[Footnote 70: Land warrants were granted by the Crown, by the
Legislature or its authorized agent, and by the governors of
the provinces. A warrant had the character of a commission and
guaranteed title. Land warrants issued in accordance with law were
negotiable, and when laid and the survey plotted by a licensed
surveyor and recorded in the land office, were maintained by the
courts as against all other claimants.
The following is an exact copy of an order from G. W. Fairfax,
agent of Lord Fairfax, for the sale of unseated lands in the
"Northern Neck of Virginia" to George Washington a licensed
surveyor in Virginia as his warrant to survey a particular parcel
of land. The original document was in the possession of J. A.
Russell, Esq., of New York city, in 1869, and is published in the
_Historical Magazine_ for March of that year, p. 197:--
"TO MR. G. WASHINGTON
"WHEREAS, _Barthalamore Anderson_, of Frederick County hath
Informed that there are about _Four_ hundred 50 Acres of Waste and
Ungranted Land in the said County, _formerly granted to Thomas
Morgan by Jost Hite as p. Bond for the same & by Assignment to the
s^d Anderson, on Arnold's Run a branch of Shenandoah_.
"And Desiring a Warrant to survey the same in order to obtain a
Deed, being ready to Pay the Composition and Office Charges.
"_These_ are therefore to Empower You the s^d G. Washington to
survey the s^d Waste Land.
"_Provided_ this be the first Warrant that hath Issued for the same
and you are to make a just, true and Acurate survey thereof,
Describing the courses and distances p. Pole, also the Buttings
and Boundings of the several Persons Lands adjoining, and where
you cannot Join on any known Lines, you are to make Breadth of the
tract to bear at least the proportion of one-third part of the
length as the Law of Virginia Directs, you are also to Insert the
Names of the Pilot and Chain Carriers made use of and Employed, a
Plat of which s^d Survey with this Warrant you are to give into
this Office any time before the _twenty-fifth_ Day of _March_ next
ensuing. _Given_ under my Hand and Seal of the Proprietors Office
this _thirteenth_ day of _Oct_. 1750 in the Twenty-Fourth year of
His Majesty King George the Second's Reign.
"G. W. FAIRFAX."
[ENDORSED.]
"Barthalamore Anderson's Warr for 450 Acres
"M^r Washington's Retur'd the 8^{th} Feb^y 1750-1.
"To be paid p L^d Fx
"61"]
[Footnote 71: Lost River.--This stream gets its name from the fact
that for three miles it passes out of sight under a mountain which
lies across its course. It rises in Hardy county, W. Va., and flows
in a north-easterly direction to the Cacapehon river. The following
diagram is made from a pen drawing by Washington in his field note
book, but not definitely related to this particular survey.]
[Illustration: Cacapehon or lost River]