Chapter II: Part 2

In 1752, two new divisions were made. One of these was Halifax, the first of the nine counties that were destined to be carved out of the vast expanse of Lunenburg County. The bounds of Halifax were "all that part thereof lying on the south side of Black-Water Creek and Staunton river, from the said Black-Water creek to the confluence of the said river with the river Dan and from thence to Aaron's creek to the county line." The parish of Antrim coterminous with the county was established when the county was created. The name Halifax honors George Montagu Dunk, the second Earl of Halifax "who was First Lord of the Board of Trade about that time and as such greatly interested himself in the trade of the colonies." Halifax, Nova Scotia is a further memorial to Lord Halifax.

The other county created in 1752 was Dinwiddie, taken from the southern portion of Prince George. Its bounds began at the lower side "of the run which falls into Appomattox river between the town of Blanford and Bollings point warehouses to the outermost line of the glebe land and by a south course and by the said outermost line of the glebe land to Surry County." The name honored Robert Dinwiddie, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia 1751-58. He held office during the troubled period of the French and Indian Wars, in which George Washington, as a Colonel in the Virginia Militia, participated.

In 1754 that part of Amelia County divided "by a line to run from Ward's ford on Appomattox River to the mouth of Sail's creek on Nottoway river and all that part of the said county which lies on the upper side of the said line shall be one distinct county and called and known by the name of Prince Edward." The name was in honor of a younger brother of King George III, Prince Edward, Duke of Gloucester. This Prince was one of the two brothers of George III, whose marriages to commoners led to the passage of the famous Royal Marriage Act in 1772. Its well-known provisions are that no descendant of King George III may marry when under 25 years of age without consent of the reigning monarch or, if over that age, without a consenting Act of Parliament. Prince Edward Street in Fredericksburg is also named for this Prince as the city itself is for his father.

Also in 1754, a second county was created from Lunenburg and called Bedford. It comprised the area lying on the upper side of Falling-river from its mouth "up the said river to the fork, thence up that fork running by John Beard's to the head, thence by a line to be run from the head thereof north, twenty degrees east to the line dividing the said county from the county of Albemarle." It should be remembered that at this time both the present Buckingham and Appomattox were a part of Albemarle County. The new county honored "John Russell the fourth Duke of Bedford who was Secretary of State of Great Britain February 13th 1748 to June 26th 1757." The parish, coterminous with the county and created at the same time, also honored the Duke, being called Russell.

Another expansion at this time also on the south side of James River was the formation of Sussex from Surry County. Sussex lies to the south of Seacock Swamp on the line dividing Surry "from the county of Southampton, thence a straight course to Blackwater at the mouth of Coppohawk and up Blackwater to the line dividing" Surry from the county of Prince George. Sussex took its name from the English shire. Albemarle Parish formed in 1739 had included the area now made into Sussex, and, in addition, a small portion of Surry. It was enacted that the portion in Surry be added to Southwark Parish, and Albemarle Parish be made coterminous with Sussex.

The fourth county formed in 1754 was Hampshire named for the English shire. It is now in West Virginia. Since, however, its creation affected the bounds of two already established Virginia Counties, the Act of Assembly for its bounds is cited: "Whereas part of the county and parish of Augusta lies within the bounds of the territory or tract of land called the Northern Neck belong to the right honorable Thomas, Lord Fairfax, Baron of Cameron and it will be more convenient if the dividing line between the said territory and the other part of this colony be established as the line of the said county and that part of the said county be added to the county and parish of Frederick," it was enacted therefore that the part of Augusta above mentioned be added to Frederick which should then be divided into two counties and "all that part thereof lying to the westward of the ridge of mountains commonly called and known by the name of the Great North or Cape Capon mountains and Warin spring mountain extending to Potomac river be one distinct county and called and known by the name of Hampshire." When Augusta and Frederick were authorized in 1738, the western bounds of the Northern Neck Grant had not been surveyed. This was done in 1747, and the above Act changed the previous limits of Augusta so that the entire county would not be a part of the proprietary.

The name of the next new county reflected current happenings. For about six years, 1754-1760, the colony was actively participating in the struggle to crush French power in America. The Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces in America was, for a time, John Campbell, fourth Earl of Loudoun. His conduct of the war was severely criticized, and he was recalled in December 1757. He was, for almost two years, titular "Governor and Captain-General of Virginia," though his deputy Lieutenant-Governor Robert Dinwiddie performed all the duties of the office. Loudoun, the new county named for the Earl, was formed from Fairfax County in 1757. It included "all that part thereof lying above Difficult Run which falls into Potomac river and by a line to be run from the head of the said run or straight course to the mouth of Rocky run." The part "thereof below the said run and course" retained its status as a distinct county and the name of Fairfax.

In 1759, the inhabitants of Prince William County complained of many inconveniences "by reason of the great extent thereof and their remote situation from the courthouse." Mindful that justice be accessible to all, the Assembly enacted that Prince William be divided and "all that part of the said county that lies above a line to be run from the head of Bull Run and along the top of Bull run mountains to Chapman's mill, in Broad run thoroughfare, from thence by a direct line till it intersects the nearest part of the line dividing Stafford and Prince William Counties" be known as Fauquier. This again honors an English official but in this case a very popular one, Francis Fauquier, who, in 1758, succeeded Robert Dinwiddie as Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. He served the colony for nearly ten years, dying in Williamsburg on 3 March 1768 "after a tedious illness which he bore with the greatest patience and fortitude." Among the eulogies in prose to his memory, the following verse may be noted:

"If ever virtue lost a friend sincere
If ever sorrow claimed Virginia's tear
If ever death a noble conquest made
'Twas when Fauquier the debt of nature paid."

