Abingdon, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Abingdon is a town
in Washington County
, Virginia
, USA, 133 miles (214 km) southwest of Roanoke
. The population was 8,191 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat
of Washington County
and is a designated Virginia Historic Landmark. It has historic treasures, and a fine arts and crafts
scene centered around the galleries and museums along Main Street.
Abingdon is part of the Kingsport
–Bristol (TN)
–Bristol (VA)
Metropolitan Statistical Area
, which is a component of the Johnson City
–Kingsport–Bristol, TN
-VA Combined Statistical Area
– commonly known as the "Tri-Cities
" region.
The land on which the town of Abingdon is situated was originally surveyed between the years 1748 and 1750 by Dr. Thomas Walker and was part of the Great Road that Colonel
William Byrd III
ordered cut through the wilderness on to Kingsport, Tennessee
. In 1760, famed frontiersman, Daniel Boone
, named the area Wolf Hills, after his dogs were attacked by a pack of wolves during a hunting expedition. The original location of the attack is located on 'Courthouse Hill' and is also the location of The Cavehouse Craft Shop. For a time, 27 wolf sculptures are found around the city, most were sold at an auction to raise money for Advance Abingdon. During Lord Dunmore's War
, Black's Fort was established in 1774 by Joseph Black to protect local settlers in the region from Indian
attacks. It consisted of a log stockade, with a few log cabins inside, to which nearby settlers were to repair in event of attack, as they did in 1776 when harassed by Dragging Canoe
. Between the years 1765 and 1770 James Douglas, Andrew Colville, George Blackburn, Joseph Black, Samuel Briggs and James Piper settled in and around present day Abingdon under purchases from Dr. Thomas Walker. The settlement later became known as Black’s Fort prior to its present name of Abingdon. Abingdon was then the crossing point of two great Indian trails, themselves following ancient animal migration trails, and thus presented a logical location as a trade center and access point to the west and south. Black, Briggs and Walker donated the 120 acres of land upon which the original town of Abingdon was laid out.
In 1776 the community of Black's Fort was made the county seat of the newly formed Washington county. In 1778, Black's Fort was incorporated as the town of Abingdon, said to be named for the ancestral home of Martha Washington
. Martha Washington College, a school for women, operated in Abingdon from 1860 to 1932 in a former private residence; since 1935 the building has been occupied by a hotel, the Martha Washington Inn
. The Barter Theatre
, the state theatre of Virginia, was opened in Abingdon in 1933. Virginia Governors Wyndham Robertson
, David Campbell
, and John B. Floyd
lived here. Abingdon is also the final stop along the Virginia Creeper Trail
, which allows pedestrian, cyclist and equestrian traffic. This trail is 35 miles long extending from White Top Mountain through Damascus, VA with the trailhead in Abingdon. The Washington County Historical Society is located in Abingdon and serves as a regional genealogy center, in addition as a repository for Washington County history.
The town of Abingdon was possibly named after Abingdon, Oxfordshire
, England, the ancestral home of Martha Washington. Other possible origins of the name include Daniel Boone's home in Abington, Pennsylvania, or Lord Abingdon, friend of settler William Campbell
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 8.3 square miles (21.6 km²), all land.
The town is located in the Great Appalachian Valley
, between the Middle Fork and the North Fork of the Holston River
.
As of the census
of 2010, there were 8,191 people, 3,878 households residing in the town. The population density
was 932.6 people per square mile (360.2/km²). There were 3,788 housing units at an average density of 454.1 per square mile (175.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.8% White, 3.1% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.8% from other races
, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.6% of the population.
There were 3,522 households out of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were married couples
living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.6% were non-families. 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.72.
In the town the population was spread out with 18.3% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 81.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $30,976, and the median income for a family was $46,106. Males had a median income of $32,005 versus $22,844 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $22,486. About 7.3% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.4% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
.
Virginia Highlands Community College
located in Abingdon is the local community college offering 2-year degrees.
Emory & Henry College is located 7 miles outside of town in the Emory
community.
Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, on the campus of VHCC, provides the region with access to undergraduate and graduate degree programs and courses. Participating academic institutions include: Emory & Henry College, Old Dominion University
, Radford University
, University of Virginia
, University of Virginia's College at Wise
, Virginia Commonwealth University
, Virginia Highlands Community College
, Virginia Intermont College
, and Virginia Tech.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Washington County
Washington County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 51,103 people, 21,056 households, and 14,949 families residing in the county. The population density was 91 people per square mile . There were 22,985 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, USA, 133 miles (214 km) southwest of Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
. The population was 8,191 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Washington County
Washington County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 51,103 people, 21,056 households, and 14,949 families residing in the county. The population density was 91 people per square mile . There were 22,985 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile...
and is a designated Virginia Historic Landmark. It has historic treasures, and a fine arts and crafts
Arts and crafts
Arts and crafts comprise a whole host of activities and hobbies that are related to making things with one's hands and skill. These can be sub-divided into handicrafts or "traditional crafts" and "the rest"...
scene centered around the galleries and museums along Main Street.
Abingdon is part of the Kingsport
Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport is a city located mainly in Sullivan County with some western portions in Hawkins County in the US state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County...
–Bristol (TN)
Bristol, Tennessee
Bristol is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 26,702 at the 2010 census. It is the twin city of Bristol, Virginia, which lies directly across the state line between Tennessee and Virginia. The boundaries of both cities run parallel to each other along State...
–Bristol (VA)
Bristol, Virginia
Bristol is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Washington County, Virginia, Bristol, Tennessee, and Sullivan County, Tennessee....
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA MSA
The Kingsport–Bristol–Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area is a Metropolitan Statistical Area in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget...
, which is a component of the Johnson City
Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City is a city in Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, with most of the city being in Washington County...
–Kingsport–Bristol, TN
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
-VA Combined Statistical Area
Combined Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas consist of one or more counties...
– commonly known as the "Tri-Cities
Tri-Cities, Tennessee
In Tennessee and Virginia the name "Tri-Cities" refers to the region comprising the cities of Kingsport, Johnson City and Bristol and the surrounding smaller towns and communities in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia...
" region.
History
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
William Byrd III
William Byrd III
William Byrd III was the son of William Byrd II and the grandson of William Byrd I. He inherited his family's land in Virginia and continued their planter prestige as a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses.He chose to fight in the French and Indian War rather than spend much time in Richmond...
ordered cut through the wilderness on to Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport is a city located mainly in Sullivan County with some western portions in Hawkins County in the US state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County...
. In 1760, famed frontiersman, Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits mad']'e him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of...
, named the area Wolf Hills, after his dogs were attacked by a pack of wolves during a hunting expedition. The original location of the attack is located on 'Courthouse Hill' and is also the location of The Cavehouse Craft Shop. For a time, 27 wolf sculptures are found around the city, most were sold at an auction to raise money for Advance Abingdon. During Lord Dunmore's War
Dunmore's War
Dunmore's War was a war in 1774 between the Colony of Virginia and the Shawnee and Mingo American Indian nations....
, Black's Fort was established in 1774 by Joseph Black to protect local settlers in the region from Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
attacks. It consisted of a log stockade, with a few log cabins inside, to which nearby settlers were to repair in event of attack, as they did in 1776 when harassed by Dragging Canoe
Dragging Canoe
Tsiyu Gansini , "He is dragging his canoe", known to whites as Dragging Canoe, was a Cherokee war chief who led a band of Cherokee against colonists and United States settlers...
. Between the years 1765 and 1770 James Douglas, Andrew Colville, George Blackburn, Joseph Black, Samuel Briggs and James Piper settled in and around present day Abingdon under purchases from Dr. Thomas Walker. The settlement later became known as Black’s Fort prior to its present name of Abingdon. Abingdon was then the crossing point of two great Indian trails, themselves following ancient animal migration trails, and thus presented a logical location as a trade center and access point to the west and south. Black, Briggs and Walker donated the 120 acres of land upon which the original town of Abingdon was laid out.
In 1776 the community of Black's Fort was made the county seat of the newly formed Washington county. In 1778, Black's Fort was incorporated as the town of Abingdon, said to be named for the ancestral home of Martha Washington
Martha Washington
Martha Dandridge Custis Washington was the wife of George Washington, the first president of the United States. Although the title was not coined until after her death, Martha Washington is considered to be the first First Lady of the United States...
