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.