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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Dinwiddie County Historical Society

Dinwiddie County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 27,947. Its county seat is Dinwiddie.

Dinwiddie County is part of the Richmond, VA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Portrait of Robert Dinwiddie; Dinwiddie County was named in his honor

The first inhabitants of the area were Paleo-Indians, prior to 8000 BC. They are believed to have been nomadic hunter-gatherers following animal migrations. Early stone tools have been discovered in various fields within the county. At the time of European contact, Native Americans made their homes in the region.

Dinwiddie County was formed May 1, 1752, from Prince George County. The county is named for Robert Dinwiddie, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, 1751–58. The county raised several militia units that would fight in the American Revolution.

Dinwiddie County was the birthplace of Elizabeth (Burwell) Hobbs Keckly, a free black dressmaker who worked for two presidents' wives: Mrs. Jefferson Davis and later Mary Todd Lincoln. Thomas Day was also a native; he was well known later at Milton, North Carolina, as a free black cabinetmaker. Another native son was Dr. Thomas Stewart, perhaps America's first free black 18th-century rural physician.

During the Civil War the Battle of Lewis's Farm was fought along Quaker Road [Rt. 660]. It took place on March 29, 1865. This was the first in several attempts by Union General Ulysses S. Grant to cut Robert E. Lee's final supply line—the Southside Railroad—in the spring of 1865. Here the Union forces led by Brig. Gen. Joshua L. Chamberlain engaged Confederates under Maj. Gen. Bushrod R. Johnson. After sharp fighting, the Union troops entrenched nearby along the Boydton Plank Road, and Johnson withdrew to his lines at White Oak Road. The Union army cut the rail line four days later, after capturing Five Forks on April 1, 1865, at the Battle of Five Forks. Several other engagements were fought in Dinwiddie County, including the Battle of Dinwiddie Court House, Battle of Sutherland's Station, and Battle of White Oak Road.

The Dinwiddie County Historical Society currently occupies the historic Dinwiddie County Court House.

Civil War battles

Geography

Dinwiddie is located in southern Virginia, southwest of the independent city of Petersburg, which separated from the county (and adjacent Prince George County) in 1871. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 507 square miles (1,310 km), of which 504 square miles (1,310 km) is land and 3.5 square miles (9.1 km) (0.7%) is water. It is located between two US Army forts, Fort Gregg-Adams to the east and Fort Barfoot to the west.

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
179013,934
180015,37410.3%
181018,19018.3%
182020,48212.6%
183021,9016.9%
184022,5583.0%
185025,11811.3%
186030,19820.2%
187030,7021.7%
188032,8707.1%
189013,515−58.9%
190015,37413.8%
191015,4420.4%
192017,94916.2%
193018,4923.0%
194018,166−1.8%
195018,8393.7%
196022,18317.8%
197025,04612.9%
198022,602−9.8%
199020,960−7.3%
200024,53317.0%
201028,00114.1%
202027,947−0.2%
2021 (est.)27,912−0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010 2020

2020 census

Dinwiddie County, Virginia – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 17,617 17,346 62.92% 62.07%
Black or African American alone (NH) 9,134 8,115 32.62% 29.04%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 83 91 0.30% 0.33%
Asian alone (NH) 122 119 0.44% 0.43%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 7 3 0.02% 0.01%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 18 102 0.06% 0.36%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) 346 1,043 1.24% 3.73%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 674 1,128 2.41% 4.04%
Total 28,001 27,947 100.00% 100.00%

2000 Census

As of the census of 2000, there were 24,533 people, 9,107 households, and 6,720 families residing in the county. The population density was 49 people per square mile (19 people/km). There were 9,707 housing units at an average density of 19 units per square mile (7.3 units/km). The racial makeup of the county was 64.55% White, 33.66% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. 0.97% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,107 households, out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.80% were married couples living together, 13.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.20% were non-families. 22.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.00% under the age of 18, 6.70% from 18 to 24, 30.90% from 25 to 44, 26.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,582, and the median income for a family was $47,961. Males had a median income of $32,860 versus $24,346 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,122. About 6.60% of families and 9.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.60% of those under age 18 and 12.60% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Board of Supervisors

  • District 1: Harrison A. Moody (D)
  • District 2: Mark E. Moore (I)
  • District 3: William D. Chavis (I)
  • District 4: Daniel D. Lee (I)
  • District 5: Brenda K. Ebron-Bonner (D)

Constitutional officers

  • Clerk of the Circuit Court: John Barrett Chappell, Jr. (D)
  • Commissioner of the Revenue: Lori K. Stevens (R)
  • Commonwealth's Attorney: Amanda Nicole Mann (I)
  • Sheriff: D.T. "Duck" Adams (D)
  • Treasurer: Jennifer Caraway Perkins (D)

Dinwiddie County is currently represented by Republican Frank Ruff of the 15th district and Democrat Joe Morrissey of the 16th district in the Virginia Senate. In the Virginia House of Delegates, the county is represented by Republicans Kim Taylor of the 63rd district and Otto Wachsmann of the 75th district. The county is represented by Democrat Jennifer McClellan of Virginia's 4th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.

United States presidential election results for Dinwiddie County, Virginia
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 8,695 57.61% 6,224 41.24% 173 1.15%
2016 7,447 54.86% 5,765 42.47% 363 2.67%
2012 6,875 50.59% 6,550 48.20% 164 1.21%
2008 6,526 50.62% 6,246 48.45% 120 0.93%
2004 6,193 57.14% 4,569 42.15% 77 0.71%
2000 4,959 54.28% 4,001 43.79% 176 1.93%
1996 3,503 42.90% 3,871 47.40% 792 9.70%
1992 3,648 42.43% 3,624 42.15% 1,325 15.41%
1988 4,165 54.38% 3,405 44.46% 89 1.16%
1984 4,547 56.04% 3,485 42.95% 82 1.01%
1980 3,369 48.01% 3,475 49.52% 174 2.48%
1976 2,413 37.28% 3,873 59.83% 187 2.89%
1972 3,314 62.47% 1,901 35.83% 90 1.70%
1968 1,451 27.60% 1,551 29.50% 2,255 42.90%
1964 2,096 48.91% 2,182 50.92% 7 0.16%
1960 935 34.81% 1,714 63.81% 37 1.38%
1956 807 30.71% 1,282 48.78% 539 20.51%
1952 983 39.77% 1,462 59.14% 27 1.09%
1948 261 17.40% 961 64.07% 278 18.53%
1944 279 20.26% 1,096 79.59% 2 0.15%
1940 264 18.86% 1,129 80.64% 7 0.50%
1936 127 8.61% 1,343 91.05% 5 0.34%
1932 104 9.12% 1,028 90.18% 8 0.70%
1928 332 26.00% 945 74.00% 0 0.00%
1924 122 14.70% 685 82.53% 23 2.77%
1920 186 22.57% 636 77.18% 2 0.24%
1916 85 12.54% 592 87.32% 1 0.15%
1912 58 8.91% 512 78.65% 81 12.44%

Communities

The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the independent cities of Petersburg and Colonial Heights with Dinwiddie County for statistical purposes.

Town

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Education

Appomattox Regional Library serves as the public library for the area.

References

  1. ^ "Dinwiddie County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Virginia Gazette Nov. 1778 as found in Freeafricanamericans.com
  4. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  5. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021". Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  6. ^ "Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  7. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  8. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  9. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  10. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Dinwiddie County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
  11. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Dinwiddie County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
  12. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  13. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved December 9, 2020.

37°05′N 77°38′W / 37.08°N 77.63°W / 37.08; -77.63