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The Fairfax Lands were granted in 1649 by King Charles II to seven loyal supporters, covering land between the Rappahannock and Potomac rivers. By 1719, Lord Thomas Fairfax became the sole owner, and his land included most of present-day West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle and Potomac Highlands.
In 1733, there were disagreements about the land's boundaries, leading to surveys in 1736 and 1746 to define them. The Fairfax Line was established, and the Fairfax Stone marked the boundary. Fairfax defended these boundaries in England and was entitled to taxes from the land, known as quitrents.
Fairfax moved to Virginia in 1747 and built Greenway Court. His land included many areas in present-day West Virginia, such as Jefferson, Berkeley, and Hardy counties. Residents paid quitrents, a tax system that became unpopular during the American Revolution. In 1776, Virginia abolished quitrents, but Fairfax’s property was exempt until his death in 1781. The Virginia Assembly ended the Fairfax proprietary in 1785 to prevent British subjects from inheriting the land.
