Northampton County, Virginia – In a surprising turn of events, fox hunting has become a hot topic of discussion in Northampton County–it was added for discussion to last Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting. The sport, deeply rooted in Virginia’s history, is gaining popularity on the Eastern Shore, with the Charles City County-based Princess Anne Hunt (PAH) leading hunts here since 2022. The PAH has been a recognized hunt since 1927, and several historic James River Plantations are included in their regular events.
Supervisor John Coker recently placed fox hunting on the Regular Meeting agenda, leaving many residents puzzled about why such a traditional activity needed formal consideration. The catalyst for this discussion was reportedly two complaints from citizens, expressing concerns about fox hunters on horses, accompanied by hounds, trespassing on private and posted lands.
In an email exchange with a PAH member, Mr. Coker revealed that the Board of Supervisors aimed to gauge sentiment on fox hunting and explore potential measures to address the purported trespassing issues. Coker noted that the BoS was going to have the County Attorney look into the legal aspects. However, it’s worth noting that no official grievances were filed, and the PAH was not notified of any alleged trespass incidents–why was the County Attorney being leveraged over a violation that never happened?
As the County Attorney discovered, Virginia law permits hunters to retrieve their hounds on private property, even if access is denied by the landowner. The Princess Anne Hunt only allows officials and staff to retrieve hounds on foot or horseback.
Members of the PAH told the Mirror that they strictly adhere to the law, obtaining permission from landowners before engaging in fox hunting activities. The organization is committed to respecting property rights, and land stewardship–any unintentional trespassing is promptly rectified, with any property damage swiftly addressed.
Some members are concerned that, given there is little the County can do legally, putting the sport front and center was a way to smear it, and possibly turn public opinion (and other land owners) against it.
The complaints appear to be more personal than technical. While a trespassing issue could have been resolved through open communication, it appears that the Board of Supervisors has been drawn into what some speculate is an attempt to remove fox hunting from Northampton County. A looming question is who filed the secretive complaint, and why did the BoS move so hard and fast without first doing due diligence on the legal, historical, and cultural roots of the sport?
The Mirror reached out to Supervisor Coker for comment, but as of this writing, has not received a response.
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What the H! This is a disgusting blood sport and should not be legal. WHO gives a hoot if it is a Virginia tradition.? That is a disgusting reason to continue this. Slavery used to be legal in Virginia too.
Carla, you clearly speak from a position of ignorance. This sport is about the CHASE, not the kill. No weapons are involved, and in fact, fox hunters are focused on conservation and respect. Many hunts care for the foxes in their territory by regular deworming programs and feeding. I personally know many fox hunters who have never known a fox to be killed. It behoves the sport to maintain the fox population in their territories, wouldn’t you agree. Please take time to learn about this topic; otherwise you are in the same category as the members of the Board of Supervisors. By the way, do you also protest deer hunting, duck hunting, dove hunting, turkey hunting, and rabbit hunting. All of THOSE pursuits do actually use guns or other weapons to KILL their quarry.
How can ANYONE in Virginia not know about fox hunting in Virginia, which goes back to colonial days, AS I LEARNED in high school a long time ago, back when we were REQUIRED to learn and know things about America and its history.
George Washington was an avid fox hunter, for example, which I learned in the fifth grade reading BOOKS about the lives of each president from when they were born, through their formative years, and on into their adult life.
And there is the song “The Old Home Place” by The Dillards, that goes as follows:
It’s been ten long years since I left my home
In the hollow where I was born
Where the cool fall nights make the wood smoke rise
And the foxhunter blows his horn…
end quotes
This isn’t any kind of esoteric subject that requires a Ph.D. in some fine arts course to understand.
It is grade school stuff, whether you like the activity, or not.
I especially like this quote from a Doctor William Beebe, a resident of Maryland back in those times about fox hunters:
… frequent instances have occurred, where in leaping the fence, or passing over gullies, or in the woods, the rider has been thrown from his horse, and his brains dashed out, or otherwise killed suddenly.
This, however, never stops the chase—one or two are left to take care of the dead body, and the others pursue … old men, whose heads were white with age, as eager in the chase as a boy of 16.
They do not injure or kill. It’s no different than deer hunters.
It is a sport and no direct physical contact is allowed to be made between the animals or humans. Research the sport.
