Nottoway County, Virginia
Encyclopedia
As of the census
of 2000, there were 15,725 people, 5,664 households, and 3,885 families residing in the county. The population density
was 50 people per square mile (19/km²). There were 6,373 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 57.16% White
, 40.56% Black
or African American
, 0.13% Native American
, 0.39% Asian
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
, 1.01% from other races
, and 0.72% from two or more races. 1.58% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 5,664 households out of which 29.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.60% were married couples
living together, 15.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the county, the population was spread out with 22.90% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 29.30% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 17.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 106.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,866, and the median income for a family was $39,625. Males had a median income of $28,533 versus $19,718 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $15,552. About 15.50% of families and 20.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.70% of those under age 18 and 18.40% of those age 65 or over.
word meaning rattlesnake, and became associated with the area they inhabited. The name was anglicized to ‘Nottoway’, and from this the name of the county was derived. The people of this "Nottoway Tribe
" call themselves Cheroenhaka, meaning "People At The Fork Of The Stream".
Before the county established its own government, it was known as Nottoway Parish, a district of Amelia County
. Nottoway Parish became Nottoway County by legislative act in 1788. The county contained numerous early crossroads settlements connecting the new western frontier with the population centers of Petersburg
and Richmond
to the north and east and until recent times owed much of its prospertity to tobacco. First coming to Nottoway in the 1850s, railroad construction and associated industries eventually came to represent a major portion of business in the area. In fact, one of the county's larger towns, Crewe
, owes its existence to the railroad siding established at Robertson's Switch in the 1880s. In recent decades, however, the decline of tobacco, the railroads, and Fort Pickett
has presented the county, like much of Southside Virginia, with economic difficulties and lead many Nottoway families to seek jobs and homes in Richmond and other prospering cities in central Virginia.
During the Civil War, the county contributed to the Confederate cause raising two infantry companies, the Nottoway Rifle Guards, and Capt. Richard Irby's Nottoway Grays; Jeffress' artillery battery; and the Nottoway Troop of the 3rd Virginia Cavalry
. The two infantry companies served in the 18th Virginia Infantry Regiment
and saw extensive service throughout the Eastern Theatre, but most notably at the Battle of Gettysburg
where they were situated at the forefront of Pickett's Charge
. The infamous charge wrought a devastating effect on the 18th Virginia and many a family at home in Nottoway County. The 18th's colors were captured at the wall on Cemetery Ridge and are now on display in Gettysburg. The county itself was the site of only one significant skirmish during the war, the “Battle of the Grove,” which was fought near Blackstone (then known as Blacks and Whites) for control of the rail line that supplied General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia then entrenched around Petersburg and Richmond. The war's last battle before the final surrender at Appomattox
was fought at Sayler's Creek, west of Burkeville
near the County line, on April 6, 1865 (see article on Burkeville
).
The County's three towns were incorporated in the late 1800s, all along what was to become the U.S. Highway 460/Norfolk Southern Railway
corridor that bisects the County. Industrialization blossomed at the same time, exploiting the ease of moving raw materials in and finished products out. County manufacturing often utilized the area’s abundant natural resources, particularly agricultural products, timber, and wood products.
The 20th century saw an increase in the diversification of the County in its agricultural, industrial and commercial sectors. During this time, major state and federal facilities were created in the County. Fort Pickett
, established at the outbreak of World War II, is now headquarters of the Virginia National Guard.
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 15,725 people, 5,664 households, and 3,885 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 50 people per square mile (19/km²). There were 6,373 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 57.16% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 40.56% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.13% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.39% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.01% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.72% from two or more races. 1.58% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 5,664 households out of which 29.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.60% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the county, the population was spread out with 22.90% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 29.30% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 17.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 106.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,866, and the median income for a family was $39,625. Males had a median income of $28,533 versus $19,718 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $15,552. About 15.50% of families and 20.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.70% of those under age 18 and 18.40% of those age 65 or over.
History
Prior to the arrival of European settlers, the land that would become Nottoway County was inhabited by American Indians of the Nadowa tribe, an Iroquoian people. They lived along the county’s only river, the Nadowa, an AlgonquianAlgonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
word meaning rattlesnake, and became associated with the area they inhabited. The name was anglicized to ‘Nottoway’, and from this the name of the county was derived. The people of this "Nottoway Tribe
Nottoway Tribe
The Nottoway, in their own language Cheroenhaka, Cherohakah, Cheroohoka or Tcherohaka, are an Iroquoian-language tribe of Virginia Indians. Two Nottoway groups, the Nottoway Indian Tribe of Virginia and the Cheroenhaka Indian Tribe, have both been recognized as tribes by the state of Virginia...
" call themselves Cheroenhaka, meaning "People At The Fork Of The Stream".
Before the county established its own government, it was known as Nottoway Parish, a district of Amelia County
Amelia County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,400 people, 4,240 households, and 3,175 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile . There were 4,609 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
. Nottoway Parish became Nottoway County by legislative act in 1788. The county contained numerous early crossroads settlements connecting the new western frontier with the population centers of Petersburg
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
and Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
to the north and east and until recent times owed much of its prospertity to tobacco. First coming to Nottoway in the 1850s, railroad construction and associated industries eventually came to represent a major portion of business in the area. In fact, one of the county's larger towns, Crewe
Crewe, Virginia
Crewe is a town in Nottoway County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,378 at the 2000 census. It was founded in 1888 as a central location to house steam locomotive repair shops for the Norfolk and Western Railroad which has a rail yard there for east-west trains carrying Appalachian...
