Update to Lord Fairfax' Remains' Moves - Grave Matters
Before the first Burial
Hades
Before Lord Fairfax dies, his caretaker speaks of a dream of seeing him in Hades.
Side note, this caretaker, Polly Ann Green lives on the western side of Ashby's Gap.
Lord Fairfax, born 22 Oct 1693, dies 9 December 1781, after the Battle of Yorktown which began Sept 28, 1781, and ended on Oct 19, 1781.
A Double Coffin is made with a large silver plate. Oddly, it shows a coat of arms of Viscounts Fairfax of Emeley rather than those of the Barons of Cameron.
Lord Fairfax' full title is Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron.
That Silver Plate gets separated from the coffin. Question after question arises about this silver plate.
Place of Death is in dispute
Stuart E Brown Jr's book, "Virginia Baron - The Story of Thomas 6th Lord Fairfax" mentions "persistent local tradition" that Lord Fairfax died in Winchester VA and not at Greenway Court.
This tradition persists because Lord Fairfax' jackboots were left in the Winchester home of his physician, Dr Cornelius Baldwin.
A January 7, 1905 issue of the Daily Independent on page 3 disputes that "persistent local traditon."
It claims Lord Fairfax got sick in Winchester at this doctor's office, but that he was transported back to Greenway court to die. His jackboots were forgotten and left in the doctor's home while arranging the transport. Scroll down on that page. You may have to sign up for a free account at Handley Library to see this:
Who has Lord Fairfax Jackboots?
According to the above, the boots went this path:
Dr Cornelius Baldwin
Dr Robert Mackey
Dr Mackey had 2 daughters who married the two sons of Dr Baldwin
Wm C Kennerly of White Post
A wealth Northerner
Geo W Childs of Philadelphia got the Bell of Greenway Court but not the boots?
The Burials and the Removals
Because Lord Fairfax was buried under the first church built on the northeast corner of Boscawen and Loudoun, it is useful to know the dates of the different church constructions.
1744 A lot was established for town and religious functions on the corner of Boscawen and Loudoun.
1753 Eyewitness accounts of the Shawnee Indians coming to Winchester VA for a peace conference indicate there was an unfinished wooden church near the log courthouse. See source.
1762 Feb 9 - a contract was signed to build a stone church closer to the northeast corner of Boscawen and Loudoun. The previous wooden one was situated closer to the original log courthouse.
1766 that stone church construction was completed.
1828 construction of new Church on corner of Boscawen and Washington.
Now those last 2 dates are significant. Someone had to dig up Lord Fairfax remains from the old church and move it to the new church.
1781 or 1782? Lord Fairfax is buried in that 1766 church. That's the first burial.
This source below states a marble tablet was inscribed with these words "In Memory of Thomas, Lord Fairfax, who died 1782 and whose ashes repose underneath this church, which he endowed" .
Because Lord Fairfax died late in 1781 in December, maybe he did not get buried in that "1766-1828" stone church" until 1782. After all, the hearse didn't come for that double coffin until 27 Dec 1781.
1828 or 1829? Lord Fairfax is moved from the old church and is buried under the new church chancel. The chancel is the place of the alter and pulpit and sometimes the chorus is included.
In 1829 the old stone church was razed according to the book Virginia Baron, The Story of Thomas 6th Lord Fairfax by Stuart E Brown Jr. I just don't have the dates starting construction which is 1828 and the end of construction.
That's the second burial.
1925 The chancel was moved while the church was being enlarged
May 19, 1924 is the date of an article in the Daily Independent stating that the Christ Church Episcopal decided to look for the remains of Lord Fairfax before construction begins.
June 9, 1925, The Daily Independent proclaims the remains of Lord Fairfax were found.
The quote below is from Chapter 21, page 189-190 of Stuart E Brown Jr's book, "Virginia Baron - The Story of Thomas 6th Lord Fairfax" who paraphrased a Letter from Robert T Barton to Fairfax Harrison 12 June 1925.
Then "while other changes were being contemplated. a search was made for the remains. At first, the quest produced nothing, but finally one of the Negro workmen. a part-time preacher, dreamed Fairfax's bones rested in a certain spot. And sure enough, the diggers there unearthed the remnants of a skeleton and a coffin, both of which were identified as being those of his lordship."
And where buried?
Was he interred in the church yard or under the new moved chancel?
Scott Straub found the answer.
He was reburied in the same basement. Maybe it was a different area of the basement but the Church records are silent on that. He was buried into a new tomb which had a bronze plaque. We are not sure if that was the same plaque now found on the 1955-1957 brick tomb in the side church yard outside.
That's the third burial.
Question on this 1925 move
How did they identify the coffin if it had no label?
Answer: Probably by deducing from church records no one else was recorded buried under the church.
Could anybody tell if it was the "double coffin" ? Or was Lord Fairfax put in a different coffin when moved from the 1766 church to the 1828 church?
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When they found those remains, did they discover him buried underneath the original chancel like that man dreamed of its location?
