Sybil Carlyle

Hugh's only daughter, Sybil West was in her mid- twenties when her father died in 1754. At that time she probably continued to live at home with her mother and younger brother. Seven years later, on October 22, 1761 Sybil married influential Alexandria merchant, John Carlyle. Carlyle had earlier been married to Sarah Fairfax, sister of George William Fairfax of Belvoir Plantation. The Fairfax marriage made Carlyle, not only a brother-in-law to Fairfax, but also to Lawrence Washington, older brother to George Washington. In 1749 young Carlyle worked closely with Sybil's father in establishing Alexandria. He then joined Sybil's father in becoming one of Alexandria's trustees while at the same time advancing his business interests by becoming the most influential entrepreneur in the area. Carlyle built the most substantial house in Alexandria which was com- pleted during 1753 where he and his first wife, Sarah then lived.78 Sarah died on January 22, 1761, just one day after giving birth to their second daughter Ann. John was left a widower with a four-year old daughter Sarah and the infant Ann. His marriage to Sybil West occurred exactly nine months later. It appears that John Carlyle was a barometer of where political power existed in the Fairfax area. After marrying into the Fairfax family, mar- rying into the West's family was a politically astute move. There was not a family at the time that held more politi-cal influence in the area than did the Wests. Almost two years later, September 11, 1763 John and Sybil's first child John Carlyle Junior was born. On June 26, 1765 a second son, William, was born. He only lived four days. On February 25 of the following year, their first son John Jr. passed away. Only three months later on May 27, 1766 their third son George William Carlyle was born. George William's birth restored three children to the Carlyle household; the older two Carlyle girls: Sarah and Ann, nine and four, and the infant George William. Sybil became pregnant once more in late 1766 and there were obvious complications during the preg- nancy. Sybil died on March 7, 1767 after the miscarriage of a daughter. John Carlyle wrote in the family Bible, "March 7, 1767 - This day Sybil Carlyle, the second wife of John Carlyle departed this life after a painful trial of many months and miscarriage of a daughter. In every sta-tion of life that she lived on she filled them with Honour and is greatly lamented by those that knew her."79 John did not remarry after Sybil's death. He appears to have worked very closely with his brother-in- law John West Jr. during this time. Before Sybil's death, plans were made to build a church near Alexandria. Work began on the building of the church, and in 1768 John West Sr. was placed in charge of inspection work and in applying to John Alexander for deeds for one acre of land for the church. After many delays and problems by the church builders, John Carlyle agreed to complete Christ Church which he finished in 1773. At the time of com- pletion, in order to pay for additional expenses accrued in the building of Christ Church, it was decided by the vestry, which then included both John West Jr. and his granduncle, John West Sr., that ten pews would be auc- tioned to support the church. John Carlyle purchased pew #19 and his brother- in-law, John West Jr. purchased pew #29. Only John Muir at 36.5£ and George Washington at 36.1£. paid more for a pew than did John West Jr. at 33£. Including John Carlyle, West family members gave the greatest support for the building of Christ Church. West family members were instrumental in building Christ Church from the decision to build, to obtaining the land, to com- pleting its construction, and finally to giving additional financial support to pay for its completion. John Carlyle died during the Revolutionary War in 1780.

Source: https://alexandriahistoricalsociety.wildapricot.org/resources/Docum...