Wilson M. C. Fairfax, USMA x1820

Born:    December 1, 1798

Died:    August 8, 1960.

• Appointed to West Point, March 2, 1816.
• Admitted 31 August 1816 at age 16 years 8 months.
• Legal residence was D.C. and he was appointed from Virginia.
• Ferdinand Fairfax of DC is his father.
• He resigned 30 November 1819. [ASPMA, 2, 58]

The following four items come from the Post Orders:     ******  Need to fix this link..  ******

15 Feb 1818. "Cadet Wilson M. C. Fairfax [x1820] is hearby appointed to perform the duties of Asst Professor of Mathematics vice Lieutenant Charles Davies who is absent with leave, and will be obeyed and respected accordingly." [Post Orders]

13 April 1818. "Cadet Fairfax will take charge of the 2d Section of the 3d  Class, and Cadet Tuttle [Puttle?] the 3d Section of the fth Class for recitation this morning as the Instructors of those Sections have leave of absence."

June 6, 1818. Report on the examination of the second class on the intervening four days. Fairfax, Eliason, Woolley, Underhill and Mansfield (in OM) are "to receive the honors of the Academy", 15 more are to advance to the first class, 9 more are to review Philosophy during the ensuing year and make up deficencies, 6 not admitted to the first class but allowed to attend classes and advance if they pass the December examination. 3 are turned back.

3 Sept 1818. "The Sections of the 4th Class will attend at their respective recitation rooms tomorrow morning at 8 O'Clock when they will receive their books." Cadet Wilson M. C. Fairfax [x1820] will perform duties of Asst Prof of Math and is assigned to 1st section of 4th class till Lieut Smith returns. The following is from his cadet record card: Admitted 31 August 1816 at age 16 years 8 months. Legal residence was D.C. and he was appointed from Virginia. Ferdinand Fairfax of DC is his father. He resigned 30 November 1819.

Do not confuse him with George W. Fairfax who was appointed May 1, 1814 and resigned February 19, 1816 [American State Papers, Military Affairs, vol. 1, p. 840]

"FAIRFAX, Wilson Miles Carey, engineer for Alexandria Canal Company. In / memory of / Our Father/ WILSON M.C. / FAIRFAX / who departed this life / August 8, 1860 / aged 61 years & 9 months [AG: 10/8/60:3]. (broken in several pieces, old style stone and footstone "W.F." in trash pile, Lot 110; Alexandria Wills, Bk, 1, p. 268, will of Sarah Fairfax of the Parish of Malrot, County of Somerset, England, recorded in Alexandria 15 DEC 1813, mentions her brother Wilson Miles Carey)". Tombstone Inscriptions of Alexandria, Virginia, vol 3, p. 96, by Wesley E. Pippenger.

Genealogy:

References:

• Pappus, 116, 124. He was held high in Partridge's favor. He was one of five cadets who took a petition to Thayer condemning Bliss. Pappus states that the class to which Ragland, Fairfax, Loring and Vining had graduated in July 1819.