of Edmond Webb, and so to run from the head of the said branch on a direct line to the dams at the head of the Eastern branch of Elizabeth River, the which dams lie between James Kemp and Thomas Ivy, and so down the said branch to the mouth of a small branch or gutt that divides the land which Mr. John Porter now lives on from the land he formerly lived on, and so up the said small branch according to the bounds of the said plantation where the said Porter now liveth, and from thence to the great swamp that lieth on the east side of John Showlands and so along the said great swamp to the North River of Currituck and down the said North River to the mouth of Simpson's Creek and so up the said creek to the head thereof and from thence by a south line to the bounds of Carolina." The name of this new division was Princess Anne honoring the second daughter of James II by his first wife Anne Hyde, and the sister of Queen Mary. Later Princess Anne became a very popular Queen, Fluvanna County, the Rivanna River, the North Anna and South Anna and the Rapidan River all being named for her. At the same time that Princess Anne was formed, the name of Lower Norfolk was changed to Norfolk County.

Richmond and Essex From Old Rappahannock

Settlers had long found the Rappahannock River area attractive. The county of this name, established in 1656, and lying on both sides of the river, had grown steadily and its population was sufficient to support two county governments. It was enacted that the river be the dividing line, "that part which is now on the north side thereof be called and known by the name Richmond County and that that which is now on the south side thereof be called and known by the name of Essex County." It was further ordered "that the records belonging to the county court of Rappahannock before this division be kept in Essex County, that belonging wholly to their majesties and the other to the proprietors of the North Neck." This was a seemingly casual reference to the grant Charles II had made to some of his supporters while he was in exile and had confirmed on his coming to the throne; it comprised over five million acres lying between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers from their headsprings to the Chesapeake Bay. Not until the colony became independent was the Proprietary abolished.

In 1702 another division was created. The land lying between the Pamunkey and Mattaponi Rivers, known as Pamunkey Neck was taken from King and Queen and became King William County. This honored the reigning monarch, King William, now a widower since the death of Queen Mary in 1694.

King William died the same year his namesake county was formed and his sister-in-law, Queen Anne came to the throne. The first county formed thereafter honored her husband, the Prince Consort, George of Denmark. The new county, Prince George, embraced that portion of Charles City lying on the south side of James River. The estate, "Brandon," and the third oldest church building in Virginia known as Merchants Hope, are within its confines.

After a reign of twelve years Queen Anne died and the Elector of Hanover ascended the throne as King George I of England. Several years before this, the Tangier-born Alexander Spotswood was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Virginia and took up his residence in Williamsburg. Williamsburg had become the capital in 1699. It was on higher land than malarial Jamestown and a more healthful place to live.

Governor Spotswood was active and eager to explore the resources of the colony. One of his achievements was to lead a group of adventurous persons to the summit of the Blue Ridge and blaze the way for westward expansion. He also was interested in bringing over from the German Palatinate colonists adept in iron mining, and establishing them on the edges of older settlements. This brought about the creation of several counties as we shall see later.

In 1721 the "Upper Inhabitants" of Richmond County because of their great distance from the courthouse petitioned to become a separate county. The eastern part lying below "Charles Beaver Dams and from the head thereof by a north course to Westmoreland County" was to retain the name Richmond and the part above the said dams and course was to be King George County. The name, of course, honored George I.

When New Kent was formed in 1654 its western bounds were indefinite. By 1721, however, the "Upper Inhabitants" of this county were sufficiently numerous to petition for division on account of their great distance from court. It was ordered that "that part of the county lying below the Parish of St. Paul" was to remain New Kent and the part lying in St. Paul's Parish was to be known as Hanover County. The name again honors the reigning monarch.

Also in 1721, a third new county was formed and called Spotsylvania for the energetic and capable Governor. Spotsylvania was taken from Essex, and parts of King and Queen and King William. The bounds of Spotsylvania specifically laid out in the Act creating it were "upon Snow Creek up to the mill, thence by a southwest line to the river, North Anna, thence up the river as far as convenient and thence by a line to be run over the high mountains to the river on the northwest side thereof, so as to include the northern passage through the said mountains, thence down the said river until it comes against the head of Rappahannock thence, by a line to the head of Rappahannock River; and down that river to the mouth of Snow Creek." Within the portion of Spotsylvania that was taken from Essex, the Governor, some years before, had located a group of German immigrants at a place called Germanna on the Rapidan River.

Besides the Germans, there was a group of Huguenots who had come over a few years earlier and settled on the James River some 20 miles above the Falls. There were also immigrants, both from England and Scotland, who were loyal to the Stuart cause, and its leader, James, son of James II by his second wife, Mary of Modena. The rising of the Scotch clans in his favor in 1715 was crushed by the battle of Preston. Many of the captured Highlanders were deported to America and others, fearing capture, emigrated. These three new factors in the life of the colony are worthy of notice.

In 1727/28, an Act was passed by the Assembly to take effect the next year dividing the county of Henrico. The division was to be "by a line on the north side James River beginning at the mouth of Tuckahoe Creek thence up the said creek to Chumley's Branch thence along a line of marked trees north twenty degrees east to Hanover County and on the south side James River beginning at the Lower Manachin Creek from thence along a line of marked trees in a direct course to the mouth of Skinquarter Creek on Appomattox River." The land to the east of this line was to remain Henrico and that to the west to comprise the new county of Goochland. Sir William Gooch had become Lieutenant Governor of Virginia in 1727 and served 22 years. He was probably the most popular of the colonial governors, seemingly able to work harmoniously with the Council which was necessary for success.

At the same time that Goochland was formed another new county came into being. This was described in the bill brought before the House of Burgesses as "An act for erecting a new county on the heads of Essex, King and Queen and King William Counties and for calling the same Caroline County." The name derives from Caroline of Anspach, Queen of George II who had succeeded his father, George I as King the year before. It will be recalled that Queen Caroline gave money to Thomas Lee to aid him in building "Stratford" when his former house had been burned by criminals whom he, as a magistrate, had sentenced for their misdeeds. Caroline County was not an expansion of settlements as