Lesson plan
Belvale
Belvale is an historic house in present-day Fairfax County, Virginia built between 1763 and 1766 by George Johnston (1700–1766), member of the Virginia Assembly 1758–1766, friend of Patrick Henry, and legal advisor to George Washington, who was a frequent visitor to the home. The home's original lands, described as lying on "Doeg's Run", were first granted on July 6, 1698 to Richard Carpenter, who bequeathed them in 1750 to his wife Mary and daughter Ann, who sold the property to Johnston in 1763. Belvale is sometimes called "Belle Vale Manor" in historical records. Belvale was Johnston's country seat; his town home was in the city of Alexandria. The grounds of Belvale are reputed to harbor a ghost of a young man killed in a duel who was buried under a cedar tree, reputedly with Washington's assistance in digging the grave and planting the cedar tree. The Historic American Buildings Survey documentation of the house, which is a private residence, states that a cemetery which may have been a slave burial ground is on the property, though it is no longer extant.
Article summary
Belvale is an historic house in present-day Fairfax County, Virginia built between 1763 and 1766 by George Johnston (1700–1766), member of the Virginia Assembly 1758–1766, friend of Patrick Henry, and legal advisor to George Washington, who was a frequent visitor to the home. The home's original lands, described as lying on "Doeg's Run", were first granted on July 6, 1698 to Richard Carpenter, who bequeathed them in 1750 to his wife Mary and daughter Ann, who sold the property to Johnston in 1763. Belvale is sometimes called "Belle Vale Manor" in historical records. Belvale was Johnston's country seat; his town home was in the city of Alexandria. The grounds of Belvale are reputed to harbor a ghost of a young man killed in a duel who was buried under a cedar tree, reputedly with Washington's assistance in digging the grave and planting the cedar tree. The Historic American Buildings Survey documentation of the house, which is a private residence, states that a cemetery which may have been a slave burial ground is on the property, though it is no longer extant.
Key claims
No claims recorded.
Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
No sources recorded.
Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.