Greensville County, Virginia

Greensville County
County
Greensville County Courthouse, also serving the City of Emporia
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
Virginia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 36°40′N77°34′W / 36.67°N 77.56°W / 36.67; -77.56
Country	United States
State	Virginia
Founded	1780
Seat	Emporia
Largest town	Jarratt
Area
• Total	297 sq mi (770 km2)
• Land	295 sq mi (760 km2)
• Water	2 sq mi (5 km2)  0.5%
Population  (2020)
• Total	11,391
• Density	38/sq mi (15/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	4th
Website	www.greensvillecountyva.gov

Greensville County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,391. ^[1] Its county seat is Emporia. ^[2]

History

Greensville County was established in 1781 from Brunswick County. The county is probably named for Sir Richard Grenville, leader of the settlement on Roanoke Island, 1585. There is also belief that it may be named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army and one of George Washington's brightest officers.

An early chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was formed in Greensville County and Emporia (the county seat) in May 1940, under the leadership of dentist Dr. F. A. Sealy, of Boydton, Virginia and president of the Mecklenburg County, Virginia branch. However, he died in 1943, as efforts to desegregate the county's schools began with the assistance of attorney Oliver Hill. ^[3] After service in World War II, Hill's colleague Samuel W. Tucker moved to Emporia, married a schoolteacher and became the county's only African American attorney, as well as a leader in desegregating schools across Virginia. ^[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 297 square miles (770 km²), of which 295 square miles (760 km²) is land and 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²) (0.5%) is water. ^[5]

The Meherrin River forms the boundary between Greensville County and Southampton County.

Adjacent counties / independent city

• Brunswick County, Virginia – west
• Dinwiddie County, Virginia – north
• Sussex County, Virginia – northeast
• Southampton County, Virginia – east
• Northampton County, North Carolina – south
• Emporia, Virginia – surrounded by Greensville County

Major highways

• I-95, the major north–south highway on the Eastern Seaboard enters Greensville County from North Carolina. Access to the county is available at Exits 4, 8, 11 (if you include Emporia) 12, and 13 before the road crosses the Greensville-Sussex County Line.
• US 58, the principal west–east route through southern Virginia at large, including Greensville County. The road connects the Cumberland Gap area of Tennessee to the Hampton Roads area, entering the county from Brunswick County and leaving at Southampton County. A Business Route of US 58 exists within Emporia.
• US 301, the principal south–north route Greensville County and Emporia until it was supplanted by I-95. A spur of US Route 1, it enters Greensville County from North Carolina, serves as a major boulevard in Historic Emporia, and leaves at Sussex County south of Jarratt.
• SR 139, a state spur route running northwest of US 301 from through Jarratt both in Greensville and Sussex Counties.
• SR 186, a state route briefly entering Greensville County from North Carolina, only to cross into Southampton County at the bridge over the Meherrin River.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1790	6,362		—
1800	6,727		5.7%
1810	6,853		1.9%
1820	6,858		0.1%
1830	7,117		3.8%
1840	6,366		−10.6%
1850	5,639		−11.4%
1860	6,374		13.0%
1870	6,362		−0.2%
1880	8,407		32.1%
1890	8,230		−2.1%
1900	9,758		18.6%
1910	11,890		21.8%
1920	11,606		−2.4%
1930	13,388		15.4%
1940	14,866		11.0%
1950	16,319		9.8%
1960	16,155		−1.0%
1970	9,604		−40.6%
1980	10,903		13.5%
1990	8,853		−18.8%
2000	11,560		30.6%
2010	12,243		5.9%
2020	11,391		−7.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [6] 1790–1960 [7] 1900–1990 [8] 1990–2000 [9] 2010 [10] 2020 [11]

2020 census

Greensville 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 [10]	Pop 2020 [11]	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	4,628	4,217	37.80%	37.02%
Black or African American alone (NH)	7,294	6,616	59.58%	58.08%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	23	19	0.19%	0.17%
Asian alone (NH)	35	32	0.29%	0.28%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)	1	0	0.01%	0.00%
Other race alone (NH)	10	13	0.08%	0.11%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	79	218	0.65%	1.91%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	173	276	1.41%	2.42%
Total	12,087	11,391	100.00%	100.00%

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 12,243 people living in the county. 59.8% were Black or African American, 38.5% White, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% of some other race and 0.8% of two or more races. 1.4% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

As of the census ^[12] of 2000, there were 11,560 people, 3,375 households, and 2,396 families living in the county. The population density was 39 people per square mile (15 people/km²). There were 3,765 housing units at an average density of 13 units per square mile (5.0 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 59.75% Black or African American, 38.94% White, 0.10% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races, and 0.32% from two or more races. 0.93% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,375 households, out of which 29.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.80% were married couples living together, 16.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.00% were non-families. 25.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 18.20% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 38.70% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 11.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 160.90 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 177.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,002, and the median income for a family was $38,810. Males had a median income of $24,919 versus $19,849 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,632. 14.70% of the population and 12.40% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 17.00% are under the age of 18 and 18.60% are 65 or older.

