Mercer County, Virginia
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Category: Mercer County, Virginia (1785-1792) -> Category: Mercer County, Kentucky
Category: Mercer County, Virginia (1837-1863) -> Category: Mercer County, West Virginia
See also Space: Mercer County, West Virginia
Note: Look in West Virginia for records from the second Mercer County (VA->WV).[1]
Contents |
Two Virginia Mercer Counties
Virginia had two counties named after Revolutionary War General Hugh Mercer of Fredericksburg, who died in 1777 at the Battle of Princeton, New Jersey.[2] A Pennsylvania county, organized 12 March 1800, was also named for him.[3]
The first Virginia county named Mercer was one of nine counties that became Kentucky on 1 June 1792.[4] The second was one of the 50 counties that were admitted to the Union as West Virginia[5] on 20 June 1863.[6]
The following cells from the Virginia Project's table of Counties shows the two Mercer Counties with links to existing space pages (top links) and categories (on 2nd line):
Mercer County (pre-Kentucky)
The first Virginia County named Mercer (1785-1792) became Mercer County, Kentucky.
History
- Harrodsburg, the county seat of today's Mercer County, Kentucky, "was honored by President Franklin D. Roosevlet as the oldest permanent American settlement west of the Appalachians".[7] "Laid off as Harrodstown by James Harrod and companions"[8] on 16 June 1774,[7] Harrodsburg's namesake, James Harrod, was "a surveyor from Virginia who arrived in Kentucky in 1773".[9]
- Harrodsburg was first named the seat of government in 1776 for the newly formed Kentucky County, Virginia - "the area now Commonwealth of Kentucky". When Kentucky County was split into Fayette, Jefferson, and Lincoln Counties in 1780, Harrodsburg, now in Lincoln County, remained the seat of government. When Mercer County, Virginia was created from Lincoln County in 1785, "Harrodsburg was continued as the county seat."[8]
- Some important people of the area:
- James Harrod (as mentioned above). He also founded the Boiling Springs Settlement in 1774, sometimes referred to as James Harrod’s Station, about six miles south of Harrodsburg in present-day Boyle County, Kentucky. "The outbreak of Lord Dunmore's War (1774) forced Harrod to return to the safety of Virginia after making only minor improvements on his claim."[9]
- Thomas Allin, a Revolutionary War soldier, moved to Lincoln County in the fall of 1781 and was appointed the county's deputy surveyor (November 20, 1781-ca. 1786) and deputy sheriff (June 18, 1782-ca. 1786). He "remained active as a surveyor through at least 1811, the year he was elected Harrodsburg’s town surveyor. He also served as surveyor of the Transylvania Company, laying out Henderson, Kentucky, in 1797 and helping to lay out Harrodsburg and other Kentucky towns as well. On September 24, 1785, Allin was appointed deputy clerk for the Supreme Court for the District of Kentucky and served until ca. 1792. When Mercer County was established from Lincoln County on August 1, 1786, Allin was appointed county court clerk, a post he held until his resignation on February 7, 1831. He also served as clerk of the Mercer County circuit court (originally the court of quarter sessions), from its establishment on September 25, 1792, until his resignation in 1825. He was clerk of the Harrodsburg board of trustees from March 24, 1786, to May 4, 1816. Allin married Mary Jouett in February 1789, in Mercer County; they had ten children. Allin died in Harrodsburg of cholera on June 26, 1833. He was buried in the Springhill cemetery in Harrodsburg."[9]
- Rachel Jackson, wife of President Andrew Jackson, is listed as a notable person for Mercer County.[2] It looks as if she is listed because her first husband was "Captain Lewis Robards of Harrodsburg, Kentucky... the two separated in 1790". Although her Wikipedia article is titled "Rachel Jackson", she was born Donelson (15 June 1767). Her father was Colonel John Donelson (1718–1785), co-founder of Nashville, Tennessee.[10]
- William Logan (December 8, 1776 – August 8, 1822), a United States Senator from Kentucky who was born "within the fort at Harrodsburg".[11]
- Formation History
- On 1 August 1785,[12] the first Mercer County in Virginia was created from Lincoln County, Virginia. (See Category: Mercer County, Virginia (1785-1792).)
