WordPress sent us a really neat summary of Living on the Edge(Hill)’s activity in 2012; can you believe this stat?
We had readers in 27 countries! This may have been an accident, but we’re grateful for all of you who read our blog on purpose and who are sharing this journey with us. We have gotten so many helpful suggestions, hints, and help (a book on window restoration, using exterior storm windows, what mixture to best clean hardwood floors, what a thermocoupler is, extra pairs of work gloves, etc.) – thank you, thank you, thank you!
Dreams for Edge Hill in 2013:
- More refurbished windows!
- Breaking ground on a modern addition (hopefully complete by the middle of 2014…? A girl can dream!)
- A completed smoke house
- A completed slave quarters
- More history of Edge Hill’s former inhabitants, hopefully backed by some concrete documentation
- Research on restoring and/or replacing plaster walls
Even though it is a crisp 28 degrees in 75% of our house today, we are still enjoying the ride and can’t wait to see what 2013 will bring. Happy New Year!
Living on the Edge(Hill) 
The place is looking great. Edge Hill belonged to my grandparents thru the eailer 1960’s,I have lots of great memories and stories.W.H.Fowle was my grandfather. My mother and her brother grew up in the little house (slaves quaters). It’s wonderfull your bringing it back to life.Keep up the good work.
It would be great if we could meet and talk at some point. My mom, whose mind is still sharp, probably could help you out with some information and I know she would love to revisit her home. (Johnny White is my brother.)
I found a nice summary that includes a bit more detail of the disputed land grants that included the Edge Hill property.
Thomas Lord FAIRFAX owned the Northern Neck of Virginia, 22 counties including Shenandoah, 5.3 Million Acres. George WASHINGTON, aged 16, was among the several surveyers of the property. Lord FAIRFAX received rent from those interested in living on a set amount of acres. Thomas FAIRFAX visited his cousin William FAIRFAX in 1735, and moved to Virginia in the mid 1740’s.
Joist HITE and Lord FAIRFAX were in a 22 year long legal endeavour, from 1749-1771. Part of the HITE vs. FAIRFAX suit was fought by John MARSHALL, who eventually became Cheif Justice of The U.S. Supreme Court. MARSHALL was employed by FAIRFAX.
Debate began in 1749, and reached a climax in 1771 when the “cause” was fully argued and recorded at Williamsburg.
In summary, Jost Hite first obtained the land in the Valley of Virginia by assignment of 40,000 acres from John and Isaac VanMeter on August 5, 1731. The VanMeters had previously secured their conditional grants by orders of the governor and council, dated June 17, 1730. The John VanMeter grant included 30,000 acres in all, located in the valley, enjoining the settlement of ten families. Broadly interpreted, the territory was a vast tract of uncharted wilderness–exceeding 40,000 acres–and did not require Hite to locate his surveys in a single, wide enclosure. He was allowed to scatter his settlement across the best and most favorably located tracts, leaving large waste areas ungranted. This settlement policy was usual, as such had prevailed previously.
Lord Fairfax, however, considered it a “conspicuous trespass upon his proprietary rights,” and the permissive policy of the colonial authorities provided him with grounds for accusing Jost Hite of “gerrymandering” his claim into a “shoestring,” frustrating the future growth of the Valley settlements and making himself (Hite) and partners rich at the expense of others.
On the first judgment, Fairfax won the suit, but Hite appealed, and the trial went in his favor in June 1784. In 1786, judgment was returned in favor of the Hites. By the time the final settlement was achieved around 1802, all of the principals to the cause were dead.
Source: http://www.hrl.lib.state.va.us/handley/archives/pathfinders%20page.htm
Very interesting research Steve. I hear you are pretty good with a shovel, too!