With tobacco as the medium of exchange and as the most valuable export, the economic base was too small for the large superstructure erected on it. The taxes, fees, and commissions on exported tobacco were numerous and onerous, the net return to the planter often did not cover the goods he had ordered and his debt to his London agent increased. It was British policy that her colonies should send her raw materials and buy from her manufactured articles, thus giving her merchants a double advantage and placing the colonists at double disadvantage. During the 1750's, the colony had been put to such great expense in prosecuting the French and Indian War that for the first time an issue of paper money was required. Economic conditions grew worse throughout the colony.

"WESTWARD-HO" TWENTY-SIX NEW COUNTIES, 1750-1770

The unceasing westward trek of settlers continued. In 1750-60, eight counties were formed, between 1760-1770, eighteen new divisions occurred, which evidences the great growth of population.

Albemarle was the next county to be divided. In 1761, it was enacted that the portion "of the said county which lies on the south side of the Fluvanna river" [old name for the James River above Richmond] "shall be one distinct county and called and known by the name of Buckingham." By the same legislation, "that other part of the said county which lies on the north side of the Fluvanna river shall be divided from the confluence of Rockfish river with the Fluvanna by Rockfish river to the mouth of Green creek and thence a straight line to the house of Thomas Bell to the Blue mountains, and all that part which lies above Rockfish river and the lines aforesaid" shall be called Amherst County. Amherst Parish at the same time was formed from Saint Anne's Parish and made coterminous with the county of Amherst. Several years earlier, Tillotson Parish had been formed from Saint Anne's to take care of the residents of Amherst who lived on the south side of James River. It was now made coterminous with the county of Buckingham.

The name Buckingham is probably for the Duke of Buckingham. Amherst derives its name from "the hero of Ticonderoga, Major-General Sir Jeffrey Amherst, the most successful as well as the most popular of all the English Colonial Governors-General." He was titular Governor-General of Virginia 1759-1768 while Francis Fauquier performed the duties of the office.

Four years passed, and two more divisions were made in the western portion of Lunenburg. The part of Lunenburg comprised in the parish of Cornwall became Charlotte County and the portion in the parish of St. James became Mecklenburg.

These counties were named, as is the city of Charlottesville, after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who became Queen of England on her marriage to King George III.

We next find in 1767 that Halifax has grown to the point of division and a new county, Pittsylvania, has been taken from its western portion. Pittsylvania lay on the upper or western side "of a line to be run across the mouth of Strait Stone creek on Staunton river to the country line, near the mouth of the country line creek on Dan river." At the same time, Antrim, which was the parish for Halifax, was divided and the part lying in Pittsylvania became Camden. Pittsylvania honored "Sir William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, the celebrated English statesman" whose sympathy with them had endeared him to the colonists. A statue of him in Westmoreland county, Virginia and another in Charleston, South Carolina are further expressions of the affection felt for him.

BOTETOURT, 1770 HONORS A POPULAR COLONIAL GOVERNOR

The next county was, in the main, a rearrangement of already settled territory bearing always in mind that easy access to justice was the purpose of every division. The new county, Botetourt, was formed from Augusta in 1770 and lay on the south side of a dividing "line beginning at the Blue Ridge, running north fifty-five degrees west, to the confluence of Mary's creek, or the south river, with the north branch of James River, thence up the same to the mouth of Carr's creek, thence up the said creek to the mountain, thence north, fifty-five degrees west as far as the courts of the two counties shall extend it." The phrase to note in the above is: "as far as the courts of the two counties shall extend it," in other words, there was no limit to the western boundary. The name Botetourt was for Norborne Berkeley, Lord de Botetourt, Governor of Virginia 1768-1770. He died in Williamsburg in October 1770, lamented and beloved for his interest in the colony and the College of William and Mary. The House of Burgesses voted a sum of money to have a statue of him made in London to stand in the old Capitol building. The statue still exists, one of the most treasured possessions of the College of William and Mary, and adorns its campus.

FREDERICK SUBDIVIDED

Two years later, the county of Frederick had a division on both its eastern and northern ends. It was enacted by the Assembly that the territory of Frederick be divided into three distinct counties: "on the north by a line beginning in the line that divides the counties of Frederick and Loudoun one mile and an half northward of the corner in Williams' gap that at present divides the parishes of Frederick and Norborne thence westward with a line exactly parallel to the line that now divides the said parishes of Frederick and Norborne till it intersects the line of Hampshire county; thence with the Hampshire line to the corner dividing the parishes of Frederick and Beckford; thence with the lines dividing the said parishes of Frederick and Beckford east southeast to the south eastwardly bank of Cedar creek, thence binding on the same to its confluence with the river Shenandoah; thence across the said river east to the easterly bank of the same; thence down the said river and binding on the same to the mouth of Passage creek; and thence with a right line to the line of Culpeper, at the intersection of the road leading through Chester's gap; thence with the Culpeper, Fauquier, and Loudoun lines to the beginning." This area, so described, was to remain Frederick County. "All that part of the county which lies between the first mentioned line running from the said beginning in the line of Loudoun county and Potomac river shall be ... known by the name of Berkeley county." The remainder of what had been Frederick now became Dunmore County. There had been three parishes in Frederick; of these Frederick remained in the county, while Norborne appropriately became the parish for Berkeley and Beckford for Dunmore.

