Everything about Southampton County Virginia totally explained
Southampton County is a
county located in the
Commonwealth of
Virginia, a
state of the
United States. As of the
2000 census, the population was 17,482. Its
county seat is
Courtland.
History
Shire to County
During the 17th century, shortly after establishment of the
Jamestown Settlement in 1607, English settlers and explored and began settling the areas adjacent to Hampton Roads. By 1634, the English colony of Virginia consisted of eight
shires or
counties with a total population of approximately 5,000 inhabitants. Southampton County was originally part of the
Warrosquyoake Shire. The shire was renamed
Isle of Wight County in 1637.
In 1749, the portion of Isle of Wight County west of the
Blackwater River became Southampton County. Later, part of
Nansemond County, which is now the
Independent City of
Suffolk, was added to Southampton County.
Southampton County may have been named for
Southampton, a major city in England, or for one of the founders of the
Virginia Company and a great supporter of the colonization of Virginia,
Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton.
Nat Turner
In 1831, Southampton County was the location of the most serious
slave rebellion in United States history. On August 21-22, the infamous
Southampton Insurrection, led by the enslaved
Nat Turner,who was also a preacher and intellectual, resulted in the deaths of 58 whites and 200 blacks, some guilty, some innocent, were beaten, murdered, and tortured due to the rebellion led by Nat Turner. Turner and his followers were captured, tried and 20 were hanged.
William Mahone
William Mahone (1826-1895) was born in Southampton County, in the tiny community of Monroe, which was located on the
Nottoway River about south of present-day
Courtland. His parents were Fielding and Martha Mahone. They moved to Courtland in 1840, where Fielding Mahone ran a hotel (tavern). Young Billy Mahone attended
Virginia Military Institute (VMI), trained as a
civil engineer, and graduated in the class of 1847. He worked as a school
teacher before, in 1853, he was hired to build the
Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad (Now
Norfolk Southern).
In 1855, he married Otelia Butler, the daughter of the late Dr.
Robert Butler of
Smithfield, who had been Virginia State Treasurer prior to his death in 1853. Popular legend has it that William Mahone and his cultured wife,
Otelia Butler Mahone (1837-1911), traveled along the newly completed Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad naming stations. Otelia was reading
Ivanhoe a book written by Sir
Walter Scott. From his historical Scottish novels, Otelia chose the place names of
Windsor,
Waverly and
Wakefield.
Otelia Mahone is said to have tapped the Scottish Clan "McIvor" for the name of
Ivor. Later, when they couldn't agree, it's said that they became even more creative, and invented a new name, which is how the tiny community of
Disputanta was created. The N&P railroad was completed in 1858.
William Mahone became a
Major General in the
Confederate Army during the
American Civil War, while his wife Otelia served as a
nurse in
Richmond. He later led the state's
Readjuster Party and became a Senator in the
United States Congress.
A large portion of
U.S. Highway 460 between
Petersburg and
Suffolk is named in honor of General William Mahone.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 602
square miles (1,560
km²), of which, 600 square miles (1,553 km²) of it's land and 3 square miles (7 km²) of it (0.46%) is water.
William Mahone, described above, never heard the name Courtland---the town was created by the General Assembly of Virginia in 1790 as "Jerusalem." The name was changed to Courtland in 1888.
Southampton County is bounded by the
Blackwater River on the east and the
Meherrin River on the west. The
Nottoway River flows through the center of the county. All three rivers are tributaries of the
Chowan River, which flows south into
Albemarle Sound,
North Carolina. The Blackwater River separates Southampton County from
Isle of Wight County, and the Meherrin River separates it from
Greensville County.
Adjacent counties / independent cities
Demographics
As of the
census of 2000, there were 17,482 people, 6,279 households, and 4,502 families residing in the county. The
population density was 29 people per square mile (11/km²). There were 7,058 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 55.96%
White, 42.87%
Black or
African American, 0.20%
Native American, 0.18%
Asian, 0.01%
Pacific Islander, 0.25% from
other races, and 0.53% from two or more races. 0.66% of the population were
Hispanic or
Latino of any race.
There were 6,279 households out of which 30.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.10% were
married couples living together, 13.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.30% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the county, the population was spread out with 22.70% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 29.20% from 25 to 44, 25.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 111.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $33,995, and the median income for a family was $41,324. Males had a median income of $32,436 versus $20,831 for females. The
per capita income for the county was $16,930. About 11.70% of families and 14.60% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 19.90% of those under age 18 and 14.50% of those age 65 or over.
Towns
Boykins
Branchville
Capron
Courtland
Ivor
Newsoms
Unincorporated communities
Sedley
Drewryville
Little TexasFurther Information
Get more info on 'Southampton County Virginia'.
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