Place:Buckingham, Virginia, United States

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source: Family History Library Catalog

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

Buckingham County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, USA. As of 2010, the population was 17,146. Its county seat is Buckingham. Peter Francisco, an American Revolutionary War soldier, grew up in the county.

History

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

Buckingham County, lying south of the James River at the geographic center of the state, was established on May 1, 1761 from the southeastern portion of Albemarle County. The origin of the county name probably comes from the Duke of Buckingham (Buckinghamshire, England). Some sources say that the county was named for Archibald Cary's estate "Buckingham" which was located on Willis Creek. This is the only Buckingham County in the United States.

In 1778 a small triangular area bordering the James River was given to Cumberland County. In 1845, another part was taken from Buckingham to form the northern portion of Appomattox County. A final adjustment of the Appomattox-Buckingham county line was made in 1860 and Buckingham's borders then became fixed in their current form. A fire destroyed the courthouse (designed by Thomas Jefferson) in 1869 and most of the early records of this county were lost. In the nineteenth century the county was devoted chiefly to large farms, which converted from tobacco cultivation to mixed farming and pulpwood harvesting. Large tracts of land belong to companies such as WestVaco that sell pulpwood and other timber products to the paper mills and wood product producers. It is still largely rural with areas devoted to great recreation such as fishing and hunting. The County is home to families that can trace their ancestry back to the very early beginnings of Virginia History. Many families still live on tracts of land that were given to their families as land grants. These land grants were originally given to French Huguenots who first settled the south western part of the county in the early 1700s.

Lee’s army marched through the county during Lee’s retreat on their way to Appomattox, Virginia. A marker in the cemetery of Trinity Presbyterian Church in New Canton reads, ""According to the oral history of Trinity Presbyterian Church and this community, here are 45 Confederate and Union soldiers buried in mass graves directly behind this church. they left Appomattox after the surrender and headed for their homes north of here. Sick with disease, they died in a nearby camp. That they may not be forgotten, this plaque is placed by the Elliott Grays UDC Chapter #1877 2003"

Timeline

Population History

source: Source:Population of States and Counties of the United States: 1790-1990

Research Tips

• Buckingham County, Virginia family history and genealogy research guide (FamilySearch Research Wiki).