Berkeley County named for Norborne Berkeley, Lord de Botetourt, later became a part of West Virginia. It was further evidence of this governor's popularity, Botetourt County having previously been named for him.

DUNMORE RENAMED SHENANDOAH

Dunmore honored the new Governor, John Murray, Earl of Dunmore, who succeeded Lord Botetourt. His popularity was short lived, and his tyrannical acts, when he attempted to keep the colony loyal to the crown, so enraged the people that he was forced to take refuge with his family on a British warship. In 1777, still smarting over his behavior, the Assembly changed the name of the county to Shenandoah for the beautiful river that flows through it; the change to take effect February 1, 1778.

FINCASTLE REACHES TO THE OHIO RIVER

In 1772, the county of Fincastle was formed from the western portion of Botetourt. It is an evidence of rapidly growing settlements when for the first time mention is made of "inhabitants and settlers on the waters of Holston and New rivers." The territory of Fincastle was "within a line to run up the east side of New river to the mouth of Culberson's creek, thence a direct line to the Catawba road where it crosses the dividing ridge between the north fork of Roanoke and the waters of New river, thence with the top of the ridge to the bent where it turns eastwardly, thence a south course crossing Little river to the top of the Blue Ridge of mountains." The reason for the name Fincastle seems uncertain; one version has it as being for George, Lord Fincastle, Lord Dunmore's son, and the other that it was for the town of Fincastle established in 1772 and so named for Lord Botetourt's home in England.

VIRGINIA COUNTIES EXTENDED TO THE OHIO RIVER AND INCLUDE KENTUCKY

Fincastle County was an expansion of Augusta to the west but an expansion to the northwest had been in progress since before 1754. In that year, Governor Dinwiddie ordered a fort built on the present site of Pittsburgh and issued a proclamation offering land in the area to those who would enlist as soldiers for the French and Indian War. The French captured the fort and named it Fort Duquesne. This outpost of great strategic importance fell to the English in 1758 and was renamed Fort Pitt. The area was under Virginia jurisdiction and called the district of West Augusta being considered a part of Augusta County. "County courts were held at Pittsburgh under Virginia jurisdiction and the great section of country from the Alleghany mountains northwest to the Ohio came to be called West Augusta. It was represented under this name in the Conventions of 1775 and 1776. In October 1776, the district of West Augusta was divided into the counties of Ohio, Yohogania and Monongalia. A portion of this territory, including Pittsburgh, was claimed by Pennsylvania and there was much disorder and some bloodshed between the officers and adherents of the two Colonies. In 1779, commissioners from Virginia and Pennsylvania finally settled the line and Pittsburgh and the adjoining area were surrendered to Pennsylvania." The above is the concise account, by the late W. G. Stanard, in an early volume of the _Virginia Magazine of History and Biography_, of an almost forgotten episode in western development. It explains why in the Augusta County records in Staunton, Virginia are found deeds for land now in Pennsylvania.

The bounds of these three new counties, Ohio, Yohogania and Monongalia are set forth in detail in the Act of Assembly creating them, but are not quoted here since they neither adjoin nor are a part of the Commonwealth of Virginia now.

KENTUCKY A VIRGINIA COUNTY, 1776

The next division of a county occurred in this same year 1776, and was further expansion toward the beckoning west; this division was not to take effect until January first, 1777. Fincastle became extinct as a county, its territory becoming Kentucky, Washington and Montgomery Counties. The Act of Assembly recites that the part of Fincastle lying "to the south and westward of a line beginning on the Ohio at the mouth of Great Sandy creek and running up the same and the main, or north-easterly, branch thereof to the Great Laurel Ridge or Cumberland Mountain, thence south westerly along the said mountain to the line of North Carolina shall be one distinct county and called and known by the name of Kentucky; and all that part of the said county of Fincastle included in the lines beginning at the Cumberland Mountain where the line of Kentucky county intersects the North Carolina line, thence east along the said Carolina line to the top of Iron mountain, thence along the same easterly to the source of the south fork of Holstein river, thence northwardly along the highest part of the high lands, ridges and mountains that divide the waters of the Tennessee from those of the Great Kanawha, to the most easterly source of Clinch river, thence westwardly along the top of the mountains that divide the waters of Clinch river from those of the Great Kanawha and Sandy Creek to the line of Kentucky county thence along the same to the beginning" shall be known "by the name of Washington; and all the residue of the said county of Fincastle shall be" known as Montgomery.

It is said that Washington County is the first place or area named for General Washington in the United States. It is also the first time the words Kentucky and Tennessee occur in a county division and show the scope of western settlements. Montgomery County was named for General Richard Montgomery, a Revolutionary officer, who fell 31 December 1775, while trying unsuccessfully to scale the city walls and capture Quebec from the English.

The next formation was a division of Pittsylvania County in 1777, ten years after its creation. The new county lay on the west side of "a line beginning at the mouth of Blackwater on Staunton river and running parallel with the line of Halifax county till it strikes the country line." The name Henry honored Patrick Henry, the famous orator of the Revolution and first Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. He purchased a large acreage in Henry County but resided in nearby Campbell County.

