Charles City County (Va.). Circuit court.

Charles City County was named for Charles I of England and was one of the eight shires established in 1634. Its area is 204 square miles, and the county seat is Charles City.

From the guide to the Charles City County (Va.) County Administrative Records, 1871-1891, (The Library of Virginia)

From the guide to the Charles City County (Va.) School Records, 1884-1902, (The Library of Virginia)

From the guide to the Charles City County (Va.) Fiduciary Records, 1813-1907, (The Library of Virginia)

From the guide to the Charles City County (Va.) Deed Books, 1789-1911, (The Library of Virginia)

From the guide to the Charles City County (Va.) Marriage Records and Vital Statistics, 1865-1896, (The Library of Virginia)

From the guide to the Charles City County (Va.) Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery Records, 1831-1852, (The Library of Virginia)

From the guide to the Charles City County (Va.) Military and Pension Records, 1861-1865, (The Library of Virginia)

From the guide to the Charles City County (Va.) Bonds/Commissions/Oaths, 1873-1899, (The Library of Virginia)

From the guide to the Charles City County (Va.) Circuit Court Records, 1853-1896, (The Library of Virginia)

From the guide to the Charles City County (Va.) County Court Records, 1650-1900, (The Library of Virginia)

Charles City County was named for Charles I of England and was one of the eight shires established in 1634.

Records have been destroyed at various times. The most damage occurred during the Civil War when the records were strewn through the woods in a rainstorm. A few pre-Civil War volumes such as deed books, will books, minute books, and order books exist.

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 Charles City County (Va.) Tyler Township Board Minute Book, 1870-1874, (The Library of Virginia)

Charles City County was an original shire formed in 1634.

Records have been destroyed at various times. The most damage occurred during the Civil War when the records were strewn through the woods in a rainstorm. A few pre-Civil War volumes such as deed books, will books, minute books, and order books exist.

From the guide to the Charles City County (Va.) Sheriff Fee Book, 1799-1839, (The Library of Virginia)

Charles City County was named for King Charles I and was one of the original shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634. The county seat is Charles City. Part of James City County was added to Charles City in 1721.

In accordance with an act passed by the General Assembly 1862 Feb. 18 and amended 1862 Oct. 1 providing a mode of exemption from military service, the county and corporation courts were directed to appoint a Board of Exemption. The board was charged with deciding all claims for military exemptions brought before it, "carefully and rigidly conforming to all the provisions of the Act of Assembly." On 1863 Feb. 13, the Governor issued an order directing that where no board had been appointed, the presiding justice of each county and corporation court, together with the two senior justices, constitute the board.

From the guide to the Charles City County (Va.) Exemption Requests, 1862, (The Library of Virginia)

Charles City County was an original shire formed in 1634.

Records have been destroyed at various times. The most damage occurred during the Civil War when the records were strewn through the woods in a rainstorm. A few pre-Civil War volumes such as deed books, will books, minute books, and order books exist.

From the guide to the Charles City County (Va.) Inventory and Appraisement of John Dudley, 1779 Feb. 3, (The Library of Virginia)

Charles City County was one of the eight shires established in 1634. The county was named for Charles I of England.

Records have been destroyed at various times. The most damage occurred during the Civil War when the records were strewn through the woods in a rainstorm. A few pre-Civil War volumes such as deed books, will books, minute books, and order books exist.

A deed was signed by the grantor, and possibly his wife or anyone else having a claim to the property, and by at least two witnesses. On presentation to the court, deeds were proved and recorded. If the deed was not witnessed, the grantor acknowledged the deed in open court. 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 or executrix was bonded to carry out his or her duties to settle the estate. The court then ordered the will to be recorded. County sheriffs served a vital law enforcement role during this time and rendered services in the prosecution of court cases--frequently related to debts between individuals (known as judgments.)

The original deeds, wills and other records, from which this volume was compiled, were created by the County Court.

From the guide to the Charles City County (Va.) Deeds, Wills, etc., 1724/25-1731, (The Library of Virginia)

Charles City County was named for Charles I of England and was one of the eight shires established in 1634.

Records have been destroyed at various times. The most damage occurred during the Civil War when the records were strewn through the woods in a rainstorm. A few pre-Civil War volumes such as deed books, will books, minute books, and order books exist.

From the guide to the Charles City County (Va.) Bonds, 1762-1769, (The Library of Virginia)

Charles City County was named for Charles I of England and was one of the eight shires established in 1634.

Records have been destroyed at various times. The most damage occurred during the Civil War when the records were strewn through the woods in a rainstorm. A few pre-Civil War volumes such as deed books, will books, minute books, and order books exist.

This record was 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 Charles City County (Va.) Court Record, undated, (The Library of Virginia)

Charles City County was an original shire formed in 1634.

Records have been destroyed at various times. The most damage occurred during the Civil War when the records were strewn through the woods in a rainstorm. A few pre-Civil War volumes such as deed books, will books, minute books, and order books exist.

The deed, will and order book of Charles City County in this collection was created by the County Court.

From the guide to the Charles City County (Va.) Deed, Order and Will Book, 1655-1665, (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 apopint 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.

Charles City County was named for Charles I of England and was one of the eight shires established in 1634.

Records have been destroyed at various times. The most damage occurred during the Civil War when the records were strewn through the woods in a rainstorm. A few pre-Civil War volumes such as deed books, will books, minute books, and order books exist.

From the guide to the Charles City County (Va.) School Records, 1816-1902 (bulk 1872-1902), (The Library of Virginia)

Charles City County was formed in 1634. It was one of the eight original shires of Virginia.

Records have been destroyed at various times. The most damage occurred during the Civil War when the records were strewn through the woods in a rainstorm. A few pre-Civil War volumes such as deed books, will books, minute books, and order books exist.

From the guide to the Charles City County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1800-1859, (The Library of Virginia)