Thank you, Charlene. However, Fox hunters ARE different than deer hunters in that we DO NOT carry weapons, we DO NOT attempt to KILL our quarry, the fox ( or coyote), we only seek to chase the hounds who follow the scent of the fox. Many hunt clubs also care for the foxes in their territory in the off season, via feeding programs and deworming. There is MUCH ignorance about this traditional and beautiful sport. As we are seeing currently. Folks tend to despise what they don’t understand.
Hi Carla,
I agree with what Emily said about foxhunting and would encourage you to take an objective look into the sport. The sport might not be for you, but it’s also not fair to spread falsities and misinformation. The horse industry in VA alone is a $1.3 billion industry and foxhunting serves as one of the most popular rehabilitation and step-down programs for racehorses that retire. In fact, many racehorses that would’ve previously been sent to slaughter or other inhumane homes have found successful lives and careers foxhunting and it requires little adaptation to their race training.
Again, you are an independent person in a free country and have the right to endorse what recreational activities and hobbies you choose, but I would encourage you to take the energy extended already towards a “shock value” approach to foxhunting to have conversations with members and participants, you’ll find that many of us are animal lovers just like I assume you are. We have more in common with you than you’d like to think, please encourage yourself to look past stereotypes and falsities in your pursuit of objective truth!
Exactly Correct, Sylvia!!! Thank you!
I sincerely hope you will look into this more. This is about the love of horses and exercise and enjoying nature. The fact that it’s still called hunting is very misleading.
We do not kill the fox it’s simply about the chase. Fox hunting is about land conservation and appreciating the history of the sport. We do not carry firearms, bows or anything to try and kill the fox. The hounds are taught to chase not kill. They will be called off by the huntsman if the fox we have chased has had enough. Sad that deer drives are allowed and many hunters kill dozens at one time just for the sport of it. Maybe before you comment you should actually look into what fox hunting is and what it stands for.
I hope you will take the time to educate yourself on Fox hunting in the US. Fox are loved in our country and are not “hunted”. It’s all about the art of the chase. I hope anyone reading this article will educate themselves before making an ignorant comment.
I was thinking about relocating to this beautiful area but one thing I wanted to get away from was hunting. I will definitely be reconsidering.
LOL Fox hunting should be the LEAST of your concerns. They don’t carry weapons of any sort, unlike the myriad deer hunters, dove hunters, rabbit hunters, duck hunters and turkey hunters!! Your comment is hilarious, if you are actually being serious. The Eastern Shore’s unofficial nickname is the Sportsmans Paradise!! Good luck finding a rural location where there is no hunting. Try downtown Norfolk.
So true! lol
Yes, please reconsider and stay away.
lol. Hunting fishing etc . Big part of Eastern Shore. In fact every state has hunters. But Fox hunting isn’t one of them. No KILLING. Yes perhaps this isn’t the area for you! I’m sure unless you live in a city, there is hunting going on.
GOOD
Carla and Christy you two need to move to Va.beach or Norfolk.
DITTOOOOOOOOO
TALLEY HO !
I thought the issue was trespassing. I used to ride horses nearly every weekend with groups of friends. We had great respect for land owners as to where we rode. We once crossed paths with a group of fox hunters in their fancy riding outfits and dogs. They were riding all over the place. They destroyed a freshly graded dirt lane going to a friend of mine. Even rode all over their wheat field. The part of actually chasing foxes hardly existed. When my group left, there was hardly any sign we were there. As far the fox hunters, they felt like it was someone elses job to clean up.
Wow- you must be friends (or and employee ) of someone on the BoS or the anonymous ‘complainant’ that called the BoS to begin with. Or maybe a reporter for the Eastern Shore Post? Everyone has their opinion , Charles, and yours sounds fabricated. All recognized hunts abide by a strict code of conduct. PAH, specifically, is privileged to hunt on many historic and large properties , most of which are actively farmed. If they behaved as you claim, that privilege would be swiftly revoked. Virtually all hunts that are recognize by the Master of Fox Hound Association of America respect and honor the landowners and go out of their way to be mindful of any crops or property. Your comment smacks of ignorance and jealousy. But sadly, people tend to fear and despise that which they don’t understand. Your remarks are a classic example.
Nothing fabricated and deffinately not jealous. Only the truth. The group I would ride with was run off of property due to fox hunters. I never had to dress up in fancy clothing to prove that I knew how to ride. Needless to say I quit riding.
