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Essex County, Virginia
Essex County VA courthouse2
Essex County Courthouse in Tappahannock
Seal of Essex County, Virginia
Seal
Map of Virginia highlighting Essex County
Location in the state of Virginia
Map of the U.S
Virginia's location in the U.S.
Founded 1692
Seat Tappahannock
Largest town Tappahannock
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

286 sq mi (741 km²)
257 sq mi (666 km²)
29 sq mi (75 km²), 10.1
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

10,599
Congressional district 1st
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.essex-virginia.org

Essex County is a county located in the Middle Peninsula in the U.S. state of Virginia; the peninsula is bordered by the Rappahannock River on the north and King and Queen County on the south. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,599.[1] Its county seat is Tappahannock.[2]

History[]

Essex County was established in 1692 from the old Rappahannock County, Virginia (not to be confused with the present-day Rappahannock County, Virginia). The county is named for either the shire or county in England, or for the Earl of Essex.

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 286 square miles (740 km2), of which 257 square miles (670 km2) is land and 29 square miles (75 km2) (10.1%) is water.[3] Its main town, Tappahanock, is focused at the Rappahanock River.

Adjacent counties[]

Major highways[]

  • US 17 US 17
  • US 360 US 360

National protected area[]

  • Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge (part) Hutchinson unit, Thomas unit

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1790 9,122
1800 9,508 4.2%
1810 9,376 −1.4%
1820 9,909 5.7%
1830 10,521 6.2%
1840 11,309 7.5%
1850 10,206 −9.8%
1860 10,469 2.6%
1870 9,927 −5.2%
1880 11,032 11.1%
1890 10,047 −8.9%
1900 9,701 −3.4%
1910 9,105 −6.1%
1920 8,542 −6.2%
1930 6,976 −18.3%
1940 7,006 0.4%
1950 6,530 −6.8%
1960 6,690 2.5%
1970 7,099 6.1%
1980 8,864 24.9%
1990 8,689 −2.0%
2000 9,989 15.0%
2010 11,151 11.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[4]
1790-1960[5] 1900-1990[6]
1990-2000[7] 2010[8] 2020[9]

2020 census[]

Essex County, Virginia - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[8] Pop 2020[9] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 6,239 5,871 55.95% 55.39%
Black or African American alone (NH) 4,224 3,743 37.88% 35.31%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 46 61 0.41% 0.58%
Asian alone (NH) 86 62 0.77% 0.58%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 2 3 0.02% 0.03%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 13 40 0.12% 0.38%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 192 450 1.72% 4.25%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 349 369 3.13% 3.48%
Total 11,151 10,599 100.00% 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.

2000 Census[]

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 9,989 people, 3,995 households, and 2,740 families residing in the county. The population density was 39 people per square mile (15/km2). There were 4,926 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile (7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 57.96% White, 39.04% Black or African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.81% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.32% from other races, and 1.28% from two or more races. 0.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,995 households, out of which 28.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.70% were married couples living together, 14.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.90% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 27.00% from 25 to 44, 25.70% from 45 to 64, and 17.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 89.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,395, and the median income for a family was $43,588. Males had a median income of $29,736 versus $22,253 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,994. About 7.70% of families and 11.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.80% of those under age 18 and 11.80% of those age 65 or over.

Government[]

Board of supervisors[]

  • Central District: John Magruder (I)
  • Greater Tappahannock District: Robert Akers (I)
  • North District: Sidney N. Johnson (I)
  • South District: Ronnie Gill
  • At Large: Bud Smith

Constitutional officers[]

  • Clerk of the Circuit Court: Gayle J. Ashworth (I)
  • Commissioner of the Revenue: Thomas M. Blackwell (I)
  • Commonwealth's Attorney: Vince S. Donoghue (R)
  • Sheriff: Walter "Arnie" Holmes (I)
  • Treasurer: B. A. "Penny" Davis (I)

Essex is represented by Republican Ryan T. McDougle in the Virginia Senate, Republican M. Keith Hodges in the Virginia House of Delegates, and Republican Robert J. "Rob" Wittman in the U.S. House of Representatives.

