Buchanan County (Va.) General Voter Registrations, 1902-1935

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888

Summary

Creator:
Buchanan County (Va.) Circuit Court
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Buchanan County List of Voters Registered, 1902-1935, records the roll of registered voters in Buchanan County. The volume is divided by precincts: Contrary, Grundy, Hurricane, Knox, Rock Lick, Slate, Whitt Place, Vansant, Bull, Garden, Prater, Blankenship, Hurley, Paw Paw, Stacy, and Grassey. Information found in the volume includes date of registration; number of registered voter; name of registered voter; race; date of birth; age; occupation; residence; length of residence in state, county, and precinct; whether exempt from poll tax; if naturalized, and if so, date of papers and by what court issued; if transferred from another precinct, and if so, when and to what precinct.

Buchanan County General Registration Roll of White Voters, 1902-1903, records the roll of registered white voters in Buchanan County. The volume is divided by precincts: Contrary, Grundy, Hurricane, Knox, Rock Lick, Slate, Whitt Place, Vansant, Bull, Garden, Prater, Blankenship, Hurley, Paw Paw, Stacy, and Grassey. Information found in the volume includes date of registration; number of registered voter; name of registered voter; date of birth; age; occupation; residence; length of residence in state, county, and precinct; whether exempt from poll tax; if naturalized, and if so, date of papers and by what court issued; if transferred from another precinct, and if so, when and to what precinct.

Biographical / historical:

Buchanan County was named for the United States president James Buchanan and was formed from Tazewell and Russell Counties in 1858.

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.

Records were destroyed by fire in 1885; records created after that date suffered extreme damage in a flood in 1977.

Acquisition information:
These items came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court papers from Buchanan County.
Physical location:
State Records Center - Archives Annex, Library of Virginia
Physical description:
2 v.