Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

This month, the Cumberland Historical Society will do a little lesson on the name of the county. Where did the name come from? How long ago was it given? We have those answers. 

The name given the county was in honor of the hero of the moment in England. That was William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, victor over the Stuarts at Callandon in 1746. Born in 1721, the second son of King George II and Queen Caroline, he was at the age of 5 named the Duke of Cumberland. After an unsuccessful attempt as a naval career, he joined the army in 1742, as a major general.

He shared in the glory of the victory of Dottinger and was made captain-general of the British forces in Flanders. He was unsuccessful in this campaign and recalled from Flanders to lead a force into Scotland to quell the Jacobite uprising under Prince Charles Edward Stuart. It was in this fray that he was his greatest glory. He was rewarded for this victory by being voted an income of forty thousand pounds per year in addition to his revenue as the prince of the royal house. After this, however, his fortune turned and he was defeated in Hanover, losing that possession of his family to another German prince. He returned to England, an unpopular and disgraced man. Retiring into private life, he did much to displease the royal favorites in the ministry of the popular choice. 

Public opinion, which had turned against him, then sat in his favor. He became almost as popular as he had been in his early youth. He died in 1765, a national hero. This history was taken from The Story of Cumberland County, Virginia by Garland Evans Hopkins. 

Cumberland: A popular name

Not only was his name given to Cumberland County, but to many others in this country and to other parts of the British domain. A portrait of him was given to the Cumberland Historical Society and the Cumberland Museum by Mr. Dale Robinson. Robinson, who lives in Florida, is a descendant of John (Lipscomb) Robinson of Cumberland. 1825 or 1826 to 1908. John Robinson was a member of the Convention of 1867 and of the Senate of Virginia.

Born free in Cumberland County, Robinson achieved some measure of prosperity before and during the American Civil War (1861-1865) but he moved to Amelia County in 1864 after mobs attacked him twice. Related to James F. Lipscomb, who served 8 years in the House of Delegates, Robinson was  elected to represent Cumberland County in a convention called to write a new state constitution. In 1869, he won a seat in the Senate of Virginia, representing Amelia,

Cumberland and Nottaway. He lost reelection in 1873 and later in life opened a tavern called Effingham House. This history was taken from writings of Sally Phillips in the Encyclopedia of Virginia.

About the Cumberland Historical Society 

The Cumberland Historical Society and the Cumberland Museum are located in the Old Clerk’s Office in Cumberland Court House. Each month the group shares about some of the displays along with news and upcoming events. The Society meetings are held at 2:00 p.m. in February, April, June, October and December of each year.  Special meetings are held periodically during the other months.

The museum is open during the week, usually in the afternoons, but it is always best to call to be sure someone is available to let visitors in and answer questions. ( 804-492-3348). 

Editor’s note: Barbara Gamage wrote this column for the Farmville Herald.