Hanover County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Hanover County was formed in 1720 from New Kent County.

An Act of Assembly from 15 February 1900 established the procedures by which African American minors could be committed to the negro reformatory and the procedures for receiving compensation from the commonwealth. Compensation for care costs was received by submitting accounts to the Hanover county judge and was paid in the same amounts as jailors for prisoners in jail.

The Virginia Manual Labor School, sometimes called the Virginia Manual Labor School for Colored Boys, was established in 1897 by John Henry Smyth in Hanover County, Virginia, to where African American youths who were arrested were sent, instead of Virginia's penal institutions. African American minors sentenced to the school were sent there to be rehabilitated. In the process, they learned a trade. Smyth served as president until his death 5 September 1908.

Most county court records, particularly deeds, wills, and marriage records, were destroyed by fire in Richmond on 3 April 1865, where they had been moved for safekeeping during the Civil War. The circuit court records were not moved to Richmond and were relatively unscathed. Consequently, there is a strong run of common law papers and chancery papers after 1831 that were generated by the circuit superior court of law and chancery and its successor, the circuit court.

From the guide to the Hanover County (Va.) Virginia Manual Labor School Board and Clothing Accounts, 1905-1909, (The Library of Virginia)

Hanover County was named for King George I, who at the time of his accession to the English throne was elector of Hanover in Germany. The county was formed from New Kent County by an act passed in 1720 to take effect 1 May 1721. The county seat is Hanover.

Most county court records of Hanover County, particularly deeds, wills, and marriage records, were destroyed by fire in Richmond on 3 April 1865, where they had been moved for safekeeping during the Civil War. The circuit court records were not moved to Richmond and were relatively unscathed. Consequently, there is a strong run of common law papers and chancery papers after 1831 that were generated by the circuit superior court of law and chancery and its successor, the circuit court.

From the guide to the Will and executor's bond of Mahala, free woman of color, 1831, (The Library of Virginia)

Hanover County was formed from New Kent County in 1720.

Most county court records, particularly deeds, wills, and marriage records, were destroyed by fire in Richmond on 3 April 1865, where they had been moved for safekeeping during the Civil War. The circuit court records were not moved to Richmond and were relatively unscathed. Consequently, there is a strong run of common law papers and chancery papers after 1831 that were generated by the circuit superior court of law and chancery and its successor, the circuit court.

From the guide to the Hanover County (Va.) Clerk's Fee Bills, 1788-1793, (The Library of Virginia)

Hanover County was named for George I, who at the time of his ascent to the English throne was elector of Hanover in Germany. The county was formed from New Kent in 1720.

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.

Most county court records, particularly deeds, wills, and marriage records, were destroyed by fire in Richmond on 3 April 1865, where they had been moved for safekeeping during the Civil War. The circuit court records were not moved to Richmond and were relatively unscathed. Consequently, there is a strong run of common law papers and chancery papers after 1831 that were generated by the circuit superior court of law and chancery and its successor, the circuit court.

From the guide to the Hanover County (Va.) Birth and Death Records, 1918-1927, (The Library of Virginia)

Hanover County was named for King George I, who at the time of his accession to the English throne was elector of Hanover in Germany. The county was formed from New Kent County by an act passed in 1720 to take effect 1 May 1721. The county seat is Hanover.

Most county court records of Hanover County, particularly deeds, wills, and marriage records, were destroyed by fire in Richmond on 3 April 1865, where they had been moved for safekeeping during the Civil War. The circuit court records were not moved to Richmond and were relatively unscathed. Consequently, there is a strong run of common law papers and chancery papers after 1831 that were generated by the circuit superior court of law and chancery and its successor, the circuit court.

Most records of King William County were destroyed by a courthouse fire on 17 January 1885. Only a few order books and deed books exist.

From the guide to the Hanover County (Va.) Judgment, McGeorge vs Spiller exhibit, 1825 circa, (The Library of Virginia)

Hanover County was named for George I, who at the time of his accession to the English throne was elector of Hanover in Germany. The county was formed from New Kent County in 1720.

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.

