Northampton County, Virginia

History

When English colonists first arrived in the area in the early 1600s, the Virginia Eastern Shore region was governed by Debedeavon (aka "The Laughing King"), who was the paramount chief of the Accomac people, which numbered around 2,000 at the time. The former name of the county was Accomac Shire, one of the original eight shires of Virginia created in 1634 after the founding of the first settlement at Jamestown in 1607. In 1642, the name was changed to Northampton County by the colonists. In 1663, Northampton County was split into two counties that still exist today. The northern two-thirds took the original "Accomac" name (Accomack County), while the southern third to the Point Cape Charles remained as Northampton.

Slavery

Northampton County is notable for a colonial court case involving an indentured servant. The first free negro in North America was Anthony Johnson of Northampton County. Johnson was one of the first black Americans to own land in America. In 1653, Johnson brought suit in Northampton County Court to argue that one of his servants, John Casor, was indentured to him for life. Casor had left him and was working for a neighbor. This was the first instance of a judicial determination in the Thirteen Colonies holding that a person who had committed no crime could be held in servitude for life.

This court ruling decision also gives insight to how owners of indentured servants could easily choose to ignore the expiration of indentured contracts and force their servants into lifetime slavery. Although Casor, an African, had well-known white planters taking his part, he was reduced to lifetime slavery. Some planters sought more profitable methods of labor by taking advantage of Negro indentured servants, who had little recourse in the legal and social system to protect their rights.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 795 sqmi, of which 212 sqmi is land and 584 sqmi (73.4%) is water.

Adjacent county and independent city

• Accomack County – north
• Virginia Beach, Virginia – south

National protected areas

• Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge
• Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010 2020

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 12,282. The median age was 52.1 years. 18.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 28.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 89.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 85.6 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 57.6% White, 30.8% Black or African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.5% from some other race, and 5.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 8.7% of the population.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 5,457 households in the county, of which 21.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 34.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 7,373 housing units, of which 26.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 67.8% were owner-occupied and 32.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.6%.

Northampton County is home to the United States' oldest continuous court records.

Transportation

Airports

• Campbell Field Airport

Major highways

Public transportation

STAR Transit provides public transit services for both Northampton and Accomack counties.

Education

Northampton County Public Schools operates public schools in the county. High schoolers in Northampton county are served by Northampton High School.

Communities

Towns

• Belle Haven (Partly in Accomack County)
• Cape Charles
• Cheriton
• Eastville
• Exmore
• Nassawadox

[[Census-designated places]]

• Franktown
• Willis Wharf

Other unincorporated communities

• Arlington
• Bacon Hill
• Bay Ridge
• Bayford
• Bayview
• Beverly
• Birdsnest
• Bridgetown
• Broadwater
• Capeville
• Cedar Grove
• Cheapside
• Cherrystone
• Chesapeake
• Clearview
• Culls
• Dalbys
• Eastville Station
• Fairview
• Hadlock
• Hare Valley
• Highland Heights
• Hungars Point
• James Crossroads
• Jamesville
• Johnson Cove
• Johnsontown
• Kendall Grove
• Kiptopeke
• Little Johnsontown
• Little Salisbury
• Machipongo
• Magotha
• Marionville
• Middletown
• Nottingham
• Oakland Park
• Oyster
• Pat Town
• Red Bank
• Reedtown
• Seaview
• Shadyside
• Sheps End
• Silver Beach
• Simpkins
• Smith Beach
• Stumptown
• The Meadows
• Townsend
• Treherneville
• Wardtown
• Weirwood
• Woodstock

Politics

Northampton County leans towards the Democratic Party. In presidential elections, it has voted for the Democratic nominee every time since 1992. However, it has been shifting toward the Republican Party, with the party improving in its percentage share since 2008, as well as narrowing margins, except in 2020.

Notable people

• John Casor, the first person of African descent in England's Thirteen Colonies to be declared as a slave for life as the result of a civil suit
• Adrian "Ace" Custis (1974-), former NCAA All-America basketball player at Virginia Tech, which retired his jersey. He is a 1992 graduate of Northampton High School.
• Alvy Powell (1955-), opera singer, performed National Anthem at inauguration of President George H. W. Bush. He is a 1974 graduate of Northampton High School.
• Ralph Northam (1959-), 40th Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (2014-2018) and 73rd Governor of Virginia (2018-2022).
• Abel Upshur (1791–1844), born in Northampton County, United States Secretary of State and United States Secretary of the Navy
• Tyler Webb (1990-), MLB relief pitcher who played for four different teams over five seasons.

References

References

1. "Northampton County, Virginia".
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. "Anthony Johnson".
4. Federal Writers' Project. (1954). "Virginia: A Guide to the Old Dominion". US History Publishers.
5. Foner, Philip S.. (1975). "History of Black Americans: From Africa to the Emergence of the Cotton Kingdom". Greenwood Publishing Group.
6. (February 12, 2011). "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". [[United States Census Bureau]].
7. "Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000". [[US Census Bureau]].
8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
10. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
11. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Northampton County, Virginia".
12. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Northampton County, Virginia".
13. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
14. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
15. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
16. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
17. [[Edgar Toppin]] (1973). ''The Black American in United States History'', Allyn & Bacon. {{ISBN. 9781475961720, p. 46
18. [https://books.google.com/books?id=BEd85InqqAIC&pg=PA48 William J. Wood, "The Illegal Beginning of American Slavery"], ''ABA Journal'', 1970, American Bar Association, accessed May 2, 2011
19. "Abel Parker Upshur - People - Department History - Office of the Historian".