County's bounds are as follows: "Beginning at the top of the Blue Ridge
where the counties of Shenandoah and Page corner on the Rappahannock
county line; thence west with the Page line to the top of the southeast
Fort mountain; thence north with the top of said mountain to its
termination at the mouth of Powel's fort; thence a straight line from
the top of said mountain to the nearest top of the Three top mountain;
thence with the top of said mountain to the high peak opposite
Strasburg; thence a straight line to Hoffman's ford across the north
branch of Shenandoah river; thence down the bed of said river to the
mouth of Cedar creek on the north side of said river; thence up said
creek to where the Winchester and Staunton stage road crosses said
creek; thence a straight line to Zion meeting-house in Frederick county;
thence with the main road leading towards the White post until it
reaches Colin Leache's corner, a point on said road; then eastwardly by
a direct line passing south of the buildings and curtilages of doctor
James Hay and James M. Hite; to a point on Burden's March run; thence by
a direct line to a point on the Shenandoah river at the mouth of
Fauntleroy's mill run on the north side of the Shenandoah river; thence
from the mouth of said run a straight line to the nearest top of the
Blue Ridge; thence a southwest course with the top of said Blue Ridge to
the beginning."
The next year, 1837, Mercer, now in West Virginia but adjoining Giles
County, Virginia, was formed. The Act authorizing its creation is as
follows: "All that part of the counties of Giles and Tazewell contained
within the following boundary lines ... shall form one distinct and new
county and be called and known by the name of Mercer county in memory of
general Hugh Mercer who fell at Princeton." Appropriately the county
seat of Mercer County is Princeton.
In 1838 the Virginia counties of Greene and Roanoke were set up.
The Act for the former county is as follows: "So much of the county of
Orange as it lies next to and adjoining the counties of Madison,
Rockingham and Albemarle and west of a line beginning at Cave's old mill
(now James Jackson's) on the Madison county line and running thence a
straight line to where Whitelow's mill run intersects the Albemarle
county line shall form one distinct and new county and be called and
known by the name of Greene county in memory of general Nathaniel Greene
who served his country in the revolutionary war."
It may be mentioned that this is the second county in Virginia honoring
General Greene. The correct spelling for his first name is Nathanael.
In Greene County lies Swift Run Gap. This is the gap in the Blue Ridge
mountains over which in September 1715, Governor Spotswood led his
adventurous band into the beautiful Valley of Virginia. Westward
expansion began at this date.
The second county created in 1838 was Roanoke composed of that portion
of Botetourt lying next to the southwestern parts of Montgomery,
Franklin and Bedford. Roanoke was the name applied by the early
colonists to the shell-beads of different colors used by the Indians as
a medium of exchange. The river had long been known as Roanoke, hence it
seems likely that the county took its name from the river.
Roanoke County is thus bounded: "beginning at a point on the Blue ridge
which divides the counties of Bedford and Botetourt, thence northwest to
the house now the residence of John Bonsack on Glade creek so as to
include the said Bonsack in the new county, thence a line to the house
of Thomas Barnes including said Barnes in the county, and so as to leave
John W. Thompson in the county of Botetourt, thence a straight line
crossing the Catawba Valley at a point one mile due north of Mrs.
Garwood's; thence crossing Craig's creek (passing the house of John
Spessard on Craig's creek so as to leave the said Spessard in the old
county) to the top of the mountain which divides the waters of Craig's
creek and Sinking creek, thence westwardly along the top of the mountain
to the point where the lines of Botetourt, Montgomery and Giles counties
meet, thence with the line which divided the county of Botetourt from
the county of Montgomery to the point at which the said line joins the
Bedford line, thence with the Bedford line to the beginning."
In this same area in the following year the county of Pulaski was
created from the western end of Montgomery and the eastern end of Wythe.
Its name honored the Polish patriot Count Casimir Pulaski who, exiled
from his homeland, came to America and joined General Washington's army.
He participated in important engagements and finally fell on 11 October
1779 unsuccessfully defending Savannah, Georgia.
The bounds of Pulaski County are thus set forth: "beginning at a line
dividing the county of Giles from Montgomery on New river, thence with
same line to the head of a hollow above Hiram Davis's on Little Walker's
creek; thence to a point on the main road between the lands of John T.