Most county court records, particularly deeds, wills, and marriage records, were destroyed by fire in Richmond on 3 April 1865, where they had been moved for safekeeping during the Civil War. The circuit court records were not moved to Richmond and were relatively unscathed. Consequently, there is a strong run of common law papers and chancery papers after 1831 that were generated by the circuit superior court of law and chancery and its successor, the circuit court.

From the guide to the Hanover County (Va.) Court Records, 1834-1888, (The Library of Virginia)

Hanover County was formed in 1720 from New Kent County.

The Virginia legislature passed an act on 27 February 1866 to legalize the marriages of former slaves who had been cohabiting as of that date. See Virginia Acts of Assembly, 1866-1867, Chapter 18, An act to amend and re-enact the 14th section of chapter 108 of the Code of Virginia for 1860, in regard to registers of marriage; and to legalize the marriages of colored persons now cohabiting as husband and wife.

The federal Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands directed the Assistant Superintendents of the states to order the county clerks to make a registry of such cohabiting couples. See Circular No. 11, dated 19 March 1866, in Orders, Circulars, Circular Letters, and Letters of Instruction, vol. 2 (1866). Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, Records of the Assistant Commissioner for the State of Virginia, 1865-1869. Miscellaneous reel 3880, Library of Virginia. National Archives microfilm M1048 (reel 41), Record Group 105.

Most county court records, particularly deeds, wills, and marriage records, were destroyed by fire in Richmond on 3 April 1865, where they had been moved for safekeeping during the Civil War. The circuit court records were not moved to Richmond and were relatively unscathed. Consequently, there is a strong run of common law papers and chancery papers after 1831 that were generated by the circuit superior court of law and chancery and its successor, the circuit court.

From the guide to the Hanover County (Va.) Marriage Register of Freedmen living in Hanover County, Virginia, who were married by the Act passed by the Legislature of Virginia, February 27th, 1866, (The Library of Virginia)

Hanover County was named for George I, who at the time of his ascent to the English throne was elector of Hanover in Germany. The county was formed from New Kent in 1720.

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.

Most county court records, particularly deeds, wills, and marriage records, were destroyed by fire in Richmond on 3 April 1865, where they had been moved for safekeeping during the Civil War. The circuit court records were not moved to Richmond and were relatively unscathed. Consequently, there is a strong run of common law papers and chancery papers after 1831 that were generated by the circuit superior court of law and chancery and its successor, the circuit court.

From the guide to the Hanover County (Va.) Election Records, 1879-1966, (The Library of Virginia)

Hanover County was formed from New Kent County in 1720.

Most county court records, particularly deeds, wills, and marriage records, were destroyed by fire in Richmond on 3 April 1865, where they had been moved for safekeeping during the Civil War. The circuit court records were not moved to Richmond and were relatively unscathed. Consequently, there is a strong run of common law papers and chancery papers after 1831 that were generated by the circuit superior court of law and chancery and its successor, the circuit court.

From the guide to the Hanover County (Va.) Tax Fee Bills, 1792, (The Library of Virginia)

Hanover County was formed from New Kent County in 1720.

Most county court records, particularly deeds, wills, and marriage records, were destroyed by fire in Richmond on 3 April 1865, where they had been moved for safekeeping during the Civil War. The circuit court records were not moved to Richmond and were relatively unscathed. Consequently, there is a strong run of common law papers and chancery papers after 1831 that were generated by the circuit superior court of law and chancery and its successor, the circuit court.

From the guide to the Hanover County (Va.) Sheriff's Fee Bills, 1787-1794, (The Library of Virginia)

Hanover County was named for George I, who at the time of his ascent to the English throne was elector of Hanover in Germany. The county was formed from New Kent in 1720.

From the guide to the Hanover County (Va.) St. Paul's Parish Land Tax Books, 1803-1807, 1809, (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.

Hanover County was named for George I, who at the time of his ascent to the English throne was elector of Hanover in Germany. The county was formed from New Kent in 1720.

Most county court records, particularly deeds, wills, and marriage records, were destroyed by fire in Richmond on 3 April 1865, where they had been moved for safekeeping during the Civil War. The circuit court records were not moved to Richmond and were relatively unscathed. Consequently, there is a strong run of common law papers and chancery papers after 1831 that were generated by the circuit superior court of law and chancery and its successor, the circuit court.

From the guide to the Hanover County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1831-1913, (The Library of Virginia)