Also, in 1777, Albemarle was divided "by a line beginning at the most western point in the line of Louisa County and running thence directly to the lower edge of Stott's ferry on the Fluvanna river and that part which lies south eastward of the said line together with the islands in the Fluvanna river adjacent thereto shall be called by the name of Fluvanna county." The county was named for the river and the river was so called in honor of Queen Anne whose name is borne by four other Virginia rivers. Fluvanna, used for most of the eighteenth century, was the title given the James River above its falls at Richmond. Tobacco and other merchandise was taken in bateaux down this river to Richmond.

Both Henry and Fluvanna Counties had been formed mostly because of natural increase in population rather than of any tide of immigration. The creation of Powhatan County in 1777 was of the same type. This county embraced the portion of Cumberland lying on the south side of James River and in Southam Parish, which was the eastern end of Cumberland and adjoined Chesterfield County. The name Powhatan honored the celebrated Indian chieftain.

In 1778, the vast sprawling territory of Augusta underwent changes. One was an addition to Hampshire County of the territory on the north of "a line beginning at the north side of the North Mountain opposite to the upper end of Sweedland Hill and running a direct course so as to strike the mouth of Seneca creek on the north fork of the south branch of Potomac river and the same course to be continued to the Allegheny mountain, thence along the said mountain" to the county line. "The residue of the county and parish of Augusta" was divided by a line beginning "at the South Mountain and running thence by Benjamin Yardley's plantation so as to strike the north river below James Byrd's house thence up the said river to the mouth of Naked creek, thence leaving the river a direct course so as to cross the said river at the mouth of Cunningham's branch in the upper end of Silas Hart's land to the foot of North Mountain, thence fifty-five degrees west to the Allegheny mountain and with the same to the line of Hampshire"; all the portion north eastward of this line was to be called Rockingham. It is supposed the name of this county honors the Marquis of Rockingham, Prime Minister of England in 1765-66 when the unpopular Stamp Act was repealed.

In the same Act of Assembly, 1778, by which Rockingham was created Greenbrier County, now in West Virginia, was formed from Montgomery and Botetourt Counties to the west of "a line beginning on the top of the ridge which divides the Eastern from the Western Waters, where the line between Augusta and Botetourt crosses the same, and running thence the same course continued north fifty-five degrees west to the Ohio, thence beginning at the said ridge at the said lines of Botetourt and Augusta, running along the top of the said ridge, passing the Sweet Springs to the top of Peter's mountain, thence along the said mountain to the line of Montgomery county, thence along the same mountain to the Kanawha or New river, thence down the said river to the Ohio." Greenbrier County takes its name from its principal river. It is the anglicized version of the French word "ronce" for brier or bramble and "verte" for green. The town Ronceverte, situated on the river, keeps the French word.

At the same time Rockbridge County was formed from parts of Botetourt and Augusta. It was bounded "by a line beginning in the top of the Blue Ridge near Steele's mill and running thence north fifty-five degrees west passing the said mill and crossing the North mountain to the top and the mountain dividing the waters of the Calf Pasture from the waters of the Cow Pasture and thence along the said mountain crossing Panther's gap to the line that divides the counties of Augusta and Botetourt." The remainder of Botetourt shall be divided "by a line to begin at Audley Paul's and running thence south fifty-five degrees east crossing James river, to the top of the Blue Ridge, thence along the same crossing James river, to the beginning of the aforesaid line dividing Augusta county; then beginning again at the said Audley Paul's, and running north fifty-five degrees west till the said course shall intersect a line to be run south forty-five degrees west from the place where the above line dividing Augusta terminated."

The enabling acts setting forth the bounds for the counties when created have been quoted fully, both for the information they contain and for the comprehensive geographical knowledge they reveal. They show painstaking surveys and study to achieve accuracy under the handicap of lack of roads and bridges. In addition to technical knowledge, the surveyor needed a sturdy physique to withstand the daily hardships that were part of his routine work.

Rockbridge, the name of the new county whose bounds have been described, commemorated the unique scenic wonder within its confines known as Natural Bridge. This is a span of stone 215 feet high over Cedar Creek. Once a trail passed over it and now a modern highway. It has been known and visited since 1770.

WEST OF THE OHIO AND TO THE MISSISSIPPI. ILLINOIS COUNTY FORMED

Illinois, the last county to be formed in the decade 1770 to 1780 was an area on the western side of the Ohio River which had been a part of Augusta County. In the preamble to the Act creating this county, the Assembly noted with satisfaction that "by a successful expedition carried on by the Virginia militia on the western side of the Ohio river several of the British posts within the territory of this commonwealth in the country adjacent to the river Mississippi have been reduced." This, of course, was a reference to George Rogers Clark whose exploits secured the Mississippi Valley area for Virginia and the United States. Illinois County was a part of the large territory given by Virginia to the nation in 1783.

KENTUCKY COUNTY DIVIDED

The next event was the division of the unwieldy county of Kentucky into three parts; Jefferson, Fayette and Lincoln, with the towns of Louisville, Lexington and Harrodsburg for their respective county seats. Jefferson County was so named to honor Thomas Jefferson, and was the first honor of this sort accorded him. Fayette was for the beloved ally, the Marquis de la Fayette and Lincoln for General Benjamin Lincoln of the Revolution. When compelled to surrender Charleston, South Carolina to the British, he had endured the humiliation of giving up his sword to Sir Henry Clinton. In return, when Yorktown was captured and Lord Cornwallis required to yield his sword, General Lincoln was awarded the distinction of receiving it. Cornwallis, however, did not appear in person, and it was his aide who handed the sword to General Lincoln. From these three counties was formed the present Commonwealth of Kentucky.