, owes its existence to the railroad siding established at Robertson's Switch in the 1880s. In recent decades, however, the decline of tobacco, the railroads, and Fort Pickett
Fort Pickett
Fort Pickett, Virginia, is a Virginia Army National Guard installation, located near the town of Blackstone, Virginia. It is named for the United States Army officer and Confederate General George Pickett.- Beginnings :...
has presented the county, like much of Southside Virginia, with economic difficulties and lead many Nottoway families to seek jobs and homes in Richmond and other prospering cities in central Virginia.
During the Civil War, the county contributed to the Confederate cause raising two infantry companies, the Nottoway Rifle Guards, and Capt. Richard Irby's Nottoway Grays; Jeffress' artillery battery; and the Nottoway Troop of the 3rd Virginia Cavalry
3rd Virginia Cavalry
The 3rd Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia....
. The two infantry companies served in the 18th Virginia Infantry Regiment
18th Virginia Infantry
The 18th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia....
and saw extensive service throughout the Eastern Theatre, but most notably at the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
where they were situated at the forefront of Pickett's Charge
Pickett's Charge
Pickett's Charge was an infantry assault ordered by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee against Maj. Gen. George G. Meade's Union positions on Cemetery Ridge on July 3, 1863, the last day of the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. Its futility was predicted by the charge's commander,...
. The infamous charge wrought a devastating effect on the 18th Virginia and many a family at home in Nottoway County. The 18th's colors were captured at the wall on Cemetery Ridge and are now on display in Gettysburg. The county itself was the site of only one significant skirmish during the war, the “Battle of the Grove,” which was fought near Blackstone (then known as Blacks and Whites) for control of the rail line that supplied General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia then entrenched around Petersburg and Richmond. The war's last battle before the final surrender at Appomattox
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
The Appomattox Court House National Historical Park is a National Historical Park of original and reconstructed nineteenth century buildings. It was signed into law August 3, 1935. The village was made a national monument in 1940 and a national historical park in 1954...
was fought at Sayler's Creek, west of Burkeville
Burkeville, Virginia
Burkeville is a town in Nottoway County, Virginia, United States. The population was 489 at the 2000 census. The source of the town name is disputed. The town is located on the crossroads of U.S. Routes 360 and 460....
near the County line, on April 6, 1865 (see article on Burkeville
Burkeville, Virginia
Burkeville is a town in Nottoway County, Virginia, United States. The population was 489 at the 2000 census. The source of the town name is disputed. The town is located on the crossroads of U.S. Routes 360 and 460....
).
The County's three towns were incorporated in the late 1800s, all along what was to become the U.S. Highway 460/Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
corridor that bisects the County. Industrialization blossomed at the same time, exploiting the ease of moving raw materials in and finished products out. County manufacturing often utilized the area’s abundant natural resources, particularly agricultural products, timber, and wood products.
The 20th century saw an increase in the diversification of the County in its agricultural, industrial and commercial sectors. During this time, major state and federal facilities were created in the County. Fort Pickett
Fort Pickett
Fort Pickett, Virginia, is a Virginia Army National Guard installation, located near the town of Blackstone, Virginia. It is named for the United States Army officer and Confederate General George Pickett.- Beginnings :...
, established at the outbreak of World War II, is now headquarters of the Virginia National Guard.
Prominent residents
- William Hodges MannWilliam Hodges MannWilliam Hodges Mann was an American Democratic politician. Mann was the 46th Governor of Virginia from 1910 to 1914. He attended Brownsburg Academy.-Political career:Brown became Deputy Clerk of Nottoway County, Virginia...
, Governor of Virginia from 1910-1914, and State Senator, introduced legislation to construct 350 high schools in Virginia and to close 800 rural saloons. - T. O. Sandy, the State's first farm demonstration agent.
- Also see other "prominent residents" of BlackstoneBlackstone, VirginiaBlackstone is a town in Nottoway County, Virginia, United States. The population was 3,675 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Blackstone is located at ....
, CreweCrewe, VirginiaCrewe is a town in Nottoway County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,378 at the 2000 census. It was founded in 1888 as a central location to house steam locomotive repair shops for the Norfolk and Western Railroad which has a rail yard there for east-west trains carrying Appalachian...
, and BurkevilleBurkeville, VirginiaBurkeville is a town in Nottoway County, Virginia, United States. The population was 489 at the 2000 census. The source of the town name is disputed. The town is located on the crossroads of U.S. Routes 360 and 460....
.
Towns
- BlackstoneBlackstone, VirginiaBlackstone is a town in Nottoway County, Virginia, United States. The population was 3,675 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Blackstone is located at ....
- BurkevilleBurkeville, VirginiaBurkeville is a town in Nottoway County, Virginia, United States. The population was 489 at the 2000 census. The source of the town name is disputed. The town is located on the crossroads of U.S. Routes 360 and 460....
- CreweCrewe, VirginiaCrewe is a town in Nottoway County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,378 at the 2000 census. It was founded in 1888 as a central location to house steam locomotive repair shops for the Norfolk and Western Railroad which has a rail yard there for east-west trains carrying Appalachian...