Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on the Geographic Center of Virginia’s Population, [before 28 June 1818]
II. Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on the Geographic Center of Virginia’s Population
[before 28 June 1818]
| Counties on the Western waters. | |||
| Brooke | 5,511 | ||
| Ohio | 7,735 | ||
| Monongalia | 12,442 | ||
| Wood | 2,586 | ||
| Harrison | 9,499 | ||
| Randolph | 2,743 | ||
| Mason | 1,742 | ||
| Kenhaway | 3,514 | ||
| Cabell | 2,496 | ||
| Giles | 3,503 | ||
| Greenbriar | 5,420 | ||
| Monroe | 5,068 | ||
| Tazewell | 2,679 | ||
| Lee | 4,358 | ||
| Russell | 5,930 | ||
| Washington | 10,688 | ||
| Wythe | 7,199 | ||
| Grayson | 4,671 | ||
| Montgomery | 7,310 | ||
| 105,094 | |||
| Between the Allegany & Blue ridge. | |||
| Hampshire | 8,855 | ||
| Berkley | 9,950 | ||
| Jefferson | 8,319 | ||
| Hardy | 4,776 | ||
| Frederick | 16,157 | ||
| Shenandoah | 12,608 | ||
| Pendleton | 3,977 | ||
| Rockingham | 11,262 | ||
| Bath | 3,955 | ||
| Augusta | 11,428 | ||
| Rockbridge | 8,594 | ||
| Botetourt | 11,026 | ||
| 110,907 | |||
| between Patomak & Rappahanok. | |||
| Loudon | 16,181 | ||
| Fairfax | 7,169 | ||
| Prince William | 6,091 | ||
| Fauquier | 12,328 | ||
| Stafford | 5,635 | ||
| King George | 2,578 | ||
| Westmoreland | 4,022 | ||
| Richmond | 3,036 | ||
| Northumberland | 4,461 | ||
| Lancaster | 2,480 | ||
| 63,981 | |||
| Between Rappahanoc and York | |||
| Culpeper | 10,655 | ||
| Madison | 4,411 | ||
| Orange | 5,807 | ||
| Spotsylvania | 6,161 | ||
| Caroline | 6,780 | ||
| Essex | 3,717 | ||
| King & Queen | 4,985 | ||
| King William | 3,497 | ||
| Middlesex | 1,938 | ||
| Gloucester | 4,629 | ||
| Matthews | 2,159 | ||
| 54,739 | |||
| Between York and James rivers | |||
| Albemarle | 9,042 | ||
| Nelson | 5,005 | ||
| Amherst | 5,341 | ||
| Louisa | 5,470 | ||
| Fluvanna | 2,633 | ||
| Goochland | 4,739 | ||
| Hanover | 6,628 | ||
| Henrico | 5,099 | ||
| Richmond City | 5,987 | ||
| New Kent | 2,753 | ||
| Charles city | 2,163 | ||
| York | 2,256 | ||
| James city | 1,774 | ||
| Warwick | 715 | ||
| Elizabeth city | 1,874 | ||
| 61,479 | |||
| Between James river & Roanoke. | |||
| Bedford | 10,001 | ||
| Campbell | 5,633 | ||
| Buckingham | 8,384 | ||
| Cumberland | 3,890 | ||
| Prince Edward | 5,413 | ||
| Charlotte | 5,564 | ||
| Powhatan | 2,982 | ||
| Amelia | 3,408 | ||
| Nottoway | 2,910 | ||
| Lunenburg | 5,110 | ||
| Mecklenburg | 8,189 | ||
| Chesterfield | 3,964 | ||
| Petersburg | 3,495 | ||
| Dinwiddie | 5,082 | ||
| Brunswick | 6,043 | ||
| Greenesville | 2,254 | ||
| Prince George | 3,564 | ||
| Surry | 3,415 | ||
| Sussex | 5,018 | ||
| Southampton | 7,091 | ||
| Isle of Wight | 5,145 | ||
| Nansemond | 5,862 | ||
| Norfolk | 8,032 | ||
| Norfolk borough | 5,368 | ||
| Princess Anne | 5,572 | ||
| 131,389 | |||
| South of Roanoke. | |||