- In 1780, Lincoln County had been created from Kentucky County, Virginia - along with Fayette and Jefferson Counties - and Kentucky County ceased to exist. (See Category: Lincoln County, Virginia [no companion space page].)
- In 1776, Kentucky County had been created from Fincastle County - along with Montgomery and Washington Counties - and Fincastle County ceased to exist. (See Category: Kentucky County, Virginia [no companion space page].)
- In 1772, Fincastle County had been created from Botetourt County. (See Space: Fincastle County, Virginia and Category: Fincastle County, Virginia Colony).
- Botetourt County was created from Augusta County on 17 November 1769. (See Space: Botetourt County, Virginia, Category: Botetourt County, Virginia, and Category: Botetourt County, Virginia Colony.)
- See the next section (Categorization) for earlier than Botetourt County.
Categorization
- "Pre-Kentucky" Mercer County was created on1 August 1785[12] from Lincoln County, Virginia, which had been created in 1780 when Kentucky County, Virginia was divided into Fayette, Jefferson, and Lincoln Counties.[5]
- People born in Mercer County from 1 August 1785 to 1 June 1792 should be categorized under Category: Mercer County, Virginia (1785-1792).
- People born in Mercer County on or after 1 June 1792 were born in Kentucky and should be categorized under Category: Mercer County, Kentucky.
- Before Mercer County was created...
- 1780 - 1 August 1785,[12] the category would be Category: Lincoln County, Virginia[5]
- 1776 - 1780, Category: Kentucky County, Virginia[5]
- 1772 - 1776, Category: Fincastle County, Virginia Colony
- 17 November 1769 - 1772, Category: Botetourt County, Virginia Colony
- 1738 - 1769, Category: Augusta County, Virginia Colony Note - Augusta County was proposed in 1738 and became official in 1745 (shown as "formed from Orange-----1738-1745" in George W. Durman's Virginia County Formation Maps[5] and explained on WikiTree's Augusta County category page as "created from Orange County in 1738 and, for the next 7 years, records were kept in Orange County.")
- 1734 - 1738, Category: Orange County, Virginia Colony[5]
-
1720 - 1734, Category: Spotsylvania County, Virginia Colony[5] -
before 1720, Essex County, King and Queen County, or King William County[5] ... while Orange County was created from Spotsylvania County in 1734, Orange County also covered land that previously had been open to the unending western boundaries of other counties. Both Virginia Mercer Counties, before Orange County, fell in the area covered by the extended western reach of Brunswick County, which had been formed in 1721 from Prince George County. Before Prince George County for the Kentucky Mercer County was probably Henrico County (one of the original counties created in 1634). It looks like the West Virginia Mercer County, a bit further south than the Kentucky one, fell Charles City County's western lands (Charles City County was another of the original counties created in 1634). So... - 1721-1734, Brunswick County
- 1702-1721, Prince George County
- 1634-1702, Henrico County
Mercer County (pre-West Virginia)
The second Virginia County named Mercer (1837-1863) became Mercer County, West Virginia.
History
- xx
- Formation History
- ...
- notes: full para from Category: Mercer County, West Virginia, accessed 24 September 2023 (no citation - citations are not allowed on category pages): Mercer County was originally established in Virginia by act of its General Assembly on 17 March 1837, using lands taken from Giles and Tazewell counties. The county as named in honor of Hugh Mercer, American Revolutionary War General. Its county seat is Princeton. Mercer County is included in the Bluefield, WV-VA Micropolitan Statistical Area. A previous Mercer County, Virginia, formed in 1785, had became part of Kentucky in 1792. (The Virginia space page for Mercer County covers both the first and second creation of a Virginia county by that name but they have separate categories: Mercer County, Virginia (1785-1792) precedes Mercer County, Kentucky and Mercer County, Virginia (1837-1863) precedes this West Virginia category.)
