The village of Stanardsville was founded by William Stanard, who died in 1807, of Roxbury plantation, on land that was part of his 6,000 acre inheritance from the Octonia Grant of 1729. That grant included most of what is now northern Greene County and Stanardsville. The Virginia General Assembly incorporated the town on 19 Dec. 1794. Stanardsville became the county seat of Greene County in 1838 when Greene was formed from Orange County. Brig. Gen. George A. Custer skirmished with Confederate cavalry here on 29 Feb. 1864 during his raid enroute to Albemarle County.