A new and comprehensive gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia, Part 7

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

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RAPID ANN river, deriving its remote sources from the Blue Ridge, and flowing thence S. E. 20 miles across the valley, between Blue Ridge and South East mountain, turns thence N. E. 15 miles to the influx of Robertson's river from the N. W. Passing South East mountain and inflecting to a general eastern course of 30 miles, it joins the Rappahan- nock 10 miles above Fredericksburg, after a comparative course of 65 miles." In nearly the whole of its length Rapid Ann separates Orange county first 35 miles from Madison, and thence 25 from Culpeper. At their junction it is superior in volume to Rappahannock; and exceeding also in length, of course, the Rapid Ann is the main stream.

RIVANNA river, a branch of James river, is navigable to its intersection with the South West mountain, which is about 22 miles. The navigation has lately been opened by dams and canals, and it is now navigable to Pi- reus, within one mile and a quarter of Charlottesville.

Rock creek, a small stream of Maryland, and of the District of Columbia, gains importance only as it separates the city of Washington from George- town. This creek has its extreme source about four miles westward of Me- chaniesville, Montgomery county, Maryland, heading with the east branch of Potomac river, at an elevation above tide water at Georgetown of 500 feet. The entire length of the creek, following its valley, is about 28 miles.

OF VIRGINIA.

The fall being upwards of 17 feet to the mile, and that fall being in many places far above the mean, renders it an excellent mill-stream.

ROANOKE river, of Virginia and North Carolina. Taken in the utmost extent, Roanoke basin is the same as Albemarle, and includes the sub-basins or vallies of Roanoke proper, and Chowan river. Advancing from south to north, all the rivers beyond the Roanoke, have their most remote foun- tains on the Atlantic side of Blue Ridge; but with the Roanoke a new fea- ture appears. The Blue Ridge is pierced by that stream, which derives its higher fountains from the main Alleghany chain in Montgomery county, Virginia, and within eight miles of the main channel of New river, and at an elevation without estimating the mountain ridges, of at least 2,000 fect. Issuing by numerous creeks from this elevated tract, and uniting into one stream near the border between Montgomery and Botetourt counties, it is here literally " The Rapid Roanoke," having at Salem, in the latter county, fallen 1,000 feet in little more than 20 miles. At Salem the water level is 1,002 feet by actual admeasurement, above mean Atlantic tide. Below Sa- lem the river inflects 20 miles in an eastern course, to its passage through Blue Ridge, and thence S. E. 25 miles to its passage through South East mountain. Passing South East mountain between Bedford and Pittsylvania counties, the now navigable volume sweeps by an elliptic curve to north- ward, and round to S. E. 50 miles comparative course, to the influx of Dan river, entering its right side from the west part. Below the junction of these two rivers, the united waters in a course a little south of cast 60 miles by comparative distance, reach tide water at Weldon, having fallen by a lengthened cataract over the primitive ledge. About midway between the influx of Dan river and Weldon, Roanoke leaves Virginia and enters North Carolina. Mingling with the tide, the Roanoke by a very tortuous channel, but by comparative course flows South East 50 miles, and thence castward 25 miles to its junction with Chowan river at the head of Albe- marle sound. The entire valley of Roanoke, if measured along the main stream or Dan river is 250 miles, but the rivers wind over this space by channels of much greater length. By comparative courses it is 155 miles from Salem to Weldon, whilst from a report made by the Roanoke compa- ny, the intermediate channel is 244 miles. Taking these proportions, the length of this river by its meanders is abont 400 miles. Including the whole Albemarle basin, it is 290 miles from its outlet into the Atlantic ocean, to the fountains of Roanoke in Alleghany mountain, but with the Chowan and Dan vallies united to that of the principal river, the basin is compara- tively narrow, being only 80 miles where broadest, and not having a mean breadth above 50 miles, or an area exceeding 14,500 square miles. It is not, however, its extent which gives most interest to the Roanoke or Albe- marle basin ; it is at once a fine physical section and physical limit. The difference of arable level, amounts to at least 2,000 feet, and no two regions of the earth can differ in every feature more than do the truly beautiful hills and vales on each side of the Appalachian chains, from the stagnant marshes and level plains towards the Atlantic ocean. Along the lower Roanoke commences, advancing from the north the profitable cultivation of cotton, the fig tree begins to appear, rice can be produced, and in summer the ad- vance towards the tropics is felt, and very distinctly seen on vegetation. Ascending the basin, the aspect of the northern states gradually appears, both on the features of nature and on cultivated vegetables. Wheat, rye, and other small grain, with meadow grasses, and the apple, flourish. The

