Amherst County (Va.) Board of Overseers of the Poor Minutes, 1844-1870

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:
Amherst County (Va.) Circuit Court
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

The Amherst County (Va.) Board of Overseer of the Poor Minutes is one volume dated 1844-1870. The minutes give the names of people receiving financial support, food, and clothing, as well as those removing to other states and the burial of the deceased. The minutes also include the details of the collection of the levy for the poor and how the money was spent. In addition, a report of the business of the poorhouse is contained in the minutes.

Stuck in the book are an undated account and another undated account that list payments for four people.

Biographical / historical:

Amherst County was named for Major Jeffery Amherst, British commander in North America during the French and Indian War and governor of Virginia from 1759 to 1768. It was formed from Albemarle County in 1761.

In 1780 the Virginia General Assembly replaced the Anglican vestries and churchwardens of the colonial period with elected bodies called Overseers of the Poor. The Overseers provided food, clothing, shelter, and medical treatment for the persons who were too poor to support themselves or too ill to provide for their basic needs. They also bound out children whose parents could not support them or who failed to educate or instruct them, as well as orphans to become apprentices. The boys learned a trade and the girls learned domestic skills.

In 1844, the General Assembly enacted laws to create poor farms overseen by boards of directors for the maintenance and education of the poor. The boards bought farms and built buildings, appointed a superintendant for each poor farm, and chose a physician to attend the sick and teachers to educate the children. The adults and older children were required to work if they were able.

Acquisition information:

This item came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court papers from Amherst County.

The microfilm was generated by Backstage Library Works through the Library of Virginia's Circuit Court Records Preservation Program.

Arrangement:

Chronological

Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
1 v. and 1 microfilm reel