…and horses everywhere are thankful.
I’m sure the foxes would disagree that this is a “sport.” No one asked them if they wanted to be terrorized and chased. Disgusting, cruel, out dated, snobbish, elitist. Should be illegal, just like hunting deer with dogs. Nope, nope, nope.
Boomer- please educate yourself on this before commenting. Thank goodness laws are based on peoples’ feelings.
Edit to say “laws are NOT based on peoples’ uninformed opinions.
Facts is facts – it is a cruel and useless “sport” although it is NOT a true sport, if you need dogs and horses to catch your prey.
Editor’s Note: These anti-fox hunting posts are getting more and more stupid. Give it a rest.
I don’t understand why if you can’t hunt deer with dogs in Northampton County, you can “hunt” foxes with dogs. The issue is trespassing and it always is the trespassing. Anytime hunting activities with dogs take place, they end up all over the place. I understand there’s a law in place to allow for retrieval of the dogs, but, if I wasn’t fox hunting and I came onto your property on a horse, with my dog, it would very easily be a trespassing charge. The people saying that were only a little over the line are incorrect, they were 2 properties over from where they were supposed to be.
Jeremy- Do you know anything about fox hunting? From your comment, it seems that you don’t. If so, you are in the same boat as the Board of Supervisors. Fox hounds are highly trained and are not just “released” to run wild, as deer dogs do. Secondly, the trespassing accusation was just that. No sheriffs report made, anonymous complainant, no proof of any trespassing EVER occurring. So, you also don’t know the facts of this particular issue either. Where did you get your information about riders being “2 properties over”? Any proof of that? Any official reports made? Didn’t think so. So you are just another hater trying to rain on other folks’ legal activities. Let me guess- you must be a deer hunter. And you think a few horses and hounds using a PRIVATE farm for a few days every season is going to ruin YOUR legal activity. Take your virtue signaling elsewhere.
No sheriff reports can be made due to the antiquated law. The only thing that could have been done was a complaint to the BOS. I’ve seen pictures of the horses, riders, and dogs two properties over. Nobody is “hating” just stating facts as they were seen and presented to me. You seem to be drawing a lot of conclusions about me from one statement and no prior knowledge or information, so maybe take your own advice about virtue signaling.
Not sure WHAT you are talking about- “antiquated law” ?? Please explain. Only someone who wishes to keep their name secret would bypass the proper channel of reporting to the sheriff office. A short phone call to that office revealed that NO reports were made, and YES, Jeremy, that is still a thing. Real people DO actually report property violations to the Sheriffs Office. It’s kind of their job. And we would love to see dated photos of supposed trespassing! As it is, this is nothing more than a smear campaign based on nothing but allegations. You sound like you have a sugar daddy or a relative on the BoS. LOL Or maybe you’re the anonymous “complainant”? What are you afraid of?? Come on out into the light of day and show us your proof!!
Jeremy- How much do you actually know about Fox Hunting? Yes, hounds are used- highly trained & constantly electronically tracked, they follow a fox or coyote scent and are followed by riders on horseback. The point is the chase, and the fox survives to run another day in 99.9% of hunts.Can other ‘hunters’ say the same? Do you go out and sit in a deer stand to just enjoy the weather and scenery? No, I’m pretty sure you are out there for blood. Fox hunters DO NOT carry weapons- unlike deer, dove, turkey, duck, and rabbit hunters. But don’t feel bad for being uninformed about this sport. You are in the same boat as every member of the Board of Supervisors, and most of the other commenters here. The trespassing accusation in this case is JUST THAT. The phantom complainant is anonymous, there was NO sheriff report made, there is NO proof, photos, evidence of damage. NOTHING. You claim that the fox hunters said they were ” a little over the line”? Where did you get that info? LOL And what is your proof that they were actually “2 properties over”? Really? Were there sheriffs reports made? I guess, you, like all the uninformed haters commenting here, are simply feeling that your deer hunting is going to messed up by a few horses and hounds using a PRIVATE property 2 or 3 mornings every 6 months or so. It’s ironic to use this phrase here, but it’s appropriate. “GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE” Virtue signaling is so tedious.
