History

Hampshire County the oldest town in West Virginia was formed in 1754. The formation was authorized by an act of the General Assembly of Virginia, passed on December 13, 1753 and effective May 1, 1754.

The history of Hampshire County dates back more than two centuries to 1725 when the first explorer, Indian trader, and hunters traversed the area. It was their glowing reports of fertile valleys, spreading forests, and navigable waters that encouraged the Coburn, Howard, Walker, Rutledge, and Foreman families to settle along the South Branch River before 1735, near the present town of Springfield. These first five families to establish residences in the valley were followed three years later by two brothers, Job and John Pearsall, who build their homes near the present site of Romney. A few years later other families followed including: Parker, Rogers, Hunter, Good, Blue, Kuykendall, and Johnson to settle in which was then know as Pearsall's Flats, Romney.