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Did they find a silver plate on that coffin? Answer: The Historical Society of PA had Fairfax's oval silver plate for the coffin. So there there was no silver plate found when the discovered the bones of Lord Fairfax. How the Historical Society of PA in Philadelphia ever receive this plate? Maybe it got removed by a Union soldier when in Winchester VA.
Scott Straub visited the basement of Christ Episcopal Church on Boscawen and Washington. He was given a tour. On this tour he discovered the Historical Society of Pa gave the silver plate back to Christ Episcopal Church. He took this picture of it. The note below the plaque states it was returned to the Church in 1926. It shows the wrong coat of arms as described above.
A July 9, 1925 article of the Daily Independent documents that story of the return of this silver plate. The correct arms for Thomas 6th Lord of Fairfax is shown below.
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But where would that union soldier have found that plate? Especially if the remains of Lord Fairfax were removed with the coffin in 1829. Would the plate have fallen off? Or taken off and put where for 30 years until the civil war soldier found it ? . .. .
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Was the silver place held by the Historical Society of Pa match the description of the plate listed in inventory when Lord Fairfax died? The answer is no. They do not match.
The Frederick County Will Book 4:589 and 8 V 11
indicates a silver plate in the inventory. Is this the same silver plate the Historical Society of Pa held? And how long did they hold it? The inventory was from 1799 or revised at 1781 when Lord Fairfax died. Where and to whom did this plate go at his death? And then when did the Historical Society of PA get it -- that is, if it is the same plate. The inventory in the Frederick Co Will book states the silver plate was 25lb and 10 1/2 oz. Could that be the coffin plate? The Will book does not state if there was a coat of arms inscribed on that plate.
Because of the weight, this silver plate listed in the Frederick County Will Book appears to be different from the silver plate showing the wrong arms returned by the Historical Society of PA to Christ Episcopal Church.
Timeline Resumed
1955 the brick tomb monument was built to hold Lord Fairfax's final resting place?
That year was when the church authorized to build a tomb for outside. But the fundraising and building took 2 years according to Scott Straub reading Church records. But where were the bones during those 2 years? The bones were moved twice. Once inside the church, and then to a bank vault. We don't know what bank that was yet.
Also, according to Scott Straub reading the church records, the jaw was found in the middle of the body of the bones and only one leg is mentioned. Could the other leg bone still be near the first excavation in 1925?
That's the fourth burial.
A Winchester Star article states his remains were interred in the church yard in the 1940s. See bottom of 3rd column. But Scott Straub states that is either a typo or mistake in the article.
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Researched in February 2024, Compiled by Jim Moyer 3/2/2024, 3/4/2024, 3/10/2024
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Scott Straub has obtained this book mentioned in the article below:
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Scott Straub obtained the book mentioned in the article above.
Other than that book,
we have not looked through all the
Handley Library archives
holding Christ Church Episcopal journals - -
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Lord Fairfax and Family
Scott Straub took a photo of this portrait of Thomas, Sixth Lord Fairfax, held by Christ Episcopal Church.
Lord Fairfax expands Winchester VA
Feb 13, 2023
Lord Fairfax and Willa Cather
Feb 25, 2021
Meet William Fairfax for the Last Time
posted Oct 17, 2021
Meet William Fairfax et al
posted Apr 4, 2021
Bryan Fairfax marries in 1759, later the 8th Lord Fairfax
posted Dec 1, 2023
Daniel Morgan's Grave Matters
Daniel Morgan's GRAVE MATTERS (the first body snatch 1865)
posted Feb 17, 2016
Daniel Morgan's GRAVE MATTERS (the move to Mt Hebron)
posted Feb 18, 2016
Daniel Morgan's GRAVE MATTERS (JP Morgan's big fail)
posted Feb 19, 2016
Daniel Morgan's Grave Matters (the story of the wrong cannon in 1921)
posted Feb 16, 2016
Daniel Morgan's GRAVE MATTERS (Who gets his body in 1951?)
Feb 18, 2016
R.T. Barton
Biography of Robert Thomas Barton
Robert Thomas Barton (November 24, 1842 – January 17, 1917) was a Virginia lawyer and politician, the author of law and historical books and articles, and a president of the Virginia Bar Association.
Born in Winchester, Virginia he served in the Confederate Army, as did his five brothers, two of whom were killed in the War.[1]
In 1865, he was admitted to the bar and became one of the leading lawyers in the state.[2]
He was also author of some standard textbooks, Barton’s Law Practice[3] and Barton’s Chancery Practice,[4] and edited a two-volume set of the records of Virginia's colonial courts, Virginia Colonial Decisions: The Reports by Sir John Randolph and by Edward Barradall of Decisions of the General Court of Virginia, 1728-1741,[5] "which has been a landmark reference work for mid-eighteenth century Virginia since its first printing in 1909."[6]
Barton was also a member of the Virginia House of Delegates (1884–85),
mayor of Winchester from 1899 to 1903,
and sat as chair or president on several state and local organizations.[2]
His term as president of The Virginia Bar Association was 1892-93.[7]
He was made president of the Farmers and Merchants National Bank of Winchester in 1902.[1]
Barton married twice, first to Katie Knight (1868) and then to Gertrude W. Baker (1890). He had two children with Gertrude. He was buried in Mt. Hebron cemetery.[2]
Source:
Robert Barton became the first president of the bank and served in this position until his death in 1914. Wikipedia and Wikitree states he died in 1917.
