First, let me say that Orange Co.was established in 1734 from the county of Spotsylvania,
and Culpeper Co. was taken from Orange Co. in 1748.

Briefly, there were three Henry's of Northumberland. 1) Henry "Sr." who was the progenitor of all the Northumberland Co. Hursts, 2) his son Henry "Jr.," and 3) Henry (III) of Orange.
Henry Sr. of Northumberland Co., first shows up in the records in 1650 when he gives his daughter Ann Abbott a heifer. (Northumberland Co. was created in 1648 from the Indian District of Chicacoan). In 1651, Henry obtained a land grant of 350 acres on the north side of the Wickcocomico River for the transportation of 7 persons. I have not found any "importation" record for this Henry.
His known sons, from their deeds and wills which mention their father's land grant, were Henry Jr., Thomas and John. Henry, Sr. died between 1679-80 and Henry, Jr. died ca. 1701.

The first record that I have for Henry of Orange is in 1712/13 in Northumberland Co. (Northumberland Co. Record Book 6:78-81). There is an estate inventory for a Henry Hurst in Orange Co., who lived on Cedar Creek, on 7 September 1743 (Orange Co. Wills I:57, 308-309).
He had a son named William who was appointed constable in 1742 (Orange Co. Virginia Tithables 1734-1782:166). This William is still in Orange Co. in 1755 (Orange Co. Wills 2:164), could not be William "Brindle Bill" Hurst as BB's residence at this time is in Frederick Co.
Henry's daughters Rebecca and Elizabeth appear as witnesses to a will in Orange Co. in 1755 (Orange Co. Wills 2:44).
I have never found any records for a Henry in Culpeper Co. however he does appear earlier in Spotsylvania Co

William, son of Henry, is later found in Culpeper Co. (1762-1770), residing near his brother James on Great Fork Mountain, across the river from Orange Co., on the north side at the mouth of Cedar Creek (Northern Neck Land Grants II:80, O:265-266). This is in Brumfield Parish. James died in the Revolutionary War in 1781 leaving his widow Jemima Gaines, no children, and naming his father-in-law Richard Gaines and brother William (Culpeper Co. Wills B:1770-1783). In Culpeper Co. William's and James' name became altered over the years from Hurst to Hurt. Hurt is the name that James' will in 1781 appears under.

Orange, Culpeper and Spotsylvania Co. all border the west corner of Stafford Co. Henry of Orange Co. is believed to be the brother of John of Stafford Co., and they are believed to be the sons of Henry, Jr. of  Northumberland Co. This has never been proved, or at least I have not been able to document this.

©Gwen Hurst 1999