Lynchburg (Va.) Circuit Court

Lynchburg was named for John Lynch, the owner of the original town site. It was established in 1786, was incorporated as a town in 1805, and became a city in 1852. Parts of Campbell and Bedford Counties were annexed to the city in 1976.

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 Lynchburg (Va.) Coroners' Inquisitions, 1811-1887, (The Library of Virginia)

A dealer in dry-goods, groceries, and clothing, White and Irvine operated in the Lynchburg, Va., area during the mid-nineteenth century. Managing partners of the firm included Addison Irvine, William White, and Jeremiah White.

From the guide to the White and Irvine Ledger D, 1841-1842, (The Library of Virginia)

This unidentified grocer operated in Lynchburg, Va., during the late nineteenth century.

From the guide to the Unidentified Grocer Ledger, 1895-1896, (The Library of Virginia)

The A. J. Ledgers were created by an unidentified merchant operating in Lynchburg, Va., during the early 19th century.

From the guide to the A. J. Ledgers, 1812-1815, (The Library of Virginia)

A law passed in 1782 by the state legislature made it lawful to emancipate slaves.

An act passed in 1793 by the Virginia legislature in 1793 required every free Negro or Mulatto to be registered and numbered in a book to be kept by the county clerk. Emancipated slaves may have been registered with the court at an earlier date in some localities. Registrations were to be renewed annually at a cost of 25 cents.

Lynchburg, in Campbell County, was named for John Lynch, the owner of the original town site. It was established in 1786, was incorporated as a town in 1805, and became a city in 1852. Parts of Campbell and Bedford Counties were annexed to the city in 1976.

From the guide to the Lynchburg (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1784-1864, (The Library of Virginia)

Richards, Ryan, and Company were dry-goods merchants and milliners operating in Lynchburg, Va., during the mid-nineteenth century. William H. Ryan was one of the managing partners of the company.

From the guide to the Richards, Ryan, and Company Daily Cashbooks, 1843-1847, (The Library of Virginia)

Lynchburg was established in 1786 and incorporated as a town in 1805. It was incorporated as a city in 1852. Parts of Campbell and Bedford Counties were annexed in 1976.

From the guide to the Lynchburg (Va.) Chancery Cause, Exrs. of Joseph Pettyjohn vs. Exr. of Seth Woodroof, 1904, (The Library of Virginia)

A merchant operating in Lynchburg, Virginia, during the early nineteenth century, Richard Taylor specialized in selling ready-made clothing, cloth, and other sewing items.

From the guide to the Richard Taylor Daybook, 1818-1819, (The Library of Virginia)

Lynchburg was named for John Lynch, the owner of the original town site. It was established in 1786, was incorporated as a town in 1805, and became a city in 1852. Parts of Campbell and Bedford Counties were annexed to the city in 1976.

From the guide to the Lynchburg (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1807-1945., (The Library of Virginia)

Lynchburg, in Campbell County, was named for John Lynch, the owner of the original town site. It was established in 1786, was incorporated as a town in 1805, and became a city in 1852.

From the guide to the Lynchburg (Va.) Declarations for Revolutionary War Pensions, 1820-1824, (The Library of Virginia)

A dealer in dry-goods, groceries, and hardware, this unidentified general store operated in the Lynchburg, Va., area during the early nineteenth century.

From the guide to the Unidentified General Store Cash Sales Book, 1813-1814, (The Library of Virginia)

Traders Bank operated in the Lynchburg, Virginia, area during the mid-nineteenth century.

From the guide to the Traders Bank Offering Book, 1895-1896, (The Library of Virginia)

Abram R. North was a dealer in books and stationary operating in Lynchburg, Virginia, during the nineteenth century.

From the guide to the Abram R. North Business Records, 1827-1836, (The Library of Virginia)

John C. Shackleford, a Lynchburg area saddler and harness maker, formed a partnership with John S. Lewellin in 1846 to engage in the business of saddlers and harness makers as well as dealers in carriages and coaches. The partnership dissolved in 1848 after the business had become insolvent. On 1 July 1848, Shackleford & Lewellin transferred all holdings of the business to John S. Lewellin and Robert S. Wilkins, who carried on as saddlers and carriage dealers under the name of Lewellin & Wilkins.