Sayers and Harvey Shepherd including the plantation of David G.
Shepherd, thence to the mouth of Pine run on New river, thence to the
Grayson county line; including Sally King's plantation on Reed island;
thence with the Grayson line to the Floyd line, and with the same to the
mouth of Indian creek on Little river, and with the same including the
farm of Creed Taylor to New river, and with the same to the beginning."
1840-1850 FLOOD TIDE, SIXTEEN NEW COUNTIES
Three years elapsed before another county was needed and it was not
until 1842 that the county of Marion was formed from the southern part
of Monongalia and the northern part of Harrison. The name given it was
"in honor to and in memory of general Francis Marion who served his
country in the war of the revolution." This county now lies in West
Virginia.
Also in 1842, a new county in the southwestern area of Virginia was
formed from Grayson. It was thus bounded: "beginning on the North
Carolina line at or near Fisher's peak and running thence a straight
line across the said county of Grayson (so as to cross Chestnut creek
near the ford at major James Anderson's) to the line of Wythe county
thence along said Wythe line to the line of Pulaski county thence along
said Pulaski line to line of Floyd county, thence along said Floyd line
to the line of Patrick; thence along the said Patrick line to the North
Carolina line thence along said North Carolina line to the point of
beginning ... and be called and known by the name of Carroll in memory
of Charles Carroll of Carrollton." Charles Carroll, one of the Maryland
Signers of the Declaration of Independence, had been the last survivor
of this noble group, dying in 1832 at the age of 95 years.
The third county created in 1842, Wayne, taken from the western part of
Cabell lay along the Ohio river and is now in West Virginia. This new
division was to "be called and known by the name of Wayne county in
memory and in honor of general Anthony Wayne."
Two counties destined to be in West Virginia were set up in 1843. The
first of these was Ritchie in the western part of the state created from
portions of Lewis, Harrison and Wood. The name honors Thomas Ritchie,
"founder and long the able editor of the _Richmond Enquirer_ and 'father
of democracy' in Virginia."
The other county, Barbour, lying in the northeastern part of the state
was established from areas of Harrison, Lewis and Randolph. The
description of its bounds besides mentioning the usual rivers and ridges
names also several persons which always draws the reader's interest.
Some of these are: "Rueben Davisson's farm," "the old farm now occupied
by Samuel Bartlett," "William Bean's," "Samuel Black's residence" and
"the widow Corley's corner tree."
The name of the county was "in honour to and in memory of Philip Barbour
of Virginia." Appropriately the county seat is Philippi. Judge Barbour,
a native of Orange County, Virginia, where his home "Frascati" still
stands, achieved distinction as a Judge of the Supreme Court. He had
died the year before the county was formed.
Taylor County, also in the northeastern part of West Virginia was formed
in 1844 from sections of Harrison, Barbour and Marion. Its bounds
mention "the residence of Anderson Corbin," "the residence of James
M'Daniell," "the residence of Joseph Bailey," "the farm of John H.
Woodford" and others.
The name of the county honors General Zachary Taylor, twelfth President
of the United States, a native of Orange County, Virginia. He had a
distinguished military career, serving in the Black Hawk, Seminole and
Mexican Wars.
The determination on the part of Virginia's General Assembly to render
justice more easy and accessible to all its citizens was as strong in
1845 when parts of Lewis and Kanawha counties became Gilmer County as it
had been two centuries earlier. It was the unifying purpose in all
development.
The name Gilmer takes us to Albemarle County, Virginia, where Thomas
Walker Gilmer, elected Governor of Virginia in 1840, was born. He was
grandson of Doctor Thomas Walker of "Castle Hill," Albemarle County who
was the first to explore Southwest Virginia and Kentucky.
At the same time that Gilmer was formed, the county which lies to the
north of it was established. Both are now in West Virginia. The bounds
of Doddridge County, as noted in the Act of Assembly creating it, list
several waterways including Hughes's and Monongahela rivers but the most
interesting land mark named is "the Northwestern turnpike road at
tollgate number eleven." This shows steadily advancing development in
transportation, for earlier there had been references to wagon roads,
then to stagecoach roads and now to a turnpike with the regular
tollgates to provide funds for maintenance.
The name honors the memory of Philip Doddridge of Brooke County, who was
a prominent member of the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1829-30.
