Part 4 (1/2)
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 Was.h.i.+ngton 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 Const.i.tution 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 Was.h.i.+ngton, 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 pa.s.s 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.