. Martha Washington College, a school for women, operated in Abingdon from 1860 to 1932 in a former private residence; since 1935 the building has been occupied by a hotel, the Martha Washington Inn
Martha Washington Inn
The Martha Washington Inn is a historic hotel located in Abingdon, Virginia. Originally built in 1832 by General Francis Preston, hero of the War of 1812, for his family of nine children, over the course of the last 174 years, the building has served as an upscale women's college, a Civil War...
. The Barter Theatre
Barter Theatre
Barter Theatre, located in Abingdon, Virginia, opened on June 10, 1933. It is one of the longest running professional theatres in the nation. In 1933, when the country was in the middle of the Great Depression, most patrons were not able to pay the full ticket price...
, the state theatre of Virginia, was opened in Abingdon in 1933. Virginia Governors Wyndham Robertson
Wyndham Robertson
Wyndham Robertson was the Acting Governor of the U.S. state of Virginia from 1836 to 1837. He also served twice in the Virginia House of Delegates, the second time during the American Civil War....
, David Campbell
David Campbell (Virginia)
David Campbell was the 27th Governor of Virginia from 1837 to 1840.Campbell was born in a part of Washington County, Virginia, that later became Smyth County. He was a successful merchant in Abingdon, Virginia, and served in the U.S...
, and John B. Floyd
John B. Floyd
John Buchanan Floyd was the 31st Governor of Virginia, U.S. Secretary of War, and the Confederate general in the American Civil War who lost the crucial Battle of Fort Donelson.-Early life:...
lived here. Abingdon is also the final stop along the Virginia Creeper Trail
Virginia Creeper Trail
The Virginia Creeper Trail is a multi-purpose rail trail in southwestern Virginia. The trail runs from Abingdon to Whitetop, Virginia, near the North Carolina state line – through National Forest and crossing numerous restored trestles and crossing the Appalachian Trail.The trail descends...
, which allows pedestrian, cyclist and equestrian traffic. This trail is 35 miles long extending from White Top Mountain through Damascus, VA with the trailhead in Abingdon. The Washington County Historical Society is located in Abingdon and serves as a regional genealogy center, in addition as a repository for Washington County history.
The town of Abingdon was possibly named after Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Abingdon or archaically Abingdon-on-Thames is a market town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England. It is the seat of the Vale of White Horse district. Previously the county town of Berkshire, Abingdon is one of several places that claim to be Britain's oldest continuously occupied town, with...
, England, the ancestral home of Martha Washington. Other possible origins of the name include Daniel Boone's home in Abington, Pennsylvania, or Lord Abingdon, friend of settler William Campbell
William Campbell (general)
William Campbell was a Virginia farmer, pioneer, and soldier. One of the thirteen signers of the earliest statement of armed resistance to the British Crown in the American Colonies, the Fincastle Resolutions, Campbell represented Hanover County in the Virginia House of Delegates...
.
Geography
Abingdon is located at 36°42′35"N 81°58′32"W (36.709773, -81.975694).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 8.3 square miles (21.6 km²), all land.
The town is located in the Great Appalachian Valley
Great Appalachian Valley
The Great Valley, also called the Great Appalachian Valley or Great Valley Region, is one of the major landform features of eastern North America. It is a gigantic trough — a chain of valley lowlands — and the central feature of the Appalachian Mountain system...
, between the Middle Fork and the North Fork of the Holston River
Holston River
The Holston River is a major river system of southwestern Virginia and east Tennessee. The three major forks of the Holston rise in southwestern Virginia and have their confluence near Kingsport, Tennessee. The North Fork flows southwest from Sharon Springs in Bland County, Virginia...
.
Demographics
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 8,191 people, 3,878 households residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 932.6 people per square mile (360.2/km²). There were 3,788 housing units at an average density of 454.1 per square mile (175.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.8% White, 3.1% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.8% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.6% of the population.
There were 3,522 households out of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.6% were non-families. 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.72.
