---

Sponsored by

Population in 1880-White 4750, colored 254; total 5004.

County Seat. Bland C.H. (Seddon) -- Population 600.

Vote of county November 2d, 1886, Democrats 383, Republicans 537.

Value of real estate, 1886: $452,238.11
Value of Personal property: $167,674.00
Tax on real estate: $ 1,808.94
Tax on personal property: $ 670.67
Captation Tax - White 1022; colored 38.

Bland was formed in 1860 from Wythe, Tazewell and Giles. It is one of the mountain counties, bordering on West Virginia, and if it has any internal improvements they have not been reported. There seems, however, to be some hopes of a narrow guage road being built here at no distant period. This county is very mountainous, and but thinly settled, it being in point of population the fourth smallest in the State. It has for its boundary on the north the East River Mountains, separating it from Monroe County, West Virginia; on the south, Walker's Mountain, which divides it from Wythe County; Tazewell bounds it on the north and west, and Giles and Pulaski on the east.

The Valley lands are very rich, and where cultivated readily produce good crops of corn, rye, oats, wheat and the grasses. The county is watered by Walkers and Wolf creeks, and branches which are tributaries of the New River. There are several mineral springs, the Sharon Alum bring the most celebrated. The minerals found in this county are coal, iron, lead, zinc and silver. The timbers are pine, walnut, oak, poplar, and ash. There are a large number of saw mills, and much lumber is shipped. Bland Courthouse, situated in the valley formed by the Brushy and Walkers Mountains is a busy little place of about 325 inhabitants, distant twenty miles from Wytheville, the nearest railroad station on the Norfolk and Western Railroad. The area of the county is 297 7/8 square miles, or 190,587 acres and the land has an average assessed value of $2.32 per acre.

Post-Offices

Bland C.H. - R. C. Greer
Ceres - H. C. Grossclose
Clear Fork - D. M. Bailey
Grapefield
Hicksville
Holly Brook - D. W. M. Wright
Kimberling - A. W. Miller
Mechanicsburg - J. Benton, asst.
Point Pleasant - A. W. Tieche
Rocky Gap - J. M. Tuggle
Sharon Springs - J. A. Barnitz
Tilson's Mill.

Courts

The Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Circuit meets at Bland C.H. on the 1st Monday in April and the 4th Monday in September.

Judge: R. W. Brown.
Clerk: C. P. Muncy

The County Court meets at the Court House Tuesday after the 4th Monday in each month. Quarterly terms, December, Feburary, April and July.

Judge: A. R. Heflin
Clerk: C. P. Muncy

County Officers

Sheriff: J. W. Thorn
Surveyor:
Treasurer:
Commissioner of Revenue: Dr. L. J. Miller
Commonwealth's Attorney: T. J. Munsey

Supervisors

A. J. Grayson, Elias Foglesong, D. M. Bailey, R. C. Fanning

Justices of the Peace

W. W. Ashworth, William Horton, Alex Niswander, John F. Locke, T. E. Durham, T. P. Umbarger, John H. Lindamood.

Constables

A. B. Pauly, Abram Fry

Attorneys at Law

Dunnagan, J. W. - Holly Brook
Grossclose, H. C. - Ceres
Harman, W. N. - Holly Brook
Heflin, A. R. - Bland C.H.
Kegley, Fulton - Bland C.H.
Munsey, T. J. - Bland C.H.
Williams Bros. - Bland C.H.

Carpenters and Contractors

Corder, J. L. - Point Pleasant
Hall, L. B. - Ceres
Johnston, B. W. - Kimberling
Keeling, A. J. - Rocky Gap
Lindamood, James - Bland C.H.
Locke & Thompson - Bland C.H.
Miller, G. W. - Point Pleasant
Richardson, R. A. - Rocky Gap
Thompson, D. F. - Kimberling
Wimmer, A. J. - Rocky Gap

Cattle Dealers

Compton, W. W. - Hicksville
Hicks, H. G. - Hicksville
Justice, Jesse - Hicksville
Robinett, J. S. - Mechanisburg
Stowers, J. F. - Hicksville
Updike, J. B. - Rocky Gap

Coach and Wagon Builders

Dillon, Samuel - Mechanicsburg
Farmer & Dunford - Rocky Gap
Goff, C. - Bland C.H.
Hayton, Peter - Tilson's Mills
Hubble, H. - Tilson's Mills
Keister, C. W. - Mechanicsburg
Lampert, Stephen - Bland C.H.
Miles, S. - Tilson's Mills
Willis Bros. - Rocky Gap

Distillers

Copper, P. D. - Tilson's Mills
Waddle, R. J. - Bland C.H.

