Francis Fauquier

Francis Fauquier (1703 – 3 March 1768) was a Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Colony (in what is today the United States), and served as acting governor from 1758 until his death in 1768. He was married to Catherine Dalston.

He was a noted friend of Thomas Jefferson. As royal governor of Virginia, Fauquier often hosted lavish parties where Jefferson (then a College of William and Mary student) played his violin and drank imported wines.Fauquier County in Northern Virginia is named in his honor. Also, due to his connection to several prominent members (both student and faculty) of The College of William & Mary, a building and a secret society (The Fauquier Society) on the campus are named for him.

Fauquier was born in England. His father, Dr. John Francis Fauquier, born in France, relocated to Britain to work with Sir Isaac Newton. Dr. Fauquier later became director of the Bank of England.

Like his father, Fauquier was brought up to be a renaissance man with expertise in both science and industry, with interests in the arts and charity. He became director of the South Sea Company in 1751. In that same year he also became one of the governors of the charitable Foundling Hospital for abandoned children. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1753.

He came to the colony of Virginia as Lieutenant Governor in 1758 succeeding Robert Dinwiddie, and remained in that position until his death. He published several financial essays, among them the idea Raising Money for Support of the War, which was published in 1756, and served as an audition for the replacement of his Virginian predecessor.

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