Henrico County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, the oldest son of James I. It was one of the eight original shires established in 1634.

The 1870 Virginia Constitution required that each county in the state be divided into no less than three townships (see Article VII, section 2). Based on the New England administrative organization of a county, each township would elect the administration officials for the offices of supervisor, clerk, assessor, collector, commissioner of the roads, overseer of the poor, justice of the peace, and constable. The supervisors of each township would comprise the board of supervisors for the county, and would be responsible for auditing the county accounts, examining the assessors' books, regulating property valuation, and fixing the county levies. The Acts of Assembly provided that each township be divided into school and electoral districts (see Acts of Assembly 1869-1870, Chapter 39). A constitutional amendment in 1874 changed the townships into magisterial districts and each district elected one supervisor, three justices of the peace, one constable, and one overseer of the poor. The supervisors of the districts made up the county board of supervisors whose duties were identical as those set out in 1870. The published Acts of Assembly appended a list of township names by county following the acts for every year that townships existed in Virginia.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Brookland Township Minutes, 1871-1874, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, the oldest son of James I. It was one of the eight original shires established in 1634.

Laws requiring the recording of births and deaths in Virginia were enacted as early as 1632, when a law directed ministers or churchwardens in each parish to present a "register of all burialls, christenings, and marriages" yearly at the June meeting of the court. A similar act passed in 1659 stated that "enquiries are often made for persons imported into the collonie, of whose death no positive certificate can be granted for want of registers." Few records survive from these early decades.

In 1713, the General Assembly noted that earlier acts had "for a long time been disused" and once again directed the recording of births and deaths by the minister or clerk of each parish. A return made the same year noted that the list of births and deaths was not complete since many parishes failed to make returns "for tis a thing so new to the people that neither they care to Register their Births and Burials, nor are the Parish Clerks yet brought into a regular method of transmitting them."

The recording of vital statistics continued to be an ecclesiastical function throughout the colonial period. With the disestablishment of the Anglican church after the American Revolution and the rise of other religious denominations, the record-keeping process for vital statistics fell more and more to the individual family. By the mid-nineteenth century, however, medical science began to recognize the advantages of accurate birth and mortality information in controlling and treating communicable diseases. Pressure from local and national health organizations and medical professionals resulted in the passage of vital statistics registration laws. Virginia was one of the earliest states to pass such a law.

A law requiring the systematic statewide recording of births and deaths was passed by the General Assembly on April 11 1853. Every commissioner of revenue registered births and deaths in his district annually, at the same time personal property subject to taxation was ascertained. The commissioner recorded births and deaths that had occurred prior to 31 December of the preceding year and returned the record to the clerk of court by 1 June. Information was obtained from heads of family, physicians, surgeons, or coroners. The law imposed penalties for failing to furnish or collect the information.

The clerk of court in each locality entered the information supplied by the commissioner into registers and prepared an accompanying alphabetical index. A copy of each register was forwarded to the Auditor of Public Accounts. The law went into effect on 1 July 1853, and continued until 1896, when an economy-conscious legislature repealed the recording provisions.

There was no statewide recording of births and deaths between 1896 and 1912. Several metropolitan areas continued to keep records of births and deaths for all or part of the period between 1896 and 1912. Systematic statewide registration began again in June 1912.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Birth and Death Records, 1912-1933, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, the oldest son of James I. It was one of the eight original shires established in 1634. Its area is 244.06 square miles, and the county seat is in the western part of the county near Richmond.

The 1902 voter registration books were created following the passage of the 1902 Virginia state constitution. The purpose of the 1902 state constitution was to maintain white suffrage while eliminating African-American voters by means of literacy tests as well as property and poll tax requirements.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Record of Voters, 1902-1904, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was formed in 1634 (original shire).

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Deed and Will Books, 1677-1774, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was one of the eight original shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634. The county was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, eldest son of James I.

In 1853, the General Assembly passed a law requiring the systematic statewide recording of vital statistics. The marriage register, still compiled by the county clerk from ministers' returns and other original marriage records, bacame more standardized and comprehensive.

