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
The tender feeling for the homeland is evidenced by the fact that six
out of the "eight original shires," as they are generally called, bore
names reminiscent of England. Henrico perpetuated Henry, Prince of
Wales, son of James I whose early death made even more difficult the
first years of the Colony. Charles City honored his brother Charles,
later Charles I, who combined, to his undoing, the charm and obstinacy
of the Stuarts. Elizabeth City and the river of the same name derive
from Princess Elizabeth, the oldest sister of Henry and Charles. She
married Frederick, for a time King of Bohemia, but later overthrown and
exiled. Though her life was bitter and tragic, her descendants since
1714 have occupied the throne of Britain. James City was, of course, for
King James I, of whom it was said that his instructors had given him an
abundance of knowledge but had been unable to give him sense. Warwick's
name was for Robert Rich, Earl of Warwick, leader of one of the factions
of the Virginia Company, who had founded and cared for the colony. He
belonged to the "Court Party" which wished to continue martial law in
the colony and opposed the liberal views of Sir Edwin Sandys and the
Earl of Southampton. For awhile the Sandys faction was in control and
the "Great Charter of Laws, Orders and Privileges" brought over by Sir
George Yeardley was the expression of their views on colonial
government. But the "Court Party" prevailed in the end and the charter
of the Virginia Company was revoked in 1624. Charles River County
presumably took its name from Charles I, who was King when it was
formed. In 1642/43 when it became York, the change was made to honor
James, the second son of Charles I, who in that year was created Duke of
York. Warrosquyoake, an Indian word, was later Isle of Wight County
since some of its most prominent residents were from the small island of
that name lying off the English coast. The Parish lying in and
coterminous with Isle of Wight County was called Newport from the
largest city in the English island. Accomack honored the friendly tribe
of Indians of that name residing on the Eastern Shore.
The bounds of these eight counties as noted in Tyler's _The Cradle of
the Republic_ were as follows:
Elizabeth City County extending on both sides of Hampton Roads, on the
south side to Chuckatuck Creek and on the north side to Newport News and
including a small part thereof.
Warrosquyoake County, later Isle of Wight, extending on the south side
of James River from Chuckatuck Creek to Lawne's Creek.
Warwick River County extending on the north side of James River from
Elizabeth City County to Skiffe's (Keith's) Creek. This is the only
original shire from which no other county was formed. The name was
changed to Warwick County in 1643.
James City County extending on both sides of James River, on the south
side from Lawne's Creek to Upper Chippokes Creek and on the north side
from Skiffe's Creek to above Sandy Point.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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