Virginia state historical marker Henry County Virginia

Henry County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 50,948. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

is usually identified as Martinsville; however, the administration building (where county offices are located and where the

board of supervisors A board of supervisors is a governmental body that oversees the operation of county government in the U.S. states of Arizona, California, Iowa, Mississippi, Virginia, and Wisconsin, as well as 16 counties in New York. There are equivalent agen ...

holds meetings), county courthouse, and Henry County Sheriff's Office are located on Kings Mountain Road (SR 174) in Collinsville.The Henry County Adult Detention Center is located on DuPont Road in Martinsville. Henry County is part of the Martinsville, VA Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The county was established in 1777 when it was carved from

Pittsylvania County Pittsylvania County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 60,501. Chatham is the county seat. Pittsylvania County is included in the Danville, VA Micropolitan Statistical A ...

. The new county was initially named Patrick Henry County in honor of

Patrick Henry Patrick Henry (May 29, 1736June 6, 1799) was an American attorney, planter, politician and orator known for declaring to the Second Virginia Convention (1775): " Give me liberty, or give me death!" A Founding Father, he served as the first a ...

, who was then serving as the first

Governor of Virginia The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia serves as the head of government of Virginia for a four-year term. The incumbent, Glenn Youngkin, was sworn in on January 15, 2022. Oath of office On inauguration day, the Governor-elect takes th ...

, and some of whose relatives had settled in the area. Governor Henry also had a

plantation A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. Th ...

called "Leatherwood plantation" (for Leatherwood Creek) in the newly named county (where he ended up spending 5 years between his third and fourth gubernatorial terms). In 1785 the northern part of Patrick Henry County was combined with part of Bedford County to form Franklin County. In 1790, Patrick Henry County was split again: the western part became

Patrick County Patrick County is a county located on the central southern border of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,608. Its county seat is Stuart. It is located within both the rolling hills and valleys of the ...

and the rest remained Henry County. Other notable early settlers included: George Waller,

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

George Hairston George Hairston (September 20, 1750 to March 5, 1825) was a noted planter and politician in Virginia. He was a Colonel in the American Revolutionary War and a Brigadier General in the War of 1812. Family life George Hairston was the son of Robert ...

and

Major Major ( commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicato ...

John Redd, all of whom were present at the surrender of General Cornwallis at Yorktown; Col.

Abram Penn Abram Penn, also known as "Abraham Penn" (December 27, 1743 in Caroline County, Virginia – 1801 in Patrick County, Virginia) was a noted landowner and Revolutionary War officer from Virginia. Family life He married Ruth Stovall (1743- 1800?), ...

, a native of

Amherst County, Virginia Amherst County is a county, located in the Piedmont region and near the center of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The county is part of the Lynchburg Metropolitan Statistical Area, and its county seat is also named Amherst. ...

, who led his Henry County militia troops with the intention of joining General

Nathanael Greene Nathanael Greene (June 19, 1786, sometimes misspelled Nathaniel) was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. He emerged from the war with a reputation as General George Washington's most talented and dependab ...

at the

Battle of Guilford Courthouse The Battle of Guilford Court House was on March 15, 1781, during the American Revolutionary War, at a site that is now in Greensboro, the seat of Guilford County, North Carolina. A 2,100-man British force under the command of Lieutenant General ...

during the Revolutionary War; and

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointe ...

Joseph Martin Joseph Martin may refer to: Military * Joseph Martin (general) (1740–1808), American Revolutionary War general from Virginia *Joseph Plumb Martin (1760–1850), American soldier and memoir writer * Joseph M. Martin (born 1962), U.S. Army officer ...

, for whom Martinsville is named. Also prominent were Mordecai Hord, a native of Louisa County and explorer, who lived on his plantation called ''Hordsville''; and Col. John Dillard, born in

in 1751, wounded at the

Battle of Princeton The Battle of Princeton was a battle of the American Revolutionary War, fought near Princeton, New Jersey on January 3, 1777, and ending in a small victory for the Colonials. General Lord Cornwallis had left 1,400 British troops under the comman ...

during the Revolution, and later a member of the Committee of Safety. Captain Robert Hairston, a noted politician in the

Colony of Virginia The Colony of Virginia, chartered in 1606 and settled in 1607, was the first enduring English colony in North America, following failed attempts at settlement on Newfoundland by Sir Humphrey GilbertGilbert (Saunders Family), Sir Humphrey" (histor ...