I bet you’re a ton of fun at parties. If trespassing hadn’t been the issue I seriously doubt that any sort of complaint would have been made by anybody in the county. I don’t care if you ride around on your horse with a fox shoved up your derriere, whatever you want to do is fine. Once again, hounds used for any kind of hunting are highly trained and electronically tracked. Once again, you can’t make a sheriff’s complaint if somebody is following an antiquated law. Perhaps you should try reading to comprehend instead of just reading to respond. You’re making a lot of assumptions about me and my past times, and everybody knows what happens when you assume something. Go with Christ, have a nice day.
The fox is chased for hours, until it’s exhausted, at which point it’s caught by the hounds. At that point, the dogs can do what they wish with the animal, and sometimes, by the time the dogs are done, there’s absolutely nothing left of the fox…
What a way for man made mutants to treat one of God’s created creatures…The Fox.
Hi Stuart- Fox hunst really don’t work that way anymore. Despite what you may have seen on television, or read in a novel. I encourage to educate yourself on the reality before you spout some worn out stereotype and state it as something profound.
Emily – I don’t think you (or I) can convince or educate many of the naysayers here. In my 68 years, I have encountered 3 groups of fox chasers doing winter “hunts” and every time the folks were very polite, respectful and pretty darn organized. I had a ton of fun watching and listening. I was there for one load up and everyone confirmed no foxes were killed and that was typical.
The anti-hunt group here is very uneducated about all of this and deer hunting as well. They know nothing about crop damage, CWD and the hundred plus road kills each year on the Eastern Shore alone. They need to take a ride up 13 in late October and November to see them splattered on the road and just hope they don’t hit one. I actually had a young person try to convince me that it was just wrong to hunt and kill deer. Told me that if I wanted to eat some meet to go to the Food Lion or Hardees like the rest of us! Oh, the world we live in.
Hi Mark, You are so correct, as is Emily. I can’t count the number of deer carcasses I have come across in the fields or woods that have had the back-straps (tenderloins) removed, and that’s all. Also, if you have ever come across a severely crippled deer- with an arrow sticking out or a broken leg where a ill-aimed bullet hit it, you would wonder if maybe these folks speaking out against fox hunting ( more accurately, fox-chasing) would be wiser to protest deer hunting. And I agree. Fox hunters, from recognized hunts, are first and foremost, RESPECTFUL of crops, lawns, and property in general. It would be completely counter productive for us to be otherwise. I am honestly at a loss as to why so many people ( who are obviously not educated on this topic) are taking a negative view. Northampton County claims to be so Pro-Tourism- this activity is very audience friendly ( unlike every other actual HUNTING pursuit ) and we are a welcoming a social group. It’s sad that so many have decided to take a negative viewpoint without taking the time to learn the facts. Thank you so much for speaking up.
Emily, first of all, let me make it clear that I am not in here to disrespect you, or make you feel bad about yourself, or do any of the virtue signaling stuff that gets you so unwound and upset when it is coming from your social inferiors who do not understand the lifestyle of their social betters who would rather have a thousand pounds of thoroughbred horse flesh between their thighs at speed, whooping and hollering and yelling TALLY-HO at each other at the top of your lungs as you leap fences and hedgerows and ditches and blow-downs in pursuit of a pack of dogs running a poor fox down so they can break its neck and kill it instantly, before tearing it apart so it doesn’t suffer needlessly while being torn apart, since it is already dead, as opposed to bowling, or playing cornhole or pickleball like the hoi-polloi do.
I too have ridden horses and know the thrill of running a herd of wild horses across the country and into a box canyon corral, especially when the herd stallion is trying to bite you on the thigh when you move in to cut him and the herd off to get them headed in the right direction, so as you can see, we are sympatico in here, and you should give that a try sometime, as I bet you would find it a lot more exciting than chasing after a pack of dogs, especially if the stallion did manage to remove a chunk of your thigh with its teeth!
Imagine the story that would give you to tell down at the hunt club over drinks!
What I am trying to do is clear up a bit of controversy in here, between you telling us that you personally don’t kill the fox, while in a companion thread, we have this from MS says @ JANUARY 15, 2024 AT 1:19 AM:
While many people not familiar with fox hunting are concerned about foxes being torn apart and suffering, this is not how foxhound catch a fox. If hounds do catch a fox, the first hound to reach the fox breaks the fox’s neck on impact, which results in instant death.