A division of Brunswick in the south eastern part of the state took place now and Greensville County came into being. This lay to the east of a line beginning "two miles above Chapman's ford on Meherrin river and running a due south course to the boundary line between this state and North Carolina and from the station aforesaid by another line due north to Nottoway river." The name selected for this county commemorated General Nathanael Greene of the Revolution who marched into this area on his return from the Battle of Guilford Court House.

In 1782, occurred a division of Bedford County. The eastern end was cut from the whole and named for General William Campbell, the hero of King's Mountain, one of the decisive battles of the Revolution. Campbell lies to the east of a line beginning "at the mouth of Judy's creek on James river, thence to Thompson's mill on Buffalo creek, thence to the mouth of Back creek on Goose creek thence the same course continued to Staunton river." Staunton is the name given the Roanoke River as it passes through Bedford, Campbell, Charlotte and Halifax Counties. In Mecklenburg, it resumes its original name of Roanoke and so continues into Albemarle Sound.

The next development was Harrison, taken from Monongalia County. Neither is now a Virginia county, but it is mentioned since it honors Benjamin Harrison, one of the seven Virginia Signers of the Declaration of Independence who also completed in 1784, the year the county was formed, a three year term as Governor of the Commonwealth.

In the next year, a new county, Nelson, now in Kentucky, was created. This, too, honored a former Governor and Signer of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Nelson. It was his home in Yorktown that Lord Cornwallis used as his headquarters during the siege and battle.

In 1786, Franklin was formed out of "that part of the county of Bedford lying south of Staunton river together with so much of the county of Henry lying north of a line to be run from the head of Shooting creek to the west end of Turkeycock mountain, thence along the top of the mountain to intersect the dividing line between the counties of Henry and Pittsylvania, thence along that line to the mouth of Blackwater river." The reason for this name is obvious: all America honored the achievements of Benjamin Franklin.

DEED OF CESSION. VIRGINIA GIVES THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY

The tempo of western expansion had increased to such an extent that four counties were formed in 1786. One of these, Hardy, lies now in West Virginia as does its parent county of Hampshire. It might be well to explain now, even though out of chronological sequence, the genesis of West Virginia. In May 1861 when Governor Letcher called out the Virginia militia, many persons living beyond the Alleghanies throughout that section of Virginia bordering on Ohio and Pennsylvania were not in sympathy with his action. The residents of some forty counties held a convention and were almost unanimous in their desire to break away from Virginia and form a new state. A constitution was framed which was ratified by the people in May 1862. The following year, 1863, West Virginia became a state of the Union and at one blow, Virginia lost a third of her territory. The loss of the rich coal fields and other natural resources of West Virginia impoverished the Old Dominion more severely and made "Reconstruction Days" longer and more difficult than they might otherwise have been.

Returning to Hardy County, we learn that it was named for Samuel Hardy formerly of Isle of Wight County "one of the number who signed the Deed of Cession which transferred the Northwest Territory to the General Government."

Virginia's claim to territory was of long standing, her charters of 1609 and 1612 giving her dominion to the Pacific Ocean, but no exploration beyond the Mississippi had been attempted. Her claim of dominion to the Mississippi, however, was of more substantial character. In 1778 with a picked force of 180 Virginia riflemen, George Rogers Clark captured the great Northwest Territory from the English "in one of the most amazing exploits in American history." This territory Virginia organized as "the county of Illinois." "But for Clark's conquest the treaty of 1783 might well have fixed the nation's western boundary at the Alleghanies instead of at the Mississippi." Almost all the Ohio Valley and parts of Wisconsin and Michigan were included in this voluntary gift that Virginia made in 1783 to the weak confederated colonies. In 1785 Congress passed a Land Ordinance providing for the sale of this land. "Thus this cession provided the infant republic with its only sure source of revenue" since at that time "Congress had neither the power to impose nor the machinery to collect any taxes."

The other three counties formed in 1786 lie now in Kentucky which, in 1792, was "organized as a state out of Virginia territory with her consent." These divisions are Mercer and Madison, created out of Lincoln, and Bourbon out of Fayette. Mercer honored General Hugh Mercer of the Revolution; Madison, James Madison, later known as the "Father of the Constitution," and Bourbon, the French reigning family, particularly Louis XVI who had given aid in the Revolution.

The next county, Russell, was taken from Washington. Its bounds are: "all that part of the said county lying within a line to be run along the Clinch mountain to the Carolina line; thence with that line to the Cumberland mountain, and the extent of country between the Cumberland mountain, Clinch mountain and the line of Montgomery county shall be one distinct county and called and known by the name of Russell." The name was selected as a tribute to General William Russell "who distinguished himself at the Battle of King's mountain." Russell remains a Virginia county.

Five westward expansions now occur in quick succession. In 1787, from Harrison was formed Randolph County named for Edmund Randolph, first Attorney General of the Commonwealth and a member of the Continental Congress. Both Harrison and Randolph are in West Virginia. Pendleton, also now in West Virginia, was formed in 1788 from portions of Hardy, Augusta, and Rockingham counties. It is named for Edmund Pendleton, President of the Virginia Convention of 1775.