| Franklin | 8,052 | ||
| Patrick | 3,971 | ||
| Henry | 3,856 | ||
| Pittsylvania | 10,860 | ||
| Halifax | 12,470 | ||
| 39,209 | |||
| Eastern shore. | |||
| Northampton | 4,124 | ||
| Accomac | 11,201 | ||
| 15,325. | |||
| white population | ||
| 105,094 | ||
| 110,907 | ||
| 216,001 | ||
| 63,981 | ||
| 54,739 | ||
| 61,479 | ||
| 131,389 | ||
| 39,209 | ||
| 15,325 | ||
| 582,123 | .1 | |
| total white population2 | ||
| whole white inhabitants3 | 582,123 | |||||
| West of Blue ridge | 216,001 | |||||
| East of do | 366,122 | |||||
| difference | 150,121 | |||||
| the 11. counties below & adjacent to the Blue ridge. | ||||||
| Loudon | 16,181 | |||||
| Fauquier | 12,328 | |||||
| Culpeper | 10,655 | |||||
| Madison | 4,411 | |||||
| Orange | 5,807 | |||||
| Albemarle | 9,042 | |||||
| Nelson | 5,005 | |||||
| Amherst | 5,341 | |||||
| Bedford | 10,001 | |||||
| Franklin | 8,052 | |||||
| Patrick | 3,971 | |||||
| 90,794 | ||||||
| ⅚ of which are | 75,662 | |||||
| A. a line from the middle of the mouth of the Chesapeak, thro’ Rockfish gap to the Ohio. |
||||||
| Brook | ||||||
| Ohio | ||||||
| Monongalia | ||||||
| Wood | ||||||
| Harrison | ||||||
| Randolph | 40,516 | |||||
| ¼ | Mason | 435 | ||||
| part of Kanhaway | 435 | |||||
| Hampshire | ||||||
| Berkley | ||||||
| Jefferson | ||||||
| Hardy | ||||||
| Frederic | ||||||
| Shenandoah | ||||||
| Pendleton | ||||||
| Rockingham | 75,904 | |||||
| ⅔ | Augusta | 7,618 | ||||
| between Patomac & Rappahanoc | 63,981 | |||||
| between Rappahan. & York | 54,739 | |||||
| Hanover | 6,628 | |||||
| Louisa | 5,470 | |||||
| ½ | Albemarle | 4,520 | ||||
| Eastern shore | 15,325 | |||||
| North of the line.4 | 275,571 | |||||
| ½ | of the whole state is | 291,061 | ||||
| difference | 15,490 | |||||
| B. a line from Chesapeak thro’ Lexington to Ohio. | ||||||
| ⅖5 | Kanhaway & Cabell | 2,404 | ||||
| ⅖ | Greenbriar | 2,168 | ||||
| ⅖ | Rockbridge | 3,437 | ||||
| 7⁄10 | Amherst & Nelson | 7,242 | ||||
| ⅞ | Buckingham | 7,336 | ||||
| 9⁄10 | Cumberland | 3,501 | ||||
| ⅔ | Powhatan | 1,988 | ||||
| ⅓ | Henrico | 1,700 | ||||
| 9⁄10 | Charles city | 1,946 | ||||
| 4⁄5 | James city | 1,419 | ||||
| ½ | York | 1,128 | ||||
| Warwick | 715 | |||||
| Eliz. City | 1,874 | 36,858 | ||||
| Monroe | ||||||
| Tazewell | ||||||
| Lee | ||||||
| Russell | ||||||
| Washington | ||||||
| Wythe | ||||||
| Grayson | ||||||
| Montgomery | 47,903 | |||||
| Botetourt | 11,026 | |||||
| South of Roanoke | 39,209 | |||||
| Bedford & Campbell | 15,634 | |||||
| Prince Edwd & Charlotte | 10,977 | |||||
| Amelia | ||||||
| Nottoway | ||||||
| Lunenburgh | ||||||
| Mecklenburgh | ||||||
| Chesterfield | ||||||
| Petersburg | ||||||
| Dinwiddie | ||||||
| Brunswick | ||||||
| Greenesville | ||||||
| Prince George | ||||||
| Surry | ||||||
| Sussex | ||||||
| Southampton | ||||||
