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Winter Issue: Richard Ratcliffe: the Founder "Preserving the Past. Protecting the Future." the Protecting Past. the "Preserving Volume 3, Issue 1 Winter 2005 Richard Ratcliffe: The Founder Historic Fairfax City, Inc. "Fare Fac - Say Do" Executive Officers Hildie D. Carney President Ann F. Adams Vice-Pres. by William Page Johnson, II Hon. John E. Petersen Treasurer One of the most influential and often overlooked Karen M. Stevenson Secretary figures in the early history of Fairfax is Richard Ratcliffe. Norma M. Darcey Director Born in Fairfax County, Virginia about 1751, Richard was Fairfax, VA 22030 VA Fairfax, Patricia A. Fabio Director Kevin M. Frank Director the son of John Ratcliffe and Ann (Smith) Moxley, the widow 10209 Main Street Main 10209 Michael D. Frasier Director of Thomas Moxley. John Ratcliffe, was a contemporary of G. William Jayne Director Hildie Carney, President Carney, Hildie Hon. Wm. Page Johnson, II Director both George Mason and George Washington. In fact, Return Address - Historic Fairfax City, Inc. City, Fairfax Historic - Address Return Andrea J. Loewenwarter Director Washington recorded the Ratcliffe’s in his diary: “Mrs. Bonnie W. McDaniel Director 1 David L. Meyer Director Ratcliffe and her son came to dinner.” Bradley S. Preiss Director Hon. John H. Rust, Jr. Director Betsy K. Rutkowski Director From 1771 until his death in 1825 Richard Ratcliffe served variously Eleanor D.Schmidt Director as the Fairfax County sheriff, coroner, justice, patroller, overseer of the Dolores B. Testerman Director Edward C. Trexler, Jr. Director poor, constable, commissioner of the revenue, jail inspector, superintendent Ellen R. Wigren Director of elections, candidate for the Virginia General Assembly and designer and The Newsletter of Sidney H. Williams Director developer of Providence, the town that we now call the City of Fairfax. Historic Fairfax City, Inc. By the 1750s Virginia colonial culture was becoming distinctly different from that of Great Britain. Political and religious dissent was increasing. Large crowds would gather in cities, towns, and rural areas to hear stirring sermons by preachers such as Jeremiah Moore, a Baptist, and George Whitefield, a Presbyterian. Both The Fare Facs Gazette © 2005 men advocated religious freedom. The seeds of revolution were being sown. At about the same time a young Editor: William Page Johnson, II surveyor and militia officer named George Washington was busy surveying the Virginia frontier and, while so engaged accidentally touched off an international incident – The French and Indian War. It was in this environment Richard Ratcliffe came of age. Richard was an educated man. He was, most likely, instructed at home by his father. He enjoyed a middle-class lifestyle by 18th c. standards and was undoubtedly exposed to a variety of cultural activities when he accompanyed his father on business to Alexandria. As a young man Richard was ambitious. In 1771, at the age 21, he was appointed a deputy sheriff for Fairfax County, the beginning of a public service career that would span fifty-four years. Little is known of Richard’s activities during the Revolution. In 1770, his father signed a Non-Importation Broadside against British goods. Richard did not serve in the Continental Army or militia, but he did supply them with provisions. By 1777 Richard had met and married Louisiana “Locian” Bolling the daughter of Gerrard and E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.historicfairfax.org Continued on Page 2 Volume 3, Issue 1 The Fair Facs Gazette Winter 2005 Volume 3, Issue 1 The Fair Facs Gazette Winter 2005 Ratcliffe... - continued from pg. 1 County Court to find a new location for the Courthouse Happy Birthday Fairfax! Martha (Moxley) Boling. The couple raised a sizeable near the center of the county. family of nine children: Robert, Samuel, John, Charles, HFCI MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION/ On January 14, 2005, Fairfax will celebrate it's 200th Patsy, Penelope, Locian, Nancy, and Jane. Richard Ratcliffe offered four acres to the RENEWAL county for one dollar. The county accepted his offer birthday! On that date in 1805, the Virginia General HISTORIC FAIRFAX CITY, INC. is a non-profit Assembly granted a charter for the Town of Providence Richard began acquiring land near the and the property transferred in June 1799. Construction corporation (501©(3) organization) to Richard Ratcliffe. The name of the village, which was headwaters of Accotink Creek in 1786. Also located of the new courthouse buildings began immediately. commonly known as Fairfax Court House, was officially here at the intersection of Payne’s Church Road (now The new buildings were completed by January 27, 1800 changed in 1874 from Providence to Fairfax. The Town Membership Classifications: Rt. 123) and the Falls Church Road (now Rt. 237) was and the county accepted the building. of Fairfax became the City of Fairfax in 1961. a store operated by Caleb Earp. The area was known as • Class A Individual Earps Corner, or Earps Ordinary. By the mid-1790s Richard’s offer was not entirely philanthropic. ..........................................................................