The following is taken from a book by Emily Maxey Jenkins called "Memoirs of Buckingham". NEW CANTON This village is located in the northern part of the county, 63 miles west of Richmond, and situated on the mouth of Slate Creek, on an elevated bank about a fourth of a mile from the James River, commanding a beautiful perspective view down the river. As early as 1836 the village was described as rapidly declining. It was once a place of considerable trade. At this time it contained 36 dwelling houses, 3 mercantile stores, one tavern, one flour mill, one tanyard, and one saddler. There was one attorney and one physician in 1836. The population was 50. A Free house of worship was situated a mile south of New Canton, and four miles west the Virginia Mills, which manufactured large quantities of flour. On the Slate River, several slate quarries were opened during the early 1800s. An iron foundry was opened in New Canton about the same time. Immediately on the Slate River the country is hilly, but soon becomes very level. The borders of the river are very fertile, but the level country beyound the hills was extremely sterile, except for the flats of the creeks. Ruby Talley Smith