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

summers are cooler, and the winters have the severity suitable to relative elevation. Though the higher part of Roanoke is annually frozen, and for a shorter or longer period rendered unnavigable in winter, with lower Roan- oke commences the region on the Atlantic coast where navigation remains open at all seasons. It is true that even Albemarle sound has been occa- 'sionally impeded with ice, but this phenomenon is rare. As a navigable . channel following either branch, the importance of this basin is lessened by the shallowness of Albemarle sound-an irremovable impediment. At present, however, there is in progress a scheme for connecting, by rail-road, the navigable tide water below Weldon with Chesapeake bay. In its actual state the rivers are navigable for boats to Salem on the Roan- oke, and to Danbury in North Carolina by Dan river. This was effected by side canals, sluices and other artificial improvements.

SANDY river, of Virginia and Kentucky, is composed of two branches, called relatively East fork and West fork. East fork, the main constituent of Sandy, rises in the Appalachian valleys, interlocking sources with those of Great Kanawha to the cast, and with those of Holston and Clinch branches of Tennessee river to the S. E. Issuing from this elevated region, and draining part of Tazewell and Logan counties, Virginia, the Sandy river pursues a N. W. direction by comparative courses 50 miles, to its passage through Cumberland mountain. Becoming a boundary between Virginia and Kentucky below the Cumberland chain, Sandy assumes a direction of N. N. W. 70 miles, separating Logan and Cabell counties, of Virginia, from Floyd, Lawrence, and Greenup counties, of Kentucky, to its final in- flux into Ohio river opposite Burlington, Ohio. West Sandy rises in Rus- sell and 'Tazewell counties, Virginia, and assuming a N. W. direction pierces the Cumberland chain, enters Kentucky, and after traversing Pike and Floyd counties, bends to the northward and joins East Sandy in Lawrence county. The valley of Sandy river has that of Tennessee river S., Kentucky S. W., Licking W., that of Ohio N., Guyandotte E., and Great Kanawha S. E. It is about 100 miles long, incan width 35, and area 3,500 square miles.

SHENANDOAn river, one of the great southern branches of Potomac river, is composed of two branches, called with no great relative correctness, North Branch and South Branch. The southern and main branch rises in Augusta county, as far south as latitude 38º, and long. 2º west of Wash- ington City. Flowing thence northeastward along the northwestern slope 'of Blue Ridge, over Augusta, Rockingham, and Page counties, receives the North Branch in the southern angle of Federick county, after a com- parative course of 90 miles.

The North Branch of Shenandoah river has its source in Rockingham "county, from which it flows by comparative courses N. N. E. 50 miles over Rockingham and Shenandoah counties, enters Frederick, bends to the east- ward, and joins the South Branch as already noticed. Below the junction of its two branches, the Shenandoah flows N. E. along the N. W. slope of Blue Ridge 40 miles to its junction with the Potomac at Harper's Ferry.

TENNESSEE river, of the state of the same name, and of the states of ·Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia, is the great southeastern constituent of the Ohio. The very peculiar features of the valley of Tennessee, demand a general and particular notice. This valley is naturally divided into two physical sections; the higher or moun- tainous, and the lower or hilly. The most remote sources of Tennessee are

OF VIRGINIA.

