How Justice Grew: Virginia Counties, An Abstract of Their Formation

by Martha W. Hiden

The Colony Prospers Under A King and Queen and Two
New Counties Honor the Royal Family

After Middlesex in 1669, there was a hiatus of 22 years before a new county was created. In that period, the colony's fortunes had been checkered, and unrest and depression had been widespread. Troubles with the Indians, Bacon's Rebellion and economic ills, which led to tobacco cutting, all combined to make Virginia a gloomy place. The accession of James II brought no improvement in England, and the time was ripe for revolution. James II was forced to flee. He was succeeded by his daughter Mary and her husband, who was his nephew, Prince William of Orange. Under their rule, both England and Virginia became more prosperous. The next new county, King and Queen, created 1691, was named in their honor. This was formed from New Kent, "so that Pamunkey River divide the same, and so down York River to the extent of the county, and that the part which is now on the south side of York and Pamunkey River be called New Kent, and the north side with Pamunkey Neck be called and known by the name of King and Queen county." It was enacted further "that the inhabitants of Pamunkey Neck, that now belong to St. Peter's Parish be restored and added to St. John's Parish from which they formerly were taken, and that the Pamunkey River be the bounds betwixt the two parishes."

About the same time Lower Norfolk became populous enough to justify the formation of a new county. This was to begin "at the new inlet of Little Creek and so up the said creek to the dams between Jacob Johnson and Richard Drout and so out of the said dams up a branch the head of which branch lyeth between the dwelling house of William Moseley, Senr., and the new dwelling house of Edmond Webb, and so to run from the head of the said branch on a direct line to the dams at the head of the Eastern branch of Elizabeth River, the which dams lie between James Kemp and Thomas Ivy, and so down the said branch to the mouth of a small branch or gutt that divides the land which Mr. John Porter now lives on from the land he formerly lived on, and so up the said small branch according to the bounds of the said plantation where the said Porter now liveth, and from thence to the great swamp that lieth on the east side of John Showlands and so along the said great swamp to the North River of Currituck and down the said North River to the mouth of Simpson's Creek and so up the said creek to the head thereof and from thence by a south line to the bounds of Carolina." The name of this new division was Princess Anne honoring the second daughter of James II by his first wife Anne Hyde, and the sister of Queen Mary. Later Princess Anne became a very popular Queen, Fluvanna County, the Rivanna River, the North Anna and South Anna and the Rapidan River all being named for her. At the same time that Princess Anne was formed, the name of Lower Norfolk was changed to Norfolk County.

Richmond and Essex From Old Rappahannock

Settlers had long found the Rappahannock River area attractive. The county of this name, established in 1656, and lying on both sides of the river, had grown steadily and its population was sufficient to support two county governments. It was enacted that the river be the dividing line, "that part which is now on the north side thereof be called and known by the name Richmond County and that that which is now on the south side thereof be called and known by the name of Essex County." It was further ordered "that the records belonging to the county court of Rappahannock before this division be kept in Essex County, that belonging wholly to their majesties and the other to the proprietors of the North Neck." This was a seemingly casual reference to the grant Charles II had made to some of his supporters while he was in exile and had confirmed on his coming to the throne; it comprised over five million acres lying between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers from their headsprings to the Chesapeake Bay. Not until the colony became independent was the Proprietary abolished.

In 1702 another division was created. The land lying between the Pamunkey and Mattaponi Rivers, known as Pamunkey Neck was taken from King and Queen and became King William County. This honored the reigning monarch, King William, now a widower since the death of Queen Mary in 1694.

King William died the same year his namesake county was formed and his sister-in-law, Queen Anne came to the throne. The first county formed thereafter honored her husband, the Prince Consort, George of Denmark. The new county, Prince George, embraced that portion of Charles City lying on the south side of James River. The estate, "Brandon," and the third oldest church building in Virginia known as Merchants Hope, are within its confines.

After a reign of twelve years Queen Anne died and the Elector of Hanover ascended the throne as King George I of England. Several years before this, the Tangier-born Alexander Spotswood was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Virginia and took up his residence in Williamsburg. Williamsburg had become the capital in 1699. It was on higher land than malarial Jamestown and a more healthful place to live.

Governor Spotswood was active and eager to explore the resources of the colony. One of his achievements was to lead a group of adventurous persons to the summit of the Blue Ridge and blaze the way for westward expansion. He also was interested in bringing over from the German Palatinate colonists adept in iron mining, and establishing them on the edges of older settlements. This brought about the creation of several counties as we shall see later.

In 1721 the "Upper Inhabitants" of Richmond County because of their great distance from the courthouse petitioned to become a separate county. The eastern part lying below "Charles Beaver Dams and from the head thereof by a north course to Westmoreland County" was to retain the name Richmond and the part above the said dams and course was to be King George County. The name, of course, honored George I.