From the guide to the Shackleford & Lewellin and Lewellin & Wilkins Ledger, 1848-1849, (The Library of Virginia)

Lynchburg, in Campbell County, was named for John Lynch, the owner of the original town site. It was established in 1786, incorporated as a town in 1805, and became a city in 1852.

The Masonic Mutual Relief Association (Lynchburg, Va.) was organized 1873 June 19.

From the guide to the Masonic Relief Association Record Book, 1873-1876, (The Library of Virginia)

William Scholfield operated a general store in the Lynchburg, Va., area during the early nineteenth century.

From the guide to the William Scholfield Ledger, 1816-1818, (The Library of Virginia)

Johnson Woolfolk and Company were printers operating in Lynchburg, Va., during the mid-nineteenth century. Managing partners of the firm were John C. Johnson, Robert N. Woolfolk, and H. M. Garland. The firm was affiliated with The Daily Express, a Lynchburg newspaper, which ran for a brief time in the 1850s.

From the guide to the Johnson Woolfolk and Company Daybook and Ledger, 1851-1853, (The Library of Virginia)

Located in Lynchburg, Va., the Jewel Fruit Company operated for a brief period, 1911-1912, selling confectionaries, fruits, candies, cigars, cigarettes, and tobacco. Officers of the company included B. M. Bennett, president, and J. C. McClung, secretary-treasurer. On 27 April 1912, all assets of the company were conveyed to trustee John G. Haythe so that they could be liquidated for the benefit of the company's creditors.

From the guide to the Jewel Fruit Company Journal and Ledger, 1911-1912, (The Library of Virginia)

Born in Virginia in 1834, Charles J. Raine was a clothier operating in Lynchburg, Virginia, specializing in men's clothing. Raine was a partner in the clothier Glass & Raine, but in December 1859, Raine purchased the company from his partner R. H. Glass. With the start of the Civil War, Raine began producing and selling military uniforms, and Raine made uniforms for most of the volunteer militia companies in central southern Virginia. Charles J. Raine would later become the chief of artillery in Edward Johnson's division of Richard Ewell's corps in the Army of Northern Virginia. At the Battle of Gettysburg, Raine became the senior captain of artillery after the death of his commander Major Joseph W. Lattimer. On 30 November 1863, Raine was killed in action at the Battle of Mine Run. Surviving Raine were his wife Mary and two sons Gilbert and Hunter.

From the guide to the Charles J. Raine Account Book, 1859-1861, (The Library of Virginia)

Robert L. Kent and Charles H. Kent operated a general mercantile business in Lynchburg, Virginia, during the mid-nineteenth century. The Kents sold a variety of items including dry-goods, hardware, glassware, groceries, and clothing. Robert L. Kent was also a lawyer in Lynchburg, and census records indicate that Charles H. Kent was both a carpenter and a clerk in the general store.

From the guide to the Robert L. Kent and Charles H. Kent Journal, 1852-1853, (The Library of Virginia)

Reid and Nash were commission merchants operating out of New York during the nineteenth century. Charles H. Reid and Thomas C. Nash were managing partners in the firm. Reid and Nash sold on commission and shipped a variety of items including fruit, oysters, flour, cotton, liquor, and furs. Though based in New York, Reid and Nash worked with merchants throughout the South, including the Lynchburg, Va. area.

From the guide to the Reid and Nash Account Book No. 4, 1859-1863, (The Library of Virginia)

Operating in the Lynchburg, Va., area during the mid-nineteenth century, this unidentified commission merchant was involved in the tobacco industry and was primarily concerned with the commission and sale of liquorice to local tobacco manufacturers.

From the guide to the Unidentified Tobacco Merchant Invoice Book, 1844-1847, (The Library of Virginia)

On 30 May 1894, the Woodson-Johnson Furniture Company purchased the lands and holdings of the West Lynchburg Furniture Company situated in Campbell County just outside of Lynchburg, Va. Chartered in June 1894, the Woodson-Johnson Furniture Company operated from 1894 to November 1895 when its buildings, machinery, and stock were all destroyed by fire. Officers and owners of the company included H. P. Woodson, president, and C. J. Johnson, vice-president.

