Surry County, Virginia
Surry County | |
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UTC−4 (EDT) | |
Congressional district | 4th |
Website | www |
Surry County is a
In 1652, Surry County was formed from the portion of
The county is known for farming, curing Virginia Hams, and harvesting lumber, notably
History
During the times of the
Nearby, in 1665,
The first town,
During the
In 1873, a New Jersey timberman, David Steele, with financing from Baltimore interests, began a lumber business in Surry County but went bankrupt a decade later. Baltimore investors Waters and Company incorporated the Surry Lumber Company in 1885. In 1886 it incorporated the Surry, Sussex, and Southampton Railway, which delivered lumber to Scotland wharf on the James River (now the Jamestown Ferry terminal). The company (headquartered at Sedley, Virginia) and SS&S railroad grew, reaching their heyday around 1920. But the company did not replant after it cut the old-growth pine, and found further logging in the area difficult after 1925.
In 1927, it closed its mills in Dendron, Virginia, causing considerable economic distress in the county. The railway went bankrupt in 1930. Gray Lumber Company of Waverly, Virginia, which replanted its timber cuts, bought 15,000 acres from the Surry Lumber Company in 1941, and other companies soon bought the rest of the company's acreage.[2]
The Temperance, Industrial and Collegiate Institute, a school for black Americans, was located in Surry County from 1892 to 1928. A Virginia State Historic Marker is located at the site of the former campus in Claremont, and a memorial to the school's founder, John Jefferson Smallwood, is located at the Abundant Life Church Cemetery in Spring Grove.[3]
As part of Virginia's "Massive Resistance" to integration following Brown v. Board of Education, Surry County closed its white public schools so no black students could attend. Foundation's School, a private, whites-only school was established. Grants and other provisions were made to provide public support for private education for the white students affected.[4]
The two-unit Surry Nuclear Power Plant was commissioned in 1972 and 1973 and is expected to remain active until 2053.
Transportation
Major highways
Geography
According to the
Adjacent counties
- Charles City County (northwest)
- Isle of Wight County (southeast)
- James City County (northeast)
- Prince George County (west)
- Southampton County (south)
- Sussex County (southwest)
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1790 | 6,227 | — | |
1800 | 6,535 | 4.9% | |
1810 | 6,855 | 4.9% | |
1820 | 6,594 | −3.8% | |
1830 | 7,109 | 7.8% | |
1840 | 6,480 | −8.8% | |
1850 | 5,679 | −12.4% | |
1860 | 6,133 | 8.0% | |
1870 | 5,585 | −8.9% | |
1880 | 7,391 | 32.3% | |
1890 | 8,256 | 11.7% | |
1900 | 8,469 | 2.6% | |
1910 | 9,715 | 14.7% | |
1920 | 9,305 | −4.2% | |
1930 | 7,096 | −23.7% | |
1940 | 6,193 | −12.7% | |
1950 | 6,220 | 0.4% | |
1960 | 6,220 | 0.0% | |
1970 | 5,882 | −5.4% | |
1980 | 6,046 | 2.8% | |
1990 | 6,145 | 1.6% | |
2000 | 6,829 | 11.1% | |
2010 | 7,058 | 3.4% | |
2020 | 6,561 | −7.0% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8] 1990-2000[9] 2010-2020[10] |
2020 census
Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010[11] | Pop 2020[10] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|
White alone (NH)
|
3,583 | 3,459 | 50.77% | 52.72% |
Black or African American alone (NH)
|
3,240 | 2,687 | 45.91% | 40.95% |
Alaska Native alone (NH)
|
21 | 17 | 0.30% | 0.26% |
Asian alone (NH) | 23 | 14 | 0.33% | 0.21% |
Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 2 | 10 | 0.03% | 0.15% |
Some Other Race alone (NH) | 4 | 15 | 0.06% | 0.23% |
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 99 | 210 | 1.40% | 3.20% |
Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 86 | 149 | 1.22% | 2.27% |
Total | 7,058 | 6,561 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
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.
2010 Census
As of the census
There were 2,619 households, out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.50% were married couples living together, 14.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.80% were non-families. 23.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the county, the age distribution of the population shows 25.20% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 25.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.70 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 92.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,558, and the median income for a family was $41,234. Males had a median income of $31,123 versus $21,143 for females. The
Public services
Blackwater Regional Library is the regional library system that provides services to the citizens of Surry.
