Born in England to a Huguenot family, he emigrated to the British colony of Virginia to take up of the office of lieutenant governor.

A teacher and close friend of Thomas Jefferson, Fauquier frequently hosted lavish parties for the American gentry as governor.

His father, Dr. John Francis Fauquier, was a French Huguenot from Clairac, Lot-et-Garonne who relocated to Great Britain where he worked as a financial agent and deputy master of the mint under Isaac Newton.

[3] 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 came to the colony of Virginia as lieutenant governor in 1758, succeeding Robert Dinwiddie, and remained in that position until his death.