A new and comprehensive gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia, Part 5

Author: Martin, Joseph. ed. cn; Brockenbrough, William Henry
Publication date: 1835
Publisher: Charlottesville, J. Martin
Number of Pages: 1278

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USA > Virginia > A new and comprehensive gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia > Part 5

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CHICKAHOMINY river rises between the vallies of the Pamunkey and James rivers, about 20 miles N. W. from Richmond; it flows thence S. E. by E .- having the counties of Henrico and Charles City on the right, and Hanover, New Kent, and James City counties on the left ; it falls into James river after a comparative course of 60 miles.

CHESAPEAKE bay, a deep gulf, opening from the Atlantic ocean, between capes Henry and Charles; lat. 37° and long. 1º cast from Washington, intersecting in the mouth of the bay, near midway between the capes, which are about 15 miles asunder. The mouth of this fine sheet of water extends westward 20 miles to the mouth of James river. Curving rapidly, above the influx of James river, the Chesapeake extends almost directly north over one degree of latitude, with a mean breadth of 20 miles, having received from the westward James, York, Rappahannock, and Potomac rivers, and from the opposite side, Pocomoke and Nantikoke rivers. Widened by the union of so many tributaries, the Chesapeake is upwards of 40 miles wide from the mouth of the Potomac to that of Pocomoke, and about 35 from the most southern capes of the Potomac to the influx of Nantikoke river. A- bove the entrance of the two latter streams, the main bay narrows to a mean width of about 10 miles, and at some places under 5 miles, but with an ellip- tic curve to the westward 115 miles to its termination, at the mouth of Sus- quehannah, river, having received from the westward above the Potomac, the Patuxent, Patapsco, Gunpowder and Bash rivers, and from the eastward Nantikoke, Choptank, St. Michaels, Chester, Sassafras and Elk rivers. The entire length of Chesapeake bay is 185 miles; and it may be doubted whe- ther any other bay of the earth, is, in proportion to extent, so much diversi- fied by confluent streams as is the Chesapeake.

In strictness of geographical language, it is, however, only a continuation of Susquehannah river, of which primary stream all the other confluents of Chesapeake are branches. In the main bay the depth of water continues sufficient for the navigation of the largest ships of war to near the mouth of Susquehannah ; and in Potomac that depth is preserved.to Alexandria. In the other tributary rivers large vessels are arrested before reaching the head of tide water. If taken in its utmost extent, including the Susquehannah valley, the Chesapeake basin forms a great physical limit; to the S. W. with few exceptions, the rivers, bays and sounds, afe shallow, and compara- tively unnavigable; but with the Chesapeake commences deep harbors, which follow at no great distance from each other, to the utmost limits of

OF VIRGINIA.

the Atlantic coast of the United States. The entire surface drained into this immense reservoir amounts to near 70,000 square miles.

We know of no place in which we can better introduce an article upon the CHESAPEAKE PENINSULA, a natural section of the United States, the pecu- liar features of which are generally lost or confused among the political sub- divisions of our country. This physical section is bounded by the Atlantic ocean S. E., by Chesapeake bay W., by Delaware bay N. E. and united to the main continent by an isthmus, now traversed on the north by the Ches- apeake and Delaware canal. That work has in fact insulated the peninsula, and given it water boundaries on all sides. Thus restricted, this peninsula extends from Cape Charles N. lat. 37° 8' to the Chesapeake and Delaware canal at N. lat. 39º 32'. Greatest length very nearly in a direction north and south 182 miles. The general forin is that of an elongated ellipse, which, in component material, features, and elevation, differs in nothing essential from the Atlantic islands scattered along the coast of the United States. Chesapeake bay is itself divided between Virginia and Maryland; the shores on both sides south of the Potomac and Pocomoke rivers belong to the former, and to the northward to the latter State. The southern part of the peninsula is entirely in Virginia, and is a long, narrow promontory, 70 miles, by 8 to 10 miles wide. Above Pocomoke bay the peninsula widens, and after an intermediate distance of 33 miles, is equally divided between the States of Maryland and Delaware. In the widest part, between Cape Henlopen, Sussex county, Delaware, and the western part of Talbot, Maryland, the width is 70 miles, but narrowing towards both extremes, the mean breath is about 27; area 4900 square miles. The surface is generally level or very gently undulating. The ocean and Chesapeake shores are strong- ly contrasted. Along the former, are narrow and low islands, with shallow sounds, and no stream issuing from the land of any consequence. The opposite shore of the Chesapeake is in an especial manner indented by innu- merable bays, and compared with the confined width of the peninsula, rivers of great magnitude of volume. The character of the Atlantic is extended along the Delaware bay; and entirely round the peninsula, much of the soil is liable to diurnal or occasional submersion from the tides.