Robert Thomas Barton
Born 24 Nov 1842 in Winchester, Virginia
Died 18 Jan 1917 at age 74 in Winchester, Virginia (Wikipedia states 17 Jan 1917)
ANCESTORS
Brother of Randolph Jones Barton Sr.
[spouse(s) unknown]
DESCENDANTS
Father of Robert Thomas Barton Jr.
Source:
His son
also named Robert Thomas Barton, Jr.
Birth date: October 15, 1891 Birth Place:Winchester, VA
Death Date: 08/17/1980
Military Service: Virginia National Guard (116th Infantry)
Memberships/Affiliations: Episcopal Church, Masons, Elk, Moose, Odd Fellows, Delta Phi Phi Delta Phi
Robert Thomas Barton Jr.
Born 15 Oct 1891 in Winchester, Virginia
ANCESTORS
Son of Robert Thomas Barton and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of Eleanor Winch (Parrish) Barton — married [date unknown] [location unknown]
Father of Robert T. Barton III
Died 17 Aug 1980 at age 88 in Richmond, Virginia
Robert Barton Jr. is buried in Mount. Hebron Cemetery.
Biographical sketch
Robert T. Barton [1]Biographical Information
Robert T. Barton (Class of ’14) was born in Winchester, Virginia in 1891 and received his education at the Shenandoah Valley Academy and the University of Virginia, which awarded him the degrees of B. S. and L. L. B. in 1914.
He served as a lieutenant in the Infantry in the Mexican border campaign of 1916 – 1917 and as a captain in the Field Artillery in 1918 – 1919, participating in the battles of St. Mithiel and the Meuse Argonne. In World War II, he saw eighteen months’ service overseas with the Army Air Corps as a colonel.
Mr. Barton took an active part in Virginia politics, having been a member of the Virginia General Assembly in 1926 and on the staffs of three governors of Virginia. He was a member of every Democratic State Convention since 1920 and he was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1936.
Among his services to the work of the organized Bar, Mr. Barton was a member from Virginia of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws since 1934, and chairman of its executive committee in 1942 – 1943, and he was a former vice president and chairman of the executive committee of the Virginia State Bar Association.
The father,
RT Barton, wrote in 1897 about George Washington's 3 runs for election in Frederick CO VA in 1755, 1758 and 1761
The son,
RT Barton Jr wrote about Lord Fairfax
Fairfax, Thomas Lord - address by Robert T. Barton, Jr., March 1929, 1 item (2 copies), typescript, 27 leaves, one copy bound
Handley Archives
Barton was not the one who forbade the photograph, it was Dr Maguire.
Thomas, Sixth Lord Fairfax was buried four times, but he was moved more than that. Here's what we have so far. A few bones might be missing, like the bones for a leg. Scott Straub of the French and Indian War Foundation said it was not Barton but rather it was a McGuire who forbade any photograph of those bones when they were dug up. In following up on that lead it was a Barton who suggested digging up the bones. This author (Jim Moyer) found out that Barton must have been the son, RT Barton Jr (1891-1980 of the famous RT Barton (1842-1917) father. Maybe McGuire felt it too ghastly for the public. Maybe he was protective of Christ Episcoplal Church as custodian of Lord Fairfax' remains. Scott Straub discovered in the records of Christ Church Episcopal mentioning "the leg" -- as in one leg? Maybe that was a mistake omitting the S, or maybe the writer meant only one leg was found. If so, maybe there still exists the bones of the other leg underneath the old chancel where he was said to be buried originally in 1828. So the question is that church record mentioning "the leg" in 1925 - did it really mean only one leg?. By 1955 a tomb was suggested to be built outside in the church yard. During the fundraising and building of that tomb, the remains of Lord Fairfax had to sit somewhere. At one point they were put in a bank vault. So the hunt has begun. Which Bank? This author (Jim Moyer) discovered that Handley Archives has moved all the Winchester newspapers off of microfiche to online. Hours of searching through microfiche was eliminated. But searching through the online newspapers turned up nothing. The Church might have never recorded what bank vault held the remains of Lord Fairfax, much less reported that temporary resting place to the newspaper. Guess? It's Farmers Merchants Bank. We guess that their bank vault on its location at Loudoun Street, held the remains of Lord Fairfax temporarily. RT Barton Jr (1891-1980), who forbade a photograph of Lord Fairfax' remains, was son to RT Barton (1842-1917) , first President of F&M Bank.
All this has to be reviewed for accuracy by Scott Straub who has access to the actual church record.
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Last updated 3/25/2024
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