Editing Rockingham County, Virginia (section)

==History==
Settlement of the county began in 1727, when [[Adam Miller (pioneer)|Adam Miller]] (Mueller) staked out a claim on the south fork of the [[Shenandoah River]], near the line that now divides Rockingham County from [[Page County, Virginia|Page County]].<ref>Wayland, John, "A History of Rockingham County, Virginia," 1912: Ruebush-Elkins Co, Dayton, Va., pp 33–37</ref><ref>"The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography" Vol X – No 1, July 1902, The Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, Va., pp 84–86</ref><ref>Strickler, Harry, "A Short History of Page County Virginia" 1952: The Dietz Press, Richmond Va., pps 50–51</ref><ref>Wayland, John, "The German Element in the Shenandoah Valley," 1907: Michie Company Printers, Charlottesville, Va., p 38-39</ref> On a trip through eastern [[Virginia]], the German-born Miller had heard reports about a lush valley to the west which had been discovered by Governor [[Alexander Spotswood]]'s legendary [[Knights of the Golden Horseshoe Expedition]], and then moved his family down from [[Lancaster County, Pennsylvania]].<ref>Wayland, John "A History of Rockingham County, Virginia," p 37</ref><ref>" The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography," pp 84–86</ref><ref>Wayland, "The German Element in the Shenandoah Valley," (The Michie Company, Charlottesville, Va., 1907)p 38-39</ref> In 1741, Miller purchased {{convert|820|acre|km2}}, including a large lithia spring, near [[Elkton, Virginia]], and lived on this property for the remainder of his life.<ref>Wayland, John, "Virginia Valley Records," 1996: Clearfield Co, Baltimore, Md., pp 311–312</ref><ref>Wayland, "The German Element in the Shenandoah Valley," p 42</ref>

Much-increased settlement of this portion of the [[Colony of Virginia]] by Europeans began in the 1740s and 1750s. Standing between the [[Tidewater region of Virginia|Tidewater]] and [[Piedmont region of Virginia|Piedmont]] regions to the east in Virginia and the [[Shenandoah Valley]] and the area beyond (known in old Virginia as the "Transmountaine") were the [[Blue Ridge Mountains]]. Rather than cross such a formidable physical barrier, most early settlers came southerly up the valley across the Potomac River from [[Maryland]] and [[Pennsylvania]]. Many followed the [[Great Wagon Road|Great Wagon Trail]], also known as the [[Valley Pike]] ([[U.S. Route 11 in Virginia|U.S. Route 11]] in modern times).{{Citation needed|date = July 2017}}

Rockingham County was established in 1778 from [[Augusta County, Virginia|Augusta County]]. Harrisonburg was named as the [[county seat]] and incorporated as a town in 1780.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~varockin/|title=RootsWeb.com Home Page|website=www.rootsweb.ancestry.com|access-date=March 23, 2018}}</ref>  Harrisonburg was incorporated as a city in 1916 and separated from Rockingham County (all cities in Virginia are independent of any county), but it remains the county seat.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rockinghamcountyva.gov/120/History-of-County|title=rockinghamcountyva.gov}}</ref>

The county is named for [[Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham]], a British statesman (1730–1782). He was Prime Minister of Great Britain twice, and a keen supporter of constitutional rights for the colonists. During his first term, he brought about the repeal of the [[Stamp Act 1765|Stamp Act of 1765]], reducing the tax burden on the colonies. Appointed again in 1782, upon taking office, he backed the claim for the independence of the [[Thirteen Colonies]], initiating an end to British involvement in the [[American Revolutionary War]]. However, he died after only 14 weeks in office.{{Citation needed|date = July 2017}} By 1778, it was unusual to honor British officials in Virginia, fighting for its independence. The same year, immediately to the north of Rockingham County, [[Dunmore County, Virginia|Dunmore County]], named for Virginia's last Royal Governor, [[John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore]], an unpopular figure, was renamed. The new name, [[Shenandoah County, Virginia|Shenandoah County]], used a Native American name.{{Citation needed|date = July 2017}} However, long their political supporter in the [[Parliament of Great Britain|British Parliament]], the Marquess of Rockingham was a popular figure with the citizens of the new United States. Also named in his honor were [[Rockingham County, New Hampshire]], [[Rockingham County, North Carolina]], and the [[Rockingham, North Carolina|City of Rockingham]] in [[Richmond County, North Carolina]].{{Citation needed|date = July 2017}}

Rockingham County is the birthplace of [[Thomas Lincoln]], Abraham Lincoln's father.<ref>[[Thomas Lincoln]]</ref>  In 1979 when the Adolf Coors Brewing Company came to Rockingham County it caused an uproar; some citizens thought it would corrupt the morals of the area while others wanted the new jobs.<ref>{{Cite news|title = 'Invasion' by Coors...|url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1979/03/25/invasion-by-coors/680ef3d9-71a0-4cd5-97be-46b5e58680da/|newspaper = The Washington Post|date = March 25, 1979|access-date = September 2, 2015|issn = 0190-8286|language = en|first = Ken|last = Ringle}}</ref>

In 2018, a series of [[2018 Cargill strike|strikes and protests]] were held in [[Dayton, Virginia|Dayton]]'s [[Cargill]] plant.<ref name="barnett nov 21">{{cite web|last1=Barnett|first1=Marina|title=Community Solidarity with Poultry Workers call for changes at Cargill|url=http://www.whsv.com/content/news/Community-Solidarity-with-Poultry-Workers-call-for-changes-at-Cargill-459174973.html|website=[[WHSV-TV]]|publisher=[[Gray Television]]|access-date=May 13, 2018|date=November 21, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Wood">{{cite web|last1=Wood|first1=Victoria|title=Nine protesters arrested outside Cargill in Dayton|url=http://www.whsv.com/content/news/Nine-protesters-arrested-outside-Cargill-in-Dayton--478826273.html|website=WHSV-TV|publisher=Gray Television|access-date=May 12, 2018|date=April 5, 2018}}</ref>

[[File:Rockingham Cty VA.JPG|thumb|right|View of Rockingham County from Massanutten Mountain (looking west)]]