The next year two new Kentucky counties were formed; Mason from Bourbon and Woodford from Fayette. The former took its name from George Mason of "Gunston Hall," author of the Bill of Rights and the latter from General William Woodford, a native of Caroline County, Virginia who rendered distinguished service in the Revolution and later moved to Kentucky.

At the same time, a new county destined to be in West Virginia was formed from Greenbrier and part of Montgomery counties and given the name of Kanawha from the river.

The only one of the counties formed in 1789 that is now in Virginia is Nottoway. This was comprised of that part of Amelia County "lying south of a line to begin at a place called Wells bridge on Namozene creek which divides the said county from the county of Dinwiddie, thence running through the said county of Amelia so as to strike the line of Prince Edward county five miles west of a place called Ward's ford on Appomattox river." Nottoway is an Indian word meaning "a snake, that is, an enemy." Nottoway River derives its name from the Indian tribe and the county honors both.

1790-1800 EXPANSION IN THE FIRST DECADE AFTER THE REVOLUTION

The next year a county was cut from Montgomery and named Wythe. It lies to the "south-west of a line beginning on the Henry line at the head of Big Reedy Island, from thence to the waggon ford on Peck creek, thence to the clover bottom on Blue Stone, thence to the Kanawha county line." The name is for George Wythe, eminent jurist and a Signer of the Declaration of Independence. Elected in 1779 to the Chair of Law and Police, recently established at the College of William and Mary, he "became the first occupant of a chair of law in America, and the second in the English speaking world." The first chair of law established in England was at Oxford University, and Sir William Blackstone was the first professor.

The year 1791 saw the formation of three counties, all of them rearrangement of lines in established communities rather than expansion into new territory. The first was the division of Henry into two counties: "all that part of the said county lying west of a line beginning on the line dividing the counties of Henry and Franklin one mile above where it crosses Town creek, a branch of Smith's river, thence a parallel line with Pittsylvania line to the country line shall be one distinct county and called and known by the name of Patrick." The name, of course, was the given name of the great orator, and since Henry County bore his surname, the new division took his given name. It is a county of beautiful mountains with panoramic views. The Fairy Stone State Park is within its borders. On Fairy Stone Mountain and in the streams at its base are found tiny stones shaped like crosses. The story is that the gentle fairy folk when they heard of our Lord's Crucifixion wept profusely and their tears turned to stone crosses as they fell, a lasting memorial of their grief.

The next county, formed in 1791, was Bath. Its bounds are thus described: "All those parts of the counties of Augusta, Botetourt and Greenbrier within the following bounds, to wit: beginning at the west corner of Pendleton county, thence to the top of the ridge dividing the headwaters of the South branch from those of Jackson's river, thence a straight line to the lower end of John Redman's plantation on the Cow-pasture river, thence to the top of the ridge that divides the waters of the Cow-pasture from those of the Calf-pasture thence along the same as far as the ridge that divides Hamilton's creek from Mill creek, thence to the Mill mountain, and with the same to the north corner of the line of Rockbridge county, thence along the said mountain crossing the line of Botetourt county to the ridge that divides the waters of Pad's creek from those of Simpson's creek, thence along the said ridge to the Cow-pasture river, thence crossing the said river a direct course and crossing Jackson's river at the mouth of Dunlap's creek, thence up the same as far as the narrows above the plantation of David Tate, Senr., so as to leave the inhabitants of the said creek in Botetourt county, thence a direct course to the top of the Allegany mountain where the road from the Warm Springs to Greenbrier court house crosses the said mountain, thence along the top of the said mountain opposite the headwaters of Anthony's creek, thence a direct course crossing Greenbrier river to the end of the Droop mountain, thence up the same to the great Greenbrier mountain thence along the said mountain to the line of Randolph county thence with the same along the said mountain dividing the waters of Monongalia and Cheat from those of Greenbrier river, and thence to its beginning shall form one distinct county."

The above is quoted in full since the names used are still in use, and it is possible to judge from them the extent of the county. Warm Springs is still in Bath, but Narrows is in Giles County, and Alleghany County lies between Bath and Giles.

The name Bath derives from the medical springs within its boundaries, which for many years during the summer months were visited by persons from as far south as Louisiana. Families drove up in their carriages and stayed for months to enjoy the curative effects of the waters and bracing mountain air.

The third county formed in 1791 was Mathews which was taken from Gloucester. It lies "to the eastward of a line to begin at the mouth of North river, thence up the meanders thereof to the mill, thence up the eastern branch of the millpond to the head of Muddy creek thence down the said creek to Piankatank river." The name is said to be in honor of a Major Thomas Mathews of the Revolution who afterwards was prominent in the legislature representing the Borough of Norfolk in the House of Delegates from 1785 to 1791.

In 1793, there were also three counties formed. One of these, Grayson, was taken from Wythe as follows: "Beginning in the Washington line where it joins the Iron Mountain, thence along the said mountain to a spur of the same that forms Ewing mountain, keeping the ridge that divides the waters of Cripple and Bush creeks to the top of the said mountain, thence a straight course to the Popular Camp mountain by Rose's mill thence to the mouth of Greasy creek thence a straight course to the Montgomery line." Grayson took its name from Colonel William Grayson, an officer in the Revolution, member of the Continental Congress and one of the first two senators elected from Virginia after the adoption of the Constitution to serve in the Congress of the United States. Unfortunately his tenure of office was short; he died 12 March 1790.

Also in 1793, Russell County was divided and all that part "which lies westwardly of a line beginning on the top of Clinch mountain, one mile eastwardly of big Maukason gap, thence a direct course to the mouth of Stock creek thence up the same to Powell's mountain, thence due north to the Kentucky boundary shall form one distinct county and be called and known by the name of Lee." The name honored General Henry Lee who was Governor of Virginia 1791-1794. He is more often called "Light Horse Harry Lee" from the fact that he commanded, during the Revolution, light horse cavalry. He was the father of General Robert E. Lee. Lee is the county farthest to the west and adjoins Tennessee and Kentucky.

Also in 1793, the county of Madison was formed from Culpeper. Its bounds were within a line "Beginning at the mouth of Robinson river thence up the same to the mouth of Crooked run, thence up the said run to the mountain road where Tennant's church formerly stood, thence a straight course to the head of Hugh's river in the Blue Ridge, thence the same course continued to the top of the ridge and to the line of Shenandoah county, thence westwardly on the top of the ridge with the lines of the counties of Shenandoah and Rockingham to the line of Orange county to the beginning." One may wonder that the name Madison was used again, but at this date the earlier Madison County lay in Kentucky. When in 1792 Kentucky achieved statehood, it was composed of nine counties formerly in Virginia; namely: Fayette, Lincoln, Jefferson, Madison, Mercer, Nelson, Bourbon, Mason and Woodford.

Four years after Madison County, Virginia was formed, Brooke was cut from Ohio County. This name was for Robert Brooke, Governor of Virginia 1794 to 1796. He was a grandson of the Robert Brooke who, in 1716, accompanied Governor Spotswood on the famous expedition across the Blue Ridge Mountains. Both Brooke and Ohio are now in West Virginia.

In 1798, Wood was established from Harrison County. It is named for James Wood, Governor of Virginia 1796 to 1799, and son of Colonel James Wood, an early settler in the Valley of Virginia, and founder of the city of Winchester. Wood and Harrison are also West Virginia counties.

The next county created, also destined to lie in West Virginia, was Monroe. This was formed from Greenbrier County and named to honor James Monroe. Born, like General Washington, in Westmoreland County, he had a long political career culminating in the Presidency of the United States. The creed he expounded, called the "Monroe Doctrine", is still followed by our government.

THE NEW CENTURY BRINGS SIX NEW COUNTIES 1800-1810

As the new century, 1800, came in, Tazewell was formed from Wythe and Russell counties. Its bounds were all that part of the aforesaid counties "beginning on the Kanawha line and running with the line which divides Montgomery and Wythe counties to where the said line crosses the top of Brushy mountain, thence along the top of the said mountain to its junction with the Garden mountain, thence along the top of the said mountain to the Clinch mountain, thence along the top of the said mountain to the head of Cove creek, a branch of the Maiden Spring fork of Clinch river; thence a straight line to Mann's gap in Kent's ridge; thence north forty-five degrees west, to the line which divides the state of Kentucky from that of Virginia; thence along said line to the Kanawha line and with said line to the place of beginning." The name honored Henry Tazewell, United States senator from Virginia 1794-1799.

In 1801, Virginia made a second attempt to honor Thomas Jefferson by naming the new county taken from Berkeley in his honor. The Jefferson County formed in 1780 was, in 1801, a part of Kentucky and this new county was destined to fall in West Virginia; hence no county within the present confines of the state honors this great Virginian.

Harper's Ferry, situated in Jefferson County at the confluence of the Shenandoah with the Potomac River, is as well known for the beauty of its location as for being the site of John Brown's Raid, the prelude to civil warfare. Incidentally it may be noted that the Shenandoah afforded an outlet to market for the produce of the Valley of Virginia since boats could pass down its waters into the Potomac and thus to Chesapeake Bay.

In 1804, the new county of Mason was formed from Kanawha. It was bounded as follows: "beginning at the mouth of Little Guyandotte River running from thence to the northwest corner of a survey of 1437-1/2 acres made for Thomas Lewis in Teaze's valley near the house of Joshua Morris, from thence to the mouth of Little Hurricane creek, thence crossing the Kanawha river and taking a dividing ridge between Eighteen Mile and Pocatallico creeks to the end thereof, thence pursuing a northeast direction till it intersects the Wood County line to the Ohio, thence down the Ohio to the beginning."

Within this county lies Point Pleasant, scene of the famous battle.

This was the second time that Virginia had attempted to pay honor to George Mason of "Gunston Hall", author of the Bill of Rights. The earlier Mason County formed in 1789 became a part of Kentucky three years later, and the later Mason was destined to lie in West Virginia. George Mason, Thomas Jefferson and the Marquis de la Fayette are not represented in the list of Virginia counties.

The county of Giles formed in 1806 was created from portions of Montgomery, Monroe and Tazewell counties, and is now a border county between Virginia and West Virginia. Its boundaries are thus described: "Beginning at the end of Gauley mountain on New River, where the counties of Greenbrier and Kanawha intersect, thence up the river with the Greenbrier and Montgomery lines to the intersection of Monroe line; thence with the Monroe and Montgomery line to the upper end of Pine's plantation; thence a straight line to the mouth of Rich creek, leaving the plantation of Hugh Caperton on the right; thence with the Monroe line to the intersection of Botetourt County line and with the Botetourt and Montgomery lines to the top of Gap mountain; thence along the top of the said mountain to New River crossing the same to the end of Walker's creek mountain; thence along the top of the said mountain to the intersection of Wythe county line; thence northwestwardly with said line to the intersection of Tazewell line, and with the Tazewell and Montgomery line to the top of Wolf creek mountain; thence along Wolf creek mountain to a path leading from the Round Bottom to Harman's mill about three miles below the mouth of Clear Fork of Wolf creek; thence a straight line to the mouth of Militin's fork; thence a direct line to the head of Crane creek on the top of the Flat-top mountain; thence a direct line to the three forks of Guyandotte river; thence down said river until it intersects Kanawha county line; thence with said line to the beginning."