The original records, from which this register was compiled, were created by the County Court.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Marriage Registers Nos. 2 and 3, 1853-1920, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, the oldest son of James I. It was one of the eight original shires established in 1634.

Gabriel's Insurrection was a large slave insurrection planned for the fall of 1800 by Gabriel, a blacksmith owned by Thomas Henry Prosser of Henrico County, and other conspirators. A heavy rainstorm postponed the plot which aimed to take Richmond, hold the governor hostage, and bargain for the freedom of all slaves. After the storm, two slaves informed their masters and the white community marshaled the forces of the governor, the militia, and the courts to root out and punish the conspirators. Gabriel was captured on a schooner in Norfolk and returned to Henrico for trial. The end result of the trials were that twenty six slaves were executed, including Gabriel and his brothers Solomon and Martin. Others were convicted but pardoned; several were sold out of state.

Fears of an even more widespread rebellion haunted white Virginians for years to come. Gabriel and his fellow conspirators had recruited followers at religious and other meetings in Richmond and at plantations in the area surrounding the city. He was able to meet and communicate with so many other slaves due to the relative freedom of movement between city and county with slaves running errands for their masters and slaveowners hiring out their slaves to others. After Gabriel's rebellion was discovered and until the close of the Civil War, the General Assembly passed a myriad of laws aimed at restricting the movement, assembly, and education of slaves and free negroes within the state's borders. Most of the laws were aimed at controlling these populations so as to reduce the chance of future revolts.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Commonwealth Causes related to Gabriel's Insurrection, 1800 Sept-Nov, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, the oldest son of James I. It was one of the eight original shires established in 1634.

Henrico County court was held in numerous dwellings and taverns from 1634 through the 1680s. A earthen courthouse was built in 1688 at Varina. The justices moved the courthouse to the City of Richmond in 1750 and constructed a new ediface in 1751. A new building, designed by Samuel Sublett, was constructed in 1825. This structure suffered severe damage during the Civil War but was repaired and remained in service. Following a fire in 1894, the 1825 structure was demolished and replaced with a Romanesque-style courthouse (1896). In 1974, the Henrico court moved to a new complex in the county and abandoned the 1896 courthouse within the Richmond City limits.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Courthouse agreements and bonds, 1825, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, the oldest son of James I. It was one of the eight original shires established in 1634.

Lists of free negroes were compiled by the commissioner of the revenue for tax purposes.

An act passed by the Virginia legislature in 1803 required every free negro or mulatto to be registered and numbered in a book to be kept by the county clerk.

An act passed by the Virginia legislature required that a register be kept by the clerk of court for every slave held by any person for his or her life only. See Revised Code of Virginia 1819, volume 1, p. 439, section 70; Code of Virginia 1849, chapter 103, section 8; and Code of Virginia 1860, chapter 103, section 14.

An act passed in 1806 required freed slaves to leave the state within a year.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1789-1865, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was one of the eight original shires, or counties, enumerated in 1634. The county was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, eldest son of James I.

During the 1869-1870 session, the General Assembly passed an "Act to Secure Identification of Persons Convicted of Criminal Offences." On 2 November 1870, the act was approved. The act specified that "every clerk of the court of each county and corporation shall keep a register of full and accurate descriptive lists of every person convicted in his own or any other court of record of his county or corporation, of felony or other infamous offence, and a duly certified and attested copy of any such descriptive list may be used as prima facie evidence of the facts therein stated in any question of identity. Such registers shall be kept written up, well indexed, and shall be open to public inspection at reasonable hours. The register shall follow a set form and each descriptive list shall be attested by said clerk."

In addition, "the clerk of every court of record of each county or corporation, other than the county or corporation court, shall within ten days from the date of conviction of any person in his court of any offence mentioned in the first section of this act, deliver to the clerk of the county or corporation court, for record in said register, an attested descriptive list of the person so convicted, in the form hereinbefore prescribed." The judges of the respective courts are responsible for seeing that the provisions of the act are "punctually and properly carried out" by their respective clerks. The act was amended on 18 January 1871 and outlined the following: "For the services mentioned in this or the first section of this act, the clerk shall be entitled to a fee of fifty cents, to be paid out of the state treasury." By and large, the county and circuit court clerks went about compiling these registers throughout the counties of Virginia as late as the 1960s.

