The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-11-06
Interesting Sketches.

The Alexandria Sentinel has been publish.
ing some sketches of Virginia history :" for
children" which are very interesting to grown
people. The last of the number contains the
following facts about the Old Dominion
The boundaries of Virginia have undergone
great changes. The charters given by King
James l., in whose reign the colony was SET
Lled, granted all the territory contained ha-
tween two lines, the one drawn from a point
on the Atlantic sea-coast, two hundred miles
south of Point Comfort; the said lines TO be
extended "West and North west' across to the
Pacific Ocean; also all the islands with
in three hundred leagues of the fore
going grant. This was a vast domain of
the extent OF which King James had no con.
ception for he knew not how distant the
Pacific Ocean lay from the Atlantic
But King James's successors paid small re-
spect to the limits thus accorded to Virginia.
In 1882 Charles l., son of James granted to
Lord Baltimore all that portion of the ancient
Virginia domain out of which has been form
ed the State Of Maryland. In 1870 he also
gave away belt of territory extending from
ocean To ocean, and including as it's ATTAIN tic
front what is now the State of North Caro-
lima. No settlement being then made on this
grant, in 1868 Charles III. bestowed it upon the
Duke of Albemarle and Others
BY the treaty Of peace between the French
aud English in 1868, al the close of the French
and Indian war, line drawn along the mid
die OF the Mississippi River became Vir-
glhia's western boundary; so that her terri
tory was no longer to stretch from sea to sea-
In June ITS Virginia relinu uished all claim
10 such OF her original territory as had been
taken away in the charters erecting the cole
South Carolina
Virginia had still very extensive dominion
Spreading from the Allan tic to the Mississippi
River, and stretching up that river to It's source,
her territory embraced, in addition 10 her pre-
sent boundaries, what is now included in the
States OF Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Michigan and Wisconsin
In the revolutionary war this large domain
created much jealousy and discomfort among
the other colonies. They com planned that Vir-
gina had greater interests dependent on the
result than they, but only encoun tered equal
periis ana they feared also that the small
colonies would after Ind pen dence was gained
be oyersbadowed and endangered by such pre-
ponderance OF power in their neigbbors
10 rel1eve these discontenls Virginia, In
l7ol, generously yielded to the United States
for the common benefit the whole of her vast
territory Northwest of the Ohio river.
In 1889 Virginia further authorized inhabi-
tants OF that portion of her territory now con-
stltutlng the State Of Kentucky. to form them
selves into separate commonwealth. In 1892,
that movement was consummat ted, and Virgil
MIA thus reduced to her present limits.
RIVERS.
With the exception of the James, the York
and few others, the rivers of Virginia were
wisely permitted to retain their melodious In-
dian names. Among these are the Potomac,
Rappahannock, Ohio, Shenandoah, kanawha,
Appomattox, Cnickahominy. and Naasemond.
Chesapeake Bay was also named by the In
dians.
The islands and the smaller mountains are
generally named after their discoyerers.
Smiths Island, near Cape Charles, is thus
called in honor of Capt. John Smith.
The counties first formed chiefly derived
their names from royal personages, colonial
governors, kings, ministers, and English no.
biemen; or by the adoption of those OF English
counties.
~
honor of William and Mary King William in
honor of William after Mary's death King
George in honor Of George l.
Elizabeth City, James City Charles City,
Princess Anne, Prince George Prirc ce Will
liam, Prince Edward, and probably Amelia
Charlotte Augusta, Caroline, and Louisa are
all named after members sf the successive
royal families.
Berkeley, CuIpeper, Dinwiddie, Fauquier,
and Botetourt were SO called IN compliment
To the Colonial Governors of those names
Goochland was also named in honor of Gov.
Gooch. Shenandoah was likewise first called
after Governor Dunmore, but the name was
changed after DuDmore became the enemy of
the Colony.
Albemarle, Amherst, Bedford, Brunswick,
Buckiu gham, Ches terfield, Cumberland, Es-
sex, Fairfax, Gloucester, Halifax Hampshire
Hanover, Isle of Wight, Lancaster LOudoun,
Mecklen berg, Middlesex, New Kent, Norfolk,
Northampton. Northum berland Orange Rich
mond, Southampton, Stafford, Surry, Sussex
Warwick, York, and perhaps some Others are
names derived from England or English off,
cials or noblemen.
