John Boykin acquired a tract to the south of what became the town on the road to Severn, North Carolina, which lay partly in Virginia and partly in North Carolina. In 1829 Boykin and his wife sold the land and moved to Alabama. In 1835, Edward Beaton, one of three brothers who were living in Isle of Wight County near the Blackwater River, came to Southampton County and acquired the tract of land that is now known as Boykins from Francis Rochelle. Beaton, who was a continuous resident of Boykins until his death in 1880, is given credit for the founding of the town. The Beaton-Powell House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. Completed in 1857, this two story plantation house has a living area that exceeds four thousand square feet and has an additional five hundred square feet of porch space. This residence has classic Greek Revival characteristics: the front portico with its pediment-like roof line supported by four columns; its bilateral symmetry; the corner pilasters that shoulder a wide entablature; the two- and four-panel doors; the two-over-two double hung sash windows and the five-inch exposure clapboard. The large roof overhang supported by massive brackets illustrates the Italianate influence. The milled timber framing is supported by a continuous brick foundation. All eight fireplace surrounds, exposed heart pine floors and most of its plaster walls, ceilings, crown molding and medallions are a few of the interior features that remain undisturbed. The original kitchen, which predates the house, still exists but has been relocated nearby, off the property. A noncontributing building on the property was constructed to complement the house. The Beaton-Powell House has an abundance of Italianate embellishments but is primarily of the Greek Revival Style, alternately, in its antebellum heyday, called the National or Democratic and even the American Greek Revival Style.1 This two-story plantation house was built in 1857 on a 600-acre tract of land, known as Boykins Depot by the town's founder, Edward Beaton.2 The house is now located on a half-acre landscaped lot at the northwest corner of Main Street and Virginia Avenue in the Town of Boykins, Southampton County, Virginia.3 Three conspicuous diagonal braces link together four paired, seven-inch square chamfered columns that support the massive, elaborate two tiered central portico which is capped with a gable roof.
At the 2000 census there were 620 people in 255 households, including 180 families, in the town. The population density was 905.6 people per square mile. There were 287 housing units at an average density of 419.2 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 61.61% White, 37.42% African American, 0.32% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13%. Of the 255 households 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 27.8% of households were one person and 18.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.96. The age distribution was 22.4% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 22.3% 65 or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.1 males. The median household income was $31,406 and the median family income was $40,000. Males had a median income of $29,821 versus $20,625 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,148. About 8.4% of families and 15.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
