Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-12-21
TABLET UNWILLING.
paper read at Northumberland Court
Hon i Mcnonald

TABLET UNWILLING.
paper read at Northumberland Court by
Hon. }, ]. McDonald.l
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF
COUNTIES.
We meet to add chapter to the
history of Northumberland County.
AS Virginia is justly famous as the
mother of States and statesmen, so is
Northumberland County Justly en-
titled to fame as the mother of coun.
ties, some of which were the birth
places of the most distinguished men
of this nation.
WHEN 1T WAS SETTLED
As to the date when this county
was first settled, | suppose will for
ever remain an unsolved problem.
The first settlements were made along
the James river for convenience; there
were no roads in the interior, and
the river banks were more secure
from Indian raids.
As the colony increased in num-
bers, the settlements were extended
into the interiors of the peninsulas
in Tidewater, and public highways
were constructed through the dense
forests. The settlements were grad
ually extended towards the Kappa.
hammock river section. Lands were
granted to the settlers, and so eager
were they to secure to themselves
the choice places that many ventured
far beyond the settled and safe limits,
and became prey TO the depredatiDg
Indians. To prevent these adven-
turous spirits from seating in danger
GUS localities, the General Assembly
passed acts prescribing the limits
beyond which it was felony to settle.
In 1642, an act was passed making
it tfelony to settle beyond the southern
banks of the Rappahannock river,
but permitting persons to make selec-
tions of land upon the north side of
that river, in the Northern Neck.
Notwithstanding tn prohibition,
the Northern Neck must have had
settlements within it's limits prior to
this Act, because Northumberland
was represented in the House of
Burgesses in 1643 by John Matrum.
His name appears in Hennings Stat
utes as the only delegate from Nor
thumberland, without specifying
whether Northumberland was then a
county, or Plantation. A planta
tion was first so named as place
where tobacco was planted, and q
planter was one who planted tobacco.
Later plantation became settle
ment or community of settlers, such
as we today designate precinct or
township.
Northumberland was first known
as Chickcoan, or Chickawane-In-
dian names.
The old Statutes state that Nor
thumberland County was formed by
Act of Assembly in 164S, though
Hennipg, the Compiler of the early
statutes, states it as his belief that
the County was formed in l642 by
the Governor and Council during
the recess Of the Assembly. The
Governor and Council were granted
authority to form Corporations,
Boroughs, and Counties. Some
sections were formed into hundreds
after the English cnstom of dividing
territory into sections where one
hundred families resided.
The limits of Northumberland
County were defined in the Act as
"the Neck of land between the Rap
pahannock and Potomac rivers" later
known as the Northern Neck of Vir-
ginis. At that date it WAS not known
how far these rivers extended to reach
their head waters. Their limits
proved to be very extensive, for from
this one county, twenty-ope counties
In all were formed, so that Northum-
berland is justly entitled to fame as
the Mother of Counties. Beginning
at the eastern end Of the Northern
Neck, the counties formed from the
original territory of Northum berland
County were as follows: Lancaster,
Northumberland, Richmond, West
moreland, King George, Stafford,
Prince William, Fauquier, Fairfax,
London. Culpeper, Clarke, Madison,
Page, Shenandoah and Frederick in
the present limits of the State of
Virginia; Hardy, Hampshire, Morgan,
Berkeley and Jefferson now within
the state of West Virginia.
This territory gained fame in sew
eral instances. 1t Was granted BY
the King to Lord Hopton and Others
who later sold it to Lord Culpepper,
and it was heired by his daughter
Catherine who married 8 Fairfax,
and her child, Lord Thomas Fairfax,
the Sixth, became heir to it through
her. 1t comprised nearly 100000
acres, and was the largest individual
land holding ever in America. When
this Lord Fairfax took charge of it,
he became subject to many lawsuits
by those who held prior grants from
the colony, or Grown. lie exacted
certain rents from all settlers, and sc
much vexation and trouble resulted
that upon his death the Genera
Assembly passed certain acts reliev
ing the people from these burdens
called composition money"
The Northern Neck will ever b,
famous in the history Of this Nation
Within Its limits were born thre
Presidents of the United States ant
the mother of the first President frs
breathed the air of life here.
| was the birth nlace of poanv man VIZ n