after forming culpeper county, virginia, in 1748, the virginia house of burgesses voted to establish the town of fairfax on february 22, 1759. the name honored thomas fairfax, 6th lord fairfax of cameron. he was the proprietor of the northern neck, a vast domain north of the rappahannock river. his territory was then defined as stretching from chesapeake bay to what is now hampshire county, west virginia.