 The site of Elizabeth was first settled by William Beauchamp (1743-1808) in 1796 when it was still part of the original, vast Harrison County, Virginia.It was known as "Beauchamp's Mills" until 1817 when it was renamed for Elizabeth (Woodyard) Beauchamp (1780-1838), the wife of William's son David Beauchamp (1776-1828).Elizabeth was chartered by the Virginia General Assembly in 1822 and became the county seat when Wirt County was created in 1848.