Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-14
VIRGINIA PLACE-NAA1Es.

Criticism of the Changes Made by
the Geological Survey.
II the United States Geological Survey
Gas quoted in the Dispatch Of last Sun
day. knows no more about geology than
it does about the origin Of Virginia place
names, it had better shut I'D shop. T.
is seldom that an official publication has
contained more errors
Aiken swamp is not in Chesterfield. hut
Henrico- The well-known varina, or
Aikens, as it was known during the war.
is on the left hand side Of the river NOT
far below Dutch Gap.
DR.. Archibald Alexander was not in the
slightest degree related to the family
after whom Alexandria was named. n
the survey had made the slightest inves-
tigation they could have ascertained this.
His ancestors settled and lived in the
mountain section Of the State.
There was never any such person as
Lord jeffrey Amherst, though there wa,
jeffrey, Lord Amherst
Bedford was named for John, not Ed
ward, Duke OF Bedford.
Berkeley, near Norfolk, was not named
for Norborne Berkeley, Lord Botetourt
but for family Of the name who owned
much land there, and some OF whom. II
IS pelieVed, stu reside In tho town OF
Berkeley.
Bland county is not named for lon
Bland, a London merchant, but for Rich
ard Bland. of Revolutionary celebrity
Chesterfield county is almost certainly
named for the celebrated Philip Dormer
Stanhope, Earl OF Chesterfield, and NOT
for the English town
Cumberland county is not named for the
English county: but for William Angus
tus. Duke of Cumberland, the victor of
Culloden. Eppes Island, on James river.
was so named more than hundred years
before Dr.. Eppes was born. It was the
property OF the family at an early date.
Floyd county was named for Governor
John Floyd. and not for his son. Governor
John B. Floyd, as stated by the Geologi-
cal Survey.
Instead OF the county of James CITY
deriving its name from jamestown. the
reverse Is the case. The settlement was
first named James Cl-y ard this name
extended to the cointy, later the little
village was called Jamestown
Lunsnburg does not owe its name to the
German home OF it's settlers It Is an
Anglicized form OF Luneburg. which was
one Of the titles OF George I as Duke of
Notwithstanding. Like Brunswick.
it Was named in honor OF the royal
family.
Mathews county was not named FOR
General George Mathews. Of Georgia. bur
for General Thomas Matthews, of Nor
folk. Va, who was long prominent IN
the State Legislature and had BEEN
meritortous officer in the Revolution.
MecklenburE. OF course. derived It's
name indirectly from the German place
OF the same name; but it was SO named IN
honor Of Charlotte OF Neeklenburx ssrelitz.
Queen OF George III.
Michau1 is. OF course not an indian
name. but Is. as suggested by the Dis
patch. that OF Hu:uenot family, which
until the present time have owned estates
In the neiehborhood-
In the Geological Surveys account OF
the origin OF the name Newport News
they have maue q rather Iudicrous~ com.
promise between the old view as to chris.
topher Newport, and the new one Al ia.
the Nswca family.
Norfolk county was probably named tor
rather Its predecessor Lower Norfolk was,
from Thomas Howard, Earl OF Arundel
and Norfolk. who had very large grants
of land there. a.
& The old story that Orange county de-
rives It's name from the color Of its soil
(which BY tho way Is not oranre) M.
been pretty Well exploded. Its name Il
one OF the tributes by which the COLONIAL
showed tho honor IN which thew
hsldsthe memory Of viiliam 5of Crane