Categorization
- "Pre-West Virginia" Mercer County was "originally established in Virginia by act of its General Assembly on 17 March 1837". It was formed from portions of Giles and Tazewell Counties.[13]
- People born in the second Mercer County, Virginia on or after 17 March 1837[13] but before 20 June 1863 (the date West Virginia was admitted to the Union)[6] should be categorized under Category:Mercer County, Virginia (1837-1863).
- People born on or after 20 June 1863 should be categorized under Category: Mercer County, West Virginia.
notes for VA->WV Mercer County
- Mercer formed from Giles and Tazewell----------------------------------1837
- (Boundary changes 1840-1850:) Mercer and Giles gained from Monroe---------1840-1850
- post-WV (so not applicable for this page)
- Summers (WV) from Fayette (WV), Greenbrier (WV), and Mercer (WV)-------1871
- Giles:
- Giles formed from Monroe, Montgomery, and Tazewell---------------------1806
- (Boundary changes 1820-1830:) Giles gained from Monroe and Tazewell----------------1820-1830
- (Boundary changes 1840-1850:) Mercer and Giles gained from Monroe------------------1840-1850
- Craig formed from Botetourt, Giles, Monroe, and Roanoke----------------1851
- Bland formed from Giles, Tazewell, and Wythe---------------------------1861
- Bland gained from Giles------------------------------------------------1900
- Monroe formed from Greenbrier------------------------------------------1799
- Greenbrier formed from Botetourt and Montgomery-------------------1777-1778
- Montgomery formed from Fincastle----------------------------------1776-1777
- Tazewell:
- Tazewell formed from Russell and Wythe----------------------------1799-1800
- (Boundary changes 1800-1810:) Tazewell gained from Russell-----------1800-1810
- (Boundary changes 1820-1830:) Tazewell gained from Washington and Wythe----------1820-1830
- (Boundary changes 1830-1840:) Tazewell gained from Russell----------------------------1830-1840
- Russell formed from Washington-----------------------------------------1786
- Washington formed from Fincastle----------------------------------1776-1777
- Lee formed from Russell-------------------------------------------1792-1793
- Wythe formed from Montgomery--------------------------------------1789-1790
- Montgomery formed from Fincastle----------------------------------1776-1777
- Kanawha formed from Greenbrier and Montgomery---------------------1788-1789
- Floyd formed from Montgomery-------------------------------------------1831
- Grayson formed from Patrick and Wythe-----------------------------1792-1793
...
- "eyeball" of map changes over land that became 1837's Mercer County VirginiaCite error 3; Invalid
<ref>tag; invalid names, e.g. too many ... Which causes a "re-think" for pre-Botetourt County for Mercer County VA->KY!... yup... Brunswick, not Spotsy. And Prince George County, but maybe trajectory before Prince Georg would put the KY Mercer County in Henrico County (another original, formed 1634) instead of Charles City County
- Charles City County - one of the original counties (formed 1634)
- Prince George County (1702-1721)
- Brunswick County 1721-1734
- before Orange County, it looks like Mercer (VA->WV) was in area that was Brunswick County in 1721 (when it was formed from Prince George County, which was formed from Charles City County in 1702)
- Orange from Spotsy in 1734
- Orange county till 1738
- Augusta (unorganized) from Orange in 1738
- Botetourt (formed from Augusta County in 1770)
- Fincastle & Botetourt (Fincastle formed from Botetourt in 1772)
- Montgomery & Botetourt in 1776 (after Fincastle was divided into Kentucky, Montgomery & Washington) ... Greenbrier formed from Botetourt in 1777
- Montgomery & Greenbrier in 1788
- Wythe, Montgomery & Greenbrier in 1798 (before Tazewell from Russell, Wythe and Monroe from Greenbrier)
- Tazewell & Montgomery & a bit of Monroe (Giles formed from Montgomery, Tazewell & Monroe in 1806)
- Tazewell & Giles (mostly Giles)
... everything before 1806 formation of Giles, which also includes everything before the 1799 formation of Tazewell...
