There was no Pine Forge District, nor a Speedwell District either. Pine Forge was just an industrial site (a forge and a coupla mills) about 5 miles N of New market on Smiths Creek. Speedwell was the same sort of place about 1.5 miles N of Luray on Hawksbill Creek. When the 1820 census says "Speedwell", it means the eight families starting with James Sterrett. Likewise, when it says "Pine Forge", it means the sixteen families starting with Benjamin Pennybaker. The census taker jumped around quite a bit, so there's no guarantee that a name on the page after "Pine Forge" is anywhere close. There are other ways to place people. The personal property tax lists usually covered a specific geographical area on a particular day. The 1830 census can also give you a fairly good idea if you're looking in Luray Valley. Tom "H. Eugene McInturff" wrote: > Thanks Walt for the reply. Just where was Pine Forge? In > looking at the 1820 census I recognize several names listed in > the Pine Forge dist. such as Isaac Overall who lived some 10-12 > miles south of Front Royal but can't figure out the total area > encompassed..........Eugene > > ==== VASHENAN Mailing List ==== > Shenandoah Co VAGenWeb > http://www.rootsweb.com/~vashenan/vashenan.html

Tom.......I truly appreciate your input but now I'm more confused than ever. Census Images at Ancestry.com shows 210 HOH's enumerated at Speedwell Forge and 409 HOH's enumerated at Pine Forge. Additionally, a Thomas Sterrett is shown living at Turkes Ville, Berkeley Co., VA but not one in/near Shenandoah Co. The 1830 census images gives the location as 'Eastern District' for those of whom I have an interest and that really doesn't help me a lot 'cause I don't know what territory is involved. Can you advise if the personal property tax list, that you mentioned, have been published and if so where can one acquire copies. Thanks.......Eugene

Eugene, I can't comment on Census Images since I've never looked at it. But, I'm 100% sure of what I wrote: Pine Forge and Speedwell were just small sites - not districts. If you look at page 159 of the 1820 census, you can see a horizontal line all across the page just above James Sterrett's name. There is a second horizontal line just below John L??? (I'm sorry - my eyes are tired tonight and I can't read that name). Next to that second line is the notation "Population of Speedwell Forge" In the left margin is the notation (Speedwell Forge. Then, just below that second line is Benjamin Blackford's name which starts the names for Isabella Furnace. On page 165, there is a short, heavy, horizontal line just below Daniel Strickler's name and then Benjamin Pennybaker's name. Then just below Hannah Griffy's name is another heavy, short line, and in the left margin is the notation Pine Forge. It's easy to tell that the census taker quickly moved away from Pine Forge as you come to several Hawkins just down the page. On the following page, you can see Abraham Alger, Henry Price, John Koontz, William Price, etc who are all near Alma. So, I think he picked up Pine Forge, got a few people near Hawkinstown, then rode across the mountain and up Battle Creek. Anyway, tell me who you're looking for and I can maybe help you. Tom "H. Eugene McInturff" wrote: > Tom.......I truly appreciate your input but now I'm more confused > than ever. Census Images at Ancestry.com shows 210 HOH's > enumerated at Speedwell Forge and 409 HOH's enumerated at Pine > Forge. > > Additionally, a Thomas Sterrett is shown living at Turkes Ville, > Berkeley Co., VA but not one in/near Shenandoah Co. > > The 1830 census images gives the location as 'Eastern District' > for those of whom I have an interest and that really doesn't help > me a lot 'cause I don't know what territory is involved. > > Can you advise if the personal property tax list, that you > mentioned, have been published and if so where can one acquire > copies. Thanks.......Eugene > > ==== VASHENAN Mailing List ==== > Shenandoah Co VAGenWeb > http://www.rootsweb.com/~vashenan/vashenan.html