Rev. Denny Martin of Leeds Castle

Male, #38695, (before 26 Sep 1725 - 15 Apr 1800)

Parent*Denny Martin of Salts in Loose, Kent, Esq. (s 1700 - )
Parent*Frances Fairfax (b 19 Nov 1703 - 13 Dec 1791)
Rev. Denny Martin of Leeds Castle|b. before 26 Sep 1725\nd. 15 Apr 1800|p38695.htm|Denny Martin of Salts in Loose, Kent, Esq.|b. say 1700|p37818.htm|Frances Fairfax|b. before 19 Nov 1703\nd. 13 Dec 1791|p37817.htm|||||||Thomas Fairfax Fifth Lord Fairfax of Cameron|b. 1657\nd. 6 Jan 1710|p8949.htm|Catherine Culpeper|b. 1670\nd. May 1719|p8948.htm|

Birth*before 26 Sep 1725 Denny was born before 26 Sep 1725. 
Baptism26 Sep 1725 He was baptized at Loose, co. Kent, England, on 26 Sep 1725.  
 He was the son of Denny Martin of Salts in Loose, Kent, Esq. and Frances Fairfax. 
Burial*15 Apr 1800 His body was interred on 15 Apr 1800 at Loose, co. Kent, England. 
Death*15 Apr 1800 He died on 15 Apr 1800. 
Biography* O.s.p.
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He was baptised in Loose, September 26, 1725, as 'Denny the son of Mr. Denny Martin and Francis his wife;' matriculated at University College, Oxford, December 17, 1744, 'aged 19,' whence he proceeded B.A., 1748, and M.A., 1751 (Foster). Later, he was granted also the.degree of D. D. Taking orders, he was collated curate of Bromfield and was so serving in 1760 when Hasted (ii, 484) wrote his account of that parish: eventually he became also parson of Loose, and so remained until his death.
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Under the will of the sixth Lord Fairfax he was vested in 1781 with Alexander Culpeper's undivided sixth in the Northern Neck proprietary as well as the 'manors' therein, which Lord Fairfax had reserved to his own use; upon condition that he should procure an act of Parliament changing his name to Fairfax. On August 10, 1782, he duly assumed that name by royal license (London Gazette, No. 12320, cited in Phillimore & Fry, Changes of Name, 1905) ; and, after the Jay treaty of September 1783 had been ratified with its provision assuring the protection of alien titles to lands in America, went out to Virginia to assert his claim to his inheritance. Virginia was, however, loath to recognise his claim and put him to his remedy. He thereupon retained John Marshall and in 1786 filed the caveats against Virginia patents for Northern Neck land (see in the Land Office at Richmond the book called Caveats No. 1, 1786-1814, pp. 51, 55, 56, 84, 86), which precipitated the litigation reported as Hunter v. Fairfax's devisee, 1 Munford (Va.), 218; 7 Cranch (U.S.), 603; 4 Munford (Va.), 3; 1 Wheaton (U.S.), 304. In 1793, on the death of Robert, Lord Fairfax, he succeeded also, under the entail of Catherine Culpeper's will, to the full proprietary title as well as to Leeds Castle; and then, being weary of the protracted and still undetermined litigation, sold out his claims in Virginia to John Marshall, James M. Marshall and Raleigh Colston for £20,000. It was these purchasers who negotiated with the Virginia Assembly in 1796 the settlement by which, in consideration of the waiver of the proprietary rights, 'the devisees of Lord Fairfax' were confirmed in possession of Lord Fairfax's manors (Shepherd, ii, 22, 140). The story of these proceedings has been admirably, and it would seem definitively, recorded by Mr. H. C. Groome in Fauquier Historical Society Bulletin No. 1, 1921.
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Although no question had been raised in Virginia as to technical compliance by Dr. Fairfax with the condition of his uncle's will, out of abundant caution in the interest of his own title, John Marshall now stipulated that a change of name by royal license was not what Lord Fairfax had required; so that it 'was at this time (1797) and not until this time, that Dr. Fairfax procured an act of Parliament further authorizing him to bear the name and arms of Fairfax (37 Geo. III, 'c. 3, private; Cf. the act of Virginia of April 7, 1858, Acts 1857-58, ch. 45, p. 46, dispensing with proof of this act of Parliament).
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By deed dated August 30, 1797 (see the recitals in Marshall v. Conrad, 5 Call, 370), Denny Martin Fairfax terminated his family's interest in the proprietary, reserving for further disposition the manor of Leeds; and thereafter, on April 15, 1800, died and was buried in Loose, April 15, 1800, as 'The Revd. Denny Martin Fairfax, D. D., minister of this parish.'
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His MI. was as follows: "Here also lieth the body of Denny Martin Fairfax, D. D. 3rd son of Denny & the Horible. Frances Martin. He died 3 Apr. 1800 in the 74th year of his age."
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His will was as follows:
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P.C.C. Adderley, 596.
Will dated May 19. 1798.
Proved August 13, 1800.
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Denny Martin Fairfax, D. D., lately called Denny Martin, clerk, of Leeds Castle, Kent. My messuages, etc., at Loose & also at Brushing, Langley, Boughton-Mouchelsea & Maidstone between my three sisters, Frances, Sibylla & Anna Susanna Martin, in fee in common. All manors, etc., in Colony or State of Virginia devised to me by will of my uncle Thomas, late Lord Fairfax, which shall remain undisposed of at my death, also all manors in cos. Kent & Sussex & elsewhere in Great Britain (my oldest brother Thomas Bryan Martin being otherwise amply provided for) to my younger brother, Major General Philip Martin, in fee, charged as hereinafter. If he die before me, all sd. lands to my sd. 3 sisters in fee in common. To each sister £4,000 in 3 pc. Consols, charged on sd. real estate if necessary. To sd. brother, T. B. M. £1,000. Rest of goods to sd. brother Philip M. He & my sd. 3 sisters to be exors. Witns. Tho. Gregory, John Barnes, John Fawler of Cliffords Inn. Prob. by Major General Philip Martin, bro. & one of the exors. Power reserved to Frances Martin, Sibylla Martin & Anna Susanna Martin, the sisters & other exors.
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(Source: Fairfax Harrison, "The Proprietors of the Northern Neck"). 

Charts The Culpepers of Hollingbourne, from 1539 to present? (Possibly extinct)
Last Edited 14 Sep 2002