History of Richmond, (Richmond (city) County) Virginia United States of America

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Local History Notes:

The 1854 Gazetteer of the United States by Thomas Baldwin shows:

RICHMOND, a city, port of entry, capital of Virginia, and seat of justice of Henrico county, is situated on the left or N. E. bank of James river, at the lower falls, and at the head of tide-water, about 100 miles in a straight line S. by W. from Washington. The distance by railroad is 130 miles from Washington; 168 from Baltimore, and 22 N. from Petersburg. Lat. of the capitol, 37° 32' 17" N., lon. 77° 27' 28" W. It is the largest town in Virginia, and one of the most beautiful in the Union. The situation of the city and the scenery of the environs are much admired, combining, in a high degree, the elements of grandeur, beauty, and variety. The river, winding among verdant hills which rise with graceful swells and undulations, is interrupted by numerous islands and granite rocks, among which it tumbles and foams for a distance of several miles. The city is built on several hills, the most considerable of which are Shockoe and Richmond hills, separated from each other by Shockoe creek. It is laid out with general regularity in rectangular blocks. About 12 parallel streets, nearly 3 miles in length, extend N. W. and S. E. and were originally distinguished by the letters of the alphabet, A street being next the river: other names, however, are now generally used. The principal thoroughfare of business and fashion is Main, or E street. Those which intersect it are named from the ordinal numbers, First, Second, Third, &c. The capitol and other public buildings are situated on Shockoe hill; the top of which is an elevated plain in the western part of the city. This is the fashionable quarter, and is considered the most desirable for private residences. The capitol, from its size and elevated position, is the most conspicuous object in Richmond. It stands in the centre of a public square, of about 8 acres, is adorned with a portico of Ionic columns, and contains a marble statue of Washington, by Houdon, taken from life, and considered a perfect likeness. The City Hall is an elegant and costly building in the Doric style, at an angle of Capitol square. A short distance from the capitol is the governor's residence. The penitentiary, which stands near the river in the western suburbs of the city, has a front 300 feet in length, and is 110 feet deep. The number of prisoners in September, 1853, was 270. The city contains also a court house, a jail, an armory 320 feet long by 280 wide, 2 market houses, a theatre, an orphan asylum, and a Masonic hall.

There are 3 banks, with an aggregate capital of $2,114,000, and several insurance offices. The public press consists of 16 or 17 papers and periodicals, 6 or 7 of which are issued daily. There are about 30 churches, belonging to the Baptists, Episcopalians, Methodists, Presbyterians, Friends, Lutherans, Campbellites, Universalists, and Catholics; also 2 Hebrew synagogues. The Monumental church (Episcopal) occupies the site of the theatre which was burned in 1811, on which occasion the governor of Virginia and more than 60 others perished. Among the institutions of this city may be mentioned the Virginia Historical and Philosophical Society, Richmond College, founded by the Baptists in 1832; St. Vincent's College, under the direction of the Catholics, and the Medical Department of Hampden and Sydney College, established here in 1838; the edifice of the latter is a fine specimen of the Egyptian style of architecture. The water of the river is raised by forcing pumps into 3 reservoirs, containing 1,000,000 gallons each, and thence distributed over the city. Three bridges across the river connect the city with Manchester and Spring Hill.

For some years past Richmond has rapidly increased in population and business. The James River and Kanawha canal, of which this is the eastern terminus, is completed to Buchanan, about 200 miles, and is progressing to Covington, on Jackson's river. It was commenced in 1834, and had cost, in 1852, $10,714,306. The Richmond and Petersburg railroad connects here with the Richmond and Fredericksburg railroad, forming part of the great southern mail route. The Central railroad, after leaving Richmond, makes an extensive detour to the N., and then turning westward, penetrates the central part of the state. It is completed to Staunton, about 125 miles and is to be extended to the Ohio river, at Guyandotte; and the Richmond and Danville railroad, of which 73 miles were completed in 1853, extends south-westward, connecting with the railroad systems of Tennessee and Georgia. The river is navigable to this port for vessels drawing 10 feet of water, and those drawing 15 feet come within 3 miles of the town. Semi-weekly lines of ocean steamers communicate with New York and Philadelphia, and steamboats ply daily to Baltimore and Norfolk.

The chief articles of export are tobacco, wheat, and flour. The quantity of tobacco inspected here in 1851 was 15,678 hogsheads, and in 1852 it amounted to 24, 119 hogsheads. The exports of that year were 13,771 hogsheads, viz. to Great Britain, 5416 hogsheads; France, 3558; Italy, 1910; Bremen, 1432; Holland, 1025; Belgium, 430. The shipping of the district, June 30, 1852, amounted to an aggregate of 3077 88/95 tons registered, and 6099 94/95 tons enrolled and licensed. Of the latter all were employed in the coast trade, and 1119 27/95 tons in steam navigation. The foreign arrivals for the year were 35, (tons, 7120,) of which 14 (tons, 2606) were by American vessels. The clearances for foreign ports were 71, (tons, 22,803,) of which 36 (tons, 11,872) were by American vessels. Daring the year 2 schooners, with an aggregate burthen of 514 79/95 tons were admeasured.

