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Onancock ( ) is a town in Accomack County,
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
, United States. The population was 1,263 at the 2010 census.


History

According to a nearby Virginia state highway marker, Onancock was founded in 1680. A courthouse was established some years after, and militia barracks established during the Revolution. Some thirteen months after
Cornwallis Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis (31 December 1738 – 5 October 1805) was a British Army officer, Whig politician and colonial administrator. In the United States and United Kingdom, he is best known as one of the leading Britis ...
' October 1781 surrender at Yorktown, Commodore Zedechiah Whaley sought aid from Onancock during a naval campaign against British barges of war that had been harassing the shores and farms of
Chesapeake Bay The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula, including parts of the Ea ...
. On November 28, 1782, he sailed up Onancock Creek and appealed to Lt. Colonel John Cropper, who rounded up 25 local men in support. They boarded Whaley's flagship, ''Protector'', and continued his siege upon the British flotilla. In what became the
Battle of Kedges Strait The Battle of Kedges Strait (also known as the Battle of the Barges) took place on November 30, 1782 near Tangier Sound in Chesapeake Bay near the town of Onancock, Virginia, between naval militia forces of the rebellious British colony of Maryl ...
three out of four of Whaley's barges turned back under heavy British fire, leaving the ''Protector'' alone to press on with the fight. Vastly outnumbered, ultimately 25 of its 65 men were killed or wounded, 29 captured, and only 11 escaped during a climactic action on November 30. Whaley surrendered—in the last naval action of the Revolution—on the very day the Treaty of Paris seeking to finally end the hostilities between the two nations was drafted."The Battle of the Barges"
Eastern Shore of Virginia Historical Society It would be another year and a half yet until the completed treaty was signed, ratified, and exchanged, ultimately becoming effective on May 12, 1784. The highway marker also indicates that the home of Virginia governor
Henry A. Wise Henry Alexander Wise (December 3, 1806 – September 12, 1876) was an American attorney, diplomat, politician and slave owner from Virginia. As the 33rd Governor of Virginia, Wise served as a significant figure on the path to the American Civil ...
(1856–60), Onley, is nearby. In the mid-19th century, Onancock was a point along the
stagecoach A stagecoach (also: stage coach, stage, road coach, ) is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by ...
route between
Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington is the List of municipalities in Delaware, most populous city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish colonization of the Americas, Swedish settlement in North America. It lie ...
and
Eastville, Virginia Eastville is a town in Northampton County, Virginia, Northampton County, Virginia, United States. The population was 300 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County. The Northampton County Courthouse ...
. The Onancock Historic District, Cokesbury Church, Hopkins and Brother Store, and Ker Place are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the town has a total area of 1.0 square mile (2.7 km), all land. It lies at an elevation of 16 feet, and is on the
Eastern Shore of Virginia The Eastern Shore of Virginia is the easternmost region of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It consists of two counties (Accomack County, Virginia, Accomack and Northampton County, Virginia, Northam ...
.


Demographics

At the 2000 census there were 1,525 people, 656 households, and 392 families living in the town. The population density was 1,452.3 people per square mile (560.8/km). There were 733 housing units at an average density of 698.0 per square mile (269.5/km). The racial makeup of the town was 66.43% White, 31.41% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.66% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.89%. Of the 656 households 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.1% were non-families. 38.0% of households were one person and 24.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.82. The age distribution was 21.2% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 21.6% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 26.3% 65 or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.3 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 73.1 males. The median household income was $28,214 and the median family income was $37,039. Males had a median income of $25,956 versus $19,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,393. About 8.4% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 20.4% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.


Transportation


Major highway

*


Public transportation

STAR Transit A star transit is the passage of a star across the field of view of a telescope eyepiece. The precise observation of star transits is the basis of many methods in astronomy and in geodesy. The measurements can be done in different ways: # v ...
provides
public transit Public transport (also known as public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) are forms of transport available to the general public. It typically uses a fixed schedule, route and charges a fixed fare. There is no rigid definition of wh ...
services, linking Onancock with Onley and other communities in Accomack and
Northampton Northampton ( ) is a town and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is the county town of Northamptonshire and the administrative centre of the Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority of West Northamptonshire. The town is sit ...
counties on the Eastern Shore.


Notable people

* Barbara Bohannan-Sheppard - mayor of
Chester, Pennsylvania Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Philadelphia metropolitan area (also known as the Delaware Valley) on the western bank of the Delaware River between Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware. ...
*
Josh Nolz Joshua "Josh" Nolz (born April 13, 1980, in Onancock, Virginia) is a former American midfielder. He was a member of the United States national beach soccer team at the 2007 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. Club Nolz graduated from Nandua High Sch ...
- professional soccer player. * Nick Boddie Williams - editor of the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' from 1958 to 1971. * George D. Wise - U.S. Representative from Virginia.


References


External links

*
Onancock Business and Civic Association
{{authority control Towns in Accomack County, Virginia Towns in Virginia