Upon the forming of the County of Albemarle in 1745, its boundaries included what are now Buckingham, Amherst, Nelson, and Fluvanna Counties, with parts of Appomattox and Campbell—the Blue Ridge being the Western line. The county seat was then placed in Scottsville on the James, but with final boundary adjustments in 1761 it was felt necessary to remove the court house to a more central site. Thus Charlottesville was not a town of natural growth, but a political creation. It was formed by Act of Assembly, November 5th, 1761, to take effect January 1st, 1762. The name was bestowed in honor of Princess Charlotte, bride of George III.
The Court House Square was owned by the County, and adjoined the town on the North. A court house was erected promptly, but for some years town growth was slow, and as late as 1779 the village was said to contain only about a dozen houses. In 1835 it consisted of “about 200 handsome and comfortable dwellings, generally of brick, 4 houses of worship, 3 large hotels, 1 tavern, 2 book stores, 2 druggist stores, and about 20 mercantile establishments.”
The court house and its environs now constitute Old Charlottesville, and some account of the locality will be found in the ensuing pages.
ALBEMARLE COUNTY COURT HOUSE
The first Charlottesville Court House, built in 1762, was of wood, and reproduced that of Henrico County; the cost 375 pounds, ten shillings. It stood near the site of the Confederate statue and faced down Court—now Fifth—Street.
In that small structure both Jefferson and Monroe, as fledgling lawyers, practiced that profession. Both were youthful magistrates—although public life early broke this tie for both of them. There are no records of Mr. Jefferson’s sitting on the bench, although he did take depositions. Mr. Monroe sat regularly for six months in 1799, just previous to becoming Governor.
TARLETON AND JACK JOUETT.
As the Revolutionary War drew to its end the little building knew a brief notoriety. Before the threat of Cornwallis, Governor Jefferson and the Legislature refugeed, May 24, 1781, to re-convene in Charlottesville. The Legislature met in the Court House, the overflow occupying the Swan Tavern across the street. Cornwallis dispatched in pursuit his “hunting leopard,” Col. Banastre Tarleton, with a troup of 180 cavalry and 70 mounted infantry.
These reached the village on the morning of June 4th, to find that a warning had preceded them. The members had left town for Staunton: they were pursued and seven captured. The Jeffersons—the family by carriage, Mr. Jefferson on horseback—refugeed to Enniscorthy, the Coles plantation in Southern Albemarle.
The warning was brought by John Jouett, captain of militia, and a native of Charlottesville, his father being the owner of Swan Tavern. Chancing to be in Cuckoo Tavern in Louisa County as the legion swept by on the main road, he suspected their destination and rode swiftly by a shorter route, covering the forty-odd miles in time to arrive several hours before the enemy. This was the famous “Jack Jouett’s Ride,” which in dash, and political importance, surpassed that of New England’s Paul Revere.