Mattox Creek
Encyclopedia
Mattox Creek is a tributary of the Potomac River
in the Washington District of Westmoreland County, Virginia
, near the colonial stagecoach stop of Oak Grove. The creek is 13.9 miles (22.4 km) long, and the lower 3 miles (5 km) of the creek is navigable. It lies between, and only minutes from, the birthplaces of George Washington
and James Monroe
.
Washington's great-grandfather, John Washington
, came to the area in 1656 aboard an English merchant ship which ran aground in the vicinity. After the ship was refloated, Second Officer Washington decided to stay in the area as a guest of Col. Nathaniel Pope, whose daughter, Anne, he fell in love with. Lawrence Washington, grandfather of George Washington, was born in 1659 at Mattox Creek. The land along Mattox Creek on which he was born was the wedding gift to his father and mother, by Lawrence's grandfather Pope. Lawrence was the first child born in the colonies of America to a Washington family seeking a new life and fortune following the English Civil War
. His father John Washington's purchase of 5000 acres (20.2 km²) of land and his appointments to county and colony leadership positions were in keeping with the family's English royalist
allegiances. A prominent Washington name had thus been established in the Colony of Virginia.
Mattox Creek was a thriving port of trade in such commodities as tobacco
, fruits and vegetables due to the fertile fields in the region. During the Civil War
, Confederate
troops operated a supply base on the right bank of the creek. Several Union Navy
ships, including the USS Wyandank, the USS Stepping Stones, and the USS Don were on routine patrol to blockade the supply route. A battle broke out in March 1865, with several ships being sunk and a landsman named Aaron Anderson becoming one of the first African American
s to receive a US Congressional Medal of Honor
for his bravery on the creek that day. A ferry operated near the present Route 205
bridge over Mattox Creek.
Today Mattox Creek is a beautiful wildlife and recreation area used for boating, skiing, fishing and swimming. Bald eagle
s, osprey
s, heron
s, beaver
s, fox
es, deer and migrating waterfowl
are abundant in the area. The area has been protected and improved by the Chesapeake Bay Act, which has made wetland protection and environmental issues a priority in the entire Chesapeake Bay
watershed.
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
in the Washington District of Westmoreland County, Virginia
Westmoreland County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,718 people, 6,846 households, and 4,689 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 9,286 housing units at an average density of...
, near the colonial stagecoach stop of Oak Grove. The creek is 13.9 miles (22.4 km) long, and the lower 3 miles (5 km) of the creek is navigable. It lies between, and only minutes from, the birthplaces of George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
and James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
.
Washington's great-grandfather, John Washington
John Washington
John Washington was an English Virginia planter and politician. He was the immigrant ancestor and great-grandfather of George Washington, first president of the United States of America.-Early life and family:...
, came to the area in 1656 aboard an English merchant ship which ran aground in the vicinity. After the ship was refloated, Second Officer Washington decided to stay in the area as a guest of Col. Nathaniel Pope, whose daughter, Anne, he fell in love with. Lawrence Washington, grandfather of George Washington, was born in 1659 at Mattox Creek. The land along Mattox Creek on which he was born was the wedding gift to his father and mother, by Lawrence's grandfather Pope. Lawrence was the first child born in the colonies of America to a Washington family seeking a new life and fortune following the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. His father John Washington's purchase of 5000 acres (20.2 km²) of land and his appointments to county and colony leadership positions were in keeping with the family's English royalist
Royalist
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of government, but not necessarily a particular monarch...
allegiances. A prominent Washington name had thus been established in the Colony of Virginia.
Mattox Creek was a thriving port of trade in such commodities as tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, fruits and vegetables due to the fertile fields in the region. During the Civil War
American Civil War
The 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...
, Confederate
Confederate States of America
The 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...
troops operated a supply base on the right bank of the creek. Several Union Navy
Union Navy
The Union Navy is the label applied to the United States Navy during the American Civil War, to contrast it from its direct opponent, the Confederate States Navy...
ships, including the USS Wyandank, the USS Stepping Stones, and the USS Don were on routine patrol to blockade the supply route. A battle broke out in March 1865, with several ships being sunk and a landsman named Aaron Anderson becoming one of the first 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...
s to receive a US Congressional Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his bravery on the creek that day. A ferry operated near the present Route 205
Virginia State Route 205
State Route 205 is a primary state highway in the Northern Neck region of the U.S. state of Virginia. It runs from State Route 3 east of King George east via Edgehill, Potomac Beach, and Colonial Beach to State Route 3 at Oak Grove...
bridge over Mattox Creek.
Today Mattox Creek is a beautiful wildlife and recreation area used for boating, skiing, fishing and swimming. Bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
s, osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
s, heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
s, beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
s, fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
es, deer and migrating waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
are abundant in the area. The area has been protected and improved by the Chesapeake Bay Act, which has made wetland protection and environmental issues a priority in the entire Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
watershed.