Fifty Seven Families of the Northern Neck of Virginia

Coordinates: 37°58′N 76°38′W  /  37.967°N 76.633°W  / 37.967; -76.633

Region in Virginia, United States

Northern Cervix
Region
Map of Virginia with the Northern Cervix region shown in red
State	United States
State	Virginia

The Northern Neck is the northernmost of three peninsulas (traditionally called "necks" in Virginia) on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay in the Commonwealth of Virginia (along with the Middle Peninsula and the Virginia Peninsula). The Potomac River forms the northern boundary of the peninsula; the Rappahannock River demarcates it on the south. The Northern Neck encompasses the following Virginia counties: Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland;^[1] it had a total population of fifty,158 every bit of the 2020 demography.^[two]

Commentators vary as to whether to include Male monarch George County in the Northern Cervix.^[3] Historically, Charles 2'due south grant for the Northern Neck included all land between the Rappahannock and Potomac rivers, including far upstream of King George County—some 5 million acres. The boundaries of King George and Westmoreland counties have inverse radically since their institution, with significant exchanges of territory. Significant portions of the early on King George Canton lay in present-day Westmoreland County.^[4]

History [edit]

In the winter of 1607–08, Captain John Smith traveled upward the Rappahannock River every bit a prisoner of the Powhatans. He was the first European known to have visited the Northern Neck.^[3] Undaunted, he repeated the voyage in June 1608, with xiv companions in an open barge, reaching the Potomac River past June 16. He visited Native American villages, including ane near present-day Nomini (which he described and named in later accounts), but establish no treasure, only an abundance of fur-bearing animals.^[5] In 1621, the boy Henry Armada was amidst the passengers on a ship taking new governor Francis Wyatt to Virginia, and shortly afterwards his arrival he accompanied Captain Henry Spelman on a trading trip upward the Potomac River that included founding a trading post at Georgetown (afterwards role of the District of Columbia). Nevertheless on March 22, 1622, Spelman and 19 crewmen were killed in a native hamlet during the widespread massacres on that day, but Fleet was allowed to live as a prisoner until ransomed five years later. He before long sailed to England and formed a business relationship with William Cloberry, who funded a trading voyage from Virginia to New England. By 1628 Fleet had accumulated enough money to buy a plantation in Accomac Canton on Virginia's Eastern Shore, and he continued to back up his family unit by trading as well every bit acting as an interpreter with native tribes, including for Maryland Governor Leonard Calvert during a period of residence in Maryland, where he purchased land. Fleet over again returned to England from 1646 until 1648, where he married a much younger woman, then brought her to Virginia, where he patented 1,750 acres of land in what before long officially became vast Lancaster County. Armada became ane of the county'southward first four burgesses in 1652, merely died intestate in 1660 or 1661.^[6]

Meanwhile, in 1634, the Crown reserved the land betwixt the Rappahannock and Potomac Rivers for native Americans, calling it the "Chicacoan Indian District." Nonetheless, many of the original English settlers were Marylanders, who had settled on Kent Isle, but were caught in a long running controversy between Virginia trader (and burgess) William Claiborne and Lord Baltimore over the island's ownership. Claiborne aligned with the Parliamentary party during England's Civil War, and Lord Baltimore had been King Charles' Secretary of State before his decease in 1632, presently before King Charles formally affirmed Calvert'due south merits as superior. In late 1637 or early 1638, Lord Baltimore's son and heir Cecil Calvert sent his brother Leonard to occupy Kent Island by force, hence the exodus to the Virginia shore.^[7] In 1639, the Proprietors of the Island of Bermuda petitioned exit to have settlers occupy that land between the Rappahannock and Potomac rivers. Although that petition disappeared and presumably was not granted, in 1641 the Virginia General Assembly granted the right to do then "provided that the number that seat at that place bee not under twoe hundred persons, and not less than 6 able tithable persons in everye familye that there sitt [sic]" and the following twelvemonth also gave permission for prospective settlement northward of the Rappahannock River while likewise denying "for divers reasons" the correct to occupy the state.^[8]