| Isle of Wight | ||||||
| Nansemond | ||||||
| Norfolk | ||||||
| Norfolk boro’ | ||||||
| Princess Anne | 83,950 | |||||
| 582,123 = |  |
South | 245,557 | |||
| North | 336,566 | |||||
| difference | 91,009 | |||||
| C. a parallel with the Blue R. thro Staunton | ||||||
| ⅛. | Grayson | 584 | ||||
| 1⁄6 | Montgomery | 914 | ||||
| 2⁄7 | Botetourt | 3,150 | ||||
| ⅗ | Rockbridge | 5,156 | ||||
| ⅖ | Augusta | 4,571 | ||||
| ⅖ | Rockingham | 4,505 | ||||
| ½ | Shenandoah | 6,304 | ||||
| ⅖ | Frederic | 6,463 | ||||
| ½ | Jefferson | 4,159 | 35,806 | |||
| below the Blue ridge | 366,122 | |||||
| 582,123 = | |
East | 401,928 | |||
| West | 180,195 | |||||
| difference | 221,733 | |||||
| D. a parallel with the Blue R. thro Lexington. | ||||||
| ¼ | Rockbridge | 2,148 | ||||
| ⅕ | Augusta | 2,285 | ||||
| ⅕ | Rockingham | 1,719 | ||||
| ¼ | Shenandoah | 3,152 | ||||
| ⅕ | Frederic | 3,231 | 12,535 | |||
| below the Blue ridge | 366,122 | |||||
| 582,123. = | |
East | 378,657 | |||
| West = | 203,466 | |||||
| difference | 175,191 | |||||
| E. a parallel with the Blue R. thro the Central College |
||||||
| the parallel of equal division is | 291,061 | |||||
| add ⅕ of the 11. counties adjact to Bl. R. |
18,158 | |||||
| 582,123 = | |
East | 309,219 | |||
| West | 272,904 | |||||
| difference | 36,315 | |||||
| from Staunton to the nearest part of our Southern boundary is |
112½ miles | |||||
| from do to the Patomac on a parallel with the Blue ridge.6 |
110. | |||||
| difference | 2½ miles | |||||
| from the Central College to the Southern boundary |
104. miles | |||||
| from do to Patomac on a parallel with the Blue ridge7 |
92½ | |||||
| difference | 11½ miles. | |||||
| from Lexington to Southern boundy | 85 miles | |||||
| from do to Patomac on parallel with Bl. R.8 |
137½9 | |||||
| difference | 52½ | |||||
| these measures are from Madison’s map.10 | ||||||
Observations and Conclusions from the preceding tables.11
The Rockfish gap of the Blue ridge is precisely equidistant from the nearest part of our Southern boundary, and from the Patomac, our Northern boundary, where it passes thro’ the Blue ridge at Harper’s ferry.
If from the middle of the mouth of the Chesapeak a line be drawn thro’ the Rockfish gap, as a Central point, & continued in the same direction to the Ohio, our Western boundary, it will strike that river about 10. miles above the mouth of Kanhaway, and will divide the white population of the state equally, within 15,490; so much over a moiety being left to the South. such a line passes about 3½ miles South of Staunton, 5½ South of the Central College, and 27. miles North of Lexington. see Table A.
If the line, from the same point in the Chesapeak be drawn thro’ Lexington, to the Western boundary, it will leave 336,566 to the North, & 245,557. to the South; making a difference in the division of 91,009. see Table B.
