Historic Prince William County
From Early Colonial Virginia:
Prince William County formed in 1730 from Stafford and King George and named for William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, second son of George II.. Prince William County Territory included the areas of Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, Loudoun and Fauquier and was reduced to its present size in 1759. Its first courthouse was built in 1731 on the south bank of the Occoquan at Woodbridge and was relocated five times, finally resting in Manassas. In 1749 the town of Dumfries became the first town of the county and became a major port rivaling Alexandria, Baltimore and New York in tonnage shipped. The town reached its peak in the 1760’s and in 1762 became the capital seat of the county, which it remained for the next 60 years. The county’s principal product was tobacco. Just east of Dumfries was land patented by John Graham (1711-1787), who came to VA from Scotland about 1733. Sixty acres of Graham’s plantation was taken in 1749 to form the town of Dumfries. Graham was the county clerk of Dumfries and a successful merchant.
The Potomac Path or King’s Highway became a major transportation route linking the northern and southern colonies. Lafayette, Washington and Rochambeau were travelers on this road stopping at the Woodbridge Plantation of George Mason; Rippon Lodge, home of Col. Richard Blackburn and the Stagecoach Inn at the port of Dumfries Henry Lee III, known as “Light Horse Henry” and the father of Gen. Robert E. Lee, lived just north of Dumfries on the Leesylvania Plantation which was patented in 1658.
The Potomac Path followed an ancient Indian trail and was later known as the King’s Highway. It was of great importance for overland travel in the early days of the Republic. Washington and Rochambeau traveled this route to Yorktown in 1781 as did the French Army on its return the following year. Ripon Lodge built in 1725 by Col. Richard Blackburn stands nearby. The citizens of Prince William assembled at Dumfries on June 6, 1774 and adopted the Prince William County Resolves. Later, that same year, the first companies of Minutemen in VA was organized with William Grayson, a native son, playing a primary role in securing Virginia’s ratification of the Constitution.
Neabsco Creek was the site of a fort built in 1679 and the site of the burial of Rose Peters in 1690. Iron mining began here as early as 1734. Remains of a colonial furnace, foundry, and mill have been discovered. The Neabsco Iron Foundry was located near Leesylvania and served to equip the Commonwealth’s militia during the Revolution.
In 1608 Captain Smith found the “King’s House” of the Dog Indians in present Prince William County. In 1729, “King” T.M.Carter built a landing on that spot to ship copper ore and a town of Colchester was established there in 1753. Early land patents were received by Thomas Burbage who obtained 3,000 acres between the Occoquan and Neabsco Creek known as Burbage’s Neck. The land later passed to Martin Scarlet who died in 1695, a pioneer settler and member of Burgess. George Mason II gained 534 acres of Occoquan River frontage including a ferry landing and the site of the first Prince William Courthouse.
In 1664 the county of Stafford was formed from Westmoreland. Earliest land patents for the area of Quantico date to 1654. Great plantations “Dipple” and “Berea” were built nearby. Virginia Naval elemets were based in this vicinity during the Revolutionary War. A charter was enacted in 1788 for the town of Carborough. Alexander Henderson, colonial merchant, born in Glasgow, Scotland 1738 came to Colchester in 1756. He later moved to Dumries in 1787. He died in 1815 and is buried there with his wife Sarah Moore Henderson (1751-1816). Nearby was the “Belle Air” plantation. William Grayson, lawyer, member of the Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention organized the county’s first revolutionary militia unit in 1774. He commanded a Virginia regiment and served as Aide-de-Camp to Washington.
Tackett’s Mill where on March 11, 1748, Washington and George William Fairfax crossed the Occoquan above the falls near here. Washington to enter the sevice of Lord Fairfax and Fairfax to meet his constituents in Frederick County. By evening the reached Nevil’s Ordinary on the south fork of the Dumfries Road.
The town of Occoquan became prosperous when John Beallendine built his dwelling “Rockledge” in 1758. By 1765 it was a thirving industrial settlement with grist mills, foundry and tobacco warehouses. Neabsco Mills Ironworks operated under three generations of the Taloe family of Richmond County betweek 1737 and 1828. The 5,000 acre plantation was worked by resident free laborers, indentured servants, and slaves. The workers produced pig and bar iron for sale at home and export to Great Britain and also engaged in shipbuilding, milling, leatherworking, shoemaking and farming. The complex was important during the Revolution.
The Carolina Road was created from an Iroquiois Indian hunting path abandoned by the Indians in 1772, and derived its name from trade between Frederick, Maryland and Georgia. Later the road was used by settlers emigrating to western lands. Because of the notorious gangs of thieves besetting travelers the road was also known as Rogue’s Road. Its most famous traveler was Lafayette who rode triumphantly by here 24 August 1825 on his way to Oakhill, home of ex-President Monroe. Nearby Burnside, Waverly, Mill Park, Mt.Atlas, Evergreen, Snow Hill and other plantations formed from the huge Carter Bull Run tract were served by the Carolina Road. The Dumfries Road was a major trade route between the Potomac and the Shenandoah Valley before 1740.
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