In the town the population was spread out with 18.3% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 81.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $30,976, and the median income for a family was $46,106. Males had a median income of $32,005 versus $22,844 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $22,486. About 7.3% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.4% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Abingdon is served by Washington County Public Schools, in which students attend Abingdon Elementary, Watauga Elementary, Greendale Elementary, E.B. Stanley Middle School, and Abingdon High SchoolAbingdon High School
Abingdon High School is a Public high school located in Abingdon, Virginia. The school focuses on academics as well as placing emphasis on extracurricular activities such as athletics, the arts, clubs, and community involvement.-Academics:...
.
Virginia Highlands Community College
Virginia Highlands Community College
Virginia Highlands Community College is located in Abingdon, Virginia. One of the 23 schools in the Virginia Community College System, the college was established November 30, 1967 to serve the residents of Washington County, western Smyth County, and the city of Bristol, Virginia. Over 4,000...
located in Abingdon is the local community college offering 2-year degrees.
Emory & Henry College is located 7 miles outside of town in the Emory
Emory
Emory may refer to:-Geography:* Emory Caldera* Emory Creek Provincial Park* Emory Peak* Emory River* Little Emory River-Schools:* Emory and Henry College, a liberal arts college in Emory, Virginia, USA...
community.
Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, on the campus of VHCC, provides the region with access to undergraduate and graduate degree programs and courses. Participating academic institutions include: Emory & Henry College, Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University is a state university located in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...
, Radford University
Radford University
Radford University is one of Virginia's eight doctoral-degree granting public universities. Originally founded in 1910, Radford offers comprehensive curricula for undergraduates in more than 100 fields, and graduate programs including the M.F.A., M.B.A...
, University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, University of Virginia's College at Wise
University of Virginia's College at Wise
The University of Virginia's College at Wise is the liberal arts college of the University of Virginia, and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges, located in Wise, Virginia...
, Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
, Virginia Highlands Community College
Virginia Highlands Community College
Virginia Highlands Community College is located in Abingdon, Virginia. One of the 23 schools in the Virginia Community College System, the college was established November 30, 1967 to serve the residents of Washington County, western Smyth County, and the city of Bristol, Virginia. Over 4,000...
, Virginia Intermont College
Virginia Intermont College
Virginia Intermont College is a small private liberal arts college in Bristol, Virginia. It was founded in 1884 by a Baptist minister to create additional education opportunities for women. The school has been coeducational since 1972....
, and Virginia Tech.
Points of interest
- Abingdon Historic District, which includes the Fields-Penn 1860 House Museum, Arts Depot, and the Martha Washington InnMartha Washington InnThe Martha Washington Inn is a historic hotel located in Abingdon, Virginia. Originally built in 1832 by General Francis Preston, hero of the War of 1812, for his family of nine children, over the course of the last 174 years, the building has served as an upscale women's college, a Civil War...
- Barter TheatreBarter TheatreBarter Theatre, located in Abingdon, Virginia, opened on June 10, 1933. It is one of the longest running professional theatres in the nation. In 1933, when the country was in the middle of the Great Depression, most patrons were not able to pay the full ticket price...
, designated as the "State Theatre of Virginia" in 1946 and is one of the longest-running professional regional theatres in the nation - The northern end of the Overmountain Victory National Historic TrailOvermountain Victory National Historic TrailThe Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail is part of the U.S. National Trails System. It recognizes the Revolutionary War Overmountain Men, Patriots from what is now East Tennessee who crossed the Great Smoky Mountains and then fought in the Battle of Kings Mountain in South...
lies in Abingdon. - Virginia Creeper TrailVirginia Creeper TrailThe Virginia Creeper Trail is a multi-purpose rail trail in southwestern Virginia. The trail runs from Abingdon to Whitetop, Virginia, near the North Carolina state line – through National Forest and crossing numerous restored trestles and crossing the Appalachian Trail.The trail descends...
, a 35-mile rail trailRail trailA rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
that runs from Abingdon to Whitetop, VirginiaWhitetop, VirginiaWhitetop is an unincorporated community in Grayson County, Virginia, United States. It is currently the southern terminus of the Virginia Creeper Trail. Whitetop is named for nearby Whitetop Mountain, the second-tallest mountain in the State of Virginia, behind Mount Rogers....
Notable residents
- Robert ArmstrongRobert Armstrong (1792-1854)Robert Armstrong was an officer in the United States Army, a candidate for the position of Governor of Tennessee, and a United States consul to Liverpool...