Communities
Towns
Census-designated place
Other unincorporated communities
Politics
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 2,025 | 45.29% | 2,397 | 53.61% | 49 | 1.10% |
2016 | 1,819 | 43.02% | 2,272 | 53.74% | 137 | 3.24% |
2012 | 1,671 | 38.79% | 2,576 | 59.80% | 61 | 1.42% |
2008 | 1,663 | 38.45% | 2,626 | 60.72% | 36 | 0.83% |
2004 | 1,543 | 43.81% | 1,954 | 55.48% | 25 | 0.71% |
2000 | 1,313 | 40.65% | 1,845 | 57.12% | 72 | 2.23% |
1996 | 944 | 32.13% | 1,753 | 59.67% | 241 | 8.20% |
1992 | 1,046 | 31.94% | 1,823 | 55.66% | 406 | 12.40% |
1988 | 1,246 | 42.98% | 1,602 | 55.26% | 51 | 1.76% |
1984 | 1,462 | 43.38% | 1,875 | 55.64% | 33 | 0.98% |
1980 | 962 | 34.10% | 1,756 | 62.25% | 103 | 3.65% |
1976 | 929 | 32.79% | 1,829 | 64.56% | 75 | 2.65% |
1972 | 1,067 | 50.40% | 988 | 46.67% | 62 | 2.93% |
1968 | 523 | 22.10% | 1,126 | 47.59% | 717 | 30.30% |
1964 | 1,004 | 46.92% | 1,131 | 52.85% | 5 | 0.23% |
1960 | 397 | 27.51% | 1,003 | 69.51% | 43 | 2.98% |
1956 | 425 | 32.52% | 616 | 47.13% | 266 | 20.35% |
1952 | 414 | 41.15% | 572 | 56.86% | 20 | 1.99% |
1948 | 134 | 17.31% | 460 | 59.43% | 180 | 23.26% |
1944 | 123 | 16.94% | 602 | 82.92% | 1 | 0.14% |
1940 | 120 | 15.42% | 658 | 84.58% | 0 | 0.00% |
1936 | 87 | 10.82% | 715 | 88.93% | 2 | 0.25% |
1932 | 73 | 9.92% | 653 | 88.72% | 10 | 1.36% |
1928 | 157 | 22.49% | 541 | 77.51% | 0 | 0.00% |
1924 | 72 | 14.34% | 388 | 77.29% | 42 | 8.37% |
1920 | 92 | 18.70% | 397 | 80.69% | 3 | 0.61% |
1916 | 90 | 17.08% | 430 | 81.59% | 7 | 1.33% |
1912 | 57 | 12.26% | 360 | 77.42% | 48 | 10.32% |
Notable incidents in Surry County
Dog fighting investigation
Beginning on April 25, 2007, Surry County Sheriff Harold D. Brown and part-time county Commonwealth's Attorney (prosecutor) Gerald G. Poindexter led a high-profile dog fighting investigation. Authorities investigating Davon T. Boddie, 26, on a narcotics issue found evidence of dogfighting activities at home and property in Surry County where he lived. It was owned by his cousin, then Atlanta Falcons NFL-football player Michael Vick. Officials confiscated 66 dogs, 55 of which were pit bulls, and other evidence. An ESPN source alleged that Vick was a "heavyweight" in dogfighting and had been known to wager $40,000 on the outcome of a single fight.
By August 20, 2007, all the defendants charged in Federal court, including Vick, had agreed to guilty pleas under plea bargain agreements. They were sentenced to terms ranging from 6 to 23 months, to be served in federal prisons. The abused dogs were placed in foster or adoptive homes.
On February 26, 2009, Vick was approved for release to home confinement. He was released on May 21, 2009, to be confined for the remainder of his 23-month term of imprisonment under home confinement.
Points of interest
- Bacon's Castle
- Chippokes Plantation State Park
- Jamestown-Scotland Ferry
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Surry County, Virginia
- Surry County Courthouse Complex
- Surry Nuclear Power Plant
Notable people
- Leslie Garland Bolling (1898–1955), Early 20th century black American woodcarver
- Robert Butler (1784–1853), European-American politician and physician; served as Adjutant General of Virginia and State Treasurer of Virginia
- John Hartwell Cocke (1780–1866), European-American military officer, planter, and businessman
- Joseph T. Deal (1860–1942), Virginia politician and businessman
- Curtis W. Harris (1924–2017), minister, civil rights activist, and politician in Virginia
- Thomas Person (1733–1800), European-American politician and Anti-Federalist organizer
- Peyton Short (1761–1825), land speculator and politician in Kentucky
- Claude V. Spratley (1882–1976), Virginia jurist
- Real Housewives of Potomac personality.[14]
References
- ^ "Surry County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
- ^ Jack Huber, "The Surry Lumber Company", Virginia Forests available (Winter 2000) at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~vaschs/SLCfinal.htm
- ^ Randall, James I. (2022). "John J. Smallwood and the Temperance, Industrial and Collegiate Institute". Social Welfare History Project. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
- ^ "Avis M. Pettaway – Desegregation of Virginia Education (DOVE)". Retrieved December 15, 2022.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Surry County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Surry County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
- ^ Felbin, Sarah (March 21, 2022). "'RHOP' Star Karen Huger's New Spinoff Special Premieres Next Month On Bravo". Women's Health. Retrieved April 18, 2022.