Giles County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Giles County was named for William Branch Giles, United States senator from Virginia, in 1806. It was formed from Montgomery, Monroe (West Virginia), and Tazewell Counties. Part of Wythe County was added in 1808, parts of Tazewell County were added in 1826 and 1836, part of Monroe County was added in 1829, parts of Mercer (West Virginia) County were added in 1840-1841, and part of Craig County was added in 1858.

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 Giles County (Va.) Township Records, 1871-1875, (The Library of Virginia)

The Branch Bank of Old Dominion conducted business in the town of Pearisburg in Giles County, Virginia, during the mid-nineteenth century.

Giles County was named for William Branch Giles, United States senator from Virginia in 1806 when the county was created from Montgomery, Monroe (now in West Virginia), and Tazewell Counties. Several subsequent additions were made from Wythe (1808), Monroe in 1829 and Mercer in 1841 (both now in West Virginia), Craig (1880), and Tazewell (1826 and 1836) Counties. The county seat is Pearisburg.

From the guide to the Branch Bank of Old Dominion, Pearisburg (Va.) Business Records, 1857-1865, (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.

Giles County was named for William Branch Giles, United States senator from Virginia, in 1806. It was formed from Montgomery, Monroe (West Virginia), and Tazewell Counties. Part of Wythe County was added in 1808, parts of Tazewell County were added in 1826 and 1836, part of Monroe County was added in 1829, parts of Mercer (West Virginia) County were added in 1840-1841, and part of Craig County was added in 1858.

From the guide to the Giles County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1833-1912, (The Library of Virginia)

Giles County was named for William Branch Giles, United States senator from Virginia in 1806 when the county was created. It was formed from Montgomery, Monroe (now in West Virginia), and Tazewell Counties, and parts of Wythe, Monroe, Mercer (now in West Virginia), Craig, and Tazewell Counties were added later.

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 Giles County (Va.) Court Record, 1813-1855, (The Library of Virginia)

Giles County was named for William Branch Giles, United States senator from Virginia, in 1806. It was formed from Montgomery, Monroe (West Virginia), and Tazewell Counties. Part of Wythe County was added in 1808, parts of Tazewell County were added in 1826 and 1836, part of Monroe County was added in 1829, parts of Mercer (West Virginia) County were added in 1840-1841, and part of Craig County was added in 1858.

From the guide to the Giles County (Va.) Court Papers, 1866-1902, (The Library of Virginia)

The firm of Buchanan and Powell operated in Pearisburg, Va., selling a variety of items including ready-made clothing, textiles, household items, groceries, and books. W. H. Buchanan and W. R. Powell were partners in the business.

From the guide to the Buchanan and Powell Ledgers, 1902-1912, (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.

Giles County was named for William Branch Giles, United States senator from Virginia, in 1806. It was formed from Montgomery, Monroe (West Virginia), and Tazewell Counties. Part of Wythe County was added in 1808, parts of Tazewell County were added in 1826 and 1836, part of Monroe County was added in 1829, parts of Mercer (West Virginia) County were added in 1840-1841, and part of Craig County was added in 1858.

From the guide to the Giles County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1807-1929 (bulk 1812-1908), (The Library of Virginia)

Giles County was named for William Branch Giles, United States senator from Virginia, in 1806. It was formed from Montgomery, Monroe (West Virginia), and Tazewell Counties. Part of Wythe County was added in 1808, parts of Tazewell County were added in 1826 and 1836, part of Monroe County was added in 1829, parts of Mercer (West Virginia) County were added in 1840-1841, and part of Craig County was added in 1858.

From the guide to the Giles County (Va.) Judgments, 1870-1912, (The Library of Virginia)

Giles County was named for William Branch Giles, United States senator from Virginia, in 1806. It was formed from Montgomery, Monroe (West Virginia), and Tazewell Counties. Part of Wythe County was added in 1808, parts of Tazewell County were added in 1826 and 1836, part of Monroe County was added in 1829, parts of Mercer (West Virginia) County were added in 1840-1841, and part of Craig County was added in 1858.

From the guide to the Giles County (Va.) Marriage license and minister's return of John W. Slaughter to Senora J. Mahood, 1866 March 20, (The Library of Virginia)

Giles County was formed from Montgomery, Monroe (West Virginia), and Tazewell Counties in 1806. Part of Wythe County added in 1808, parts of Tazewell County added in 1826 and 1836, part of Monroe (West Virginia) County added in 1829, part of Mercer (West Virginia) was added in 1841, and part of Craig County added in 1858.

From the guide to the Giles County (Va.) Marriage License, 1866, (The Library of Virginia)

Giles County was named for William Branch Giles, United States senator from Virginia, in 1806. It was formed from Montgomery, Monroe (West Virginia), and Tazewell Counties. Part of Wythe County was added in 1808, parts of Tazewell County were added in 1826 and 1836, part of Monroe County was added in 1829, parts of Mercer (West Virginia) County were added in 1840-1841, and part of Craig County was added in 1858.

From the guide to the Giles County (Va.) Arithmetic Book, 1800s circa, (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.

Giles County was named for William Branch Giles, United States senator from Virginia in 1806 when the county was created. It was formed from Montgomery, Monroe (now in West Virginia), and Tazewell Counties, and parts of Wythe, Monroe, Mercer (now in West Virginia), Craig, and Tazewell Counties were added later.

From the guide to the Giles County (Va.) School Records, 1818-1911; 1920, (The Library of Virginia)

Giles County was named for William Branch Giles, United States senator from Virginia in 1806 when the county was created from Montgomery, Monroe (now in West Virginia), and Tazewell Counties. Several subsequent additions were made from Wythe (1808), Monroe in 1829 and Mercer in 1841 (both now in West Virginia), Craig (1880), and Tazewell (1826 and 1836) Counties. The county seat is Pearisburg.

From the guide to the Unidentified Blacksmith Account Book, 1836-1838, (The Library of Virginia)

Giles County was named for William Branch Giles, United States senator from Virginia in 1806 when the county was created from Montgomery, Monroe (now in West Virginia), and Tazewell Counties. Several subsequent additions were made from Wythe (1808), Monroe in 1829 and Mercer in 1841 (both now in West Virginia), Craig (1880), and Tazewell (1826 and 1836) Counties. The county seat is Pearisburg.

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 Giles County (Va.) Coroners' Inquisitions, 1842-1896, (The Library of Virginia)

The Pearisburg Academy Association was established by Act of the General Assembly April 2, 1839, to raise money to build a more attractive schoolhouse in Pearisburg, with the intent of attracting "a more systematic plan of education" to the village. The Association contracted with schoolmasters to use the building for a school.

Giles County was named for William Branch Giles, United States senator from Virginia in 1806 when the county was created. It was formed from Montgomery, Monroe (now in West Virginia), and Tazewell Counties, and parts of Wythe, Monroe, Mercer (now in West Virginia), Craig, and Tazewell Counties were added later.

From the guide to the Pearisburg Academy Association Minutes, 1839-1854, (The Library of Virginia)