, owned Marrowbone plantation, commanded a militia company and served as Henry County's first high sheriff. During the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It be ...

, the 64th Virginia Militia, under Captain Graves, was formed in 1815 from Henry County. Benjamin Dyer was a lieutenant, then later a captain, of the 5th company of the 64th Virginia Militia.Private Alexander Hunter Bassett would later work large tobacco plantations in the county, and Wyatt Jarrett. Tavner Hailey (b.1793) of Martinsville became an early pioneer in Tennessee and served in the War of 1812. He was 1st Cpl. in Captain Brice Edward's Company, 64th Regiment, Virginia Militia." During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...

, the 42nd Virginia Infantry was formed in part from Henry County volunteers. Its state senator, Christopher Y. Thomas, owned Henry's former

Leatherwood plantation Leatherwood Plantation of 10,000 acres (40 km2) was located in Henry County, Virginia, where American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father Patrick Henry lived from 1779 until 1784. The plantations in the American South, plantation ...

and would later briefly serve in the U.S. House of Representatives after the war. He was succeeded by

George Cabell George Craighead Cabell (January 25, 1836 – June 23, 1906) was a nineteenth-century congressman, lawyer and editor from Virginia. Early and family life Born in Danville, Virginia, Cabell attended Danville Academy and later the Universit ...

, a Confederate army veteran ( 38th Virginia Infantry) born in nearby Danville and from a family long prominent in the area. In 1902, the Henry County Historical Society was incorporated at Martinsville with its first officers being John W. Carter, J. Harrison Spencer and C. B. Bryant.Acts and Joint Resolutions , Passed by the General Assembly, of the State of Virginia, During the Session of 1901–2, J. H. O'Hannon, Superintendent of Public Printing, Richmond, 1902
/ref>

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.5%) is water.

Districts

The county's six districts are as follows, in alphabetical order: Axton, Bassett, Collinsville, Horsepasture, Reed Creek, and Ridgeway.

Adjacent counties

Franklin County, Virginia Franklin County is located in the Blue Ridge foothills of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 54,477. Its county seat is Rocky Mount. Franklin County is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area ...

- north *

Pittsylvania County, Virginia Pittsylvania County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 60,501. Chatham is the county seat. Pittsylvania County is included in the Danville, VA Micropolitan Statistical A ...

- east * Rockingham County, North Carolina - south * Stokes County, North Carolina - southwest *

Patrick County, Virginia Patrick County is a county located on the central southern border of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,608. Its county seat is Stuart. It is located within both the rolling hills and valleys of the ...

- west * Martinsville - surrounded by Henry County

Major highways

* (future) * * * * * * *

Demographics

2020 census

''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

2000 Census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 57,930 people, 23,910 households, and 16,952 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 152 people per square mile (58/km²). There were 25,921 housing units at an average density of 68 per square mile (26/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.47%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 10%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.16% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.03%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 1.39% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. 3.46% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. There were 23,910 households, out of which 28.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.30% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 12.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.10% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.87. In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.30% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 26.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.00 males. The median income for a household in the county was $31,816, and the median income for a family was $38,649. Males had a median income of $26,660 versus $20,766 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $17,110. About 8.80% of families and 11.70% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 15.20% of those under age 18 and 12.60% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Board of supervisors

* Blackberry District: Jimmie L. "Jim" Adams (I) * Collinsville District: Joe Bryant (I) * Horsepasture District: Debra Parsons Buchanan (I) * Iriswood District: Garrett Dillard (I) * Reed Creek District: T.J. "Tommy" Slaughter (I) * Ridgeway District: Ryan Zehr (I)

