QUERY XII.
A NOTICE OF THE COUNTIES, CITIES, TOWNSHIPS AND VILLAGES?
The counties have been enumerated under Query IX.
They are 74 in number, of very unequal size and population.
Of these 35 are on the tide waters, or in that parallel; 23
are in the Midlands, between the tide waters and Blue Ridge
of mountains; 8 between the Blue Ridge and Alleghaney;
and 8 westward of the Alleghaney.
The State, by another division, is formed into parishes, many of which are commensurate with the counties; but sometimes a county comprehends more than one parish, and sometimes a parish more than one county. This division had relation to the religion of the State, a parson of the Anglican Church, with a fixed salary, having been heretofore established in each parish. The care of the poor was another object of the parochial division.
We have no townships. Our country being much intersected with navigable waters, and trade brought generally to our doors, instead of our being obliged to go in quest of it, has probably been one of the causes why we have no towns of any consequence. Williamsburgh, which, till the year 1780, was the seat of our Government, never contained above 1800 inhabitants; and Norfolk, the most populous town we ever had, contained but 6,000. Our towns, but more properly our villages or hamlets, are as follows:
On James River and its waters, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Suffolk, Smithfield, Williamsburgh, Petersburgh, Richmond, the seat of our Government, Manchester, Charlottesville, New London.
On York River and its waters, York, Newcastle, Hanover.
