Chapter III The Right Honorable Thomas Lord Fairfax, Baron of Cameron, in that part of Great Britian called Scotland, proprietor of the Northern neck of Virginia to all whom the present writing shall come sends greetings: Know ye that for good causes, for and in consideration of the compensation to me paid and for the annual rent here-in-afterreserved, I have given, granted, and confirmed and by these presents formerly heirs and assigns, do grant and confirm unto Michael Stump of Hampshire County a certain tract of waste and ungranted land on the south fork of the south branch of the Potomac in the said county called and known as lot no. 3, in a plat and survey thereof made by James Ginn; Beginning at a ledge of rock on a mountain side corner to lot 2, and running along the line thereof south 60 east 300 poles to two whiteoaks, near the branch: thence north 30 east 213 poles to a pine on the hillside near a run: thence north 60 west 202 poles crossing the south fork 244 poles to a pine by a rock on the mountain side: thence south 47 west 216 poles to the beginning containing 366 acres together with all the rights, members appurtence thereunto belonging, royal mines excepted, and a full third of all lead, tin, coal, copper, iron and iron ore that shall be found thereon, to have and to hold the said three hundred sixty six acres together with all rights, members and appurtence thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining, except before excepted to him, the said Michael Stump, his heirs and assigns, therefore yeilding and paying unto me, my heirs or assigns, or to my attorney or attorneys, agent or agents, or to the certain attorney or attorneys of my heirs or assigns, proprietors of the northern neck of Virginia, yearly and every year of the feast day of St. Michael the Arch angel the present of one shilling sterling money for every fifty acres of land hereby granted and so proportionately a greater or lesser quantity provided that of the said Michael Stump, his heirs or assigns shall not pay the reserved annual rent as aforesaid, so that the same or any part thereof, shall be behind or unpaid by the space of two whole years after the same shall become due, if legally delanded then it shall be lawful for me, or my heirs or assigns, or proprietors aforesaid, their attorney or attorneys agent or agents to enter and hold the same as if the grant had never been passed. Given at my office in the county of Fairfax within my proprietary under my hand and seal, dated the 8th day of September in the 23rd day of his Majesty, King George the second's reign A.D., one thousand seven hundred and forty nine. "Fairfax" The Faiefax farms were surveyed and given lot numbers. The Stumps at different times owned lots no.'s 2,3, and 12. It is possible that Michael at one time also owned lot no. 1, and no. 8. These older Stumps were close friends to the father of our country, George Washington. Mr. Washington surveyed and marked out their original farms. He was a regular engineer for Lord Fairfax and a neighbor for many years to Michael Stump. They fought as comrades in the early Indian Wars and Mr. Stump was an ade-campe to General Washington in the American Revolution. In General Washington's diary the following notation is recorded: "In 1748, Tuesday the 29th, this morning went out and surveyed five hundred acres of land and went down to one Michael Stump's on ye South Branch, South Fork. On the way shot two wild turkeys. Wednesday the 30th, this morning began our intended business of laying off lots. We began at ye boundary line of ye northern, 10 miles above Stumps. The courses and distances of ye several lots layed off on ye South Fork of Wappacomo. Began March 30th, lot no. 1 to Peter Reed. Augusta County, Nov. 15, 1752, James Simpson and Michael Stump overseers, with Josiah Osborn and others to view, mark and keep in repair on petition of the inhabitants of the South Fork branch a road up the south branch to Peter Reed's mill. This Peter Reed tract later passed into the hands of Michael Stump. Peter Reed was the first miller in all that section. A short distance above the mouth of Stump Run the old homestead stood. Another tributary emptied into the south branch was called Brake's Run. It was so named for John Brake who was one of the early influential citizens of that early day. John Brake's wife was murdered in one of the Indian raids on the settlement. John Brake's brother Jacob married Catherine Stump, she was born ca 1751 in South Fork, Frederick, Virginia, a daughter of Michael Stump. To be continued..OTHER EARLY SETTLERS THAT RESISTED THE UNREASONABLE TAXES. (Posted by Evelyn)