was only rags and she had almost lost hope of ever seeing any of her
people again. James found that Mr. Stogwell was unkind, too, so he went
with Simon Girty to Colonel McKee, Superintendent of Indians, to get her
release. He had Mr. Stogwell brought to trial, but they did not have
enough evidence and Polly could not leave him. However, after much
trouble, James was able to get passage for Polly and himself on a
trading boat and came down the Great Lakes. They landed in a Moravian
town where they met some friends owning horses. They journeyed to
Pittsburgh and stayed until Spring. Then they set off for Virginia, sad,
of course, knowing how few there would be to welcome them. Yet they were
delighted to find their brother Joseph was still safe. He had been
visiting his grandfather in Rockbridge County at the time of the
massacre.

Polly met and married the Reverend Samuel Brown, a Presbyterian
preacher. They had seven sons, and five of them were ministers.

Washington's Boyhood Friend--Lord Fairfax

"The Proprietor of the Northern Neck," Lord Fairfax, lived at "Greenway
Court" after first having a country seat at Belvoir near the Potomac
River in what is now Fairfax County.

An interesting character this Fairfax must have been. Born with a title
in England, he moved in intellectual circles there, was acquainted with
men of letters such as Addison and actually contributed some articles to
the _Spectator_. Either through boredom or a disappointment in not
winning the lady of his choice he decided to leave his country and come
to Virginia.

It may be of passing interest to learn that Lord Fairfax, although
proprietor of thousands upon thousands of acres, lived in a
comparatively simple way. His home was an unpretentious story and a half
frame building, situated in a large grove of trees, and surrounded by
smaller homes for servants and tenants. "Greenway Court," the name given
the home, very probably lacked more indications of elegance and grace
because of Fairfax's bachelor state.

A mile from the house he had erected a white-oak post which served as
guide for those in search of his dwelling. At White Post, the village
which derived its name from the signpost, one may see a replica of the
original, located on the site of the first one placed there in 1760 by
the proprietor.

His domain, called the "Northern Neck of Virginia," comprised the
present counties of Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, Westmorelan