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
Colepeper, it will be remembered, was not only by inheritance a part
owner of the patents of 1649 and 1669 to the Northern Neck but he was
coproprietor with Arlington under the grant of 1673 of all Virginia and
now in his own person Governor of the Colony as well. For good measure,
his cousin, Alexander Colepeper, was also an owner by inheritance of a
share in the grants of 1649 and 1669. It was apparent that he was in a
position at long last to turn his Virginia interests to account; but in
doing so he sought to make the new dispensation as personally profitable
to his rapacious self as possible. Therefore he opened negotiations with
his old associates, by 1681 had succeeded in buying most of them out,
and declared himself sole owner of all these grants, although his cousin
still owned his one-sixth interest. But the King had become annoyed at
his conduct and the stories of his rapacity and, seeking an opportunity
to punish him, seized upon the pretext that he had been absent from his
post without leave. On this charge he, in 1682, was deprived of his
office as Governor. Two years later (1684) Colepeper sold out his rights
under the so-called Arlington Charter of 1673 to the English Crown for a
pension of £600 a year for twenty-one years. He tried also to sell to
Virginia his rights to the Northern Neck under the Charter of 1669, but
in that transaction he was unsuccessful. A curiously ironic fate seemed
intent upon keeping the Northern Neck Proprietary, reward of Cavalier
loyalty and devotion, as an inheritance for the still unborn sixth Lord
Fairfax, scion and representative of the family of two of the most able
of the Parliamentary leaders.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account