The general slope is southwestward as demonstrated by the course of the rivers Pocomoke, Nantikoke, Choptank, Chester, Sassafras, and Elk. Po- litically it contains all Sussex, Kent, and more than one-half of New Castle county, of Delaware, all Worcester, Somerset, Dorchester, Talbot, Caroline, Queen Ann, and Kent, and one-third of Cecil county, of Maryland, with all Accomack and Northampton counties, of Virginia.

CHOWAN river, is in North Carolina, but formed by the union of three streams of Virginia, the Meherin, Nottoway, and Blackwater rivers:

The Meherin rises in Charlotte county, Virginia, 1º 30' west from Wash- ington City, lat. 37°, between the vallies of Roanoke and Appomattox, and flowing thence S. E. by E. by comparative courses 80 miles, passes into North Carolina between Northampton and Gates counties, and 20 miles farther unites with the Nottoway, above Winton, between Gates and Hert- ford counties.

The Nottoway derives its remote sources from Prince Edward county, Virginia, between those of Meherin and Appomatox. In a general eastern course of 70 miles, the Nottoway separates Lunenburg, Brunswick and Greensville counties from Nottoway, Dinwiddie and Sussex, and flows into the central parts of the latter. Thence inelining S. E. 40 miles it receives

一

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Blackwater river almost on the boundary line between Virginia and North Carolina. Below the junction of the Nottoway and Blackwater, the name of the former, and course of the latter, are preserved, and about 10 miles within North Carolina and in Gates county, meet the Meherin to form Chowan river.

A tide water river, or more correctly a bay, the Chowan, gradually widens, but still retaining a moderate breadth, 25 miles to the influx of Be- mer's creek, there bends to near a southern course and more rapidly widens for 25 miles to its junction with Roanoke, at the head of Albemarle sound. Lat. 36°, passes up Albemarle sound, and intersects the eastern point of Bertie county, North Carolina, between the mouths of Chowan and Roan- oke, 0° 20' long. east of Washington City.

Including all its tributaries, the Chowan drains an area of 3,500 square miles, which, as a physical section, comprises the northeastern part of the basin of Roanoke. As a commercial channel, the Chowan, Nottoway, and Blackwater extend almost directly from the mouth of Roanoke to that of James river. There is at all seasons sufficient depth of water to admit sloops of war to Murfreesboro' on Meherin, about 10 miles above the entrance of Nottoway river.

CLINCH river of Virginia and Tennessee, the great northeastern consti- tuent of Tennessee river, rises in Tazewell county, Virginia, and flows thence by a general course of S. W. over Russell and Scott counties, 90 miles. Entering Tennessee, Clinch separates Claiborne county from Haw- kins, Granger and Anderson; Campbell from Anderson, and thence travers- ing the latter, enters Roan, and unites with the 'Tennessee at Kingston, after an entire comparative course of 180 miles. In the south part of Campbell county Clinch receives from the N. E. Powell's river. The latter rising in Russell county, Virginia, issues thence in a direction almost parallel to the Clinch; traverses Lee county of Virginia, enters Tennessee, crossing Claiborne and Campbell counties, joins the Clinch at Grantsboro, after a comparative course of 90 miles. A short distance above its junction with Tennessee river, the Clinch receives from the N. W. Emery's river. It may be remarked that the course of the higher branches of Emery's river is directly the reverse of that of Clinch and Powell's river. Uniting the vallies of Emery's and Clinch river, the whole valley is about 220 miles long ; but the width is contracted comparatively, and fully estimated at 20 miles; area 4400 square miles.

In all their respective courses, Clinch and Holston pursue a parallel direc- tion, in few places 20 miles asunder, each receiving short creeks, from an intervening mountain chain. On the opposite or right side, Clinch in suc- cession interlocks sources with those of Great Sandy, Kentucky and Cum- berland rivers. The relative elevation of the vallies of Clinch and Holston differ but little from each other, and each stream above their junction, must have, from their remote fountains, a fall of 1000 or 1200 feet.

COAL river, in western Virginia, rises in Logan county by two branches, called relatively Great and Little Coal rivers. The former rises in the wes- tern spurs of the Appalachian ridges, flows N. W. out of Logan into Ka- nawha county, receives Little Coal river from the S. W. and finally falls into the right side of Great Kanawha and Guyandot rivers. [Sce Kan. co.]