United States presidential election results for Essex County, Virginia[11]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 3,075 49.77% 3,038 49.17% 65 1.05%
2016 2,657 49.46% 2,542 47.32% 173 3.22%
2012 2,602 45.85% 3,016 53.15% 57 1.00%
2008 2,379 44.35% 2,934 54.70% 51 0.95%
2004 2,304 53.04% 2,007 46.20% 33 0.76%
2000 1,995 52.08% 1,750 45.68% 86 2.24%
1996 1,627 46.05% 1,668 47.21% 238 6.74%
1992 1,897 48.59% 1,583 40.55% 424 10.86%
1988 2,038 60.56% 1,294 38.45% 33 0.98%
1984 2,120 61.63% 1,300 37.79% 20 0.58%
1980 1,581 52.93% 1,280 42.85% 126 4.22%
1976 1,380 50.55% 1,306 47.84% 44 1.61%
1972 1,482 62.58% 808 34.12% 78 3.29%
1968 791 36.55% 897 41.45% 476 22.00%
1964 789 50.90% 760 49.03% 1 0.06%
1960 606 54.25% 509 45.57% 2 0.18%
1956 597 55.48% 328 30.48% 151 14.03%
1952 610 52.45% 545 46.86% 8 0.69%
1948 221 33.95% 329 50.54% 101 15.51%
1944 179 25.98% 508 73.73% 2 0.29%
1940 145 20.92% 547 78.93% 1 0.14%
1936 116 17.98% 527 81.71% 2 0.31%
1932 101 19.27% 420 80.15% 3 0.57%
1928 195 37.79% 321 62.21% 0 0.00%
1924 60 15.63% 315 82.03% 9 2.34%
1920 101 24.05% 319 75.95% 0 0.00%
1916 77 20.32% 302 79.68% 0 0.00%
1912 72 19.94% 278 77.01% 11 3.05%
1908 123 25.26% 364 74.74% 0 0.00%
1904 513 54.34% 430 45.55% 1 0.11%
1900 590 44.63% 731 55.30% 1 0.08%
1896 669 41.89% 924 57.86% 4 0.25%
1892 903 48.86% 890 48.16% 55 2.98%
1888 1,088 58.43% 774 41.57% 0 0.00%
1884 1,105 56.44% 853 43.56% 0 0.00%
1880 935 56.22% 728 43.78% 0 0.00%



Education[]

Essex County Public Schools (ECPS) is the public schools system for Essex County, Virginia, United States.[12] The following schools make up the Essex County Public Schools system:

Tappahannock Elementary School (Grades PK - 4th)[13]
Essex Intermediate School (Grades 5th - 8th)[14]
Essex High School (Grades 9th - 12th)[15]

Other schools located in Essex County include:

St Margaret's School (Grades 8th - 12th, girls only)[16]
Tappahannock Junior Academy (Grades K - 10th)[17]
Aylett Country Day School (Grades PK - 8th) [18]

Communities[]

Town[]

Unincorporated communities[]

  • Blandfield
  • Brays Fork
  • Bowler's Wharf
  • Butylo
  • Caret
  • Center Cross
  • Champlain
  • Dunbrooke
  • Dunnsville
  • Hustle
  • Laneview (shares with Middlesex County)
  • Loretto
  • Miller's Tavern
  • Passing (shares with Caroline County)
  • Supply
  • Wares Wharf

Notable residents[]

  • David George (Baptist)- African American ex-slave founder of Silver Bluff Baptist Church
  • Former NBA player Xavier McDaniel once lived in this county.
  • U.S. Senator Paul S. Trible Jr. was Commonwealth's Attorney of Essex County.
  • Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter, 1809–1887. Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and Confederate States Secretary of State.
  • Grammy Award-winning R&B singer Chris Brown was born and raised in this county.
  • Richard B. Garnett- Confederate States of America general who was killed while leading his brigade during Pickett's Charge.

See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Essex County, Virginia

References[]

  1. ^ "Essex County, Virginia". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US51057. Retrieved January 30, 2022. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  3. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html. 
  4. ^ "Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000". US Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html. 
  5. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  6. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/va190090.txt. 
  7. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  8. ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Essex County, Virginia". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US51057&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2. 
  9. ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Essex County, Virginia". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US51057&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2. 
  10. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  11. ^ David Leip. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Uselectionatlas.org. http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 
  12. ^ http://www.essex.k12.va.us Essex
  13. ^ "Home - Tappahannock Elementary School". http://essextes.sharpschool.net/. 
  14. ^ "Home - Essex Intermediate School". http://eis.essex.k12.va.us/. 
  15. ^ "Home - Essex High School". http://essexehs.sharpschool.net/. 
  16. ^ "St. Margaret's - Girls Boarding School Near Fredericksburg & Richmond, VA". http://www.sms.org/. 
  17. ^ "Home : Tappahannock Junior Academy Tappahannock VA". http://tappahannock22.adventistschoolconnect.org/. 
  18. ^ "Aylett Country Day School~Home of the Patriots". http://www.acdspatriots.net/. 

External links[]

Template:Essex County, Virginia

Coordinates: 37°56′N 76°57′W / 37.94, -76.95

This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Essex County, Virginia. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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