The next formation was a division of Pittsylvania County in 1777, ten years after its creation. The new county lay on the west side of "a line beginning at the mouth of Blackwater on Staunton river and running parallel with the line of Halifax county till it strikes the country line." The name Henry honored Patrick Henry, the famous orator of the Revolution and first Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. He purchased a large acreage in Henry County but resided in nearby Campbell County.
Also, in 1777, Albemarle was divided "by a line beginning at the most western point in the line of Louisa County and running thence directly to the lower edge of Stott's ferry on the Fluvanna river and that part which lies south eastward of the said line together with the islands in the Fluvanna river adjacent thereto shall be called by the name of Fluvanna county." The county was named for the river and the river was so called in honor of Queen Anne whose name is borne by four other Virginia rivers. Fluvanna, used for most of the eighteenth century, was the title given the James River above its falls at Richmond. Tobacco and other merchandise was taken in bateaux down this river to Richmond.
Both Henry and Fluvanna Counties had been formed mostly because of natural increase in population rather than of any tide of immigration. The creation of Powhatan County in 1777 was of the same type. This county embraced the portion of Cumberland lying on the south side of James River and in Southam Parish, which was the eastern end of Cumberland and adjoined Chesterfield County. The name Powhatan honored the celebrated Indian chieftain.
In 1778, the vast sprawling territory of Augusta underwent changes. One was an addition to Hampshire County of the territory on the north of "a line beginning at the north side of the North Mountain opposite to the upper end of Sweedland Hill and running a direct course so as to strike the mouth of Seneca creek on the north fork of the south branch of Potomac river and the same course to be continued to the Allegheny mountain, thence along the said mountain" to the county line. "The residue of the county and parish of Augusta" was divided by a line beginning "at the South Mountain and running thence by Benjamin Yardley's plantation so as to strike the north river below James Byrd's house thence up the said river to the mouth of Naked creek, thence leaving the river a direct course so as to cross the said river at the mouth of Cunningham's branch in the upper end of Silas Hart's land to the foot of North Mountain, thence fifty-five degrees west to the Allegheny mountain and with the same to the line of Hampshire"; all the portion north eastward of this line was to be called Rockingham. It is supposed the name of this county honors the Marquis of Rockingham, Prime Minister of England in 1765-66 when the unpopular Stamp Act was repealed.