Varina, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Varina is a former unincorporated town and current magisterial district in the easternmost portion of Henrico County
, Virginia
, United States
.
Varina was named for Varina Farms
, a plantation
established by John Rolfe
on the James River
about 45 miles upstream from the first settlement at Jamestown
in the Virginia Colony, and across the river from Sir Thomas Dale
's 1611 settlement at Henricus
. Varina became the county seat
of Henrico when it was formed as one of the eight original shires of Virginia
in 1634, and remained in that capacity until 1752, when a new courthouse was built at Richmond
.
(sic), an incorporation formed in 1619 by the Virginia Company of London. Henricus
was clearly the central development of Henrico Cittie. However, although Henricus was wiped out and not rebuilt after the Indian Massacre of 1622
, a tiny village grew up on Rolfe's Plantation which was called both "Varina" and "Henrico Parish". When the original eight shires of Virginia
(later renamed counties) were formed in 1634, Varina became the county seat
of Henrico
.
Varina was established as an unincorporated town in 1680. It featured a courthouse, a church for Henrico Parish, and commercial buildings, such as a tavern. The Henrico Glebe house at Varina was the location where Reverend Dr. James Blair
is believed to have drawn up the plans for new school which became the College of William and Mary
in 1693 after his mission to England at the request of the House of Burgesses
. The royal charter
for the new school resurrected one of the dreams of the colonists which had been lost at Henricus in 1622.
Varina remained the county seat of Henrico County until 1752, when the seat was relocated to the growing city of Richmond
, located at the head of navigation on the north side of the James River. A few years earlier, in 1741, the Henrico Parish church had also been relocated to the present location of St. John's Episcopal Church
in the Church Hill
section of Richmond.
During the American Civil War
(1861–1865), Varina was known as "Aiken's Landing", and came into frequent use for the exchange of Union and Confederate prisoners.
Henrico County, Virginia
Henrico is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. As of 2010, Henrico was home to 306,935 people. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Varina was named for Varina Farms
Varina Farms
Varina Farms, also known as Varina Plantation or Varina Farms Plantation or "Varina on the James", is a plantation established by John Rolfe on the James River about 40 miles upstream from the first settlement at Jamestown in the Virginia Colony, and across the river from Sir Thomas Dale's 1611...
, a plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
established by John Rolfe
John Rolfe
John Rolfe was one of the early English settlers of North America. He is credited with the first successful cultivation of tobacco as an export crop in the Colony of Virginia and is known as the husband of Pocahontas, daughter of the chief of the Powhatan Confederacy.In 1961, the Jamestown...
on the James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
about 45 miles upstream from the first settlement at Jamestown
Jamestown, Virginia
Jamestown was a settlement in the Colony of Virginia. Established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 14, 1607 , it was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States, following several earlier failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke...
in the Virginia Colony, and across the river from Sir Thomas Dale
Thomas Dale
Sir Thomas Dale was an English naval commander and deputy-governor of the Virginia Colony in 1611 and from 1614 to 1616. Governor Dale is best remembered for the energy and the extreme rigour of his administration in Virginia, which established order and in various ways seems to have benefited the...
's 1611 settlement at Henricus
Henricus
The "Citie of Henricus" — also known as Henricopolis or Henrico Town or Henrico — was a settlement founded by Sir Thomas Dale in 1611 as an alternative to the swampy and dangerous area around the original English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia...
. Varina became 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 Henrico when it was formed as one of the eight original shires of Virginia
Shires of Virginia
The eight Shires of Virginia were formed in 1634 in the Virginia Colony. These shires were based on a form of local government used in England at the time, and were redesignated as counties a few years later...
in 1634, and remained in that capacity until 1752, when a new courthouse was built at Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
.
County seat and town
The area which included Varina Farms( which was in turn named for Rolfe's first cultivated tobacco crop in the new world "Varina") Plantation was part of Henrico CittieHenrico City (Virginia Company)
Henrico City was one of four incorporations established in the Virginia Colony in 1619 North America by the proprietor, the Virginia Company. The plantations and developments were divided into four "incorporations" or "citties", as they were called. These were Charles City, Elizabeth City, Henrico...
(sic), an incorporation formed in 1619 by the Virginia Company of London. Henricus
Henricus
The "Citie of Henricus" — also known as Henricopolis or Henrico Town or Henrico — was a settlement founded by Sir Thomas Dale in 1611 as an alternative to the swampy and dangerous area around the original English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia...
was clearly the central development of Henrico Cittie. However, although Henricus was wiped out and not rebuilt after the Indian Massacre of 1622
Indian massacre of 1622
The Indian Massacre of 1622 occurred in the Colony of Virginia, in what now belongs to the United States of America, on Friday, March 22, 1622...
, a tiny village grew up on Rolfe's Plantation which was called both "Varina" and "Henrico Parish". When the original eight shires of Virginia
Shires of Virginia
The eight Shires of Virginia were formed in 1634 in the Virginia Colony. These shires were based on a form of local government used in England at the time, and were redesignated as counties a few years later...
(later renamed counties) were formed in 1634, Varina became 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 Henrico
Henrico County, Virginia
Henrico is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. As of 2010, Henrico was home to 306,935 people. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
Varina was established as an unincorporated town in 1680. It featured a courthouse, a church for Henrico Parish, and commercial buildings, such as a tavern. The Henrico Glebe house at Varina was the location where Reverend Dr. James Blair
James Blair (clergyman)
James Blair D.D. was a Scottish born clergyman in the Church of England. He was also a missionary and an educator, best known as the founder of the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, USA.- Youth and education :...
is believed to have drawn up the plans for new school which became the College of William and Mary
College of William and Mary
The College of William & Mary in Virginia is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...
in 1693 after his mission to England at the request of the House of Burgesses
House of Burgesses
The House of Burgesses was the first assembly of elected representatives of English colonists in North America. The House was established by the Virginia Company, who created the body as part of an effort to encourage English craftsmen to settle in North America...
. The royal charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
for the new school resurrected one of the dreams of the colonists which had been lost at Henricus in 1622.
Varina remained the county seat of Henrico County until 1752, when the seat was relocated to the growing city of Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, located at the head of navigation on the north side of the James River. A few years earlier, in 1741, the Henrico Parish church had also been relocated to the present location of St. John's Episcopal Church
Saint John's Church, Richmond, Virginia
St. John's is an Episcopal church located at 2401 East Broad Street in Richmond, Virginia. Formed from several earlier churches, St. John's is the oldest church in Richmond, built by Col. Richard Randolph in 1741 and giving its name to the Church Hill district...
in the Church Hill
Church Hill
Church Hill, also known as the St. John's Church Historic District, is an Old and Historic District in Richmond, Virginia. This district encompasses the original land plat of the city of Richmond. Church Hill is the eastern terminus of Broad Street, a major east-west thoroughfare in the Richmond...
section of Richmond.
19th century, American Civil War
After the emergence of Richmond as a major community and port in the mid-18th century, and as land transportation became better, the location of Varina, which was not on any major roadway, became more isolated, gradually slipping into primarily farming use.During the American 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...
(1861–1865), Varina was known as "Aiken's Landing", and came into frequent use for the exchange of Union and Confederate prisoners.