From the guide to the Woodson-Johnson Furniture Company Minute Book, 1894-1896, (The Library of Virginia)

Weinman Wills Barytes Company operated a mining facility in Lynchburg, Va., for a brief period from 1895 to 1896. Officers of the company included H. H. Denning, president; E. D. Wills, vice-president; and W. J. Weinman, secretary. In September 1896, the company was forced to turn over its assets to trustee A. R. Long so that they could be liquidated and the proceeds applied to the debts incurred by the company.

From the guide to the Weinman Wills Barytes Company Stockholder Minute Book, 1895-1896, (The Library of Virginia)

Lynchburg, in Campbell County, was named for John Lynch, the owner of the original town site. It was established in 1786, was incorporated as a town in 1805, and became a city in 1852. Parts of Campbell and Bedford counties were annexed to the city in 1976.

From the guide to the Lynchburg (Va.) Deeds, 1805-1929 (bulk 1817-1906), (The Library of Virginia)

Lynchburg, in Campbell County, was named for John Lynch, the owner of the original town site. It was established in 1786, was incorporated as a town in 1805, and became a city in 1852. Parts of Campbell and Bedford Counties were annexed to the city in 1976.

The Catholic Beneficial Society was a mutual aid society.

From the guide to the Catholic Beneficial Society Ledger, 1904-1912, (The Library of Virginia)

John H. Tyree (1806-1876) was a tobacco auctioneer and merchant operating in Lynchburg, Va. After marrying Anna Phoebe Brandsford (1812-1876) in October 1828, Tyree built his plantation Tyreeanna, which was a stop on the railroad that ran from Richmond to the western territory. Tyreeanna was turned into a hotel in the 1880s. The mansion would later burn down in 1936.

From the guide to the John H. Tyree Tobacco Sales Book, 1871-1872, (The Library of Virginia)

Lynchburg, in Campbell County, was named for John Lynch, the owner of the original town site. It was established in 1786, was incorporated as a town in 1805, and became a city in 1852.

Hampden-Sydney College, in Prince Edward County, is a liberal arts college for men founded by the Presbyterians in 1775 on the model of what is now Princeton University and chartered by the General Assembly in 1783. It was named for John Hampden and Algernon Sydney, seventeenth-century English opponents of royal authority who died in the cause of liberty. Hampden-Sydney College is the only all-male institution of higher education in Virginia. The Hampden-Sydney College Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

From the guide to the A.D. Dickinson vs. Hampden-Sydney College, 1872, (The Library of Virginia)

In July 1840, William Thom and Thomas Harper entered into a partnership as stone-cutters and masons operating in Lynchburg, Va. Their partnership dissolved after the death of Thomas Harper in February 1842.

From the guide to the William Thom and Thomas Harper Ledger, 1838-1848, (The Library of Virginia)

Lynchburg, in Campbell County, was named for John Lynch, the owner of the original town site. It was established in 1786, was incorporated as a town in 1805, and became a city in 1852. Parts of Campbell and Bedford counties were annexed to the city in 1976.

An ordinance passed by the Common Council of the city of Lynchburg on November 30, 1827, established the position of weigh master for the city. The weigh master's duty was the attend to the public scales every day except Sunday from sunrise to sunset for the purpose of weighing in pounds all long forage which may be offered for sale, granting certificates for the same, and keeping a book that corresponded to the certificates. The weigh master charged a fee for weighing the forage which he paid over to the city treasurer every three months accompanied by a transcript of his accounts which was sent to the Common Council. The weigh master was paid $150 per year.

From the guide to the Lynchburg (Va.) Weigh Master's Books, 1827-1860, (The Library of Virginia)

J. M. Goad and Company operated a general store in Lynchburg, Va., during the late nineteenth century.

From the guide to the J. M. Goad and Company Ledger, 1881, (The Library of Virginia)

On 23 April 1872, tobacco merchant George Miles entered into a partnership with Montgomery, Alabama, tobacco commission merchants John M. Davis and Robert A. Beall to form George Miles and Company. Initially operating in Liberty, Va., the firm would relocate to Lynchburg in 1873 after adding the partners Micajah Davis and J. Irwin Smith to the firm. George Miles was responsible for the manufacture of tobacco in Lynchburg that was then shipped to Davis and Beall in Alabama for sale. In 1874, the partnership disbursed after falling into heavy debt.

