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Goochland County, Virginia, USA

Tree: Nederlandse voorouders

Notes:
Goochland County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the population was 21,44. Its county seat is Goochland. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).



History



"In 1634, the entire occupied territory of Virginia was divided into eight shires, which were to be governed as shires in England. Henrico was one of the eight shires established." Goochland was founded in 1728 from Henrico shire, and was the first county to split from Henrico (followed by Chesterfield County in 1749). Goochland was named after Sir William Gooch, the royal lieutenant governor from 1727-1749 (the nominal governor, the Earl of Albemarle, remained in England without much authority). At the time of its founding, Goochland included all of the land from Tuckahoe Creek, on both sides of the James River, west to the Blue Ridge Mountains.



As the colonists moved west of Richmond, they first created tobacco plantations, like those of the Tidewater. They depended on the labor of enslaved Blacks to manage its intense cultivation. After the Revolution, tobacco was not so lucrative a crop. In Goochland, as in other areas of Virginia, many planters switched to growing wheat and mixed crops. They continued to rely heavily on the labor of slaves for the full range of plantation tasks.



According to the 1860 Census and Slave Schedules, the total population of the county was 10,656. Of that number, 57.6%, or 6139 people, were enslaved Blacks. By 1870 after the Civil War, the total population decreased slightly to 10,313, but the number of Black freedpeople rose to 6610, or 64% of the total. In later years agricultural work decreased and more people migrated to Richmond and other towns. In the early decades of the 20th century, many Blacks left Virginia in the Great Migration North for better jobs and opportunities. In 2000, they comprised only 26% of Goochland County's population.



Goochland Courthouse



The first court in Goochland County was held in May 1728. The exact location of this first court is unknown, but researchers believe that the first courthouse was constructed in Goochland between 1730 and 1737. In the mid-18th century, the location of the first courthouse was moved. Then once more in the early-19th century the courthouse was moved to its current location along Rt. 522 in central Goochland.



Revolutionary War



Lord Cornwallis



Goochland County witnessed several major events in U.S. history. During the early part of 1781, Lord Cornwallis marched his sizable army through the boundaries of Goochland. There is one particular point along the James River that came to be known as Cornwallis Hill. "It is said that the British General, who paused here on his way to Yorktown, remarked that this spot with its magnificent vista of the James River Valley would make an ideal site for a house.



General La Fayette



General Lafayette returned later in life to visit Virginia during his grand tour of the United States in 1824 and 1825. On November 2, 1824, General Lafayette "left Richmond on his way to Monticello to visit Mr. Jefferson." On the way, Gen. Lafayette stopped at Powell's Tavern in Goochland. ("I spent some time at the Tavern and there was much celebration at his arrival.") While there, the general met with American officers and many citizens of the county.



Civil War



Dahlgren's Raid



Almost 100 years after Cornwallis marched his army through Goochland, the county witnessed yet another war on its soil. Colonel Ulric Dahlgren was a young, distinguished officer by the year 1864. He had a daring plan to almost single-handedly defeat the South. On March 1, 1864, Dahlgren "reached the hill at Dover Mills, on the farm of James A. Seddon" (Confederate Secretary of War). His plan was to secretly infiltrate central Virginia, liberate nearly 12,000 Union prisoners on Belle Isle in Richmond, the Confederate capital, and then easily destroy the city. At this point, Colonel Dahlgren had arrived at the homes of Sabot Hill, Dover, and Eastwood in eastern Goochland. Eastwood was occupied at the time by "Plumer Hobson, whose wife was the daughter of Brigadier General Henry A. Wise. On the previous night General Wise...arrived at Eastwood." When a detail arrived at Eastwood looking for Gen. Wise, his daughter lied and said that her father was in Charleston, South Carolina, when in reality he was running southwest to Richmond to warn the troops. Dahlgren himself then went to Sabot Hill, the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Seddon. When Dahlgren knocked on the door, Mrs. Seddon answered. Using her southern charm, she lured Dahlgren inside to have some wine, long enough so that Gen. Wise could get to Richmond before Dahlgren. Ultimately, due to quick thinking by the families in that area, Richmond was warned and was able to stop Col. Dahlgren.



James Pleasants



Of all the contributions that Goochland made during the Civil War, one of the most remarkable is that of James Pleasants, who was born and raised in Goochland County. When the war broke out, he insisted that he take his uncle's place in the Goochland Light Dragoons (known during the war as Co. F, 4th Virginia Cavalry). After much consideration, in 1861, Pleasants was allowed to take his uncle's place. In the winter of 1864, any troops that were close to home were allowed to return there and help recruit soldiers. On his first night home, Dahlgren's raiders stole his horses, but did not search the property. When Pleasants found out what happened, he did not wait for reinforcements, but rather grabbed his carbine and started off on foot after the raiders. When he heard a noise, he hid in the woods, and then ordered the Union cavalryman to surrender. Pleasants then mounted the man's horse, and forced the soldier to walk in front in search of more enemies. Within a short amount of time, James Pleasants was taking numerous soldiers back to Bowles' store as prisoners. In all, James Pleasants had single-handedly captured 15 Union soldiers, recovered 16 horses, and shot one officer that refused to surrender.



Communities



No incorporated communities are located in Goochland County. Unincorporated communities include the following:



Goochland



Manakin-Sabot



Oilville



Maidens

Birth

Matches 1 to 10 of 10

	Last Name, Given Name(s)	Birth		Person ID	Tree
1	Fielder, Dennis	Fri 21 May 1756	Goochland County, Virginia, USA	I451336	Nederlandse voorouders
2	Fielder, John	Sat 22 May 1756	Goochland County, Virginia, USA	I451286	Nederlandse voorouders
3	Fielder, William M.	1776	Goochland County, Virginia, USA	I449544	Nederlandse voorouders
4	Jerrett, Sarah	Abt 1739	Goochland County, Virginia, USA	I451335	Nederlandse voorouders
5	Shoemaker, Anne	Abt 1733	Goochland County, Virginia, USA	I451321	Nederlandse voorouders
6	Shoemaker, Evan	Abt 1725	Goochland County, Virginia, USA	I451327	Nederlandse voorouders
7	Shoemaker, John III	Abt 1735	Goochland County, Virginia, USA	I451329	Nederlandse voorouders
8	Shoemaker, Mary	Abt 1740	Goochland County, Virginia, USA	I451330	Nederlandse voorouders
9	Shoemaker, William	Abt 1725	Goochland County, Virginia, USA	I451325	Nederlandse voorouders
10	Webber, Mildred	1781	Goochland County, Virginia, USA	I449545	Nederlandse voorouders

Death

Matches 1 to 2 of 2

	Last Name, Given Name(s)	Death		Person ID	Tree
1	Jerrett, Sarah	Abt 1830	Goochland County, Virginia, USA	I451335	Nederlandse voorouders
2	Shoemaker, John II	Bef 1764	Goochland County, Virginia, USA	I451323	Nederlandse voorouders

Marriage

Matches 1 to 3 of 3

	Family	Marriage		Family ID	Tree
1	Hancock / Shoemaker	Sat 25 Mar 1758	Goochland County, Virginia, USA	F175947	Nederlandse voorouders
2	Shoemaker / Burke	Sat 02 Oct 1756	Goochland County, Virginia, USA	F175945	Nederlandse voorouders
3	Shoemaker / Jerrett	Sun 09 Nov 1755	Goochland County, Virginia, USA	F175946	Nederlandse voorouders