He was an advocate of the wishes of the western portion of the state to
have representation based upon white population exclusively. This motion
failed and a compromise constitution was agreed upon. Philip Doddridge
died in Washington, D. C. in 1832 while serving as a member of Congress.
After discussing six counties now in West Virginia, we come now to the
county of Appomattox formed in 1845 from portions of Buckingham, Prince
Edward, Charlotte and Campbell. The name derives from the river which
traverses the county.
Its bounds are thus defined: "Beginning at the mouth of David's creek on
James river; thence a straight line to the head of Holleway creek;
thence down the same as it meanders to Appomattox river; thence down
the same to the Cutbanks; thence a straight line to the mouth of Cabin
branch on Vaughan's creek; thence up the said creek to its head; thence
a straight line to Merryman's or Land's; thence along the public road
leading by M'Kinney's old store to the fork of the Lynchburg road about
a mile north of the Red house; thence a straight line to the old mill
formerly owned by William Harvey; thence along the Lynchburg road to the
mill formerly owned by Samuel Branch, esquire, on Falling river; thence
up the said river to the mouth of Reedy creek; thence a straight line to
Hunter's old tavern (now Glovers); thence a straight line to Sterling C.
Anderson's; thence a straight line to the mouth of Scott's branch about
a mile before the mouth of Joshua's creek on James river; and thence
down the said river to the beginning."
In 1846, in the northwestern portion of the present state of West
Virginia, the new county of Wetzel was set up from Tyler. The following
landowners are named as living within its bounds: "James Peden (or
Paden), Richard Anchrom and Rueben Martin, esquire." The county was so
called "in honor of Louis Wetzel, the distinguished frontiersman and
Indian scout, the Boone of Northwestern Virginia."
As if feeling this action a little unfair, the Assembly next year, when
a new county was to be created, named it Boone "in honor to and in
memory of Daniel Boone the well known pioneer of the western frontier
settlements." Boone was taken from parts of Kanawha, Cabell and Logan
counties and lies south of Charleston, the state capital.
In this same year, the county of Alexandria was added to Virginia's
jurisdiction. The Assembly enacted "That the territory comprising the
county of Alexandria in the District of Columbia heretofore ceded by
this commonwealth to the United States and by an act of congress
approved on the ninth day of July eighteen hundred and forty-six
retroceded to this commonwealth, and by it accepted, is hereby declared
to be an integral portion of this commonwealth and the citizens thereof
are hereby declared to be subject to all the provisions, and entitled to
all the benefits, rights and privileges of the bill of rights and
constitution of this commonwealth."
In 1791, to aid in establishing the Federal City, as Washington was
sometimes called, Virginia gave to the United States certain land taken
from Fairfax County to form a part of the District of Columbia. In the
Act quoted above it has been seen that the United States retroceded to
Virginia that part of the District of Columbia which comprised the
county of Alexandria. The name in 1920 was changed to Arlington.
Across the state from Alexandria the new county of Highland came into
being in 1847, being taken from parts of Pendleton and Bath. Its bounds
are thus given: "Beginning where the North river gap road crosses the
Augusta county line, and running thence to the top of Jackson's mountain
so as to leave Jacob Hiver's mansion house in Pendleton county; thence
to Andrew Fleisher's so as to include his mansion house in the new
county; thence to the highlands between the Dry run and Crab bottom; and
thence along the top of the High Knob; thence north sixty-five degrees
west to Pocahontas county line; thence along said county line to the
plum orchard on the top of the Alleghany mountains; thence to Adam
Stephenson's mansion house on Jackson's river in Bath county so as to
include Thomas Campbell's mansion house on Back creek and also said Adam
Stephenson's in the new county; thence to Andrew H. Byrd's mansion house
on the Cow-pasture river so as to include the same in the new county,
and so as to leave the dwelling house of William M'Clintick, jr. in Bath
county; thence south sixty-five degrees east to the Augusta county line
and thence with said line to the beginning."
The name of the county is derived from its exceptionally high altitude,
and the name of its county seat, Monterey, reflects the popular interest
felt in the victory General Taylor had just won over the Mexicans at the
Battle of Monterey.