found in those of Clinch, in Tazewell, and of Holston in Wythe counties,. of Virginia, interlocking sources with those of Sandy and Great Kanawha :. From this elevated origin, the main constituents pursue a southwestern course between the two parallel chains of the Appalachian system, Cum- berland, and the main spine, both stretching in a similar direction with the rivers, at a mean distance of abont 70 miles asunder. Besides this princi- pal valley, another of less width between the main chain and Blue Ridge, is also drained by the constituents of Tennessee ; but this more castern and more elevated valley slopes to the N. W., at right angles to the mountain chains. The latter mountain valley comprises the North Carolina and Georgia part of the valley of Tennessee. Including both minor vallies, upper T'ennessee drains an elongated ellipise of 350 miles longer axis; shorter axis 120 miles from the Blue Ridge at the sources of French Broad, to Cumberland mountain, where it separates the sources of Powell's river from those of Cumberland: mean breadth 80 miles, and area 24,000 square miles. Descending from the extreme fountains in Virginia, the valley widens as the mountain chains recede from each other, and again contracts. as the same chains gradually re-approach each other at the northwestern angle of Georgia, and northeastern of Alabama. At the latter point, well known by the name of Nickajack, all the large tributaries have united, and the Blue Ridge and Cumberland chains have inclined to within less than 40 miles of each other. Below Nickajack, the now large volume of Tennes- see continues S. W. 60 miles, without receiving a single creek of 20 miles. course, the two bounding mountain chains still inclining upon each other,, till their approaching bases force the river through the Cumberland chain .. To one whose eye first glanced on the volume of Tennessee, below its pas- sage through Cumberland mountain, without previous knowledge of the- valley above, no adequate idea would occur, that before it, flowed the accu- mulated waters of a mountainons region of 24,000 square miles extent. hr fact, to an observer, thus placed, the main volume of Tennessee would ap- pear as one of the constituents of a river valley below the Cumberland chain. About 20 miles below the passage of Tennessee river through it, the Cumberland mountain receives the Blue Ridge, if such a term can be correctly applied to the merging of two mountain chains. Here, along the northern sources of Mobile basin, the Appalachian system changes its dis- tinctive character, and the confused masses of hills follow each other west -. wardly toward the Mississippi. The Tennessee river deflects rather more than does the mountain system, and flows N. W. by W. by comparative courses 120 miles, to the northwestern angle of Alabama, and the northeast- ern of Mississippi, where this large stream again bends at nearly right an- gles, and pursues a course of a very little west of north 150 miles, to its en- trance into the Ohio, after an entire comparative course of 680 miles.

'The second great section of Tennessee, and the lower part of the first, below Nickajack, are comprised in the fine northern valley of Alabama. The main volume flowing along the base of a physical line extending from the Ohio valley in the vicinity of Pittsburg, to the northern part of the ba- sin of Mobile. The very striking coincidence of the river inflections be- tween the extremes of this region, must appear to the most inattentive ob- server of a good map of that part of the United States. This regularity of structure is evinced by the great inflections of Ohio, Kanawha, Kentucky, Green, Cumberland, and Tennessee rivers. "The Tennessee itself literally ocenpies the base of the physical region indicated, as in all its comparative

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

course below Nickajack, or its entrance into Alabama, of 330 miles, it does not receive a single stream above the size of a large creek, nor does the outer selvedge of its valley on the left, in Alabama, Mississippi, 'Tennessee, and Kentucky, exceed a mean breadth of 20 miles. On the right, embosomed between T'ennessee and Cumberland rivers, and comprising central Tennes- see, and northern Alabama, spreads a physical region, extending from Cum- berland mountain to the lower reach of Tennessee river, 130 miles, with a mean breadth of 80 miles, and an area of 10, 100 square miles. - This beau- tiful tract is semi-circled by the main volume of Tennessee, and drained by Elk river, Duck river, and innumerable creeks. Below Duck river, how- ever, Tennessee receives ne stream from either side of any magnitude wor- thy notice in a general view. Including all its sections, the lower valley of Tennessee comprises an arca of 17,600 square miles; and the whole val- ley embraces a superficies of 41,600 square miles. This extent of Tennes- see valley, if compared with the whole valley of Ohio, spreads over nearly one-fifth part, and gives to 'T'ennessee the first rank among the tributaries of Ohio. Amongst the peculiar features of the course of Tennessee, the most remarkable is, that rising as far north as lat. 37° 10', and curving thence southward to lat. 34º 23', it again recurves back to its original lati- tude, and falls into the Ohio river almost exactly due west from its primi- tive springs in Tazewell county; thus embosoming nearly the whole large valley of Cumberland, and part of that of Green river. Geographically, Tennessee valley lies between north lat. 34º 10' and 37° 10', and in long: between 4° 15' and 11º 40' west of Washington. It is the first and largest, advancing from the south, of those streams gushing from the elevated slopes of the Appalachian ridges, and which flow westward into the great basin of the Mississippi. In relative height, there is above 1,700 feet difference between the highest and lowest extremes of Tennessee valley. The arable surface of Tazewell and Wythe counties, from which the fountains of Ka- nawha and Holston have their origin, must be at least 2,000 feet above the Atlantic tides; whilst that of Ohio river, at the influx of Tennessee, but lit- tle exceeds 300 feet. The difference is fully an equivalent for 4º of latitude, and accounts for the rapid changes of climate experienced on lines of lati- tude in 'Tennessee. The current of every branch of Tennessee is very rapid, though direct falls are rare, and even dangerous shoals are not common. Of the latter, those particularly called Muscle Shoals, between Lauderdale and Lawrence counties, Alabama, are most remarkable and difficult to navigate. The whole river, however, having a mean fall exceeding two fect to the mile, is only favorable to down stream navigation, which it admits in most of its branches to near their sources.