Druggist

Burton, J. & Co. - Mechanicsburg
Honaker, J. C. - Rocky Gap
Tinsley, J. W. - Bland C.H.
Updike & Robinett - Point Pleasant

General Merchants

Bailey Bros. - Clear Fork
Barnitz, John A. - Sharon Springs
Bernard & Ferguson - Mechanicsburg
Burton, J. & Co. - Mechanicsburg
Carter, T. M. & Co. - Hicksville
Dodd, B. & Co. - Bland C.H.
Grossclose, H. C. - Ceres
Hatcher, W. C. - Bland C.H.
Honaker, J. D. - Rocky Gap
Kessling, M. G. - Tilson's Mills
Perry, J. G. - Tilson's Mills
Robinett & Updike - Kimberling
Tinsley, J. W. - Bland C.H.
Updike & Robinett - Point Pleasant

Hotels

Fannon, C. F. Fannon, proprietor, Bland C.H.
Lee House, B. Dodd proprietor, Bland C.H.
McNutt, near Bland C.H.
Sharon Alum and Chalybeate Springs, John A. Barnitz, proprietor, Sharon Springs
Virginia Hotel, J. D. Honaker, Rocky Gap
Virginia House, J. Barton, Mechanicsburg

Mills--Corn and Flour

Bailey, D. M. - Clear Fork
Bishop, W. M. - Rocky Gap
Elliott, W. G. - Ceres
Keeling, A. J. - Rocky Gap
Miller, G. W. - Kimberling
Mustard, W. N. - Bland C.H.
Newberry, Harman - Bland C.H.
Peery, J. G. - Tilson's Mills
Repass, J. A. - Near Bland C.H.
Robertson, W. H. - Point Pleasant
Starke, J. M. & son - Hicksville
Wilkinson, J. - Holly Brook
Wright, John - Holly Brook

Mills-Saw

Grossclose, Henry - Tilson's Mills
Grossclose, J. H. - Tilson's Mills
Hancock, T. S. - Ceres
Harman, A. F. - Point Pleasant
Harman, H. - Tilson's Mills
Jamison, Edward, - Bland C.H.
Keeling, A. J. - Rocky Gap
Miller, G. W. - Kimberling
Morris, S. V. - Hollybrook
Repass, J. A. - Bland C.H.
Starke, J. M. & Son - Hicksville
Wilkinson, J. - Holly Brook
Willis, J. T. - Rocky Gap
Wright, John - Holly Brook

Mills--Woolen

Harman, H. - Tilson's Mills
Newberry & Carder - Bland C.H.

Millwrights

Barger, J. W. S. - Hicksville
Elliott, Wm. G. - Ceres
Miller, G. W. - Kimberling
Willis, J. T. - Rocky Gap

Mines - Coal

Dunn, W. G. - Bland C.H.
Harman, F. M. - Bland C.H.
Lampert, Stephen - Bland C.H.

Mines - Iron

Buckhorn - Rocky Gap
Flat Top - Kimberling

Newspapers

South-West, W. C. Hedrick, editor (Republican) - Bland C.H.

Physicians

Bryan, L. W. - Ceres
Cooper, C. W. - Tilson's Mills
Harman, J. W. - Mechanicsburg
Hare, J. H. - Rocky Gap
Hayes, P. P. - Bland C.H.
Hoge, J. H. - Point Pleasant
Miller, J. L. - Rocky Gap
Miller, L. J. - Holly Brook
Waggoner, Jacob A. - Kimberling

Saddlers and Harnessmakers

Ashworth, W. W. - Rocky Gap
Davis, H. G. - Sharon Springs
Hedrick, J. L. - Bland C.H.
Pruett, H. P. - Rocky Gap
Rider, Hiram - Mechanicsburg
Thornton, K. C. - Bland C.H.

Schools

Heflin, A. R. - Bland C.H.
Point Pleasant Academy - Point Pleasant

There are 39 white and one colored public school in this county; superintendent, David H. Munsey, Kimberling.

