publicly in the courthouse and jail
yard, furnishing moral lessons for both the culprits and observing
crowds. It was in this jail, too, that tradition has it Jeremiah
Moore, a dynamic Baptist minister of colonial Virginia, delivered a
sermon to crowds outside his cell window while he was confined for
preaching without a license.[18]
The court records for the years 1752 to 1798 show the names of many
Virginians who were leaders in the War of Independence and the
subsequent establishment of the new state government. Independence did
not significantly affect the judicial system, however, and, except for
their new allegiance, state and local officials conducted public
business much as they had in the 1760's.
During the years of war, however, the courthouse suffered
substantially because of lack of maintenance. After the war, repairs
frequently were postponed due to arguments over whether the state or
locality should raise the money for them. Thus, the court records of
the post-war period show frequent references to the need for repairs
on the courthouse and jail,[19] most, apparently, without success.
There were more serious questions being raised about the future of
the courthouse in Alexandria's market square. Alexandria no longer was
central to the County's most important interests. Its port was losing
trade to rivals, principally Baltimore, and the voice of the growing
numbers of settlers in the western part of the county complained that
Alexandria merchants gained at the expense of others by having the
court meet in their town. George Mason of Gunston Hall felt that
Alexandria politicians were building up too strong a hold on the
machinery of County government, and sought the aid of members of the
General Assembly to arrange for changing the location of the
courthouse.[20] Finally, in 1798, the Virginia General Assembly
directed that Fairfax County's Court House be relocated to a site
closer to the center of the County.[21] Douglas S. Freeman, _George Washington: A Biography: Young
Washington_, (New York: Scribner, 1948), II, 146, notes that
Washington became involved in an election-day brawl at the election of
members of the House of Burgesses in December 1755. The contest
between John West, George William Fairfax, and William Ellzey was very
close, and Washington (supporting Fairfax) met William Payne (who
opposed Fairfax). Angry words led to blows, and Payne knocked
Washington down with a stick. There was talk of a duel, but the next
day Washington apologized for what he had said, and friendly relations
were restored.
https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/28750/pg28750.txt
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