King George County (Va.) Circuit Court

King George County was named in honor of George I of England and was formed from Richmond County in 1720. Part of Westmoreland County was added in 1777.

From the guide to the King George County (Va.), 1836-1909, (The Library of Virginia)

The record book was used as an exhibit in the chancery suit, Moses Jackson and others versus Wesley H. Mauzee and others, heard in the Circuit Court of King George County during the mid-1900s.

From the guide to the Sons and Daughters of Gethsemane, Lodge No. 4, Record book, 1900-1905, (The Library of Virginia)

King George County was named in honor of George I of England and was formed from Richmond County in 1720. Part of Westmoreland County was added in 1777.

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 King George County (Va.) Township Records, 1871-1876, (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.

King George County was named in honor of George I of England and was formed from Richmond County in 1720.

Most loose records prior to 1830 are missing. Volumes that record deeds, court orders, and wills exist.

From the guide to the King George County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1802-1922, (The Library of Virginia)

King George County was named in honor of George I of England and was formed from Richmond County in 1720. Part of Westmoreland County was added in 1777.

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.

The Nineteenth Amendment was granted the right to vote to women. It was proposed on June 4, 1919 and ratified on August 18, 1920.

The National Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed discriminatory voting practices that had been responsible for the widespread disenfranchisement of African Americans in the United States. The Act prohibited states from imposing any "voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure ... to deny or abridge the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or color." Congress intended the Act to outlaw the practice of requiring otherwise qualified voters to pass literacy tests in order to register to vote, a principal means by which southern states had prevented African-Americans from exercising the franchise.

From the guide to the King George County (Va.) Poll Books, circa 1900-1970, (The Library of Virginia)

King George County was named in honor of George I of England and was formed from Richmond County in 1720. Part of Westmoreland County was added in 1777.

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.

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

From the guide to the King George County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1851-1868, (The Library of Virginia)

King George County was formed from Richmond County by a statute of 23 December 1720. The county court first met on 19 May 1721. Part of Westmoreland County was added later. The county is named in honor of King George I.

Most loose records prior to 1830 are missing. Volumes that record deeds, court orders, and wills exist

These courts assumed the functions of both the superior courts of law and the superior courts of chancery, both of which were abolished in 1831. They were, in their turn, abolished by the Virginia constitution of 1851, and were replaced by circuit courts.

From the guide to the King George County (Va.) Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery Records, 1832-1844, (The Library of Virginia)

King George County was named in honor of George I of England and was formed from Richmond County in 1720. Part of Westmoreland County was added in 1777.

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

Most loose records prior to 1830 are missing. Volumes that record deeds, court orders, and wills exist.

From the guide to the King George County (Va.) Wills, 1832-1960, (The Library of Virginia)

King George County was formed in 1720 from Richmond County. Part of Westmoreland County was added in 1777.

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.

From the guide to the King George County (Va.) Register of Free Negroes, 1794-1822, (The Library of Virginia)

King George County was formed from Richmond County by a statute of 23 December 1720. The county court first met on 19 May 1721. Part of Westmoreland County was added later. The county is named in honor of King George I.

Most loose records prior to 1830 are missing. Volumes that record deeds, court orders, and wills exist.

From the guide to the King George County (Va.) Charter Book No. 1, 1899-1960, (The Library of Virginia)

King George County was named in honor of George I of England and was formed from Richmond County in 1720. Part of Westmoreland County was added in 1777.

From the guide to the King George County (Va.) Claims for slaves who escaped during the late war, 1861-1865, (The Library of Virginia)

King George County was named in honor of George I of England and was formed from Richmond County in 1720. Part of Westmoreland County was added in 1777.

Most loose records prior to 1830 are missing. Volumes that record deeds, court orders, and wills exist.

From the guide to the King George County (Va.) Records, 1802, (The Library of Virginia)

King George County was formed from Richmond County by a statute of 23 December 1720. The county court first met on 19 May 1721. Part of Westmoreland County was added later. The county is named in honor of King George I.

Most loose records prior to 1830 are missing. Volumes that record deeds, court orders, and wills exist.

The circuit courts in Virginia were authorized by the constitution of 1851, and were established by acts passed by the General Assembly in May 1852. These courts were granted original jurisdiction concurrent with that of the county courts. Since 1873 they have had exclusive jurisdiction in chancery causes. The constitution of 1902 made no provision for continuing the county courts, and their original jurisdiction was given to the circuit courts effective 1 February 1904. The circuit courts still exist today, and are now the only courts of record in Virginia localities.

From the guide to the King George County (Va.) Circuit Court Records, 1869-1926, (The Library of Virginia)

King George County was formed from Richmond County by a statute of 23 December 1720. The county court first met on 19 May 1721. Part of Westmoreland County was added later. The county is named in honor of King George I.

Most loose records prior to 1830 are missing. Volumes that record deeds, court orders, and wills exist.

The Board of Supervisors is the basic governing body of the county. County laws--called ordinances--may also be passed by this board. This form of government came into existence with the state constitution of 1869 when the counties were divided into a minimum of three townships each, with a popularly elected supervisor from each township. When the township system was abolished in 1875, the counties were divided into magisterial districts. The Board of Supervisors are the current elected representatives of these districts and meet in regular monthly public sessions.

Until 1869 the county court controlled construction, alteration of, and maintenance of roads. The state constitution of 1869 created overseers of the roads and road boards which fell under the jurisdiction of the county's board of supervisors. By 1908 (according to an on line history of roads prepared by Virginia's Department of Transportation), the need for better roads in Virginia had reached the point that the legislature made its first appropriation for construction purposes under the new state program. Money provided by the state was to be matched equally by the counties paying for road improvements. During this period, state law directed the counties to levy a road tax of up to 40 cents for each $100 in value on real estate and personal property, with the revenue to cover the counties' share of improvements and to buy road equipment. In addition, the counties were authorized to issue bonds.

Special officers have been appointed specifically to oversee general elections since 1831; these have included registrars, commissioners of elections, election judges and clerks. The election law of 1884 created electoral boards, which have since appointed all other election officials. The electoral boards and registrars are the recording agents of the election machinery.

The Virginia Constitution of 1869 placed the sheriff's tax collection function in the new office of treasurer, who was both the cashier and the bookkeeper of the county.

From the guide to the King George County (Va.) County Adminstrative Records, 1870-1989, (The Library of Virginia)

King George County was formed from Richmond County. Part of Westmoreland County was added in 1777.

The deed books of King George County in this collection were created by the County Court.

From the guide to the King George County (Va.) Deed Books, 1721-1793, (The Library of Virginia)