Located just north
of the ruins of Belvoir Mansion on Fairfax Dr., Ft.
Belvoir, Va.
"Belvoir" was built c. 1741 by WILLIAM FAIRFAX
and burned in 1783.
The only marker is a large obelisk enclosed by an iron
fence. The obelisk was erected post- 1920, after the
U. S. Army acquired the land that is now Fort Belvoir.
The area is clean and well maintained.
W. H. Snowden recounts a visit to this site during the
spring of 1894 in his book Some Old Historic Landmarks
of Virginia and Maryland (3rd edition, 190(2)).
He writes:
"In the wood near adjoining, rows of sunken mounds
indicated the family burial place. A score of graves
may still be counted, without stoneor vestige of enclosure.
The marble slabs which had marked the last resting-places
of William Fairfax and Deborah,his wife, the first master
and mistress, and which had remained intact until a
few years before the war, had been sacrilegiously broken
up and carried away.
The inscription read as follows:
'HERE REST THE REMAINS OF DEBORAH CLARKE FAIRFAX WHO
DEPARTED THIS TROUBLESOME LIFE ON THE FOURTEENTH DAY
OF ----- 1747 IN THE SIXTY-SEVENTH YEAR OF HER AGE.
SHE WAS THE WIDOW OF FRANCIS CLARKE OF NEW SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS
COLONY, AND LATE WIFE OF WILLIAM FAIRFAX, ESQ., COLLECTOR
OF HIS MAJESTY'S CUSTOMS ON THE SOUTH POTOMAC, AND ONE
OF THE KING'S HONORABLE COUNCIL OF VIRGINIA. IN EVERY
STATION OF LIFE SHE WAS WORTHY OF IMITATION. A FAITHFUL
AND LOVING WIFE. THE BEST OF MOTHERS. A SINCERE AND
AMIABLE FRIEND. IN ALL RELIGIOUS DUTIES WELL INSTRUCTED
AND OBSERVANT, AND HAS GONE WHERE ONLY SUCH VIRTUES
CAN BE REWARDED.'
The tablet over the grave of the proprietorand master
of the homestead who died in 1757 disappeared long before
that of the mistress."
(1)
Side 1
HERE LIES
WILLIAM FAIRFAX, ESQ.
1691 - 1757
OF BELVOIR.
BORN AT TOWLSTON
IN YORKSHIRE.
DIED PRESIDENT OF
THE VIRGINIA COUNCIL.
Side 2
HERE LIES
DEBORAH CLARKE
1708 - 1746
BORN AT SALEM
AT MASSACHUSETTS.
DIED WIFE OF
WILLIAM FAIRFAX, ESQ.
Side 3
IN MEMORY OF
THE YOUNGEST SON OF
WILLIAM FAIRFAX, ESQ.
WILLIAM HENRY FAIRFAX
1739 - 1759
SUBALTERN IN BRAGG'S
(28TH) REGIMENT.
DIED OF WOUNDS REC'D
WITH WOLFE BEFORE QUEBEC.
Side 4
IN MEMORY OF
THE SECOND SON OF
WILLIAM FAIRFAX, ESQ.
THOMAS FAIRFAX
1726 - 1746
MIDSHIPMAN KILLED IN
ACTION AGAINST A
FRENCH SQUADRON ON
THE COROMANDEL COAST.