From the guide to the George Miles Account Book, 1873-1874, (The Library of Virginia)

Lynchburg, in Campbell County, was named for John Lynch, the owner of the original town site. It was established in 1786, was incorporated as a town in 1805, and became a city in 1852.

From the guide to the Lynchburg (Va.) Naturalization Papers, 1817-1898, (The Library of Virginia)

Buckingham County probably was named either for the English county or for the duke of Buckingham. According to some sources, however, the name came from Archibald Cary's tract of land called Buckingham, on what was then Willis's Creek. It was formed from Albemarle County in 1761.

Records were destroyed by fire in 1869.

From the guide to the Buckingham County (Va.) apprentice indenture binding the son of Betsy Scott, a free woman of color, to Clough Amos, 1812 Dec. 14, (The Library of Virginia)

Lynchburg, in Campbell County, was named for John Lynch, the owner of the original town site. It was established in 1786, was incorporated as a town in 1805, and became a city in 1852. Parts of Campbell and Bedford Counties were annexed to the city in 1976.

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.

From the guide to the Lynchburg (Va.) Court Records, 1808-1857, (The Library of Virginia)

William H. Mosley was a partner in Mosley and Holcombe, an auctioneer firm operating in Lynchburg, Va., during the mid-nineteenth century.

From the guide to the William H. Mosley Auction Sales Book, 1849-1850, (The Library of Virginia)

John B. McDaniel and S. C. Hurt operated a general mercantile business in Lynchburg, Va., during the mid-nineteenth century. McDaniel and Hurt sold a variety of items including hardware, dry-goods, groceries, clothing, and tobacco.

From the guide to the McDaniel and Hurt Daybook No. 2, 1852, (The Library of Virginia)

Howe and Mason was a general store operating in Dublin, Va., during the mid-nineteenth century. Managing partners of the firm included John D. Howe and William B. Mason.

From the guide to the Howe and Mason Daybook, 1868-1869, (The Library of Virginia)

The unidentified flour mill operated in Lynchburg, Va., during the early nineteenth century.

From the guide to the Unidentified Flour Mill Journal, 1838-1839, (The Library of Virginia)

William H. Reynolds was a merchant and grocer in Lynchburg, Va., during the late nineteenth century. In June 1874 Reynolds entered into a partnership with Rothwell Ellsworth and M. N. Fleming, tanners in Lynchburg, to operate a bark mill in Bethel, Va.

From the guide to the William H. Reynolds Account Book, 1873-1874, (The Library of Virginia)

Operating in Lynchburg, Va., during the mid-twentieth century, Berger and Stone were commission merchants and growers agents specializing in poultry, eggs, meat, fruit, vegetables, and grain. Alonza S. Berger and C. B. Stone were managing partners of the firm.

From the guide to the Berger and Stone Ledger, 1921-1922, (The Library of Virginia)

George C. Granberry was a Lynchburg, Va., merchant involved with the cotton industry during the mid-nineteenth century.

From the guide to the George C. Granberry Cashbook and Cotton Book, 1858-1869, (The Library of Virginia)

The Colored Orphan Asylum & Industrial School Records, 1890-1898, were used as exhibits in Lynchburg Chancery case 1899-097, C.B. Wilmer, Creditor, vs. Colored Orphan Asylum & Industrial School, etc. Wilmer, formerly a member of the Board of Trustees and a General Manager of the Asylum, sued for his salary and repayment of money he advanced to the Board of Trustees.

The Colored Orphan Asylum & Industrial School was a private institution, supported by charitable donations, chartered by the General Assembly as the Southern Negro Orphan Asylum 1890, January 1. (The charter was amended and the name changed 1892 Mar 4). The corporation purchased land three miles outside the city limits of Lynchburg, built a school and housing for teachers and managers, and maintained and supported from 60 to 100 children between 1892 and 1898. In 1898, the Board sold the institution to the Reverend A. Jaeger, General Manager.

From the guide to the Colored Orphan Asylum & Industrial School Records, 1890-1898, (The Library of Virginia)