TYE river, a small river of Virginia, rising in the Blue Ridge, and flowing southeastward into James river, after draining part of Nelson and Amherst counties, and by one of its constituents, Piney river, forming for some few miles the boundary between those counties.

YORK river of Virginia, formed by two main branches, Pamunky and Mattapony. Below the union of its constituent streams, York river is ra- ther a bay, varying from two to three miles in width, extending to the S. E. 27 miles, and thence east 12 miles, into Chesapeake, between York and Gloucester counties. Below the junction of Pamunky and Mattapony ri- rivers; York bay does not receive a tributary above the size of a sinall creek. It admits ships of any size to or near the Great Bend at York- town, but above admits only coasting vessels. Including all its tributaries,

OF VIRGINIA.

the valley of York river lies between those of James and Rappahannock. The greatest length 120 miles from the mouth of York river to the ex- treme source of North Anna river, in South West mountain; but, if taken with this extent the mean width would not exceed 20 miles, and at the ut- most breadth, only about 45 miles. The area 2,600 square miles. Exten- ding in lat. from 37° 15' to 38º 16', and in long. from 0° 41' E. to 1º 22' W. of Washington.

YOUGHIOGHANY river of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, having its most remote sources in Preston county of the latter state, but deriving its most numerous southern tributaries from the valley between the Back Bone and Laurel mountains, Alleghany county, Maryland. From this elevated tract the main stream flows nearly due north 35 miles, enters Pennsylva- nia between Fayette and Somerset counties, within which it thence flows about eight miles direct course to where it is joined by Castleman's river, an equal or probably a superior stream, entering from the N. E. Some of the southern fountains of Castleman's river, rise in Alleghany county, Mary- land, but the greater part of its tributaries flow from Somerset county; Pennsylvania, and rise in the same valley with the confluents of Youghio- ghany. Below the union of the two main branches the Youghioghany assuming a northwestern course, continues in that direction 60 miles to its junction with the Monongahela at MacKees port, in Alleghany county. Where Youghioghany is traversed by the United States road at Smithfield, the water level is 1,405 feet above that of the Atlantic. The extreme heads of this stream have an elevation exceeding 2,500 feet; the mouth being ele- vated about 700 feet, the entire fall must be 1,800 feet. The whole valley of Youghioghany is either mountainous or very hilly and broken.

CLIMATE.

"The following article was received too late for insertion in its proper place, but we insert it here as affording some evidence of attention and ob- servation upon a subject of which our men of science have been too negli- gent; and which requires the joint and persevering labor of many hands to afford any thing like accurate detail or valuable information.

At the discovery of our continent it presented an immense forest untouch- ed by human labor. The majestic rivers of the new world, swelling by every shower, inundated the whole country, and left in their track numer- ous marshes and extensive lakes. The woods were hid with rank luxu. riance, while the exuberant undergrowth of herbs, shrubs, and weeds, gave to the prospect that gloomy and repulsive solitude which was so aptly de- scribed by the first settlers as the wilderness. "The earth could not retain the heat of the sun, nor could this effect be produced by the mass of foliage. The air stagnated in the forest. Offensive exhalations arose from the nu- merous marshes, and the accumulated decay of vegetation, while the wholo land was rife with the pestilonce of malaria.