, (1792–1854), born in Abingdon, United States ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
officer and candidate to be Governor of Tennessee - Martin BeatyMartin BeatyMartin Beaty was a United States Representative from Kentucky. He was born in Abingdon, Virginia. In his life, he worked as an iron furnace operator, a salt manufacturer, a rancher, and a farmer....
(1784–1856), born in Abingdon, United States Congressman from Kentucky - Francis Preston BlairFrancis Preston BlairFrancis Preston Blair, Sr. was an American journalist and politician.-Biography:Blair was born at Abingdon, Virginia. He moved to Kentucky, graduated from Transylvania University in 1811, took to journalism, and was a contributor to Amos Kendall's paper, the Argus, at Frankfort...
, (1791–1876), born in Abingdon, journalist and politician - Rick BoucherRick BoucherFrederick Carlyle "Rick" Boucher is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1983 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
, (b. 1946), Abingdon native, U.S. Congressman for the (map), served 13 terms (1983-2011). - James King Gibson, (1812–1879), born in Abingdon, United States Congressman from Virginia
- Gail HarrisGail Harris (baseball)Boyd Gail Harris is a former Major League Baseball first baseman who played with the New York Giants and Detroit Tigers from 1955 to 1960. In 1958, Harris hit a career high 20 home runs with the Tigers....
, (b. 1931), born in Abingdon, major league baseball player for New York Giants and Detroit Tigers - Henry JacksonHenry Jackson (Minnesota pioneer)Henry Jackson was an American pioneer, businessman, and politician from Minnesota.Born in Abingdon, Virginia, Jackson served in the Texas army under Sam Houston during the Texas Revolution. He moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin, then Galena, Illinois, where he opened a store...
(1811-1857), Minnesota pioneer - John W. JohnstonJohn W. JohnstonJohn Warfield Johnston was an American lawyer and politician from Abingdon, Virginia. He served in the Virginia State Senate, and represented Virginia in the United States Senate when the state was readmitted after the American Civil War...
, (1818–1889), nephew of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, served as United States Senator after Virginia readmitted to the Union in 1869. - Joseph E. JohnstonJoseph E. JohnstonJoseph Eggleston Johnston was a career U.S. Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
, (1807–1891), lived in Abingdon as a boy, ConfederateConfederate States of AmericaThe Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
in the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. - William McMillan, (1764–1804), born in Abingdon, lawyer. district attorney, and United States Congressman from Ohio territory.
- Granville Henderson OuryGranville Henderson OuryGranville Henderson Oury was a nineteenth century American politician, lawyer, judge, soldier and miner.-Early life and career:...
, (1825–1885), born in Abingdon, captainCaptain (OF-2)The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
in the Confederate Army and later United States Congressman from ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. - John S. PrestonJohn S. PrestonJohn Smith Preston was a wealthy planter, soldier, and attorney who became prominent in South Carolina politics in the 19th century...
, (1809–1881), born in Abingdon, Confederate general in the American Civil War and South Carolina politician - H. Emory Widener, Jr.H. Emory Widener, Jr.Hiram Emory Widener Jr. was a United States federal judge and then a Senior Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.-Early life and career:...
, (1923–2007), born and died in Abingdon, judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fourth CircuitThe United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit is a federal court located in Richmond, Virginia, with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:*District of Maryland*Eastern District of North Carolina...
, and one of the longest serving federal judges in United States history. - Robert SheffeyRobert SheffeyRobert Sayers Sheffey was a Methodist evangelist and circuit-riding preacher, renowned for his eccentricities and power in prayer, who ministered to, and became part of the folklore of, the Appalachian region of southwest Virginia, southern West Virginia and eastern Tennessee.-Youth and...
(1820–1902), eccentric Methodist circuit-rider and evangelist, grew to maturity in Abingdon. - Eric McClureEric McClureEric McClure , is a NASCAR driver. His family owns the Sprint Cup team Morgan-McClure Motorsports. A graduate of Emory and Henry College, he currently drives the #14 Hefty Chevrolet full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for TriStar Motorsports.- Sprint Cup Series Career :McClure has made two...
(b. 1978) Driver of the #14 Chevy in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
