Roanoke County, VA

Headnote
ROANOKE was formed from Botetourt, in 1838... It is a small county, with a mean length of about 20, and mean width of 18 miles. The Blue Ridge forms its eastern boundary; the western parts are mountainous. Much of the soil of the county, particularly on the Roanoke River in the vicinity of Big Lick, is of almost unequalled fertility, and productive in hemp, wheat, and tobacco. Pop. in 1840, whites 3,843, slaves 1,553, free colored 101; total, 5,499. (Historical Collections, 1852)
Place Unit Type
County
Containing Unit
Virginia

Roanoke County, Virginia (Howe)

Gazetteer/Almanac
ROANOKE was formed from Botetourt, in 1838. The name is probably derived from the Indian word Roenoke, or Rawrenoke, signifying the Indian shell-money. It is a small county, with a mean length of about 20, and mean width of 18 miles. The Blue Ridge forms its eastern boundary; the western parts are mountainous. Much of the soil of the county, particularly on the Roanoke River in the vicinity of Big Lick, is of almost unequalled fertility, and productive in hemp, wheat, and tobacco. Pop. in 1840, whites 3,843, slaves 1,553, free colored 101; total, 5,499.
Henry Howe, Historical Collections of Virginia… (Charleston, SC: William R. Babcock, 1852), 447.
Date Type
In North Carolina, Confederate troops defend the locks of the Dismal Swamp Canal from demolition Battles/Soldiers
Name Type
Roanoke, VA City or Town
Salem, VA City or Town
How to Cite This Page: "Roanoke County, VA," House Divided: The Civil War Research Engine at Dickinson College, https://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/node/17991.