The American Cyclopædia (1879)/Isle of Wight (county)

ISLE OF WIGHT, a S. E. county of Virginia, bounded N. E. by the estuary of James river, and S. W. by the Blackwater; area, 400 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 8,320, of whom 3,446 were colored. The surface is generally, level and divided between swamps, pine forests, and farming lands. The soil is thin and sandy. The Norfolk and Petersburg and Seaboard and Roanoke railroads cross the county. The chief productions in 1870 were 160,733 bushels of Indian corn, 17,823 of oats, 17,957 of Irish and 30,411 of sweet potatoes, and 1,312 tons of hay. There were 829 horses, 1,226 milch cows, 2,237 other cattle, 1,510 sheep, 11,423 swine, and 6 saw mills. Capital, Smithfield.