John Carter, Sr. received the kickoff specific land grant north of the Rappahannock River on August 15, 1642, for 1300 acres on Cossotomen Creak (which became Carters Creek). Carter settled on the country several years afterward, farmed it using enslaved labor and made it his home, creating Corotoman Plantation. Carter also would serve many terms as a burgess representing Lancaster County, as well as hold local civil and military offices. In 1642-43, three others received land grants in what somewhen became Lancaster County; then six years passed before Epaphroditus Lawson received a land grant for 700 acres beginning on the east side of the mouth of Slaughter's Creek and adjoining John Carter's land.^[9] The Virginia General Assembly officially allowed settlement of the Northern Neck on October 12, 1648, by creating then-vast Northumberland County as the neck of country between those rivers. The Northumberland County Court was commencement held on Baronial 24, 1650, and fix up a government, only to exist divided at the adjacent General Assembly session, whereby the part west of the ridge became then-vast Rappahannock County.^[10]

The original Northern Neck land grant in 1661 was a land grant start issued by the exiled English language King Charles II in 1649. It encompassed all the unsettled lands bounded by the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers and, afterwards, by a straight line (the "Fairfax Line") connecting their sources. This grant was significantly larger than the surface area currently known as the Northern Cervix. John Carter's descendant received the nickname Rex Carter and was non only the local Virginia agent for the England-based proprietor, but besides a powerful politician and landowner in his own right. The relation between proprietary lands and not-proprietary lands created considerable confusion and some degree of semi-autonomy relative to the colonial government until the American Revolution.

About early on development occurred on the peninsula's eastern stop, because both the Potomac and Rappahannock river were navigable waters, and roads were limited and/or in poor condition. The autonomy and the excellent natural resources immune rich planters to arise who established tobacco plantations in the Northern Neck. During the Colonial menses, some considered the Northern Cervix equally the "Athens of the New World" considering it had many wealthy landowners who were dedicated to learning, gentlemanly society, and civic duty.^[11] Still, this elite social club and economy was based on the exploitation of enslaved Africans and African Americans.^[12] The aristocratic order and autonomy of the Northern Neck created potent antipathies between the Northern Neck and other regions of Virginia.^{[13] [ folio needed ]} Later as tobacco cultivation and erosion wore out the soil, and the residuum of the mid-Atlantic states became developed, the Northern Cervix's importance declined. Information technology was relatively isolated from chief merchandise routes and cities. This isolation may be a product of the before antipathies related to the differences in gild in the Neck and in the regions further s.

In 1687 a widespread slave conspiracy was crushed in the Northern Neck.^[fourteen] During a mass funeral, slaves in the surface area planned to kill all whites and escape. The plot was discovered and its leaders executed.^[fifteen] When authorities learned that they had plotted the uprising at gatherings for slave funerals, they prohibited such events.

The adjacent year, the Northern Cervix was the site of another attempted uprising, this ane led by "Sam, a Negro Servt to Richard Metcalfe."^[fifteen] A repeat offender, he had "several times endeavored to promote a Negro Insurreccon in this Colony." "To deter him & others from the like evil practise for fourth dimension to come," the court ordered the sheriff of James Urban center County to whip him severely, and return him to the Westmoreland County sheriff to be whipped again. Sam was sentenced to forever wear "a strong Atomic number 26 collar affixed about his neck with four sprigs." Should he leave his main'due south plantation or remove the collar, he would be hanged.^[fifteen]

In February 1766, 115 Northern Neck prominent citizens signed the Leedstown Resolutions, named afterwards Leedstown, an active port in (then) Male monarch George County. This was the outset recorded deed of resistance against the Stamp Act. Leedstown is now in Westmoreland County.

Mixed vegetable and grain farming were adopted by the later colonial menstruation.

After, the surface area developed a strong seafood industry. Reedville was in one case the wealthiest town in the United States, due to its menhaden line-fishing manufacture. Earlier the era of modern highways, many passenger and freight steamer routes linked the Chesapeake Bay region and connected with the railroads developed later on 1830.