Patrick and Henry, (after Patrick Henry,)
Jefferson, Nelson, Harrison, Randolph, Lee,
Brooke, Wood, Monroe, Page Cabell, Tyler
Barbour, Nicholas, Preston, Pleasants, Giles,
Floyd, GIImer, Mcdowell and Wise, We're
named after Virginia Governors subseq uent
to Independence. Some of these citizens af-
terwards occupied still more distinguished
positions.
no foil wi tioao oFta
tinguished statesmen, revolutionary patriots,
and soldiers-the most of Them Virginians
Washington, Franklin, Madison, Wy the, Geo y
Braxton, %. NJ Boone, (Danlel,) Campbell,
Clarke. (den. G.. Rogers.) Calhoun, u. CD
Clay, (Henry,) Craig, Doddridge, Fayette -,
Grayson, (Wm..) Greene, (Gen. NathanieI,)
hanc1eks Hardy (Samaet} Jack
Marion, (Gen. Francis,) Marshall, (Chief JUS
tice,) Mason, George Mathews, (ien. Mer-
Ger, (Gen. Hugh,) Montgomery, (Gen.,) Nor
gan, (Gen. Daniel Pendleton, Edmund, Pu-
laski, (Count,) Putnam, Roane, Russell. (Gen.
VIM, Richie, (Thos., } Scott, (Gen. Winfield)
Smy tn, (Gen. Alex } Taylor, (John,) Taze-
well, (aenryJ Tucker, Upshur, Warren,
err Wir,, (Wm.) Logan is called after the Gel
ebrated Indian chief of that name. Rockbridge
takes its name from the famous Natural
Bridge within its limits. Accomac, Motto
way, Nansemond, Pocahontas, PoWhatan and
some others, bear Indian names.
GOVERNORS.
The following is a list of the Virginia Gov
ernors since the Revolution:
Patrick Henry, from 1916 to 1879; Thomas
Jefferson, from 1879 TO 1881 Thomas Nelson,
from 17Sl to 1881; Benz. Harrison, from 1871
TO 177l Patrick Henry, from 1884 10 1856 ; Ed
mund Randolph, from 1885 to 17SS; Beverly
Randolph from 17sS to 1891 Henry Lee, from
1891 to 1871; Robert Brooke, from 1894 to 1896;
James Wood, from 1896 TO 1899; James Mon
roe, from 1899 to 1902; John Page, from 1902 TO
IS05 William IL. Cabell. from 1905 10 1908 !;
John Tyler, from l60S to 1911 James Monroe
and Geo. w. Smith, from 1911 TO 1872; James
Barbour, from 1912 10 1914; W. g. Nicholas,
from 1914 TO 1916; James +. Preston, from 1916
to 1910; Thos. M Randolph, from 1919 10 1922;
James Peasants, from lS22 TO 1S25; John Ty-
ler from 1925 to 1927; VIM Il. GILES, from 1877
to 1880; John Floyd, from 1880 to 1884 Little
ton w. TaZeweli, from 1884 to 1886; Wynd-
ham Robertson, Lieut. and acting Governor,
from 1886 TO 1887; David Campbell, from 1887
to 1910; Thomas w. Gilmer, from 1910 TO 1eil;
John Rutherford, Lieut.. and ac ting Governor,
from 1siI to 1912; John NJ Gregory, Lieut..
and acting Governor, from 1912 to lS43; James
Mcdowell, from 1918 to 1876; William Smith,
from 1ei6 to 1919; John Il Floyd, from 1919 TO
1852; Joseph johnson, from 1852 to 1856 !;
Henry A Wise, from 1856 10 1860; John
Letcher, 1860.
NEW MARKET RACEs-Fifth Day.--The fall
season AT New Market closed on SATURDAY wi tn
two races The first was single dash of mile,
1900 entrance between DIR. Hare's sorrel colt
Revenue, Mr.. Doswell's Janette, (full sister to