Tanners

Bernard, S. H. - Mechanicsburg
Davis, H. G. - Sharon Springs
Graves, B. D. - Bland C.H.
Hedrick, J. L. - Bland C.H.
Williams, N. B. - Tilson's Mills

Undertakers

Hall, L. B. - Ceres
Keeling, A. J. - Rocky Gap
Lampert, Stephen - Bland C.H.
Lindamood, James H. - Sharon Springs
Locke & Thompson - Bland C.H.
Stafford, B. P. - Mechanicsburg

Wool Dealers

Bernard & Ferguson - Mechanicsburg
Burton, J. & Co. - Mechanicsburg
Hatcher, W. C. - Bland C.H.
Honaker, J. D. - Rocky Gap
Keesling, M. G. - Tilson's Mills
Robinett & Updike - Kimberling
Thompson, James - Kimberling

Principal Farmers

Bland C.H. - F. J. Suiter, W. N. Mustard, C. S. Grayson, A. J. Grayson, Mitchell Kegley, B. H. Penley, Wm. H. Muncey, J. G. Muncey, Wiley Terry, Newton Waddle, Jeff Robinett, Winton Kidd, S. H. Newberry, William Stowers, Elbert S. Stowers, Michael Waddell, Stephen Fry, R. J. Waddell, R. B. Repass, Paris Harman, Isaac G. Pauly, P. W. Davis, James Harman.

Ceres - A. D. Grossclose, W. H. Grossclose, J. H. Crabtree, Elias Foglesong, T. O. Wilson, J. M. Repass, Elias Repass, J. H. Grossclose, G. D. Kintzer.

Clear Fork - Cloyd Adkins, Wm. Linticum, W. M. Bishop, Peter R. Stowers, T. E. Gregory, J. B. Updike, M. A. Thompson, E. W. Davis, H. G. Thompson, R. S. Gregory, D. A. Walker, James Hager, D. M. Bailey

Hicksville - J. N. Johnson, Eli Leady, J. N. Justice, W. Gross, J. E. Maxwell, Newton S. Barger, James Thompson, M. R. Bogle, H. G. Hicks, T. J. Leel, W. P. Hornberger, J. B. Johnson, D. Cameron, R. R. Burks

Holly Brook - P. Burton, J. W. Finley, L. F. Morehead, J. W. Miller, A. A. Morehead, D. F. Morehead, J. K. Price, G. A. Morehead, J. D. Wright, O. N. Nidormaier, Jacob McNeil, J. J. Hunter, J. W. Thorn, J. R. Compton, J. S. Hoback, L. J. Wright, Ralph Wynch, John Myers, C. B. Ramsey, John Fanning.

Kimberling - John P. Helvy, D. H. Muncey, L. D. Helvy, L. M. Morehead, W. C. Miller, L. J. Miller, D. F. Thompson, B. Johnston, W. W. Fanning, James Pruett, Chapman Morris, John Helvy, A. J. Finley, A. J. Brown, J. B. Brown

Mechanicsburg - R. L. Newberry, A. G. Updike, J. J. Mustard, J. H. Mustard, Gordon Wohlford, T. E. Mitchell, J. P. Roach, A. B. Pauly, D. B. Newberry.

Point Pleasant - J. S. Robinett, O. C. Harman, G. W. Penly, J. H. Fanning, J. H. Munsey, W. C. Newberry, J. A. Waggoner

Rocky Gap - J. D. Honaker, J. R. Honaker, S. K. Lambert, R. M. Ashworth, J. G. French, James Kirby, N. N. Coldwell, J. C. Carpenter, S. E. Stimpson, J. M. Tuggle, James Thompson, J. H. Byrd, James Wiley, W. H. Gibson, A. J. Stowers, S. P. Terry

Sharon Springs - Elias Foglesong, J. S. McNutt, H. G. Davis, James A. Mahood, A. W. Shewey, John H. Lindamood, William Ingram, James Crabtree, Mrs. Mary Scott, Walter Shuey

Tilson's Mills - L. D. Bogle, A. A. Tibbs, H. Harman, John Kinder, M. J. Tilson, W. V. B. Tilson, W. H. Tilson, John Peery, N. B. Williams, Henry Grossclose, T. P. Umbaarger, N. B. Doton, J. F. Umbarger