Loudoun County Beginnings

Loudoun County is a part of the five million acre Northern Neck of Virginia Proprietary granted by King Charles II of England to seven noblemen in 1649. This grant, later known as the Fairfax Proprietary, lay between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers. Between 1653 and 1730, Westmoreland, Stafford and Prince William Counties were formed within the Proprietary and, in 1742, the remaining land was designated Fairfax County.

In 1757, by an act of the Virginia House of Burgesses, Fairfax County was divided. The western portion was named Loudoun for John Campbell, Fourth Earl of Loudoun, a Scottish nobleman who served as Commander-in-Chief for all British armed forces in North America and titular Governor of Virginia from 1756 to 1768.

Leesburg has served as the County Seat since 1758.

Loudoun Settlements

Settling of the Loudoun area began between 1725 and 1730 while it was still owned by Lord Fairfax. Permanent settlers came from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland. During the same period, settlers from eastern Virginia of English Cavalier stock came to lower Loudoun and established large tobacco plantations.

During the 1720s, a number of Quakers, Germans, Irish and Scots-Irish settled west of the Catoctin Mountains. Quakers formed the settlements of Waterford, Goose Creek (now Lincoln), Harmony (now Hamilton) and Union (now Unison).

From 1745 to 1760, Germans from Pennsylvania and Maryland formed the settlement at Lovettsville. After General Braddock's defeat by the French at Fort Duquesne in 1755, refugees from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia settled in the western part of Loudoun County, south of Short Hill. Ketoctin Church became the center of that settlement.

Loudoun and the Revolutionary War

In 1774, a meeting a freeholders and other residents was held in the County Courthouse to discuss the protection of rights and liberties in North America. The group adopted the Loudoun Resolves as well as a formal protest of the Stamp & Townsend Acts.

While no battles took place in Loudoun County, its militia of more than1700 volunteered more men than any other county in the Virginia colony. Upon learning of the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord, some marched to Boston with Morgan's long riflemen, some joined the Continental Army as regulars, and some, as Lt. Col. Levan Powell, spent a cruel winter at Valley Forge with General Washington.

Francis Lightfoot Lee

Francis Lightfoot Lee served as a Lieutenant in the Loudoun County Militia. He was elected to the House of Burgesses from Loudoun County in 1765. He was elected as a representative for Virginia to the Continental Congress and in this capacity was a member of the committee which framed the Articles of Confederation. He voted for and became a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Sgt. Maj. John Champe

Sergeant Major John Champe of Aldie in Loudoun County, Virginia was a spy for General George Washington. Major Henry "Lighthorse" Lee, was directed by George Washington to recruit the personnel to enact a dangerous plan to capture the treasonous spy, Benedict Arnold, from the British. Sergeant Major John Champe was recruited for and performed the hazardous task. (Picture as depicted by Currier and Ives)

James Monroe was a hero in the Revolution. He fought with Washington and was wounded at the Battle of Trenton. He would become our first international President, writing the Monroe Doctrine from his home at Oak Hill, located a short drive from Leesburg. Later, Monroe would entertain Marquis de Lafayette, who addressed a throng of citizens on the Loudoun Courthouse lawn. A marker in the courtyard memorializes this event.

The Declaration Of Independence

The Declaration of Independence was read from the steps of the Loudoun Courthouse and a bell tolled in honor of the event.

Loudoun County Beginnings

Loudoun County is a part of the five million acre Northern Neck of Virginia Proprietary granted by King Charles II of England to seven noblemen in 1649. This grant, later known as the Fairfax Proprietary, lay between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers. Between 1653 and 1730, Westmoreland, Stafford and Prince William Counties were formed within the Proprietary and, in 1742, the remaining land was designated Fairfax County.

In 1757, by an act of the Virginia House of Burgesses, Fairfax County was divided. The western portion was named Loudoun for John Campbell, Fourth Earl of Loudoun, a Scottish nobleman who served as Commander-in-Chief for all British armed forces in North America and titular Governor of Virginia from 1756 to 1768.

Leesburg has served as the County Seat since 1758.

Loudoun Settlements

Settling of the Loudoun area began between 1725 and 1730 while it was still owned by Lord Fairfax. Permanent settlers came from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland. During the same period, settlers from eastern Virginia of English Cavalier stock came to lower Loudoun and established large tobacco plantations.

During the 1720s, a number of Quakers, Germans, Irish and Scots-Irish settled west of the Catoctin Mountains. Quakers formed the settlements of Waterford, Goose Creek (now Lincoln), Harmony (now Hamilton) and Union (now Unison).

From 1745 to 1760, Germans from Pennsylvania and Maryland formed the settlement at Lovettsville. After General Braddock's defeat by the French at Fort Duquesne in 1755, refugees from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia settled in the western part of Loudoun County, south of Short Hill. Ketoctin Church became the center of that settlement.

Loudoun and the Revolutionary War

In 1774, a meeting a freeholders and other residents was held in the County Courthouse to discuss the protection of rights and liberties in North America. The group adopted the Loudoun Resolves as well as a formal protest of the Stamp & Townsend Acts.

While no battles took place in Loudoun County, its militia of more than1700 volunteered more men than any other county in the Virginia colony. Upon learning of the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord, some marched to Boston with Morgan's long riflemen, some joined the Continental Army as regulars, and some, as Lt. Col. Levan Powell, spent a cruel winter at Valley Forge with General Washington.

Francis Lightfoot Lee

Francis Lightfoot Lee served as a Lieutenant in the Loudoun County Militia. He was elected to the House of Burgesses from Loudoun County in 1765. He was elected as a representative for Virginia to the Continental Congress and in this capacity was a member of the committee which framed the Articles of Confederation. He voted for and became a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Sgt. Maj. John Champe

Sergeant Major John Champe of Aldie in Loudoun County, Virginia was a spy for General George Washington. Major Henry "Lighthorse" Lee, was directed by George Washington to recruit the personnel to enact a dangerous plan to capture the treasonous spy, Benedict Arnold, from the British. Sergeant Major John Champe was recruited for and performed the hazardous task. (Picture as depicted by Currier and Ives)

James Monroe was a hero in the Revolution. He fought with Washington and was wounded at the Battle of Trenton. He would become our first international President, writing the Monroe Doctrine from his home at Oak Hill, located a short drive from Leesburg. Later, Monroe would entertain Marquis de Lafayette, who addressed a throng of citizens on the Loudoun Courthouse lawn. A marker in the courtyard memorializes this event.

The Declaration Of Independence

The Declaration of Independence was read from the steps of the Loudoun Courthouse and a bell tolled in honor of the event.