Fincastle County, Virginia facts for kids

Fincastle County, Virginia was a very large county in colonial America. It was created on April 8, 1772. This new county was formed from parts of Botetourt County. The colonial government believed Virginia stretched all the way to the Mississippi River. So, Fincastle County also reached that far west. Its eastern border was the New River. This river was then called Wood's River. It included what is now the Kanawha River. Fincastle County covered all of present-day Kentucky. It also included parts of southwestern West Virginia. A small piece of western Virginia was also part of it. The county did not have an official capital at first. But the governor ordered it to be at the "Lead Mines." This area is now Wythe County. The town of Austinville grew there later.

How Fincastle County Got Its Name

The county was named after a important person. The governor of Virginia Colony was John Murray. He was also known as the Earl of Dunmore. He was also the Viscount of Fincastle. He became governor in 1770. This was after Lord Botetourt died. Botetourt County was named after Lord Botetourt. The town of Fincastle was chosen as Botetourt County's capital. The county of Fincastle was likely named to honor Lord Dunmore's oldest son. His son's name was George, Lord Fincastle.

Fincastle County and Lord Dunmore's War

Fincastle County was a site of conflict. Lord Dunmore's War happened here. This war was against the Ohio country Shawnee people. Virginia won the war in October 1774. The main battle was the Battle of Point Pleasant. This victory changed the boundary line. The Royal Proclamation of 1763 had set this line. After the war, lands south of the Ohio River became colonial lands. However, conflicts started again later. These were called the Cherokee-American wars.

Early Settlements in Fincastle County

People claimed land in Fincastle County in different ways. At first, land was given for serving in the French and Indian War. Later, people could claim land through "preemption." This meant they could claim land they had already settled. Many early settlements in Kentucky were founded in Fincastle County. These included Kentucky's first town, Harrod's Town. Other settlements were Boonesborough and Logan's Station. The city of Lexington also started here. Some attempts to create organized colonies failed. These included the Indiana Grant. It also included the Vandalia Colony and Transylvania Colony.

Why Fincastle County Was Abolished

The county was named after Lord Dunmore. He was loyal to the British king. This was a problem for the American rebels. So, they decided to change the county's name in 1776. Lord Dunmore was not in Virginia at the time. But he was leading the British military against the rebels. He had also issued Dunmore's Proclamation. This promised freedom to enslaved people. It said they would be free if they left their rebel masters. This made the rebel planters and slaveholders very angry.

In December 1776, the Virginia General Assembly made a decision. They abolished Fincastle County. They created three new counties from its land. These were Montgomery, Washington, and Kentucky. In 1792, the counties formed from Kentucky County became a new state. They were admitted to the Union as the 15th state. This new state was the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

The name Fincastle originally comes from a glen in Scotland. The name still exists today. You can find towns named Fincastle in Virginia and Kentucky.