Charles City Co. to Prince George Co., VA

 No in-depth maps exist for the late 17th century or early 18th century for Charles City Co./Prince George Co., VA, covering the area running east and west between Bailey's creek and Powell's creek and north and south between the James river and the Blackwater river and swamp. This map was created from scratch from the extant records of the area. There are only a fraction of the original deeds in existence and those are supplemented by abstracts and any other record that could be located.

From the records, tracts of land were plotted with the original dimensions while noting "anchor points" and neighboring tracts. Where no dimensions were located, estimations and approximations were utilized. Surveyors in Virginia during the 1600s utilized poles (16 1/2 feet), two-pole chains (33 feet) and chains (66 feet) vice feet and inches. They also used the 32 point compass for direction. 

In order to create the map, the measurements from the deeds were converted to feet and 32 point compass directions into regular degrees. Once this was completed, the dimensions of the properties were plotted on graph paper. In this case, the scale for the graph was placed at 2 1/4 inches per mile. Despite close adherence to the dimensions, some accuracy is lost as some dimensions were less than 200 feet and some dimensions were 2 miles in length.

Once the properties were plotted on graph paper, the whole graph was transferred onto a transparency. At the same time, a topographical map was enlarged to a scale of 2 1/4 inches per mile. Once the transparency was placed onto the topographical map, the property descriptions were used to "anchor the map." A Delorme Virginia Atlas & Gazetteer Topographical map, 4th edition, 2000, was used for this purpose.

Original anchor points included placing Robert Abernathy's 100 acres over Merchant's Hope church and cemetery and along Merchant's Hope road. The top part of the transparency was placed over Captain John Woodlief's 530 acres on James River. Robert Lucy's 1,000 acre Saw Tree plantation was bordered on the west side by the Blackwater swamp. Thomas Bailey's 100 acres and Captain Francis Poythress' 750 acres were bordered on the west side by Bailey's creek. Thomas Wheeler's 990 acres was bordered by Powell's creek and the Charles Sparrow and Richard Tye tract of 2,500 acres was crossed by Powell's creek and Birchen's swamp.

Once the above anchor points were in place, other features mentioned in the deeds were located. The Jackson/Baker tract of 1,500 acres mentioned, in the deed, that there was a "great swamp" and a "cross swamp" on the tract. These features were identified and marked on the map where Richard Baker's and Richard Pace, Sr.'s properties were located in 1664/5. Poplar branch was mentioned in a deed regarding James Wallace's 200 acres and Richard Craven's 650 acre tract. Poplar branch was identified and marked on the map. Poplar branch was a branch of Wall's run. Burleigh Plantation was identified in records as located on the old Sparrow and Tye tract, on the east side of Old Town road and north of Pole Run road. This was identified and marked on the map. Easterly Run, presently called Manchester Run, was located and marked. Its north to south leg ran parallel to Major Poythress' 1,250 acres of land that he was granted in 1683. 

There are several other anchor points on the map. Dry Bottom run is presently crossed by Route 655. The old deeds of Major Francis Poythress, James Munford, Anthony Wyatt and Thomas Cureton mentioned this topographical feature. Deep Bottom run is presently traversed by Ruffin road. Deep Bottom was mentioned in the old deeds of John Woodlief, Anthony Wyatt, John Poythress, Francis Poythress and Thomas Poythress. By the beginning of the 18th century, others on or around Deep Bottom included the Young, Winningham, Stainback, Patterson, Evans and Lovesay families.

This map provides an introduction to the people and tracts of land for old Charles City Co. and Prince George Co. It can be a starting point for anyone doing research on individuals and their properties during the 1600s. Hopefully, others will be able to add to or refine the map.

The area between Bailey's creek and Jordan's Point is highlighted with broken lines as exact measurements have not been located for the early tracts of land. The plots of land in the center of the map are approximations as well. Francis Poythress and Richard Pace were involved in several deeds in 1718 involving land in this area of which there are few records. The locations for Grammer (1715), Goodwin (1718), Richard Pace (1718) and Whitmore are approximations. However, the deeds of Williams (1683) and Higdon & Reese (1683) note that their northern boundaries abutted Richard Pace's line. This land is not the original homestead of Richard Pace, Sr. Richard Pace, Sr.'s homestead was located on the 1,500 acre tract of Patrick Jackson and Richard Baker near the great swamp and cross swamp.

How should this map be used? If a researcher knows that a particular person or family lived in this area of Virginia in the 17th or 18th century or has an idea where the property was located, it is possible to narrow the focus and utilize the location of tracts or topographical features and neighboring properties to not only discern the particular person's lands but to also discover the neighbors. Research requires detective-like skills. Clues come in all shapes and forms. Neighbors married neighbors. Neighbors were often family members and close friends. Neighbors were witnesses to deeds and wills and were also called upon to value estates and attend estate sales. 

It is impossible to build a year-by-year map or even a map by decade during this period of Virginia history as so many records have been lost to war, fire or inadequate safekeeping. As a result, it requires thinking outside of the box to glean the requisite information that a researcher desires.

Hopefully, this simple map will create some new ideas and thoughts and give insight on where things were located in this area of Virginia in the 1600s and 1700s.