Eden, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
Eden is a city in Rockingham County
, North Carolina
, United States
. The population was 15,908 at the 2000 census. The city was incorporated in 1967 through the consolidation of three separate towns: Leaksville, Spray, and Draper.
Several small historic downtown areas have opened up, such as the "Olde Leaksville" shopping district, in an effort to bring tourists to the city.
The city's motto is "The Land of Two Rivers" http://www.usacitiesonline.com/nccountyeden.htm.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 15.2 square miles (39.4 km²), of which, 15 square miles (38.8 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (1.12%) is water.
, a planter
of Virginia
and North Carolina. The estate was originally called "The Land of Eden"
In the last years of William Byrd II's life he dreamed of bringing large numbers of Swiss Protestants to the Land of Eden, Which eventually included over 100000 acres (404.7 km²) in Virginia. He visualized an industrious, self-sufficient colony that would thrive on the abundance of the frontier. Byrd's dream was not to be realized. After years of negotiations, at least one boatload of Swiss did sail from Europe but they were shipwrecked in a December gale off the coast of Virginia and none of the few survivors are believed to have reached Eden. Byrd died August 26, 1744 as the Land of Eden began to be surrounded by the settlement of Scotch-Irish whom Byrd had compared to the "Goths and Vandals."
Eden descended to William Byrd III who shared none of his father's dreams of colonization. Young Byrd married Elizabeth Hill Carter in 1748. He sought to dispose of Eden to gain cash to support his grand lifestyle. He was finally successful on November 8, 1755 when he sold 26000 acres (105.2 km²) in North Carolina to two merchant brothers from the island of Antigua, Simon and Francis Farley. By this time settlement was increasing at a considerable pace. The Farley brothers attempted to create plantations on some of the richest acres but more frequently settlers simply moved onto the land and created homesteads. In 1762 James Parke Farley, son of Francis Farley, went to Williamsburg to attend the College of William and Mary and soon after married Elizabeth Hill Byrd, daughter of William Byrd III and Elizabeth Hill Carter.
Many later settlers migrating to the Dan River Area knew little of William Byrd. They were familiar with an old Indian Village in the area near Town Creek and the Farley holdings. This location became the center of settlement, and the 26000 acres (105.2 km²) came to be called the Sauratown tract. In 1775, James Parke Farley and his new bride moved from cosmopolitan Williamsburg, Virginia to the Sauratown. He claimed that Sauratown was his, created new plantations, and attempted to drive off the squatters. He built a home overlooking the Dan River. Farley was also a member of the 3rd Provincial Congress that met at Hillsboro. In 1776, the family left the Sauratown, partly due to Elizabeth Farley's father suicide, and perhaps her dislike of frontier atmosphere. James Parke Farley was killed during the Revolutionary War leaving his wife and four daughters to fend for themselves, and Sauratown was unmanaged. Farley's Widow married Reverend John Dunbar, who attempted to manage Sauratown, but failed. Finally, the Governor became involved in settling the legal interests of the Farley heirs. The 26000 acres (105.2 km²), became a magnet for settlement due to its proximity to the Petersburg-Salem road that crossed the Smith River at an island ford. In 1795, the town of Leaksville was established on the southwest edge of the Sauratown along the main road. Joseph Cloud resurveyed the tract and divided it into two equal shares in 1798. A year later, Farley's daughters Maria Farley and Rebecca Parke Farley sold their shares to Patrick Henry of Virginia, the man who delivered the "Give me Liberty or give me death" speech. Henry, on his deathbed June 6, 1799, gave the land to two of his sons, Alexander Spottswood Henry and Nathaniel West Henry. In the century that Sauratown was in existence many still prominent families settled in the Land of Eden, including the Brodnax, Dillard, Ruffin, Morehead, Henry, and Winston families. Many Scots also settled in the area, including the Gallaway, Scales, Watt, Lenox, Campbell, and Moir families. Some other famous peoples known to have lived in the county include General Lighthorse Harry Lee, Wiley Jones, and General John Simon Farley (British).
of 2000, there were 15,908 people, 6,644 households, and 4,371 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,060.1 people per square mile (409.2/km²). There were 7,368 housing units at an average density of 491.0 per square mile (189.5/km²). The racial composition of the city was: 75.43% White, 22.15% Black or African American
, 2.34% Hispanic or Latino American
, 0.31% Asian American
, 0.21% Native American
, 0.06% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
, 1.03% some other race
, and 0.81% two or more races
.
There were 6,644 households out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were married couples
living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 85.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,670, and the median income for a family was $35,259. Males had a median income of $29,443 versus $21,797 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,275. About 13.9% of families and 17.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.6% of those under age 18 and 16.6% of those age 65 or over.
Eden boasts an average of 8 churches per square mile.
Rockingham County, North Carolina
Rockingham County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 93,643. Its county seat is Wentworth.- History :The county was formed in 1785 from Guilford County...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 15,908 at the 2000 census. The city was incorporated in 1967 through the consolidation of three separate towns: Leaksville, Spray, and Draper.
Several small historic downtown areas have opened up, such as the "Olde Leaksville" shopping district, in an effort to bring tourists to the city.
The city's motto is "The Land of Two Rivers" http://www.usacitiesonline.com/nccountyeden.htm.
Geography
Eden is located at 36°30′23"N 79°44′42"W (36.506434, -79.745092). The Smith and the Dan river have their confluence on the south side of Eden. The Dan River flows along Eden's southern border while the Smith river flows from the north bisecting the city on its route to meet the Dan River.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 city has a total area of 15.2 square miles (39.4 km²), of which, 15 square miles (38.8 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (1.12%) is water.