Mountain Lake is situated in Giles County, and is a well-known summer resort. It is also of interest for the wide range of plant life found in its vicinity. Members of the University of Virginia's Biological Department maintain a field station there and in the summer study the wide variety of plants growing nearby.

Giles County was named in honor of William B. Giles who in 1800 was prominent in Virginia politics. He later served as Governor 1827-1830.

In 1808 Amherst County was divided according to its parish lines, the western or upper part of the county which lay in Lexington Parish retained the name of Amherst, and the lower or more eastern part took the name of Nelson. This as will be recalled was the second attempt to honor Governor Thomas Nelson, whose Yorktown home still holds buried in its eastern wall two cannon balls, grim mementoes of the battle of Yorktown.

Virginia has believed in honoring the men who have held the gubernatorial office, nineteen having been thus commemorated, and Cabell County formed in 1809 carried on the tradition. It honored William H. Cabell, who served from 1805 until 1808 when he was chosen judge of the General Court. It later fell into West Virginia, and lies along the Ohio River.

1810-1820, DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES, FIVE NEW COUNTIES

In 1814, a Virginia county was formed from parts of Lee, Russell and Washington and named Scott. This name was selected because of General Winfield Scott, a native of Virginia who achieved fame because of his successes in the War of 1812. Later in the Mexican War he decisively defeated the Mexicans at Chapultepec, entering Mexico City as conqueror. As a result of this war some 850,000 square miles became United States territory.

The bounds of Scott County are as follows: "Beginning at the head of Reedy creek where the wagon road crosses the same in the county of Washington thence down the Tennessee line to the south fork of Clinch river thence northward passing the Flag Pond to the top of Powell's mountain in Lee County and along it to the county of Russell and with it to the Kentucky line, thence along Cumberland mountain to the head of Guese's river thence down the Clinch mountain thence to the western end of Samuel Hensley's plantation and thence to the beginning."

"The wagon road" mentioned in the above description is most likely the so-called "Wilderness Road" over which many west bound settlers laboriously toiled. The other route west that was often used was north to the present Pittsburgh and down the Ohio river. Powell's Mountain and the river of that name commemorate Ambrose Powell of Culpeper County, one of the earliest explorers of Kentucky who accompanied Doctor Thomas Walker there in 1749. In Scott County is the Natural Tunnel, a rare formation through which the trains of the Southern Railway Company pass regularly en route to Tennessee.

Tyler, the next county established, lies now in the northwestern part of West Virginia along the Ohio River but commemorates a Tidewater Virginian, John Tyler, Sr. He was born at "Greenway" Charles City County and served as Governor 1808-1811. His fame has been somewhat obscured by that of his son, John Tyler, junior, President of the United States.

The next county formed, Lewis, which was cut from Harrison, also lay later in West Virginia in the north central area. It derived its name from a heroic soldier, Colonel Charles Lewis who was killed at the Battle of Point Pleasant in 1774. Point Pleasant, situated near the confluence of the Great Kanawha with the Ohio River was the scene of a day-long bloody battle between the Virginia troops and Indian warriors led by Cornstalk and Logan. General Andrew Lewis, brother of Colonel Charles, was the commanding officer. The battle was hardly decisive and General Lewis wished to follow and annihilate the fleeing enemy. Lord Dunmore, in command of another detachment which arrived later, forbade this and allowed the Indians to escape. This may have been one of the reasons that influenced the Indians throughout the Revolution to espouse the British cause.

The establishment of Lewis County in 1816 was followed two years later by that of another county, Preston, formed from Monongalia, lying in the northeast corner of West Virginia, and adjoining Pennsylvania and Maryland. Preston County honored James Patton Preston, Governor of Virginia 1816-1819.

Parts of Greenbrier, Kanawha and Randolph were made into the new county of Nicholas in the same year that Preston was organized. Nicholas lies to the east of Charleston, the capital of West Virginia. Its name derives from Wilson Cary Nicholas, Governor of Virginia 1814-1816, and predecessor of Governor Preston.

1820-1830 TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS IMPROVE, FOUR NEW COUNTIES

The next county to be created was taken from Hampshire and Berkeley and represented a northern rather than a western expansion. It received the name Morgan from General Daniel Morgan, one of the outstanding generals of the Revolution who defeated Colonel Tarleton in the Battle of the Cowpens.

The bounds of Morgan County are thus set forth: "Beginning at the mouth of Cherry's Run at the river Potomac in the county of Berkeley, thence up the middle of said Run to its source, thence due west to the top of Sleepy Creek Mountain, thence along the top of said mountain to the line that separates the counties of Frederick and Berkeley, thence with the said line to the county of Hampshire, thence a direct line until it strikes the river Potomac opposite Mitchell's Rock and thence by the river Potomac to the beginning."