Legends of Loudoun: An account of the history and homes of a border county of Virginia's Northern NeckWilliams, Harrison
History
Legends of Loudoun: An account of the history and homes of a border county of Virginia's Northern Neck
Williams, Harrison
Historic buildings -- Virginia -- Loudoun County; Loudoun County (Va.) -- History
The much older town of Waterford did not receive formal legislative
sanction until 1801. Then by the fifth section of an act of the
Legislature, the place is recognized as already in existence: "the lots
and streets as the same are already laid off at the place known by the
name of Waterford." The first trustees were James Moore, James Griffith,
John Williams, and Abner Williams. Section 7 of the act further provided
"that as soon as Mahlon Janey and William Hough, shall lay off into lots
with convenient streets, so much of their lands not exceeding ten acres
adjoining the said town of Waterford, the same shall thence-forth
constitute and be deemed and taken as a part of the said town."[127]
[127] 2 Shepherd, 270.
The next year another old settlement was, in its turn, given legislative
acknowledgment. Hillsborough, somewhat belatedly, was "established" on
twenty-five acres already divided between a score or more of owners:
Mahlon Hough, Thomas Purcell, the representatives of John Jenny (sic),
deceased, Thomas Leslie, Thomas Hepburn, Joseph Tribby, Josiah White,
John Foundling, Edward Conrod, Mahlon Roach, Thomas Stevens, Thomas
Hough, Samuel Purcell, John Wolfcaile, Richard Matthews, James Prior,
John Stevens, Richard Copeland, and Mahlon Morris. The first trustees
were Mahlon Hough, Thomas Purcell, Thomas Leslie, Josiah White, Edward
Conrod, Mahlon Roach, and Thomas Stevens.[128]
[128] 2 Shepherd, 549.
In 1810 Aldie makes its appearance. It was laid out by Charles Fenton
Mercer, a great Loudoun figure in his day,[129] on a part of his
plantation to which he had given the name of Aldie in tribute to Aldie
Castle in Scotland, the seat of that Mercer family from which he
believed himself descended. The act of establishment describes the
town's location as "thirty acres of land lying on the westerly extremity
of the Little River Turnpike road, in the county of Loudoun, the
property of Charles F. Mercer, as soon as the same shall be laid off
into lots with convenient streets." The Little River Turnpike road had
been extended to that point but a few years before. The town's first
trustees were named as Israel Lacey, William Cook, Matthew Adams, John
Sinclair, James Hexon, David Gibson, Charles F. Mercer, and William
Noland.[130]
[129] See Chapter XIV post.
[130] Acts 1810, p. 37.
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