Government and infrastructure

Virginia Department of Corrections operates the Greensville Correctional Center in unincorporated Greensville County, near Jarratt. ^[13] The facility houses the commonwealth's former execution chamber. ^[14]

Greensville County has supported the Democratic nominee in every election since 1912, with the exception of 1972 when it backed Richard Nixon during his landslide victory over George McGovern. Its residents did not cast a single vote for Alf Landon in 1936, making the county one of four in which Landon was locked out. ^{[ citation needed ]}

United States presidential election results for Greensville County, Virginia ^[15]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	1,936	44.99%	2,334	54.24%	33	0.77%
2020	1,914	41.85%	2,627	57.43%	33	0.72%
2016	1,737	39.81%	2,558	58.63%	68	1.56%
2012	1,766	35.85%	3,135	63.64%	25	0.51%
2008	1,729	35.38%	3,122	63.88%	36	0.74%
2004	1,732	40.68%	2,514	59.04%	12	0.28%
2000	1,565	40.07%	2,314	59.24%	27	0.69%
1996	1,176	30.60%	2,381	61.96%	286	7.44%
1992	1,335	33.49%	2,237	56.12%	414	10.39%
1988	1,610	43.13%	2,083	55.80%	40	1.07%
1984	2,304	48.28%	2,352	49.29%	116	2.43%
1980	1,583	41.66%	2,142	56.37%	75	1.97%
1976	1,137	31.18%	2,413	66.18%	96	2.63%
1972	1,608	56.05%	1,197	41.72%	64	2.23%
1968	529	16.71%	1,367	43.19%	1,269	40.09%
1964	2,245	49.68%	2,262	50.06%	12	0.27%
1960	1,057	38.21%	1,676	60.59%	33	1.19%
1956	724	29.08%	994	39.92%	772	31.00%
1952	988	43.47%	1,259	55.39%	26	1.14%
1948	301	21.09%	710	49.75%	416	29.15%
1944	279	22.55%	954	77.12%	4	0.32%
1940	152	15.22%	843	84.38%	4	0.40%
1936	0	0.00%	884	100.00%	0	0.00%
1932	112	13.81%	692	85.33%	7	0.86%
1928	318	37.99%	519	62.01%	0	0.00%
1924	132	23.04%	417	72.77%	24	4.19%
1920	111	20.63%	424	78.81%	3	0.56%
1916	76	16.17%	392	83.40%	2	0.43%
1912	31	7.73%	294	73.32%	76	18.95%

Communities

Although Emporia lies within the boundaries of Greensville County and serves as the county seat, it is an independent city and thus not part of the county. But although they are separate, they do share the same public school system.

Town

• Jarratt (partially in Sussex County)

Unincorporated communities

• Brink
• Durand
• Low Ground
• Moonlight
• Purdy
• Radium
• Skippers

Education

Greensville County Public Schools operates public schools for the whole county.

See also

• Virginia portal

• National Register of Historic Places in Greensville County, Virginia

References

1. "Greensville 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. First Annual Founders' Day program at Greensville County High School June 23, 2007, pp. 15-27
4. Nancy Noyes Silcox, Samuel Wlbert Tucker: The Story of a Civil Rights Trailblazer (Fairfax, Virginia: History4All, 2014) pp. 61-62
5. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
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) - Greensville 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) - Greensville County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau .
12. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
13. "Greensville Correctional Center/Greensville Work Center (major male institution) Archived 2010-08-19 at the Wayback Machine ." Virginia Department of Corrections. Retrieved on August 22, 2010.
14. "Virginia Death Row/Execution Facts." My FOX DC. Tuesday November 10, 2009. Retrieved on August 22, 2010.
15. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved December 9, 2020.

External links

• Official website

36°43′17″N77°31′56″W / 36.72139°N 77.53222°W / 36.72139; -77.53222