So while you are not yourself killing the fox, it sounds very much to me that the fox, which is not a nuisance animal, being very beneficial to a balanced ecosystem, and indeed, necessary for a balanced ecosystem, as it is an expert hunters, catching rodents like mice and rats, which are indeed nuisance pests, as well as eating carrion, is getting killed, thus robbing nature of one of its essential creatures, and that for mere sport.
As to putting in a complaint to the sheriff about trespassers, I can just see how that would go, as follows:
Complainant: Hello, Sheriff, I want to put in a complaint about a bunch of people in weird outfits rampaging on my land, with a pack of dogs!
Sheriff: Who are these people?
Do you have any names?
Complainant: No!
I haven’t a clue as to who they are.
Sheriff: Well, where did they come from?
Complainant: Beats me, all I know is they came over my fence from the neighboring field.
Sheriff: Well, where are they now?
Complainant: Beats me again.
Sheriff: Well, where did they go?
Complainant: Haven’t a clue, but judging by the quality of the horses they were riding, I would say they were either rich folks or horse thieves, so my guess would be either Bay Creek or Eastville!
Sheriff: Look, you just wasted a lot of my time, and I want you to stay right where you are while I dispatch a SWAT TEAM to take you into custody for a psychiatric evaluation, because you sound like a nut case!
I believe everyone involved in the this manufactured scandal knew perfectly well who the landowner is that hosted the event in question. Any legitimate complaints could have been directed to them. Which didn’t happen.
Paul, your comment here and your comment ALONE made reading all this other nonsense worth it. Hats off to you.
In response to the article itself, it seems to me that the larger issue here is not necessarily the humanitarian argument over the suffering of the fox, which certainly warrants a philosophical debate in its own right, but rather the presence of a situation in which at least one if not more property owners in Northampton County feel as if their rights as property owners are being infringed upon, or possibly even that courtesy to them as property owners has not been shown, regardless of legality. It is one thing to get permission from one property owner to have the hunt on their land, but what about the surrounding properties, considering the small acreage and noncontiguous nature of properties on the Eastern Shore? Wouldn’t it be common courtesy to notify surround property owners that a hunt will be in session? It has been cited on multiple occasions during this debate that the Virginia fox hunters are legally allowed to enter onto land outside of the designated hunting lands to “retrieve their dogs.” What if the fox hunt disturbs other legal hunts on neighboring properties, and the property owner/hunter wasn’t notified or alerted ahead of time? Isn’t it also possible that the fox hounds, in their fevered pursuit, could come upon a domestic pet dog on its own property, minding its own business, and cause a horrific altercation if the dog, who may not be as highly trained as a fox hound, decides to take issue with unanticipated strange dogs on its home territory? Maybe the fox hounds are trained not to engage with other dogs, but I can think of plenty of households whose beloved, well-mannered canines would not take kindly to strange dogs on their turf. I can understand why surrounding property owners would be horrified and quite frankly irate that these entitled traditionalists can just traipse willy-nilly onto anyone’s property “in pursuit of their dogs,” (which seems incredibly convenient, given that it could be hard to prove whether retrieval or active hunting is taking place). If a Virginia law is making this glorified trespassing legal, then maybe the discussion needs to be about changing the law, rather than if the behavior is legal or not. Also, I wonder if this may not have become an issue if the fox hunters were more respectful not just as “stewards of the land” but also as neighbors and members of the community.
You are 100% correct
Charlotte, You, as the many other negative commenters here, are not in possession of the facts. The surrounding land owners WERE notified personally, and all gave verbal permission for this activity. Also, everyone seems to be missing the fact that there was NO official complaint made to the sheriff or the game warden. This entire “scandal” is manufactured and based on nothing but hearsay and supposition.