CRAIG's creek, or, more correctly, CRAIG's river, is the extreme S. W. tributary of James river, rises in Giles and Montgomery counties, Virginia, interlocking sources with a branch of Great Kanawha, and with the extreme

OF VIRGINIA.

higher sources of Roanoke; and flowing thence to the N. E. over Bote- tourt county, falls into James river after a comparative course of 40 miles.

COWPASTURE river, Virginia, rising in the mountain valley between the Kittatinny and Warm Spring mountain, interlocking sources with the south branch of Potomac, but flowing in an opposite direction S. S. W. falling into, or joining Jackson's river, to form James river, after a comparative course of 50 miles.

DISMAL SWAMP. This remarkable swamp extends from north to south nearly thirty miles; and averages from east to west nearly ten ; it lies partly in Virginia, and partly in North Carolina. Five navigable rivers, and some creeks rise in it; of the rivers, two flow into Virginia,-south branch of Elizabeth river, and south branch of Nansemond,-and three into North Carolina,-the North river, the North West river, and the Pequimonds. The sources of all of these streams are hidden in the swamp, and no traces of them appear above ground. From this it appears, that there must be plentiful subterraneous fountains to supply these streams,-or the soil must be filled perpetually with the water drained from the higher lands which surround it. The latter hypothesis is most probable, because the soil of the Swamp is a complete quagmire, trembling under the feet, and filling imme- diately the impression of every step with water. It may be penetrated to a great distrance by thrusting down a stick, and whenever a fire is kindled upon it, after the layer of leaves and rubbish is burned through, the coals sink down, and are extinguished.

'The eastern skirts of the Dismal Swamp are overgrown with reeds, ten or twelve fect high, interlaced every where with thorny bamboo briars, which render it almost impossible to pass. Among those are found, here and there, a cypress, and white cedar, which last is commonly mistaken for the juniper. Towards the south, there is a very large tract covered with reeds, without any trees, which being constantly green and waving in the wind, is called the green sea. An ever-green shrub, called the gall-bush, grows plentifully throughout, but especially on the borders; it bears a berry which dies a black color, like the gall of an oak,-and hence its name.

Near the middle of the Swamp, the trees grow much closer, both the cypress and cedar ; and being always green and loaded with large tops, are much exposed to the wind, and casily blown down, in this boggy place, where the soil is too soft to afford sufficient hold to the roots. From these causes, the passage is nearly always obstructed by trees, which lay piled in heaps, and riding upon each other; and the snags left in them pointing in every direction, render it very difficult to clamber over them.

On the western border of the Dismal Swamp, is a pine swamp, above a mile in breadth, the greater part of which is covered to the depth of the knee with water: the bottom, however, is firm, and though the pines grow- ing upon it are very large and tall, yet they are not easily blown down by the wind; so that this swamp may be passed without any hinderance, save that occasioned by the depth of the water. With all of these disadvantages, the Dismal Swamp, though disagreeable to the other . senses, is, in many places, pleasant to the eye, on account of the perpetual verdure which makes every season like the spring, and every month like May. (See a more par- ticular description of Dismal Swamp, Norfolk county.)

DAN river, belongs partly to Virginia, and partly to North Carolina, it drains the greater part of Granville, Person, Caswell, Rockingham and Stokes counties, of the latter state, and of Patrick, Henry, Pittsylvania, and 6

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Halifax counties, of the former state. The extreme western sources of Dan river are in Patrick county, Virginia, and in the S. E. spurs of the Blue Ridge. The general course almost due east along the intermediate borders of North Carolina and Virginia, to where the four counties of Pittsylvania, Halifax, Person and Caswell meet. Here entering and flowing in Virginia N. E. by E., falls into the Roanoke at Clarksville, having a mean breadth of about 33 miles. This river drains 3,960 square miles.

DIVIDING creek, a small stream of Virginia, forming for a few miles the boundary between Lancaster and Northumberland counties, and then falling into the Chesapeake.

ELIZABETHI river, rises by numerous small branches in Princess Ann and Norfolk counties, flows to the N. W. opening into a wide estuary, termi- nating in the mouth of James river. The entire length of Elizabeth river is only about 25 miles, but it gains importance as forming the fine harbor of Norfolk, admitting to that port vessels of 18 feet draught, and again as constituting with the Dismal Swamp canal and Pasquotank river, a chain of inland navigation from Chesapeake bay to Albemarle sound.

ELK river, in western Virginia, rises amid the Appalachian ridges in Randolph and Pocahontas counties, interlocking sources with those of Mo- nongahela, Little Kanawha, Wheat, Greenbrier and Gauley rivers. Leav- ing Randolph and Pocahontas, and traversing Nicholas and Kanawha coun- ties, it finally is lost in Great Kanawha at Charleston, after a comparative western course of 100 miles.

