Shenandoah County, Virginia (Howe)

SHENANDOAH was established in 1772, from Frederick, under the name of Dunmore; but in October, 1777, after Lord Dunmore had taken a decided stand against the colonists, one of the delegates from the county stated, "that his constituents no longer wished to live in, or he to represent, a county bearing the name of such a tory; he therefore moved to call it Shenandoah, after the beautiful stream which passes through it;" and it was accordingly done. It is 32 miles long, with a mean width of 15 miles. The eastern and western portions are mountainous. The central part of the county is watered by the north fork of the Shenandoah, and the soil is extremely fertile. Population in 1840, whites 10,320, slaves 1,033, free colored 265; total, 11,618.