Mary, let me say with all possible sincerity that you sound nice, as one would expect of someone from the upper social classes in America, and especially in Virginia, where Encyclopedia Virginia tells us that the Virginia Cavalier is a concept that attaches the qualities of chivalry and honor to the aristocratic class in Virginia history and literature, its origin lying in the seventeenth century, when leading Virginians began to associate themselves with the Royalists, or Cavaliers, who fought for and remained loyal to King Charles I during the English Civil Wars (1642–1648), with the myth gaining popularity in nineteenth-century southern literature by authors such as George Tucker, William Alexander Caruthers, John Esten Cooke, and Mary Johnston, whose work presented a romanticized masculine portrait of the elite authority in Virginia in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries and expressed nostalgia for Virginia’s supposedly aristocratic origins, tying into a history that progressed from patriarchal to paternal, with the Cavalier myth reinforcing the illusion of benevolent male authority during the antebellum and post–Civil War periods, and is still present in modern iconography like fox hunting depicting Virginia’s past, let me make it clear as was the case with Emily, herself a dear person, that I am not in here to disrespect you, or make you feel bad about yourself, or do any of the virtue signaling stuff that gets you so unwound and upset when it is coming from your social inferiors who do not understand the lifestyle of their social betters who would rather have a thousand pounds of thoroughbred horse flesh between their thighs at speed, whooping and hollering and yelling TALLY-HO at each other at the top of your lungs as you leap fences and hedgerows and ditches and blow-downs in pursuit of a pack of dogs running a poor fox down so they can break its neck and kill it instantly, before tearing it apart so it doesn’t suffer needlessly while being torn apart, since it is already dead, as opposed to bowling, or playing cornhole or pickleball like the hoi-polloi do.
As I told Emily, I too have ridden horses and know the thrill of running a herd of wild horses across the country and into a box canyon corral, especially when the herd stallion is trying to bite you on the thigh when you move in to cut him and the herd off to get them headed in the right direction, like your whippers-in do with your dogs to keep them on task so they aren’t chasing a rabbit, or somebody cat or chickens, so as you can see, like with Emily. we are also sympatico in here, and like Emily, you too should give that a try sometime, running wild horse, I mean, as I bet you would find it a lot more exciting than chasing after a pack of dogs, especially if the stallion did manage to remove a chunk of your thigh with its teeth, and imagine the story that would give you to tell as an ice breaker or to captivate the crowd down at the hunt club over drinks, asking who would like to see where the horse bit you.
I’m just curious about why on earth you are so defensive, when it would appear from your own post on a companion thread that there couldn’t possibly have been a problem because of the whippers-in who assist the huntsman in managing the hounds and maintaining control during the hunt, preventing the hounds from straying too far or going in the wrong direction, while the Field Master leads the group of riders during the hunt, being responsible for keeping the riders organized, while maintaining a safe distance from the hounds, and ensuring that the hunt proceeds smoothly, to wit:
Mary Finney says @ JANUARY 15, 2024 AT 4:15 PM:
Fox Hounds are highly trained to specifically follow only the scent of foxes and/or coyote.
All other quarry is ignored.
They are kept on task by the Huntsman and several other riders (whippers in) who keep the hounds together and on task.
end quotes
Sounds cut and dried to me, anyway, if I was in the jury.
And then we had A Cox for Fox says @ JANUARY 14, 2024 AT 9:26 PM backing you up, as follows:
One of the main duties of the ”Whips” is to turn the hunted fox AWAY from highways and roads so that neither the fox nor the hounds are injured.
end quotes
So my goodness, Mary, why spoil your health getting all upset as you are with something you say didn’t happen because there was no possible way it could have happened, because the huntsman never would have allowed it to happen, nor would the whippers-in.
https://www.mapquest.com/travel/outdoor-activities/hunting/principles/fox-hunting.htm
Hey Stewie, great point! Just want to let you know we won that war. When did you move to England?
You think Walker Hounds, Foxes and Horses are really that different in the UK?
You are not right, are you? You are not real bright, a real mental midget? Elevator not making it to the top? A few bricks shy of a load?
Well, I am Free, White and well Over 21…I do and post as I damn well please.
If I recall correctly, and my goodness, why wouldn’t I, when it is schoolboy or schoolgirl American history from around the fifth grade, history that J Wheaton apparently missed out on, having quit school, THEY SAY, ANYWAY, in the fourth grade at the age of sixteen, and who am I to dispute them, those dogs J Wheaton is on about originally came FROM ENGLAND in the first place in 1747, when Lord Thomas Fairfax VI, Baron of Cameron, an enthusiastic English sportsman, shipped his foxhounds, “two dogs and a bitch,” to Virginia in advance of his second visit to the colonies, so that as a result of him bringing the activity here for George Washington and his constant riding companion, William Lee, an enslaved worker who acted as Washington’s close aide throughout his life, working as Washington’s valet and huntsman and who was a superb equestrian to boot, to enjoy fox hunting just as these equestrian and patrician class people enjoy it today, while the common folk go bowling or play cornhole, or pickleball if they are lucky enough to find and open court, became the rage for men of fashion, who took pleasure in jumping horses.
