Highland County (Va.) Records of the Overseers of the Poor, 1847-1861

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

Background

Scope and content:

The Highland County (Va.) Records of the Overseer of the Poor is one volume dated 1847-1861. The minutes give the names of people receiving financial support, food, and clothing, as well as those removing into and out of the county, and the burial of the deceased. The reports names the individuals providing the services to the poor people and the amounts they were paid. The minutes also include the details of the Board of the Overseers of the Poor's annual financial settlement with the Sheriff for the years 1848 through 1861.

Stuck in the book are an undated statement that Edgar Wilson was to testify before a Grand Jury which is signed by J. C. Matheny, Clerk; a part of an envelope with an address and a stamp; and a letter from Harrie Rexrode to an unnamed person dated Dec. 21, 1903.

Biographical / historical:

Highland County was named for its mountainous terrain. It was formed from Bath and Pendleton (West Virginia) Counties in 1847.

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.

Acquisition information:

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