Order books and/or Minute books record all matters brought before the court when it was in session and may contain important information not found anywhere else. A wide variety of information is found in order/mintute books--including individuals convicted of felonies.

This original register was created by the County and Circuit Courts.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Record of Convicts, 1870-1944, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, the oldest son of James I. It was one of the eight original shires established in 1634.

In 1780 the Virginia General Assembly replaced the Anglican vestries and churchwardens of the colonial period with elected bodies called Overseers of the Poor. The Overseers provided food, clothing, shelter, and medical treatment for the persons who were too poor to support themselves or too ill to provide for their basic needs. The counties had Poor House and Poor Farms to board invalids and paupers living in their county.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Minutes of the Overseers of the Poor, 1869-1891, (The Library of Virginia)

Chancery Causes are cases of equity. According to Black's Law Dictionary they are "administered according to fairness as contrasted with the strictly formulated rules of common law." A judge, not a jury, determines the outcome of the case.

Henrico County was formed in 1634 (original shire).

All county court records prior to 1655 and almost all prior to 1677 are missing. Many records were destroyed by British troops during the Revolutionary War. Post-Revolutionary War county court records exist. Almost all circuit superior court of law and chancery and circuit court records were destroyed by fire during the evacuation of Richmond on 3 April 1865 in the Civil War. The county's circuit court held its sessions at the state courthouse in Richmond.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1770-1912, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, the oldest son of James I. It was one of the eight original shires established in 1634.

The Varina Ruritan Club was organized in November 1935. The first ruritan club was established in 1928 in Nansemond County, Virginia, as a rural civic club which was concerned with the problems of the rural farming community, including agriculture, education, and youth. The membership included farmers as well as business and professional members. Ruritan National was organized in 1930.

From the guide to the Varina Ruritan Club Records, 1935-1951, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was one of the eight original shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634. The county was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, eldest son of James I.

Historically, after Emancipation, African Americans established separate congregations and church facilities to create their own communities and worhip in their own culturally distinct ways. African American churches have long been the centers of communities, serving as schools in the early years after the Civil War and taking up social welfare functions, such as providing for the indigent. The Moore Street Missionary Baptist Church was organized in March 1875 by members of the 2nd Baptist Church. The church was organized to give facilities to a section known as "Sheep Hill." Now known as the Carver neighborhood, it became a thriving black community and is now part of the Greater Richmond area.

On March 17th 1875, church deacons purchased an old soap factory consisting of three buildings on a lot on Moore Street. The center building was used as a church. The church was dedicated on April 18, 1875 and the congregation was officially recognized. The first pastor Rev. William Troy, 1875-1881, was a student at the Virginia Union Theological Seminary. In 1878, elaborate improvements were made to the building including galleries. In 1878, the deacons decided to run an industrial school in connection with the church and in April 1880, two-thirds of the church property was deeded to the Moore Street Industrial School. The school was a community response to the needs of African American children.

The transference of the deed of the property from the church to the school caused the congregation trouble and resulted in a long suit which was finally settled in favor of the church. The property was returned to the church in 1901. The noise of the nearby railways caused the congregation to move to their present site. The church was dedicated on May 31, 1908. The Ministers' Aid Society was funded by a fee paying membership. The organization combined church and charity--providing aid and helping people adjust to and deal with the demands of life through religion.

The minute book and ledger were used as evidence in the chancery case, Charles J. Clarke and others versus John Oliver and others and John W. Williams versus Coleman Smith, trustee, and others, heard in the Circuit Court of Henrico County.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Moore Street Missionary Baptist Church Minute Book and Ministers' Aid Society Ledger, 1875-1882, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was an original shire formed in 1634.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Clerk's Fee Bills, 1793, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, the oldest son of James I. It was one of the eight original shires established in 1634.