- Four Original "Incorporations"-----------------------------------------1617
- Eight Original "Shires", Immediately Referred to as "Counties"---------1634
- Accawmack formed-----------------------------------------------------1634
- Charles City formed--------------------------------------------------1634
- Charles River formed-------------------------------------------------1634
- Elizabeth City formed------------------------------------------------1634
- Henrico formed-------------------------------------------------------1634
- James City formed----------------------------------------------------1634
- Warrosquoyacke formed------------------------------------------------1634
- Warwick River formed-------------------------------------------------1634
- New Norfolk formed from Elizabeth City---------------------------------1636
- Lower Norfolk formed from New Norfolk----------------------------------1637
- Upper Norfolk formed from New Norfolk----------------------------------1637
- New Norfolk ceases to exist------------------------------------------1637
- Isle of Wight (name changed from Warrosquyoake)------------------------1637
- Warrosquyoake ceases to exist----------------------------------------1637
- Northampton (name changed from Accawmack)------------------------------1643
- Accawmack ceases to exist--------------------------------------------1643
- York (name changed from Charles River)---------------------------------1643
- Charles River ceases to exist----------------------------------------1643
- Warwick (name changed from Warwick River)------------------------------1643
- Warwick River ceases to exist----------------------------------------1643
- Northumberland formed from Indian District of Chickacoan---------------1645
- Nansemond (name changed from Upper Norfolk)----------------------------1645
- Upper Norfolk ceases to exist----------------------------------------1645
- Gloucester formed from York--------------------------------------------1651
- Lancaster formed from Northumberland-----------------------------------1651
- Surry formed from James City-------------------------------------------1652
- Westmoreland formed from Northumberland--------------------------------1653
- New Kent formed from York----------------------------------------------1654
- Rappahannock (Old) formed from Lancaster-------------------------------1656
- Accomack formed from Northampton---------------------------------------1661
- Stafford formed from Westmoreland--------------------------------------1664
- Middlesex formed from Lancaster----------------------------------------1669
- King and Queen formed from New Kent------------------------------------1691
- Norfolk formed from Lower Norfolk--------------------------------------1691
- Princess Anne formed from Lower Norfolk--------------------------------1691
- Lower Norfolk ceases to exist----------------------------------------1691
- Essex formed from Rappahannock (Old)-----------------------------------1692
- Richmond formed from Rappahannock (Old)--------------------------------1692
- Rappahannock (Old) ceases to exist-----------------------------------1692
- King William formed from King and Queen---------------------------1701-1702
- Prince George formed from Charles City----------------------------1702-1703
- Hanover formed from New Kent--------------------------------------1720-1721
- King George formed from Richmond----------------------------------1720-1721
- Spotsylvania formed from Essex, King & Queen, and King William----1720-1721
- Caroline formed from Essex, King & Queen, and King William-------------1728
- Goochland formed from Henrico------------------------------------------1728
- Prince William formed from King George and Stafford---------------1730-1731
- Brunswick formed from Prince George-------------------------------1720-1732
- Brunswick gained from Isle of Wight and Surry--------------------------1732
- Orange formed from Spotsylvania----------------------------------------1734
- Amelia formed from Brunswick and Prince George--------------------1734-1735
- Fairfax formed from Prince William-------------------------------------1742
- Louisa formed from Hanover---------------------------------------------1742
- Frederick formed from Orange--------------------------------------1738-1743
- Albemarle formed from Goochland----------------------------------------1744
- Augusta formed from Orange----------------------------------------1738-1745
- Lunenburg formed from Brunswick----------------------------------------1746
- Culpeper formed from Orange--------------------------------------------1749
