How Justice Grew: Virginia Counties, An Abstract of Their FormationHiden, Martha W. (Martha Woodroof)
History
How Justice Grew: Virginia Counties, An Abstract of Their Formation
Hiden, Martha W. (Martha Woodroof)
Counties -- Virginia -- History; Virginia -- History; Virginia -- History, Local
Not so along the Rappahannock, for by 1656 only three years after
Westmoreland was created, a petition was presented to the Assembly by
"the inhabitants of the lower part of Lancaster County showing their
vast distance from the county courts" and praying that a division be
made. The Assembly acceded to their wishes, ordering "the upper part of
Mr. Bennett's land known by the name of Naemhock on the south side of
the easternmost branch of Morattico Creek on the north side the river be
the lowermost bounds of the upper county; the lower county to retain the
name of Lancaster and the upper county to be named Rappahannock County."
This division followed the bounds of two parishes previously
established.
[Illustration: Virginia State Chamber of Commerce
King William County Courthouse, King William, Virginia]
[Illustration: Virginia State Chamber of Commerce
Hanover County Courthouse, Hanover, Virginia]
[Illustration: Virginia State Chamber of Commerce
Isle of Wight County Clerk's Office, Isle of Wight, Virginia]
The formation of Rappahannock County in 1656 ended the list of counties
formed in the decade 1650 to 1660.
The next development was on the Eastern Shore. It had become
sufficiently populous to support two county governments and in an Act of
the Assembly March 1661/62 reference is made to the two counties. The
southern part of the peninsula retained the name it had borne for twenty
years, Northampton, and the county to the north assumed the name once
borne by the entire peninsula, Accomack. The question of the boundary
line between the two divisions dragged on for twenty-five years, being
settled 22 March 1687/88. It has remained fixed. The boundary between
Virginia and Maryland also was long in dispute, but Watkins Point at the
mouth of Pocomoke River on its north side is the western end of the
line. The line across the peninsula was set at a little north of the
point.
With Eastern Shore divided into two counties, no further growth was
possible and the peninsula remains two counties.
The next county to be formed in the colony was Stafford, which lies on
the north side of the Rappahannock River to the west of Westmoreland.
The name is in honor of an English shire. When formed in 1664, it was a
border county with constant fear of Indian attacks since an established
Indian trail regularly used by their hunting parties lay within its
territory. Its north and west boundaries were not well defined, but
included the area later Fairfax, Prince William, Fauquier, Loudoun and
Alexandria (now Arlington) Counties.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account