Constitutional officers

* Clerk of the Circuit Court: Jennifer Ashworth (I) * Commissioner of the Revenue: Linda N. Love (I) * Commonwealth's Attorney: Andrew Nester (I) * Sheriff: Lane A. Perry (I) * Treasurer: Scott B. Grindstaff (I) * General Registrar: Dawn Stutz-Vaughn Henry County is represented by Republican William M. "Bill" Stanley in the Virginia Senate, Republicans Wren Williams, D.W. "Danny" Marshall III, and Les R. Adams in the Virginia House of Delegates, and Republicans Bob Good and H. Morgan Griffith in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Communities

Patrick Henry's Leatherwood Home Henry County Virginia

As an

independent city An independent city or independent town is a city or town that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity (such as a province). Historical precursors In the Holy Roman Empire, and to a degree in its successor states ...

since 1928, Martinsville is not part of Henry County, but exists as an

enclave An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...

, surrounded by the county.

Town

* Ridgeway

Census-designated places

* Bassett * Chatmoss * Collinsville * Fieldale * Horsepasture * Laurel Park * Oak Level * Sandy Level * Stanleytown * Villa Heights

Other unincorporated communities

* Axton *

Preston Preston is a place name, surname and given name that may refer to: Places England *Preston, Lancashire, an urban settlement **The City of Preston, Lancashire, a borough and non-metropolitan district which contains the settlement **County Boro ...

* Spencer

Notable people

Ward Armstrong Ward Lynn Armstrong (born June 2, 1956 in Bassett, Virginia) is an American trial lawyer and Democratic politician. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1992 to 2011, and served as the minority leader from 2007 to 2011. Electora ...

* Alexander Hunter Bassett *

John D. Bassett John David Bassett, Sr. (July 14, 1866- February 26, 1965) was a noted American industrialist who formed the Bassett Furniture Company in 1902. During the late 1960s, the Bassett Furniture Industries, Inc., was the largest manufacturer of wooden fur ...

* John Breathitt * Thomas G. Burch * H. Clay Earles *

Jeff Hensley Jeffrey S. Hensley (born November 11, 1962) is an American professional stock car racing driver and crew chief. He works as the crew chief for GMS Racing on their No. 23 Chevrolet Silverado in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driven by Grant En ...

Jimmy Hensley James Hensley (born October 11, 1945) is a former NASCAR driver. With a career spanning 27 seasons in all three of NASCAR's elite divisions, Hensley may be best remembered for his Rookie of the Year award won in 1992, his 15th season in the seri ...

* J. C. Martin *

Joseph Martin (general) Joseph Martin, Jr. (1740–1808) was a brigadier general in the Virginia militia during the American Revolutionary War, in which Martin's frontier diplomacy with the Cherokee people is credited with not only averting Indian attacks on the Scot ...

* Otis Martin * Barry Michaels *

Shawn Moore Shawn Levique Moore (born April 4, 1968) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Virginia Cavali ...

A. L. Philpott Albert Lee Philpott (July 29, 1919 – September 28, 1991) was an American politician of the Democratic Party. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates for 33 years starting in 1958, and was its Speaker from 1980 until his death. Early ...

* Carr Waller Pritchett Sr. * Robert Hairston * Rodney Sawyers *

Jessamine Shumate Ada Jessamine Shumate (born on March 31, 1902, as Ada Jessamine White in Horsepasture, Virginia – died on December 16, 1990, in Greenville, North Carolina) was an American artist, historian and cartographer, winner of the "Award of Distinction" ...

* Thomas B. Stanley * John H. Traylor * Christopher Thomas *

Anne Spencer Anne Bethel Spencer (born Bannister; February 6, 1882 – July 27, 1975) was an American poet, teacher, civil rights activist, librarian, and gardener. Though she lived outside New York City, the recognized center of the Harlem Renaissance, also ...

References

External links

Henry County, Official site

Henry County Public Schools

Patrick Henry Monument, Henry County, Virginia, virginia.org

Henry County – The Carolina Road, Wilderness Road, virginia.org

Architectural Survey of Henry County/Martinsville, Virginia, Martinsville-Henry County Historical Society
{{Coord, 36.67, -79.88, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-VA_source:UScensus1990 Virginia counties 1777 establishments in Virginia Populated places established in 1777 Martinsville, Virginia micropolitan area Counties of Appalachia