Famous early residents [edit]

Many important historical figures were born on the Northern Neck, including U.Due south. presidents George Washington (Westmoreland), James Madison (Port Conway in Male monarch George), and James Monroe (Westmoreland), also as signers of the Annunciation of Independence, Francis Lightfoot Lee and Richard Henry Lee, and the Amalgamated Civil War general Robert E. Lee. Richard Henry Lee was elected as the sixth president under the Articles of Confederation. As well residing in Westmoreland was Colonel Nicholas Spencer, member of the House of Burgesses, secretary and president of the Governor'southward Council, and on the departure of his cousin Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper (aka Lord Culpeper), interim governor. Robert Carter I, agent for Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, born at Corotoman Plantation, became President of the Governor's Council of the Virginia Colony and briefly acting Governor of Virginia (1726-1727) following the death in office of Governor Hugh Drysdale. His sons John Carter married Elizabeth Hill of Shirley Plantation and Landon Carter married Maria Byrd, daughter of Col. William Byrd Two and resided at Sabine Hall, his grandson Robert Carter Three inherited Nonomy Hall – purchased from the aforementioned Nicholas Spencer. Finally, the Tayloe Family established their family unit seat Mount Blusterous, on the southern shore of the neck, across from Tappahannock on a high perch overlooking the Rappahannock River. John Tayloe I, John Tayloe Ii who built Mount Airy and afterwards Menokin for his son-in-law Francis Lightfoot Lee, John Tayloe 3 who later built the Octagon House and his sons John Tayloe 4, Benjamin Ogle Tayloe, William Henry Tayloe and George Plater Tayloe were all built-in here.

American Civil War [edit]

During the American Civil War, Northern Neck and particularly, King George Canton were on the borderland between the Union and Confederate armies. As such, Male monarch George was an operating base for spies on both sides. The Union forces controlled the Potomac River and the due north shore of the Rappahannock River farther upstream for much of the war.

While trying to elude Union cavalry, on Apr 21, 1865, the co-conspirators John Wilkes Berth and David Herold crossed by rowboat into the Northern Cervix in Rex George County from Maryland afterward assassinating President Abraham Lincoln. Booth and Herold landed at the rima oris of Gambo Creek before meeting with Confederate agents who guided their passage to Port Conway. In that location, they crossed the Rappahannock River to Port Imperial in Caroline Canton. Booth was killed and Herold captured a short distance away at Garrett's Farm.

Postwar evolution [edit]

Colonial Beach, a small incorporated boondocks in Westmoreland County located on the Potomac River waterfront, developed as a popular tourist spot for the people of the Washington, D.C. surface area in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Information technology offered a embankment, swimming, and gambling. The gambling facilities were built on piers extending into the Potomac River to ensure they were within Maryland, as the state edge runs along the southern depression tide line of the Potomac River. With the end of gambling, and improved admission to competing Maryland and Delaware ocean beaches, Colonial Beach declined in popularity as a tourist destination. It and the rest of the Northern Neck still keep to attract dedicated outdoor enthusiasts for angling and canoeing.

Geography [edit]

The region has 1100 miles of shoreline, containing beaches, marinas, erstwhile steamship wharfs, and pocket-size towns that date to colonial times. Today small farms, vineyards, and wineries are interspersed with retirement communities and rural businesses that share the country. Since the 1970s, wine-making has increased in importance in the Northern Cervix. The federal regime has recognized the Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace American Viticultural Area equally a sanctioned wine appellation for wines grown in the 5 counties.

Pregnant portions of the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge prevarication in the Northern Cervix. It also is abode to five state parks and natural areas, including Caledon Natural Area, Bush-league Mill Stream Natural Surface area Preserve,^[16] Dameron Marsh Natural area, and Westmoreland and Belle Isle state parks. The George Washington Birthplace National Monument is a national park.

Museums [edit]