History
Eden was a 70000 acres (283.3 km²) estate owned by William Byrd IIWilliam Byrd II
Colonel William Byrd II was a planter, slave-owner and author from Charles City County, Virginia. He is considered the founder of Richmond, Virginia.-Biography:...
, a planter
Plantations in the American South
Plantations were an important aspect of the history of the American South, particularly the antebellum .-Planter :The owner of a plantation was called a planter...
of 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...
and North Carolina. The estate was originally called "The Land of Eden"
In the last years of William Byrd II's life he dreamed of bringing large numbers of Swiss Protestants to the Land of Eden, Which eventually included over 100000 acres (404.7 km²) in Virginia. He visualized an industrious, self-sufficient colony that would thrive on the abundance of the frontier. Byrd's dream was not to be realized. After years of negotiations, at least one boatload of Swiss did sail from Europe but they were shipwrecked in a December gale off the coast of Virginia and none of the few survivors are believed to have reached Eden. Byrd died August 26, 1744 as the Land of Eden began to be surrounded by the settlement of Scotch-Irish whom Byrd had compared to the "Goths and Vandals."
Eden descended to William Byrd III who shared none of his father's dreams of colonization. Young Byrd married Elizabeth Hill Carter in 1748. He sought to dispose of Eden to gain cash to support his grand lifestyle. He was finally successful on November 8, 1755 when he sold 26000 acres (105.2 km²) in North Carolina to two merchant brothers from the island of Antigua, Simon and Francis Farley. By this time settlement was increasing at a considerable pace. The Farley brothers attempted to create plantations on some of the richest acres but more frequently settlers simply moved onto the land and created homesteads. In 1762 James Parke Farley, son of Francis Farley, went to Williamsburg to attend the College of William and Mary and soon after married Elizabeth Hill Byrd, daughter of William Byrd III and Elizabeth Hill Carter.
Many later settlers migrating to the Dan River Area knew little of William Byrd. They were familiar with an old Indian Village in the area near Town Creek and the Farley holdings. This location became the center of settlement, and the 26000 acres (105.2 km²) came to be called the Sauratown tract. In 1775, James Parke Farley and his new bride moved from cosmopolitan Williamsburg, Virginia to the Sauratown. He claimed that Sauratown was his, created new plantations, and attempted to drive off the squatters. He built a home overlooking the Dan River. Farley was also a member of the 3rd Provincial Congress that met at Hillsboro. In 1776, the family left the Sauratown, partly due to Elizabeth Farley's father suicide, and perhaps her dislike of frontier atmosphere. James Parke Farley was killed during the Revolutionary War leaving his wife and four daughters to fend for themselves, and Sauratown was unmanaged. Farley's Widow married Reverend John Dunbar, who attempted to manage Sauratown, but failed. Finally, the Governor became involved in settling the legal interests of the Farley heirs. The 26000 acres (105.2 km²), became a magnet for settlement due to its proximity to the Petersburg-Salem road that crossed the Smith River at an island ford. In 1795, the town of Leaksville was established on the southwest edge of the Sauratown along the main road. Joseph Cloud resurveyed the tract and divided it into two equal shares in 1798. A year later, Farley's daughters Maria Farley and Rebecca Parke Farley sold their shares to Patrick Henry of Virginia, the man who delivered the "Give me Liberty or give me death" speech. Henry, on his deathbed June 6, 1799, gave the land to two of his sons, Alexander Spottswood Henry and Nathaniel West Henry. In the century that Sauratown was in existence many still prominent families settled in the Land of Eden, including the Brodnax, Dillard, Ruffin, Morehead, Henry, and Winston families. Many Scots also settled in the area, including the Gallaway, Scales, Watt, Lenox, Campbell, and Moir families. Some other famous peoples known to have lived in the county include General Lighthorse Harry Lee, Wiley Jones, and General John Simon Farley (British).
Slavery
The settlement of Eden cannot be considered without examining the impact of slavery. The common roots of a significant number of black families in Eden, and in the entire county, can be traced back to a large influx that occurred just prior to the revolution. On June 20, 1775 the Moravians in their diary, noted that James Parke Farley had located on his plantation on the Dan River, "100 negroes whom he bought from Antigua." Farley's father and uncle were both Antiguan merchants who had bought the 26000 acres (105.2 km²) from William Byrd III. After Farley's death during the war, few records survived, little is known about the lives of the these first, local slaves. It is possible that they remained and that they are the ancestors of a large part of the local black population. Aside from the Farleys, the Scales and Galloway families also were affluent enough to own slaves, and are known to have had slaves in the area prior to the revolution.Demographics
As of the censusCensus
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 2000, there were 15,908 people, 6,644 households, and 4,371 families residing in the city. 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 1,060.1 people per square mile (409.2/km²). There were 7,368 housing units at an average density of 491.0 per square mile (189.5/km²). The racial composition of the city was: 75.43% White, 22.15% Black or African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 2.34% Hispanic or Latino American
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
, 0.31% Asian American
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.21% Native American
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...
, 0.06% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
, 1.03% some other race
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 0.81% two or more races
Multiracial American
Multiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
.
There were 6,644 households out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% 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, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 85.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,670, and the median income for a family was $35,259. Males had a median income of $29,443 versus $21,797 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 city was $15,275. About 13.9% of families and 17.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.6% of those under age 18 and 16.6% of those age 65 or over.
Eden boasts an average of 8 churches per square mile.
Notable people
- Professional wrestlers the Bravado Brothers (Lancelot & Harlem) whom are currently employed by Ring of HonorRing of HonorRing of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
are from Eden.