$25.00 Join us and help celebrate the 200th anniversary of Fairfax. Richard Ratcliffe owned nearly 3000 acres of land in He owned all the land around the four-acre courthouse • Class A-1 Additional Household Member this vicinity including all of the present Downtown lot and he hoped to benefit from the commercial ..........................................................................$10.00 Historic District of the City of Fairfax. He called his development that would follow. Evidence supporting • Class B-1 Non-profit Organizations plantation Mount Vineyard. He could not have imagined Richard’s commercial hopes is apparent in the ..........................................................................$35.00 • then the changes that were to come, but he would benefit following advertisement which appeared in the Class B-2 For profit Organizations greatly from them. Alexandria Gazette just weeks after the new Court ..........................................................................$50.00 House was completed: In 1789, the fledgling United States Congress HISTORIC FAIRFAX CITY, INC. Enclosed is my tax-deductible membership application created our federal capital - the District of Columbia. and check made out to Historic Fairfax City Inc. for: At George Washington’s suggestion the Town of Do you want to know more about the history of $___________ Alexandria was included in the new federal capital. where you live? Unfortunately, the Fairfax County Courthouse, which had been located in Alexandria since 1752, was now JOIN HISTORIC FAIRFAX CITY, INC. Name or Organization: outside of the legal boundaries of Fairfax county. The General Assembly acted and ordered the Fairfax County Just what is available to you as a member of HFCI? Telephone #: Court to find a new courthouse location near “Price’s Tavern.” (present day Backlick and Braddock Roads). A newsletter, 4 times a year announcing what is Contact name: Citizen opposition to moving the courthouse from happening with all HFCI projects and events e-mail: Alexandria was very vocal and nothing further was done for a decade. 2 general meetings a year, affording you an Address: opportunity to meet and speak with people behind In 1794, Richard was appointed as a Fairfax the scenes working to maintain interest in the County Court justice. Such appointments were made history of Fairfax. by the Governor and were very prestigious. Justices, Return to: Historic Fairfax City, Inc., who were appointed for life, had immense power in We are looking forward to having you be a part of the Attention: Membership Committee the 18th century–all but the power of life and death. With City's bi-centennial in 2005. We need and value your 10209 Main Street the exception of slaves, capital crimes were heard in support. Together we will preserve the heritage that has Fairfax, VA 22030 General Court in Williamsburg and later in Richmond. been left to us. Alexandria Gazette, February 1, 1800, p. 4. In 1798, the General Assembly adjusted the The Board of Directors of boundary between Fairfax and Loudoun giving Fairfax Apparently, while the courthouse was under Historic Fairfax City, Inc. nearly forty additional square miles of land. The Virginia construction Richard was busy constructing a new Brick General Assembly once again directed the Fairfax Tavern on the site of Caleb Earps store directly opposite 2 Continued on Page 3 11 Volume 3, Issue 1 The Fair Facs Gazette Winter 2005 Volume 3, Issue 1 The Fair Facs Gazette Winter 2005 OPEN MEETING DEDICATION OF the new courthouse. Caleb Earp had died in 1799. The HISTORICAL MARKER THE BLENHEIM Tavern stood until it was demolished in 1934 to make way for the present Bank of America building. Hosted by Historic Fairfax City, Inc. MASTER PLAN On Friday, January 14, 2005, the bicentennial After the courthouse was completed the Fairfax anniversary of the City of Fairfax, Historic Fairfax City, County Court justices deemed the size of the courthouse Inc. will dedicate a new historical marker identifying lot too small to accommodate a clerk’s office, jail, the home of Ricahrd Ratcliffe. pillory, stocks and stable and all other buildings that would be required. Accordingly, in March 1800, the Court ordered the acquisition of an additional six acres. That same month the Alexandria Gazette printed the 7:30 p.m. following notice: January 18, 2005 Fairfax High School Cafeteria Mayor and City Council Historic Fairfax City - The City
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