All county court records prior to 1655 and almost all prior to 1677 are missing. Many records were destroyed by British troops during the Revolutionary War. Post-Revolutionary War county court records exist. Almost all circuit superior court of law and chancery and circuit court records were destroyed by fire during the evacuation of Richmond on 3 April 1865 in the Civil War. The county's circuit court held its sessions at the state courthouse in Richmond.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Map and Survey of Road Districts, 1884, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, the oldest son of James I. It was one of the eight original shires established in 1634.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Deeds, 1781-1931 (bulk 1813-1931), (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was formed in 1634 and is one of the original shires of Virginia.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Maps, Plats, Plans and Drawings, 1806-1954, (The Library of Virginia)

Richmond College traces its roots to its founding as a Baptist seminary in 1830. It was chartered by the General Assembly of Virginia as an arts and sciences college for men in 1840. The first degree was conferred by the College in 1849.

Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, the oldest son of James I. It was one of the eight original shires established in 1634.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Richmond College Trustee Commissions and Oaths, 1841-1857, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, the oldest son of James I. It was one of the eight original shires established in 1634.

Individuals dying with a written will died testate. After the death of an individual, his or her will was brought into court, where two of the subscribing witnesses swore that the document was genuine. After the will was proved, the executor was bonded to carry out his or her duties to settle the estate. The court then ordered the will to be recorded.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Wills, 1775-1931, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was formed in 1634 (original shire).

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Deed and Will Books, 1714-1718 and 1781-1787, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was one of the eight original shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634. The county was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, eldest son of James I.

Prior to 1853, when the Commonwealth began recording vital statistics, Virginia marriages were recorded at the county or city level. Beginning in 1661, in order to be married by license, the groom was required to go before the county clerk and give bond with security that there was no lawful reason to prevent the marriage. The bond was pledged, with two or more sufficient securities (or witnesses), but no money was exchanged. The license, issued then by the clerk, was given to the minister who performed the service. The practice of bonding was discontinued in 1849, although in some communities bonds were pledged into the 1850s. This practice insured against legal action should the marriage not take place, if either party declined to go through with the union, or if one of the parties was found to be ineligible for marriage--if either the bride or groom was already married or was underage and lacked approval to wed.

According to Virginia law, individuals under the age of twenty-one needed the consent of a parent or guardian to marry. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, officials were especially concerned about females under the age of 16 marrying without consent. County clerks were not authorized to issue a marriage license without certificate (permission) from the parent, master or guardian. In the nineteenth century, a parent or guardian could give consent verbally to the clerk of the court, or provide written consent in front of one to two witnesses; the consent was then delivered to the county clerk.

The original bonds and consents, from which these volumes were compiled, were created by the County Court.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Marriage Bonds, Consents and Index, Vols. 1-7 and A-Y, 1781-1831 (bulk 1781-1830), (The Library of Virginia)

On February 21, 1818, the Virginia legislature passed a school bill which appropriated $45,000 annually from the Literary Fund for the education of poor children. (The Literary Fund had been established in 1810 with passage of a bill to appropriate "certain escheats, confiscated, and forfeited lands" for the "encouragement of learning.") Under the provisions of the 1818 School Act, each county court was required to appoint five to fifteen commissioners to establish and/or administer schools for children of the poor. A more comprehensive public school system was established by the legislature in 1870. Prior to 1818, county courts were given the option of whether to appoint a Board of School Commissioners.

The Virginia Constitution of 1870 mandated Virginia's first statewide public school system. The schools were racially segregated by law until the mid-twentieth century.

Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, the oldest son of James I. It was one of the eight original shires established in 1634.

All county court records prior to 1655 and almost all prior to 1677 are missing. Many records were destroyed by British troops during the Revolutionary War. Post-Revolutionary War county court records exist. Almost all circuit superior court of law and chancery and circuit court records were destroyed by fire during the evacuation of Richmond on 3 April 1865 in the Civil War. The county's circuit court held its sessions at the state courthouse in Richmond.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) School Records, 1820; 1847-1899, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, the oldest son of James I. It was one of the eight original shires established in 1634.

These records were replevined by the Library of Virginia following the trial entitled Commonwealth of Virginia vs. Larry I. Vass heard in Henrico County Circuit Court in November 1972.