GAULEY river, rises in Randolph, Pocahontas, and Greenbrier counties, by numerous creeks which unite in Nicholas, and flow by a course a little south of west, falling into the right side of the Great Kanawha river, at the head of the Great Falls. The valley of Gauley river is about 60 miles long, and lies between those of Elk and Greenbrier rivers.

GREENBRIER river rises in the northern part of Pocahontas county, over which it flows, and entering and traversing Greenbrier county, falls into Great Kanawha, after a comparative southwestern course of 90 miles. Greenbrier has its remote sources in the same ridges with those of Cheat river branch of Monongahela, and those of the South branch of the Poto- mac. The valley of Greenbrier lies between those of James and Gauley rivers. It is an elevated region. The water level is from actual admea- surement, 1,333 feet at the efflux of Greenbrier into Great Kanawha. The mean height of the farms above the ocean level cannot fall much, if any, short of 1,500 feet.

GUYANDOTTE river rises in Logan county, from the northwestern foot of the Great Flat Top mountain, and flowing thence N. N. W. draining a valley between those of Great Kanawha and Sandy rivers, enters Cabell county and falls into Ohio river below Barboursville, after a comparative course of about 100 miles.

GUYANDOTTE, LITTLE, falls into Ohio river between the mouths of Guy- andotte and Great Kanawha rivers, and for some miles above its mouth con- stitutes the boundary between Mason and Cabell counties.

HAMPTON ROADS, local name of the mouth of James river opposite the mouths of Nansemond and Elizabeth rivers. Towards the Chesapeake bay, Hampton Roads is defined on the north by Old Point Comfort, and on the south by Point Willoughby; within James river the termination is in- definite. This sheet of water is sufficiently deep for the largest ships of war. The United States commissioners, appointed to examine the lower

OF VIRGINIA.

part of Chesapeake bay in 1818, reported, that although extensive, Hampton Roads admitted the erection of adequate defences against an enemy's fleet.

HOLSTON river rises in the Alleghany mountains, in Virginia, and flows S. S. W. into Tennessee, it then takes a course more to the south to Knox- ville, and 35 miles below that town, it unites with the Clinch, and the united streams take the name of the Tennessee. It is navigable for boats of 25 tons burthen, more than 100 miles. On its banks are several iron-works; and the adjacent country abounds with iron-ore, and contains several lead- mines. Valuable salt works exist near its sources.

JACKSON river, the principal constituent of James river, rises by two branches, the north and south forks, in the southern part of Pendleton county, Virginia. Flowing thence southwestward and nearly parallel, and between lateral chains of mountains, the two branches traverse Bath county, and en- tering Alleghany, incline towards each other and unite, but the united stream still pursues a southwestern course, receiving Dunlop's creek from the west and Pott's creek from the south, after a comparative course from the source in Pendleton of about 50 miles. With the junction of Pott's creek, the whole stream inflects very abruptly to N. E. and flowing in that direction 15 miles, through rugged mountain passes, unites with Cow Pasture river to form James river. The valley of Jackson's river, is an elevated region. At Covington, the county seat of Alleghany county, whore Dunlop's creek falls into Jackson's river, the water surface is 1,238 feet above the Atlantic level; it is therefore probable, that the greatest part of the arable surface of the adjacent country execeds a comparative height of 1,500 feet. Int. 38º, and long. 3º west, Washington, intersect in the western part of Bath county, about 6 miles north of the junction of the two main branches of Jackson's river.

JAMES river. The two streams which unite to form this fine river, may be seen under the he head of Jackson and Cow Pasture rivers. Below the junction of its two constituents, the united water is first known as James river, which forcing a passage through between Pott's and Mill mountains, enters Botetourt, and assumes a southern course 10 miles, to where it re- ceives Craig's creek from the south, and inflecting to S. S. E. flows in that direction 15 miles, thence abruptly turns to N. E. by E. 20 miles, to the wes- tern foot of Blue Ridge, and the reception of North river from Augusta and Rockbridge counties. Assuming a S. E. course of 28 miles, James river, now a fine navigable stream, traverses a gap of Blue Ridge about 15 miles N. E. the Peaks of Otter, and in a distance of 30 miles, separating Amherst from Bedford and Campbell counties, and traversing another late- ral chain of mountains near Lynchburg, again turns to N. E. Continuing the latter course 40 miles and separating Amherst and Nelson from Camp- bell and Buckingham counties, James river assumes a course a little south of east 70 miles by comparative course, having on the left the counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Goochland and Henrico, and on the right the coun- ties of Buckingham, Cumberland, Powhatan, and Chesterfield, to the head of tide water and the lower falls at Richmond.