- Chesterfield formed from Henrico---------------------------------------1749
- Cumberland formed from Goochland---------------------------------------1749
- Southampton formed from Isle of Wight----------------------------------1749
- Dinwiddie formed from Prince George------------------------------------1752
- Halifax formed from Lunenburg------------------------------------------1752
- Bedford formed from Albemarle and Lunenburg-----------------------1753-1754
- Prince Edward formed from Amelia----------------------------------1753-1754
- Hampshire formed from Frederick-----------------------------------1753-1754
- Sussex formed from Surry------------------------------------------1753-1754
- Loudon formed from Fairfax---------------------------------------------1757
- Fauquier formed from Prince William------------------------------------1759
- Albemarle gained from Louisa-------------------------------------------1761
- Amherst formed from Albemarle------------------------------------------1761
- Buckingham formed from Albemarle---------------------------------------1761
- Charlotte formed from Lunenburg-----------------------------------1764-1765
- Mecklenburg formed from Lunenburg---------------------------------1764-1765
- Yohogania formed from Augusta------------------------------------------1766
- Monongalia formed from Augusta-----------------------------------------1766
- Ohio formed from Augusta-----------------------------------------------1776
- Pittsylvania formed from Halifax----------------------------------1766-1767
- Botetourt formed from Augusta-------------------------------------1769-1770
- Fincastle formed from Botetourt----------------------------------------1772
- Dunmore formed from Frederick------------------------------------------1772
- Berkeley formed from Frederick-----------------------------------------1772
- Powhaten formed from Cumberland and Chesterfield-----------------------1777
- Fluvanna formed from Albemarle-----------------------------------------1777
- Henry formed from Pittsylvania------------------------------------1776-1777
- Kentucky formed from Fincastle------------------------------------1776-1777
- Montgomery formed from Fincastle----------------------------------1776-1777
- Washington formed from Fincastle----------------------------------1776-1777
- Fincastle ceases to exist---------------------------------------1776-1777
- King George exchanged with Westmoreland (overlap)----------------------1777
- Greenbrier formed from Botetourt and Montgomery-------------------1777-1778
- Illinois formed from Augusta-------------------------------------------1778
- Rockbridge formed from Augusta and Botetourt---------------------------1778
- Rockingham formed from Augusta-----------------------------------------1778
- Shenandoah (name changed from Dunmore)---------------------------------1778
- King George exchanged with Westmoreland (overlap resolved)-------------1779
- Kentucky divided into Fayette, Jefferson, & Lincoln--------------------1780
- Fayette formed from Kentucky-------------------------------------------1780
- Jefferson formed from Kentucky-----------------------------------------1780
- Lincoln formed from Kentucky-------------------------------------------1780
- Kentucky ceases to exist---------------------------------------------1780
- Greensville formed from Brunswick and Sussex----------------------1780-1781
- Campbell formed from Bedford--------------------------------------1781-1782
- Harrison formed from Monongalia----------------------------------------1784
- Illinois discontinued------------------------------------------------1784
- Nelson (KY) formed from Jefferson---------------------------------1784-1785
- Franklin formed from Bedford and Henry----------------------------1785-1786
- Hardy formed from Hampshire---------------------------------------1785-1786
- Madison (KY) formed from Lincoln----------------------------------1785-1786
- Mercer (KY) formed from Lincoln-----------------------------------1785-1786
- Bourbon (KY) formed from Fayette----------------------------------1785-1786
- Russell formed from Washington-----------------------------------------1786
- Yohogania discontinured----------------------------------------------1786
- Randolph formed from Harrison-------------------------------------1786-1787
- Pendleton formed from Augusta, Hardy, and Rockingham--------------1787-1788
- Nottoway formed from Amelia---------------------------------------1788-1789
- Kanawha formed from Greenbrier and Montgomery---------------------1788-1789
- Mason (KY) formed from Bourbon (KY)-------------------------------1788-1789
