Fauquier County, Virginia

Virginia Counties | Fauquier County, Virginia

This profile is part of the Fauquier County, Virginia One Place Study.

Fauquier County

History

Named after Virginia Lieutenant-Governor Francis Fauquier^[1] (not on Wikitree yet)] and formed from Prince William County on September 14, 1758.

Fauquier County's border has remained the same since then,^[2][3] although the land within that border had belonged to many counties.

• Northumberland County
• Lancaster County
• Westmoreland County
• (Old) Rappahannock County
• Stafford County
• Richmond County
• King George County
• Prince William County

Northumberland County was formed in 1645 from the Indian District of Chickacoan. Next was Lancaster County, formed from the southern half of Northumberland County in 1651.^[3]

The western lands of Northumberland County became Westmoreland County in 1653; in 1656, the western lands of Lancaster County became Rappahannock County (now known by the retronym "Old Rappahannock County").^[3]

Stafford County was formed from Westmoreland County's western lands in 1664.^[3]

Rappahannock County ceased to exist in 1692, when it was split lengthwise into Richmond County (northern half) and Essex County (which did not contribute to today's Fauquier County).^[3]

In 1720/21, King George County was formed from the western part of Richmond County. The northwest portions of King George and Stafford Counties became Prince William County in 1730/21.^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia: Francis Fauquier (bap 1703-1768)
2. ↑ Wikipedia: Fauquier County, Virginia (accessed 27 Ocober 2024.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5} Virginia County Formation Maps (accessed 27 October 2024).

See also:

• Fauquier County on Family Search
• 1763–1800 — Early Virginia marriages. Pt. I; by William Armstrong Crozier (1864-1913); Publication date 1907; Publisher New York : Genealogical Association. (See Fauquier County starting on page 9.) Preface: The Virginia marriage records are divided into two classes—those contained in the parish registers, and the marriage bonds or intentions, which were filed with the county clerk. The present volume treats principally with the latter class of records.