Meeting the tide, James river, similar to most of the Atlantic rivers of the United States generally, widens and presenting rather the features of a bay than those of a river, turns to a little E. of S. E. 90 miles by comparative courses, finally merges into Chesapeake bay, between Point Willoughby and Old Point Comfort. The entire length of James river, from its source in Pendleton, to its efflux into Chesapeake, is 368 miles, but following the

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

actual meanders it is probable that this stream flows not much if any less than 500 miles.

The valley of James river, including all its tributaries, lies between lat. 36° 40' and 38° 20', and in long. extends near 1º east to 3º 40' west from Washington. A line in a S. S. W. direction from Old Point Comfort to the Alleghany mountain will pass along very near the middle of this val- ley 225 miles. The broadest part is along the extreme sources, from the fountains of Jackson's river to those of Craig's creek 90 miles, but the mean width amounts to about 45 miles and the area to 10,125 square miles.

In the natural state James river affords at, and a few miles above, its mouth, depth of water for ships of any required draught, but the depth gradually shallows, so that only vessels of 130 tons can reach Rockets, or the port of Richmond. Though much has been designed above tide water in meliorating the navigation, little has been actually accomplished. A canal connects the tide below, and the navigable water above the falls at Richmond. The following relative heights will show the gradual rise of the James river. Columbia at the mouth of Rivanna 178 feet; Scottsville, at the southeastern angle of Albemarle county, and below the southeast chain of the Appalachian system 255 feet; Lynchburg, also be- low the southeast mountain 500 feet; Pattonsburg, at the great bend above Blue Ridge 806 feet; Covington, at the junction of Dunlop's creek and Jackson's river, 1,222 feet; highest spring tributary to Craig's creek, 2,498 feet. Those heights are only the elevation of the water, and at every point must fall short of that of the arable soil. Without any great risk of error, an allowance of winter temperature equal to 6 degrees of Fahrenheit may be made between the extremes of this valley on the same latitude.

KANAWHA, GREAT, river. North Carolina and Virginia, has the most remote source in Ashe county of the former, between the Blue Ridge and main Appalachian chain, there known by the name of Iron mountain ; the two higher branches, after draining the northern part of Ashe, unite near the boundary between North Carolina and Virginia, and continuing their original course to the N. E. by N., enters Grayson county of the lat- ter state, breaks through the Iron mountain between Grayson and Wythe; winds over the latter and Montgomery; thence inflecting to the N. N. W. traverses Walker's and Peter's mountains. Below the latter chain, the course of N. N. W. is continued to the mouth of Gauley river having re- ceived also from the northeast Greenbrier.

Above Gauley river, the main volume of Kanawha is called New river ; but receiving the Gauley, and turning to N. W., this now large stream, known as the Great Kanawha, is still farther augmented from the north by Elk river, and from the south by Coal river, falls into Ohio river at Point Pleasant, after a comparative course of 280 miles, 100 above Walker's mountain, 100 from the pass through Walker's mountain to the mouth of Gauley river, and 80 from the mouth of Gauley to the Ohio.

The higher branches of New river have interlocking sources with these of Catawba and Yadkin on the S. E., and with those of Watauga and Hol- ston to the northwest. Below the Iron mountains the interlocking souces are with those of Clinch and Sandy to the west, those of Roanoke to the east, and those of James river N. E., as far down as the gorge of Peter's mountain, westward of the latter pass. Greenbrier, coming in from the north has its sources in the same region with those of the Potomac on the northeast, and with those of the Monongahela to the northward. The valley of Kanawha

OF VIRGINIA.

proper, below Gauley river, lies generally between the valley of Guyandotte on the S. W., and that of Little Kanawha N. E., though the sources of Elk river, also reach the vicinity of those of Monongahela.

The entire valley of Great Kanawha, including that of New river, extends lat. 36° 15' in Ashe county, North Carolina, to 38º 52' at the junction of Kanawha and Ohio, and in long. 2º 43' at the higher source of Greenbrier, to 5° 08'. west of Washington city. The length of this valley from the Blue Ridge between Patrick and Montgomery counties, Virginia, in a N. W. direction is 180 miles, the utmost breadth from the sources of New river, to those of Greenbrier is 180, but the mean width is about 60, and the area may be stated at 10,800 square miles.

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A new and comprehensive gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia, Part 5

Author: Martin, Joseph. ed. cn; Brockenbrough, William Henry Publication date: 1835 Publisher: Charlottesville, J. Martin Number of Pages: 1278

Author: Martin, Joseph. ed. cn; Brockenbrough, William Henry
Publication date: 1835
Publisher: Charlottesville, J. Martin
Number of Pages: 1278