• A. T. Johnson High School Museum – 1 of the first African-American high schools in the Neck, located in Montross
• Essex County Museum and Historical Lodge in Tappahannock – relates Neck history from pre-colonial through today
• George Washington Birthplace National Monument documents the life of local George Washington and agricultural practices of the colonial catamenia
• Celebrated Christ Church in Weems – built in 1735, is one of the best-preserved of colonial Virginia's Anglican parish churches
• Kilmarnock Town Museum – local history
• Kinsale Museum – local history
• Museum at Colonial Beach – local history
• Westmoreland Canton Museum and Library – local history
• Richmond County Museum – local history
• Male monarch George County Historical Society Museum – local history
• Mary Ball Washington Museum and Library – features Lancaster County history with exhibits and speakers. The History and Genealogical Library has approximately 10,000 books and manuscripts, with emphasis on the Northern Neck, Virginia and Maryland colonial records, local family unit genealogies, plantations and churches, and all major state and local periodicals and magazines
• Menokin – home of Francis Lightfoot Lee, who signed the Annunciation of Independence, located in Warsaw
• Morattico Waterfront Museum – features the Morattico State Shop, wharf, and crab and fishing industry along the Rappahannock River in Lancaster County
• Northern Neck Farm Museum – farming in the surface area
• Reedville Fisherman's Museum – local fishing industry
• Steamboat Era Museum – history of steamboats when the rivers were the most important send routes in the land
• Stratford Hall Plantation – built in 1730, birthplace of Robert E. Lee, exhibits of his life

Festivals [edit]

In 2004, the Menokin Bluegrass Festival was launched in Richmond County at the ruins of Francis Lightfoot Lee'southward bequeathed dwelling, Menokin. The festival attracts thousands of bluegrass fans every yr to celebrate the Northern Neck's musical and historical heritage.

The Richmond County Fair, started in 1989, is dubbed the "biggest Piffling Off-white in the Southward."^[3] It is held in Baronial in Warsaw. The King George Fall Festival, founded in 1959, is held the second weekend of October in King George Canton. All gain from this event get to support the King George Burn and Rescue. The Autumn Festival Committee is made upward of representatives from all of the county's customs organizations. The Autumn Festival includes a parade through town, a carnival, a arts and crafts off-white, a dance, and the Autumn Festival Queen Pageant.

Stratford Hall hosts an almanac Historical Haunts program. Activities include ghost tours of the Bang-up Firm, pumpkin painting, various Halloween crafts, picture-taking with Frankenstein and a witch, and an eighteenth-century fortune teller.

Tourism [edit]

Tourism is a significant source of economical activeness in the Northern Cervix region. Visitors are attracted to the natural resources, and history and heritage of the peninsula. Natural attractions include national parks, state parks, and agri-tourism, while a number of historic sites related to the nation's founders are open up to the public. Colonial Beach, Westmoreland State Park, Rappahannock River National Wild animals Refuge, and many other locations provide water admission for line-fishing, boating, and yachting. The region has xx-vii marinas.

There are 9 wineries in the region that may be plant on the Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail.

Other popular Northern Neck attractions include Stratford Hall, the birthplace of Robert East. Lee and an example of a Virginia plantation, George Washington Birthplace National Monument, the Westmoreland Drupe Farm, and the Westmoreland Land Park with Horsehead Cliffs.

See as well [edit]

• Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace AVA
• Northern Cervix Proprietary

References [edit]

1. ^ Founded in 1951 by The Northern Cervix of Virginia Historical Society
2. ^ "QuickFacts: Virginia, Usa". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved four September 2021.
3. ^ ^{a b c} The Official Guide of Virginia'southward Northern Neck (2007), Northern Cervix Tourism Quango
4. ^ King George County Courthouse Wall Map.
5. ^ Carolyn H. Jett, Lancaster County, Virginia: Where the River meets the Bay, (Lancaster County History Book Committee, 2003) pp. 30-31
6. ^ Jett p. 31
7. ^ Jett p. 33
8. ^ Jett p. 32
9. ^ Jett p. 32
10. ^ Jett p. 34
11. ^ George Washington Birthplace National Monument Introduction Film
12. ^ Visitor Center Westmoreland Virginia State Park signage
13. ^ Charles Henry Ambley, Sectionalism in Virginia 1776–1861, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1910
14. ^ Howard Zinn, A People'southward History of the United States, 1492-Present (New York: HarperCollins, 2003), p. 32.
15. ^ ^{a b c} Theobald, Mary Miley; "Slave Conspiracies in Colonial Virginia", Foundation, Winter 2005–2006
16. ^ Town & County Magazine, 26 January 2008

Further reading [edit]

• Trebay, Guy (November 22, 2012). "Virginia'southward Lost History". The New York Times . Retrieved 14 June 2013.

External links [edit]

• Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Society
• Northern Neck Planning District Commission

brewercreat1964.blogspot.com

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Neck

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