After the formation of Highland County five counties destined to lie in
West Virginia were established. The first of these, Hancock, created in
1848 out of Brooke, lies in the extreme northern tip of the present
state between the Ohio river and the Pennsylvania state line. Its name
honors the first Signer of the Declaration of Independence, whose
distinguished signature is familiar through countless reproductions.
In this same year from portions of Jackson and Wood counties was formed
Wirt. This is in the northwestern area of the state not far from
Parkersburg. In the description of bounds, only three land owners are
named, John Stephens, junior, John P. Thomasson and William Goff.
The name of the county honored the distinguished lawyer, William Wirt,
who had died a few years before. He had served as Attorney General of
the United States from 1817 to 1829 and had been a candidate for the
Presidency on the Anti-Masonic ticket in 1832. He is best remembered for
his life of Patrick Henry.
The third county created in 1848 was Putnam, composed of parts of
Kanawha, Cabell and Mason counties, and lying to the west of the city of
Charleston. Its name recalls a hero of the Revolutionary War, General
Israel Putnam who distinguished himself at the Battle of Bunker Hill and
became a popular hero.
1850-1860 EBBING TIDE, TWELVE COUNTIES
The year 1850 saw the formation of two more counties now in West
Virginia. The first one, Raleigh, was taken from the southern part of
Fayette. In its bounds, the lands of Isaac Sonners and Jackson Jarrell,
and the New, Coal, and Guyandotte rivers are noted. The name was "in
memory of Sir Walter Raleigh who made the earliest effort to colonize
Virginia." It is pleasant to see that Virginia finally recognized her
debt to this valiant soul, even though it was tardily done, for he died
in 1618.
A few days after Raleigh became a county, the Virginia Assembly enacted
that the county of Wyoming be erected out of the county of Logan.
Wyoming lies in the southern central portion of West Virginia. The
reason for the name is obscure, whether it was for the beautiful Wyoming
Valley in north central Pennsylvania watered by the Susquehanna River,
or for the brutal massacre of its inhabitants on 4 July 1778 by a
British and Indian force is unknown.
Half of the nineteenth century has passed and our narrative has only a
few more years to chronicle. In 1851, three counties were formed. One of
these, Craig, remained in Virginia. It was taken from parts of
Botetourt, Roanoke, Giles and Monroe.
Its bounds were as follows: "Beginning on the top of the Middle mountain
at the corner of Monroe and Alleghany counties, near Achilles Dews, and
running with the Alleghany line to the top of Peters' mountain; thence
westward along the top of said mountain to a point nearby opposite to
the house of Boston Rowan; thence crossing Potts' creek to a point one
fourth of a mile below said Rowan's so as to leave said Rowan's in the
county of Monroe; thence a southwestern direction to the top of Potts'
mountain, so as to leave Armentrout, Fridley and Rose in Monroe; thence
westward along the top of said mountain to a point opposite Colonel R.
M. Hutchinson's on John's creek, and thence a straight line including
said Hutchinson in the new county, and crossing Sinking creek valley to
William Niday's, including said Niday in the new county, to the
Montgomery line; thence eastward with the Montgomery line to the corner
of Roanoke and Montgomery; thence with the Roanoke line to the top of
Brush mountain; thence eastward along said mountain, crossing the Cove
branch where John Carper formerly lived; thence along the same range of
mountains passing near Lilburn Doss's, crossing Stone Coal gap; thence
along the same range of mountains, crossing Price's turnpike road to a
point opposite Daniel Sizer's; thence a northwestern direction crossing
Craig's creek above said Sizer's to a point one mile from Craig's creek
on the ridge; thence to Andrew Persinger's on Barber's creek; thence to
the Alleghany line and with the same to the beginning."
The name of the county honored Robert Craig, member of Congress from
Virginia 1829-1834, 1835-1841.
In the same month in which Craig was set up, the new county of Upshur
was created from parts of Randolph, Barbour and Lewis, all now in West
Virginia. The starting point in the description of its bounds reads as
follows: "Beginning at a rock or milestone on the Staunton and
Parkersburg turnpike road ten miles east of Weston in Lewis County."
This shows that transportation had developed sufficiently to connect
places on the Ohio River with other sections of Virginia.