Aa schoolboy/schoolgirl history has it, another British visitor to Virginia, Andrew Burnaby, observed that Lord Fairfax was a polite man of “modest and unaffected” manners, whose “chief, if not sole amusement was hunting,” and that he also “carried his hounds to distant parts” of Virginia.
As to him not being in danger of running out of real estate, as appears to be the case in Northampton County today, not surprisingly, Lord Fairfax’s royal land grant was “roughly the size of Massachusetts, and it included all of the land between the Potomac and the Rappahannock rivers from the Chesapeake Bay to the crest of the Appalachians.”
Dimwit – rules! Rules are different. Maybe you should consider just sticking to your typical copy-and-paste.
Is this the point where you ask me for my phone number???
And isn’t that something, J Wheaton, that George Washington’s favorite fox hunting partner was one of his slaves, which should have you re-evaluating the PROGRESSIVE tripe about the institution the DEMOCRATS and Karmela Harris have been filling your head with, polluting your brain in the process and warping your thinking, as is the intent.
According to Jessie MacLeod, the Associate Curator of George Washington’s Mount Vernon, William (Billy) Lee arrived at Mount Vernon in 1768, after George Washington purchased him from Mary Lee, a wealthy Virginia widow, for £61.15s.
Washington also bought William’s younger brother Frank, who went on to serve as a waiter and butler in the household.
Both William and Frank were described as “mulatto,” or mixed race, meaning they were probably the sons of an enslaved mother and a white father.
For two decades, William Lee accompanied Washington nearly everywhere.
As manservant, or valet, Lee assisted his master with myriad tasks, from delivering messages to laying out clothes to tying a silk ribbon around his hair.
An excellent horseman who was described as muscular and athletic, Lee also rode in Washington’s beloved fox hunts.
William Lee served with Washington throughout the Revolutionary War.
He was responsible for organizing the general’s personal affairs, including his voluminous papers, and holding his spyglass.
As the attendant to a prominent figure, Lee became a minor celebrity.
Postwar visitors to Mount Vernon occasionally sought out the “famed body-servant of the commander-in-chief.
Spending more than seven years in close proximity during the intensity of war seems to have made Washington and Lee’s relationship especially close.
The former’s views on slavery shifted significantly during the war, and he emerged with a newfound abhorrence of slavery and a commitment to neither buy nor sell enslaved people and to avoid separating enslaved families.
Many factors likely influenced Washington’s evolution, but his close relationship with William Lee may have helped him understand more fully the humanity of those he enslaved.
When the retired president died, William Lee was the only enslaved person freed immediately in his will.
Washington provided Lee with an annual allowance of $30 for the rest of his life, noting, “this I give him as a testimony of my sense of his attachment to me, and for his faithful services during the Revolutionary War.”
Lee remained on the estate until his own death in 1810.
I AGREE 100%
EXACTLY!!! Editor or no, this point is valid and should be considered.
The conversation thread is over when Paul starts commenting (always off-topic). Congratulations (slow clapping) Paul!
J Wheaton, have I ever told you that you are an honest-to-gosh HOOT, and that’s a fact?
Well, either way, it’s the gospel truth!
It is simply amazing how you can pack so much irony and agony together into what scholars are calling a prime example of a new genre triggered or inspired by yourself called AMERICAN HAIKU with this post of yours above here, where your art with the genre is on full display like a sort of Picasso, and then give us stage directions, as well, to make the experience all that much more visceral, especially if we happen to be reading this in the company of a lot of people, like say in Times Square, and we all get to clapping our hands slowly, but together, while chanting over and over in a dirge-like quality, “Congratulations Paul! Way to go, dude! Thanks to you the conversation thread is over when you start commenting always off-topic.”
Bet that would make the national news, alright, and we would all owe it to you for giving us the idea in the first place.
My goodness, quite a stir up here! Rabbit hunters and coon hunters be warned, lay low and hope like heck that you don’t make the headlines.
I doubt they would even know, and if they somehow did, why would they bother to care what some progressive liberal, who they have no respect for, nor need of, ensconced in the cocoon-like womb of Bay Creek thinks about their outdoor activities?
I don’t think either would be so insecure in their person that they would give a crap what those people think.
Just saying.