Appreciating Our Historical Legacy
A Tribute to Fairfax County
Jacob P. Asma
In school we learned Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492.
But many have since forgot: A Fairfax County born in 1742!
And, lest our historical learning about Fairfax be somewhat lax,
It was named after its original owner, Lord Thomas Fairfax.
After that birth, came colonist cries of liberty across Virginia’s virgin land:
"By rights divine, let us be free from bondage to Mother England."
The American Revolution spawned various Fairfax County VIPs,
Among these -- two super patriots provided liberty’s timely keys:
George Washington, who, as general, had the British in his sights
And George Mason, who helped shape the Constitution’s Bill of Rights.
Let’s journey onward through the corridor of time and dates,
To yet another conflict over “rights” -- the War Between the States.
Both Union and Confederate forces were encamped throughout the county,
Few suspected how terrible the struggle and hardships would be.
After the war, farmers tilled the soil again for yet another century
Till planned communities and industry invaded the terrain of tranquility.
As we enter the 21st century, Fairfax’s population is more than one million!
That is quite a ‘County on a Hill” as to "people power" in my opinion.
As a culturally diverse population learns to appreciate its rich history,
We can truly be assured of a grand and glorious Fairfax destiny.
A final lesson from Fairfax’s history we can and must readily distill,
God in His providence directs the acts of man after His own will.
Jacob P. Asma
Author
Fairfax County Stories 1607-2007
Jacob (Jake) P. Asma and his wife, Nancy, have lived in Fairfax County since 1978. They have two sons, Greg and Tim.
Jake is a retired Federal employee, having served about 37 years in various agencies. Most of his Federal career time was spent working at the General Services Administration [GSA] where he served as Management Analyst in records management [RM] and as a Program Analyst in the information technology [IT] area during 1978 – 2005. He used his writing skills in creating Federal RM Handbooks and Guides for agencies and in authoring sections of Government-wide IT Reports and Studies.
He writes essays, poems, or general articles for community, church, or other institutions whenever the opportunity presents itself. His deep appreciation for history can be exemplified by a monthly feature entitled: “From Yore to You” he once wrote for a monthly newsletter. In October 2007, the Public History Resources Center [PHRC] honored Jake by appointing him to emeritus editor after having served as an associate editor during August 2006 – August 2007.
Before entering Federal service, Jake received a BA in Secondary Education and History from Western Michigan University and was employed as a school teacher.