Madison County Virginia USGenWeb Archives History - Books .....Madison County History From Historical Collections Of Virginia By Henry Howe 1845 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Alice Warner http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00015.html#0003503 February 25, 2008, 1:44 am Book Title: Historical Collections Of Virginia By Henry Howe, 1845 Madison (p. 360) [[Please keep in mind this was written in 1845]] Madison was formed in 1792, from Culpeper. It is about 23 miles long, and 13 miles wide. It lies at the eastern foot of the Blue Ridge, from which extend several mountains into the western part of the county, some of the smaller of which are very fertile. The tobacco raised on the highlands is a superior quality: between the mountains are fine valleys of rich bottom land. The county is watered by the Rapid Ann [[ modern spelling: Rapidan]] and its branches. Pop. in 1840, whites 3729, slaves 4308, free colored, 70; total 8107. Madison, the county-seat, is 97 miles NNW of Richmond. It is situated int he heart of the county, on a high and elevated ridge, and commands a beautiful and picturesque view of the Blue Ridge and the neighboring mountains. It contains 4 mercantile stores, 1 Baptist and 1 Episcopal church, and about 50 dwellings. At the post-offices of Rapid Ann Meeting-House and Leon are a few dwellings; the first contains a Baptist and a Free Church. The late Hon. Linn Banks, of this county, "for 20 successive years was speaker of the House of Delegates, an office for which he was so peculiarly qualified, that he was selected to fill it in all the mutations of party. He retired from the legislature in 1838, and was elected to Congress in that year, to complete the unexpired term of Mr. Patton, who was chosen counsellor. He was re-elected in 1839, and again in 1841. He served in the extra session of 1841, and then agreed with his competitor, to submit their cause to the people of his district. He consequently resigned his seat, which was obtained by his opponent, the majority against him being small. He was found drowned (Feb 24th, 1842) in a stream which he had to gross in going from Madison Court-House to his residence, a few months after he was thus consigned to private life." Additional Comments: File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/madison/history/1845/historic/madisonc275gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/vafiles/ File size: 2.7 Kb