We cannot always arrive at definite conclusions of the climate of any country by barely measuring its degrees of distance from the equator. Its character is controlled by many other direct causes. Extent of territory- nature of soil-height of mountains and elevation above the sea, greatly affect it. The extent of our northern seas, with the ice which continues there from year to year, gives to every wind which blows over them an intense cold. A chain of gigantic mountains spread their snow-capped

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

summits throughout the heart of our continent. The winds which blow over them become deeply surcharged with cold, whose piercing severity is not diminished until it has extended far down upon our southern sea coast. Our daily experience attests the truth of this fact.

The climate of Virginia has not been stationary. To trace its character- istics is to follow the varying passions of the coquette-now enticing by seductive smiles-and now chilling by capricious frowns. Yet it is the clime under whose genial influence we have been bred, and we can easily forget its vicissitudes in the glittering canopy of life and beauty which it throws around every scene. Those who have dwelt amid the sunny clime of Italy-the fierce heat of Spain, and the elastic air of France, can appre- ciate from the test of comparison, the softness of a Virginian day-and how splenetic soever we may be, it never has gloom enough to make us "damn it as a lord."

Captain John Smith, in his faithful and spirited History of the Colony of Virginia, makes many allusions to its climate, and with a proper allowance for his zeal in coloring the advantages of a settlement in the colony, wc may receive his statements as the honest opinions of a careful and accurate observer.

"The sommer (says he) is hot as in Spaine, the winter cold as in France or England. The heate of sommer is in June, July, and August, but com- monly the cool breezes asswage the vehemency of the heate. The chief of the winter is halfe December, January, February, and halfe March. The cold is extreme sharpe, but here the proverbe is true 'that no extreme long continueth.' Sometimes there are great droughts, other times much raine, yet greater necessitie of neither, by reason we see not but that all the raritie of needful fruites in Europe may be there in great plentie by the industrie of man." In an earnest appeal to the friends of the colony, he again recom- mends it for the "mildnesss of the ayre and the fertilitie of the soyle "

This sketch of the colony is studiously silent as to the existence of marsh- es, though much of the ill health of the first emigrants, may be traced to them .* In giving an account of the bays, rivers, and brooks, our author incidentally remarks that " by the rivers are many plain marshes contain- ing some twenty, some one hundred and some two hundred acres. But lit- tle of grasse there is but what groweth in low marshes." In the advance of population and agricultural improvement, these marshes were gradually re- duced. Mr. Nathaniel Caussey, who had lived in Virginia with Captain Smith, states in the year 1627, "that whereas the country was heretofore held most intemperate and contagious by many, now they have houses, lodging, and victuals, and the sun hath power to exhale up the moist vapors of the earth where they have cut down the woods, which before it could not, being covered with spreading tops of high trees, they find it much more healthful than before."" Captain Butler, a gallant pioneer of the new world, and at one time governor of Bermuda, on his return to England from Vir- ginia in the year 1624, presented to Charles I a pamphlet entitled, " The unmasked face of our colony in Virginia as it was in the winter 1622." In this work he draws a lamentable picture of the struggles of the infant colony, and asserts "that the English plantations are generally seated on marshes, lakes, and infectious bogs, which have subjected the planters to the

* In the reply of Governor Berkeley to the enquiries of the Lords Commissioners of Foreign Plantations, in 1671, he states " that all new plantations are for an age or two unhealthy, until they are thoroughly cleared of wood." 2 Hen, Stat, at Large, 515.

OF VIRGINIA.

inconveniences and diseases prevalent in the most unhealthy parts of Eng- land." This pamphlet excited much hostility against the Virginian Com- pany, which was artfully fermented by Charles I. who was then secretly planning the ruin of that noble and patriotic association. Some of the members of the company who had been in Virginia united in an address to the public, in which they state "that they had found the air of Virginia to be as wholesome and the soil for the most part as fertile as in any part of England." The House of Burgesses in a curious memorial of resentment, ill humor, and personal sarcasm, pronounced the charges of Capt. Butler to be false and slanderous, and informed the king "that no bogs have been seen here, by any that have lived here twice as many years as Capt. Butler did weeks in the country-the places which he so miscalls being the richest parts of the earth, if we had a sufficient force to clear their woods and to give the fresh springs which pass through them a free passage. The soil is gen- erally rich and restores our trust with abundance. The air is sweet and the clime healthful, all circumstances considered, to men of sound bodies and good government."

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A new and comprehensive gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia, Part 7

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