Powhatan County, Virginia

Powhatan County is surprisingly not named after its primary inhabitants, the Monacan tribe. The Monacan tribe was frequently in conflict with the Powhatan Confederacy of Algonquins from the tidewater region. At the time of the British colonization Chief Powhatan was most prominent leader of the Native Americans in the area. The Chief's daughter is the legendary Pocahontas.

The land in Powhatan was originally settled by a group of French Huguenots fleeing religious persecution near the turn of the 18th century. After the Monacan tribe had abandoned the village, it was wide open to the French. Due to the dependence on the James River for transportation of tobacco, the area above the fall line had yet to be inhabited.

Named after General Charles Scott, "Scottsville" was the area surrounding the original Courthouse of 1778. Scott was a war hero who later governed the Commonwealth of Kentucky after its land was ceded by Virginia. Later "Scottsville" came to be called Powhatan, Virginia.

War Between the States
During the Civil War, Powhatan was home to one of the more well known military units, the Powhatan Troop. Established by Philip St. George Cocke, the Powhatan Troop is remembered for being extremely well dressed and outfitted but more so, being some of the only confederates not to surrender at Appamattox. The war was over yet some of the Troop refused to give up, while most soldiers surrendered or just left and went home.

General Information
Powhatan County is 262 square miles in size including 1 square mile of water. The County is due west of the City of Richmond, and northwest of Chesterfield. The population of Powhatan County as of 2006 is estimated to be 27,649. There was a 23.6 % increase in population between 2000 and 2006. Powhatan County is home to many parks and is ideal for hunting and fishing. The County of Powhatan offers current job openings on the official county web site.