Hampshire County Long Ago   In 1797 "The American Gazetteer" was published in Boston by Jedidiah Morse. It was a volume of about 900 pages with several maps, and dealt with the geography of "North America and the West Indies." A number of places within the present limits of West Virginia are described. "Hampshire, a county in Virginia, about 60 miles long and 50 broad, and contains 7346 inhabitants including 454 slaves. It is well watered by the Potwomack and its south branch. Iron ore and coals have been discovered on the banks of this river." “Romney, the chief town of Hampshire County, Virginia, contains about 70 dwelling houses, a brick courthouse and a stone jail. It is situated on the western bank of the S. W. branch of the Potowmac river, 50 miles west by north of Winchester, 25 northeast by north of Moorefields, and 18 S.W. of Old Town, in Alleghany County, Pennsylvania [sic. Maryland].” From: The Transallegheny Historical Magazine Vol. 1; numbers: October, 1901; January, April and July, 1902. Published by the Transallegheny Historical Society.