Upshur County took its name from Abel P. Upshur whom President Tyler
appointed Secretary of State to succeed Daniel Webster. Upshur was
killed 28 February 1844 by the explosion of a new type of cannon which
was being tested on the U.S.S. _Princeton_.
Also in March 1851, from the counties of Tyler, Wood and Ritchie the new
county of Pleasants was established. This lies in the area around
Parkersburg in the northwestern part of West Virginia, along the Ohio
River. The name honored the memory of James Pleasants, Governor of
Virginia, 1822 to 1825, member of a family long resident and prominent
in the state.
Five years passed and in the interval population had increased to such
an extent in the western part of Virginia that four county governments
had to be set up to take care of legal needs. One of these, Wise, formed
from portions of Lee, Scott and Russell counties, remains in Virginia.
The name honored Henry A. Wise, Governor of Virginia 1856-1860.
The bounds of the county were as follows: "Beginning at the break of
Cumberland mountain on the Kentucky and Virginia line where the Pound
fork of Sandy breaks through the Cumberland mountain; thence up the
Pound fork to the mouth of Crane's nest, a water of said Pound fork;
thence with the dividing ridge between the waters of Crane's nest and
McLure's, to William Taylor's farm, including said Taylor's farm in the
new county; thence a straight line to the mouth of Lick creek; thence
down Clinch river to the mouth of Guest's river; thence up Guest's river
one mile; thence a straight line to the Camp rock south of the High
Knob; thence a straight line to the Pole fence on Little Powell's
mountain, on the line dividing Scott and Lee counties; thence with said
county line to the head of Stock creek including the farm of Zachariah
N. Wells in the said county; thence a straight line to the Cedar gap
near Powell's river; thence a straight line to the dividing ridge
between the waters of Crab orchard and Pigeon fork; thence with said
dividing ridge to the Kentucky line and thence with the Kentucky line to
the beginning."
In the Act creating the county it was ordered that the "said seat of
justice shall be known as Gladesville," but the present county seat is
called Wise.
As has been said, Wise was the only one of the four counties erected in
1856 that remains in Virginia. The next county formed was Calhoun taken
from the lower portion of Gilmer County beginning at the West Fork of
the Little Kanawha River. The name derives from the great South Carolina
statesman who succeeded Abel P. Upshur as Secretary of State and was
long outstanding in politics.
At the same time that Calhoun became an entity, parts of the counties of
Kanawha, Jackson, and Gilmer lying a little to the west of Calhoun
became Roane County. The description of its bounds is startling when it
mentions "the Ravenswood and California turnpike in Jackson county," but
later we learn that California is a town in Jackson County.
With regard to Roane County, "its name and that of its seat of justice,
Spencer, commemorate that of him [Spencer Roane] whose life and public
services added lustre to the annals of Virginia jurisprudence." Spencer
Roane was "judge of the Supreme Bench 1794 to 1822."
The next county was Tucker formed out of the northeastern portion of
Randolph County and adjoining also the counties of Hardy, Preston and
Pendleton. The county seat appropriately bore the name of Saint George.
The county was "named in honor of Saint George Tucker the eminent
Virginia jurist while the seat of justice derives its name from Saint
George Tucker who was Clerk of the House of Delegates at the time the
county was formed."
Two years later in 1858, three more counties were established, one of
which, Buchanan, was destined to remain in Virginia, and the other two
in West Virginia.
McDowell, one of the two, was taken from the northwest portion of
Tazewell County and remains a border county between the two states, "The
ridge between Abb's Valley and Sandy" is one of the bounding lines noted
in the description; it recalls the Indian Massacre that occurred in that
Valley and the many stories related about it.
The name of the county honors James McDowell, elected Governor of
Virginia in 1843 and serving until 1846.
Clay County formed also in 1858 was created out of the southern part of
Braxton County and the northern part of Nicholas. Among the property
owners whose lands were mentioned as within its bounds, were Thomas
Jarvis, jr., James Rogers, Charles Ruffner, who with others owned a
twelve thousand acre tract "(near the farm of William Nichol, Sr.),"
Strother B. Grose and Abraham Dilly.
The county was so named in honor of Henry Clay, the great Kentucky
statesman who had died only a few years before its formation.
The Virginia county established in 1858 from parts of Tazewell and
Russell was Buchanan, named for James Buchanan, President of the United
States 1857-1861.