Culpeper History



Lord Thomas Culpeper

The county of Culpeper originally consisted of what is now Culpeper, Madison (cut off from Culpeper in 1792), and Rappahannock (cut off in 1831). Culpeper is the granddaughter of Spotsylvania County, from which Orange was formed in 1734, and great-granddaughter of Essex, from which Spostylvania was taken in 1720. Our county was named for Thomas Culpeper, who was second Lord Culpeper and also the Baron of Thorsing. Thomas Culpeper (originally spelled Colepepper) was appointed governor of Virginia by King Charles II in 1679. During colonial times governors frequently did not come to Virginia but sent a lieutenant governor who exercised all the powers of the colonial governor with the salary being divided between the two officials. In the case of Lord Thomas Culpeper, he had to be ordered to come to Virginia Several times by the King.



It all began in 1649 when Prince Charles (later to become Charles II) made a grant of all the lands in the northern neck of Virginia to John Culpeper (Thomas' father), and to the Earl of Arlington. This huge grant (5,282,000 acres) was of no value while Cromwell ruled England and Prince Charles was in exile. But when Charles was restored to power in 1660 and became king, these lands were of great value. At some point Lord Culpeper bought out the Earl of Arlington and became the sole owner. These holdings were passed down on Culpeper's death to his daughter, Catherine, who married Lord Thomas Fairfax. It was their son, the sixth Lord Fairfax, Baron of Cameron, for whom the original town was named (it was first called Fairfax; changed to Culpeper in 1870.) When Lord Fairfax died this land reverted to the Crown, (???) and was eventually given in a grant to Lieutenant Governor Alexander Spotswood.
Sixth Lord Fairfax
Baron of Cameron




Governor Alexander
Spotswood
 Between 1710-1722, Lt. Gov. Spotswood extended Virginia westward. His land holdings included tracts in Germanna and Wilderness, as well as lands on "the north side of the Rappahannock (what is now Culpeper County). He was accused of land-grabbing by English opponents, however, and spent 6 years in England trying to straighten out questions concerning titles and tax liabilities. Upon his death his son, John Spotswood, had to sell off much of this land to pay off his father's debts.



John Spotswood sold a piece of this land "north of the Rappahannock" to a man named Roger Coleman in 1754. The early 27-acre courthouse village called Fairfax (later called Culpeper) developed on this spot. This village was surveyed in 1759 by 16-year old George Washington, who declared that the village occupied a "high and pleasant situation." The village of Fairfax was often called Culpeper Court House to distinguish it from the other town of Fairfax, in Fairfax County, to our north.