If a line be drawn along the top of the Blue ridge from S.W. to N.E. it leaves 216,001 on the Western side, and 366,122 on the Eastern, making a difference, in the division, that way of 150,121. see General Table of the counties.
If a line, parallel with that, be drawn thro’ Staunton, it leaves 180,195. to the West; and 401,928 to the East, making a difference of 221,733. see Table C.
A like parallel thro’ Lexington leaves 203,466 to the West, and 378,657. to the East, making a difference of 175,191. see Table D.
If thro’ the Central College, it leaves 272,904 to the West and 309,219. to the East, making a difference of 36,315. see Table E.
The exact parallel of equal division would pass about 4½ miles Eastward of the Central College, throwing into the Western division about ⅚ of the population of the 11. counties next below, & adjacent to the Blue ridge.
From this parallel of equal division Staunton is 34. miles to the West, Lexington 25. and the Central College 4½.
On the whole it appears that the division between North & South is scarcely sensible for either Staunton or the Central College: while for Lexington there is a difference of 91,009. that the divisions between East and West give a difference, for Staunton of 221,733. for Lexington 175,191. and for the Central College 36,315.12
These measures are taken from Madison’s map of Virginia, and for the verification of the numbers, a list of the counties is given, with the white population of each according to the last Census of the US. in 1810.
Where a line of division split counties into two parts, the proportion on each side of the line was estimated by the eye only.13
1st MS (ViU: TJP); entirely in TJ’s hand; undated; with tables on recto and verso of a single sheet divided into three columns and “Observations and Conclusions” on recto of an additional sheet; archivally bound with following document. 2d MS (ViU: TJP); entirely in TJ’s hand; undated; with tables on recto and verso of a single sheet divided into three columns and remainder of text on recto of an additional sheet; archivally bound with following document. Printed anonymously in Richmond Enquirer, 17 Dec. 1818, with note at head of text: “FOR THE ENQUIRER. The following statement is given to the public to show that the Central College is the proper site for the University of Virginia.” Enclosed in TJ to James Madison, 28 June 1818, and Madison to TJ, [16 July 1818].
As when he composed his Notes on Collegiate Districts for a System of Public Education, [ca. 24 Oct. 1817], TJ here claimed to be confining his calculations of the center of population in Virginia to the white population. Whether by an oversight or deliberately, however, in both instances he actually included free blacks in the count, a point raised in the Virginia House of Delegates during the debate over the university bill (Joseph C. Cabell to TJ, 18 Jan. 1819).
1. For this number Richmond Enquirer substitutes 366,122, the subtotal of inhabitants east of the Blue Ridge.
2. Recto ends here.
3. 2d MS: “white inhabitants—whole.”
4. Preceding three words not in 2d MS.
5. Here and below, some fractions are expressed as decimals in 2d MS.
6. 2d MS: “on a parallel with the Blue ridge to the Patomac.”
7. 2d MS: “on a parallel with B.R. to Patom.”
8. 2d MS: “on a parallel with B.R: to Patom.”
9. Fraction not in Richmond Enquirer.
10. Sentence not in 2d MS.
11. Sentence not in 2d MS.
12. This paragraph and next are reversed in 2d MS.
13. Sentence not in 2d MS.
Index Entries
- African-Americans; population of in Va. search
- Census, U.S.; of1810 search
- Central College; as state university of Va. search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Writings; Notes on Collegiate Districts for a System of Public Education search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Writings; Notes on the Geographic Center of Virginia’s Population search
- Lexington, Va.; as potential location for state university search
- Madison, James, Bishop; and map of Va. search
- maps; Bishop J. Madison’s map of Va. search
- Richmond Enquirer (newspaper); prints TJ’s Notes on the Geographic Center of Virginia’s Population search
- Staunton, Va.; as potential location for state university search
- Virginia, University of; Establishment; and General Assembly search
- Virginia, University of; Establishment; Notes on the Geographic Center of Virginia’s Population search
- Virginia; center of population of search
- Virginia; House of Delegates search
- Virginia; maps of search
- whites; population of in Va. search