and at least twelve bedrooms in
the tavern.

Capt. Willcoxon, who was a relative and friend of Richard Ratcliffe,
built the addition to the tavern out of bricks kilned by slaves. The
foundation of the Willcoxon home on Route 237 was also built of
bricks from the same kiln. This home was named "Blenheim." The name
of Union soldiers who occupied the house during the Civil War can be
found etched on the walls of its attic.

Although "Blenheim" is still standing today, the Ratcliffe tavern
was torn down in the 1920's and the bricks and mantels were
purchased by Col. Francis Pickens Miller who incorporated them into
the large brick building which is now known as Flint Hill Private
School.

[Illustration: RICHARD RATCLIFFE TAVERN]

Progress began to embrace Fairfax in the 1900's but before the
1800's there was only a tavern, a store, a tannery, and several
private homes located at "Earp's Corner."

Still standing today are the Truro Episcopal Church rectory, which
was built as a home by Thomas Love and later sold to Dr. William
Gunnell, the Ford Building and the Oliver Building, both of which
were built by members of the Gunnell family.

These homes were representative of the times. Georgian architecture
had begun to spread up and down the coast. Plaster and paneling had
begun to replace lime walls. Beautifully carved mantels and
staircases had made their appearance. Mahogany furniture upholstered
in satin or brocade had replaced crudely constructed pieces.
Portrait painters roamed the country. Tutors moved in to educate the
children of the wealthy. Life was much safer and almost as
conventional as country life in England.

[Illustration]

VI. THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR

While the rich progressed from rough shacks to Georgian homes, there
was no such advance for the poor. There was not even any improvement
in agricultural implements and the poor were finding it more and
more difficult to compete with the large landholders and their
scores of slaves.

They resented the tight band held over them by the mother country,
who, they felt, neither understood their problems nor how to cope
with them, as well as they did (e.g., the impractical way the
English tried to fight the Indians during the French-Indian war).

[Illustration]

Added to this was the constant pressure from the mother country for
more money to exploit her domain, felt in the enforcement of the
"Sugar Act", "Stamp Act", "Tea Act", and "Boston Por