- Woodford (KY) formed from Fayette (KY)----------------------------1788-1789
- Wythe formed from Montgomery--------------------------------------1789-1790
- Bath formed from Augusta, Botetourt, and Greenbrier---------------1790-1791
- Mathews formed from Gloucester------------------------------------1790-1791
- Patrick formed from Henry-----------------------------------------1790-1791
- Part of Fairfax ceded to Fed. Gov. for District of Columbia------------1791
9 Counties separated as State of Kentucky (Bourbon, Fayette, Jefferson, Lincoln, Madison, Mason, Mercer, Nelson, & Woodford)--------1792
- Grayson formed from Patrick and Wythe-----------------------------1792-1793
- Lee formed from Russell-------------------------------------------1792-1793
- Madison formed from Culpeper--------------------------------------1792-1793
- Brooke formed from Ohio-------------------------------------------1796-1797
- Wood formed from Harrison----------------------------------------------1798
- Monroe formed from Greenbrier------------------------------------------1799
- Tazewell formed from Russell and Wythe----------------------------1799-1800
- Jefferson formed from Berkeley-----------------------------------------1801
- Mason formed from Kanawha----------------------------------------------1804
- Giles formed from Monroe, Montgomery, and Tazewell---------------------1806
Appalachia
Today's Appalachia includes two Mercer Counties - the one in West Virginia, which had previously been part of Virginia (created in 1837) - and one in Pennsylvania (see the Appalachia Project's Counties of Appalachia page).[14]
Judging by Virginia County Formation maps[5] and the map of today's Appalachia posted by the Appalachian Regional Commission,[15] the first Mercer County of Virginia (1785-1792) appears to have been just to the west of today's Appalachia. However, the Mercer County Historical Marker erected in Harrodsburg, Kentucky in 1969 notes that the county as originally created by Virginia in 1785 included "most of present Anderson and Boyle, part of Franklin, Casey, Garrard counties".[16] The Kentucky County formation maps include Garrard County being formed in 1796 from Madison, Mercer, and Lincoln Counties, but the maps show Casey County as being created solely from Lincoln County (in 1806).[17] Kentucky's Casey County and Garrard County are among today's Appalachian counties.[15]
Resources
- Genealogy Trails: Mercer County, Kentucky[12]
- Biographies
- Petition of Landowners, to establish Harrodsburg (undated but probably c1774 - James Harrod is listed).
- Wikipedia: Mercer County, Kentucky
Footnotes
- ↑ For example, the West Virginia Marriages FamilySearch collection, when searched for Mercer, Virginia, returns 5,537 records (on 25 September 2023).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Wikipedia: Mercer County, Virginia (accessed 25 September 2023).
- ↑ Category: Mercer County, Pennsylvania (accessed 25 September 2023).
- ↑ WikiTree's Kentucky Project (accessed 25 September 2023).
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Virginia County Formation Maps, posted by George W. Durman in Rootsweb (accessed 25 September 2023).
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Wikipedia: West Virginia (accessed 24 September 2023).
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Harrodsburg, Kentucky (accessed 25 September 2023).
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 The Historical Marker Database: Mercer County Before Kentucky Became a State Marker (Marker Number 1083), accessed 25 September 2023.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 The Kentucky encyclopedia (1992), accessed 25 September 2023.
- ↑ Wikipedia: Rachel Jackson (accessed 25 September 2023).
- ↑ Wikipedia: William Logan (Kentuckian), accessed 25 September 2023.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Genealogy Trails: Mercer County, Kentucky (accessed 25 September 2023).
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 From the category page for the West Virginia Mercer County (Category: Mercer County, West Virginia, accessed 24 September 2023), apparently from Wikipedia's article, Mercer County, West Virginia (accessed 25 September 2023).
- ↑ WikiTree: Counties of Appalachia, posted by the Appalachia Project (accessed 24 September 2023).
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Appalachian Regional Commission (accessed 24 September 2023).
- ↑ The Historical Marker Database: Mercer County (Marker Number 1258), accessed 25 September 2023.
- ↑ Kentucky County Formation Maps, posted by George W. Durman in Rootsweb (accessed 25 September 2023).
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