Richmond possesses an immense waterpower derived from the falls of James river, which, from the commencement of the rapids, a few miles above the city, descends about 100 feet to the tide level. Few places in the state, or in the whole country, possess greater natural advantages for productive industry, which has recently attracted much attention. The principal articles produced here are flour, tobacco, cotton and woollen goods, paper, machinery, and iron ware. The brand of the City Flour Mills has acquired, perhaps, more celebrity than any other in the country. The Gallego and Haxall Mills are 5 or 6 stories high, 94 feet long, and about 80 feet wide. Richmond contains about 40 tobacco factories, some of which are very extensive, and several rolling mills and cotton factories. This city was rounded by an act of Assembly in May, 1742, and became the capital of the state in 1779-80, at which period it was an insignificant place, having scarcely any thing to interest except the grandeur of its scenery. In 1787 it contained about 300 houses. Population in 1800, 5737; in 1810, 9785; in 1820, 12,067; in 1830, 16,060; in 1840, 20,153; in 1850, 27,570, of which 17,643 were free, and 9927, slaves.

Biographies:

William H. Cabell, governor of Virginia, was born at "Boston Hill," Cumberland county, Va., Dec. 16, 1772, the eldest son of Col. Nicholas and Hannah (Carrington) Cabell. He was educated at home and at private schools, studied at Hampden-Sidney college from 1785 to 1789, and at William and Mary college from 1790 to 1793. After taking a course of law in Richmond, Va., he was admitted to practice, June 13, 1794. The following year he was married to Elizabeth, youngest daughter of Col. William Cabell, and lived in the family until the death of his wife, which occurred Nov. 5, 1801. In 1796 he was elected to the assembly, and served again in 1798, 1802, 1803, 1804, and 1805. In March, of the last named year, he was married to Agnes Sarah Bell, oldest daughter of Col. Robert Gamble. From 1805 to 1808, he was governor of the state, and in the latter year was elected by the legislature a judge of the general court, holding the office until 1811, when he was appointed judge of the court of appeals. This office he retained until the time of his death, being elected president of the court in 1842. He signed his name William Cabell prior to 1795, when he inserted the letter "H" to distinguish himself from the other William Cabells. Among the events which occurred during his administration was the trial of Aaron Burr. On the division of Kanawha county, in 1809, the new county was named in his honor. He died in Richmond, Va., Jan. 12, 1853.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

William Dallas Chesterman, editor, was born in Richmond. Va., July 10, 1845. He was educated in Richmond, and served in the Confederate army until 1864, when be became clerk in the bureau of exchange of prisoners. He entered journalism, was Richmond correspondent of the Petersburg Index; business manager of the Richmond Enquirer; city editor of the Richmond Dispatch, and subsequently vice-president of the Dispatch company and managing-editor of the paper.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

James Dabney McCabe, author, was born in Richmond, Va., July 30, 1842; son of the Rev. James Dabney McCabe (born 1808, died 1875), who was a Methodist clergyman, received orders in the Protestant Episcopal church in 1856, was associate rector of St. Paul's, Baltimore, Md., and rector of various other churches in Maryland, twice declining election as bishop. James attended the Virginia Military institute and joined the Confederate army in 1861. He was a contributor to and in 1863-64, editor of the Magnolia Weekly. He is the author of: Fanaticism and its Results (1860); The Aide-de-Camp (1863); The Bohemian (1863); Life of Gen. Thomas J. Jackson (1863); Memoir of Gen. Albert S. Johnston (1866); Life and Campaigns of Gen. Robert E. Lee (1867); The Grey Jackets (1867); Planting the Wilderness (1869); History of the late War between Germany and France (1871); Lights and Shadows of New York Life (1872): The Great Republic (1872); A History of the Grange Movement (1874); Paris by Sunlight and Gaslight (1875); Centennial History of the United States (1875); Pathways of the Holy Land (1877); History of the Turko-Russian War (1879); Our Young Folks Abroad (1881); Our Young Folks in Africa (1882). He also wrote Sword of Harry Lee, and other war poems; and three war plays, produced at the Richmond theatre, 1862-63. He died in Germantown, Pa., Jan. 27, 1883.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

William Johnson Pegram, soldier, was born in Richmond, Va., June, 29, 1841; son of James West (1703-1744) and Virginia (Johnson) Pegram. He was a student of law at the University of Virginia in 1861; left to enlist in the Confederate artillery, and was rapidly advanced through the respective grades from private to colonel. He handled his battery, Purcell's artillery, A.P. Hill's division, with effectiveness at Cedar Mountain, Aug. 9, 1862, at Chancellorsville, May 1-5, 1863 and in all the battles around Richmond and Petersburg, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. At Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863, he commanded a battalion in Col. R. Lindsay Walker's reserve artillery and won the rank of colonel. He took part in the battles of the Wilderness and Cold Harbor and in the defence of Petersburg. He was promoted brigadier-general in 1865. His brother, Maj. James West Pegram, served on the staffs of Generals Armstead and Ewell, surrendered with General Lee at Appomattox, was a prisoner at Johnsons Island for several months and died in 1881. Gen. W.J. Pegram was killed while directing his battalion in Mahone's division in the defence of Petersburg, April 2, 1865.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor