Scuffletown, Virginia

For the town formerly called Scuffletown, see Surry, Virginia.

Scuffletown is an unincorporated community in Orange County, Virginia. It lies at an elevation of 571 feet (174 m).

It is located in the far northwestern section of the county, about eight miles north of Barboursville.

History

The community is immediately south of historical geographical points on the Rapidan River known as "Wilhoit's Mill" (also "Wilhite's Ford”) and "White's Ford" in the 19th century. The later may have been named for John White (1695-1787), the emigrant of Leicestershire, who, on July 1, 1767, expanded his land holdings on the Rapidan River as a tract of land known as the Octonia Grant was auctioned off. The westernmost boundary line of the 24,000-acre Grant is the Octonia Stone. Clerk for the sale was James Madison, Sr., father of the future president of the United States. John White bought lot #4 of this tract, an area of 356 acres, for 75 pounds. He made a cash payment of 49 pounds, and by June 22, 1769, he had paid the full price to Mr. Madison. A ford across the Rapidan River in the area of the tract was known as White's Ford. Today it is found at the far northwestern tip of Orange County, at the intersection of three counties: Madison, Greene (formed from Orange in 1838) and Orange, according to an 1864 Gilmore map held in the Library of Congress. The Ford appears in accounts of regiment movements during the American Civil War. The Mill may have been named for Curtis Wilhoit (1809-1885).

References

• U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Scuffletown, Virginia