All county court records prior to 1655 and almost all prior to 1677 are missing. Many records were destroyed by British troops during the Revolutionary War. Post-Revolutionary War county court records exist. Almost all circuit superior court of law and chancery and circuit court records were destroyed by fire during the evacuation of Richmond on 3 April 1865 in the Civil War. The county's circuit court held its sessions at the state courthouse in Richmond.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Court Records, 1846, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was one of the eight original shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634. The county was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, eldest son of King James I.

Prior to 1853, when the Commonwealth began recording vital statistics, Virginia marriages were recorded at the county or city level. Beginning in 1661, in order to be married by license, the groom was required to go before the county clerk and give bond with security that there was no lawful reason to prevent the marriage. The license, issued then by the clerk, was given to the minister who performed the service. Written consent from a parent or guardian was needed for individuals younger than twenty-one years.

The original marriage licenses, from which this volume was compiled, were created by the County Court.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Register of Licenses for Marriage, 1850-1862, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was one of the eight original shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634. The county was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, eldest son of King James I.

Prior to 1853, when the Commonwealth began recording vital statistics, Virginia marriages were recorded at the county or city level. Beginning in 1661, in order to be married by license, the groom was required to go before the county clerk and give bond with security that there was no lawful reason to prevent the marriage. The license, issued then by the clerk, was given to the minister who performed the service. Written consent from a parent or guardian was needed for individuals younger than twenty-one years.

Until 1780, marriages could be performed only by ministers of the Established Church, who were required by law to record marriages in the parish register. In 1780, dissenting ministers (only four per county from each sect) were first permitted to perform marriage ceremonies. In order to have a record of all marriages, ministers were required to sign a certificate to be filed with the county clerk. Intially, ministers sent marriage certificates to the clerk every three months. Some ministers adopted a custom of making collected returns--a list of marriages performed within a period of time such as a year or several years. Beginning in 1784, marriage certificates were returned annually. The law was rarely enforced, and ministers' returns were sometimes late, incorrect, incomplete, and in many instances, not made at all. County clerks compiled a register of marriages based, in part, on ministers' returns.

The ministers' returns of Henrico County (Va.) described in this collection were created by the County Court.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Ministers' Returns, 1815-1853, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, eldest son of King James I. It was one of the eight original shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634. The county seat is in the western part of the county.

The separate office of coroner appeared in Virginia about 1660. The judicial duty of the office is to hold inquisitions in cases when persons meet sudden, violent, unnatural or suspicious death, or death without medical attendance. The coroner would summon a jury to assist him in determining cause of death. Prior to November 1877, the jurors numbered twelve. Between November 1877 and March 1926, the jurors numbered six. The jury viewed the body of the deceased and heard the testimony of witnesses. The coroner was required to write down witness testimony. After seeing and hearing the evidence, the jury delivered in writing to the coroner their conclusion concerning cause of death referred to as the inquisition. After March 1926, only the coroner determined cause of death. He could require physicians to assist him with determing cause of death. If a criminal act was determined to be the cause of death, the coroner was to deliver the guilty person to the sheriff and the coroners' inquests would be used as evidence in the criminal trial.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Coroners' Inquisitions, 1789-1942, (The Library of Virginia)

Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, the oldest son of James I. It was one of the eight original shires established in 1634.

An act passed by the Virginia General Assembly on March 16, 1918 required the recordation of the names of drafted men. The chairman of each of the Local Draft Boards of the Virginia counties and cities were to furnish their clerk of court were deeds of land were recorded, with the list of residents who through the selective draft law have become members of the military forces of the United States. In cities that were separated into divisions, the chairman of the Local Draft Board of each division was to keep the records. In Richmond City, the Clerk of the Chancery Court was to keep the records. When the clerk of the court received this information, he was to copy it in a book or books provided for the purpose and also create an index for the book. The Adjutant-General of the State was to furnish a list of names of those who joined volunteer companies from the counties or cities. These lists are also to be recorded in to the book and also indexed. Persons joining the naval or military forces of the United States or its allies were allowed to have their record listed in the book. They or someone for them made an application and provide proof of service and when this was done; their record would be recorded in the book.

From the guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Muster Roll in the War with Germany, 1917-1918, (The Library of Virginia)