Lancaster County (Va.) Reports of Indigent Soldiers' Families, 1861-1865

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
Restrictions:

There are no restrictions.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Lancaster County (Va.)Reports of Indigent Soldiers' Families, 1861-1865. Local government records collection, Lancaster County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Summary

Creator:
Lancaster County (Va.) Circuit Court
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Lancaster County (Va.)Reports of Indigent Soldiers' Families, 1861-1865. Local government records collection, Lancaster County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Background

Scope and content:

The Lancaster County (Va.) Reports of Indigent Soldiers' Families is primarily made up of reports of indigent soldiers' families. These reports include the names of soldiers and family members, the amount of money provided to each family, and the use for which the money was intended. Also included are 1862 appointments of overseers to visit and provide for the families and an 1862 list of soldiers' families including the number of children in each family. The reports record that funds were to be used for specific foods such as salted beef, bacon, pork, ham, flour, meal, corn, coffee, sugar, molasses and household items such as a stone jar, a pitcher, shoes, and material for making clothing.

Biographical / historical:

Lancaster County was named for the English county. It was formed from Northumberland and York Counties in 1651.

Throughout the Civil War, the principal responsibility for Virginia's indigent soldiers' families lay with the locality. The Virginia State Convention in 1861 gave the responsibility entirely to counties and incorporated towns and authorized whatever actions had already been taken. Acts of Assembly in 1862 and 1863 expanded the localities' powers to provide for their needy, and in 1863 some minimal state assistance was added in. At first relief was provided as money, but as the monetary system collapsed, relief was distributed in kind. Agents of the court maintained lists of eligible families, gathered goods for distribution and paid for them, and impressed supplies if necessary. Virginia was unique amongst the southern states in that it assigned the provisioning of needy families almost solely to the locality.

Acquisition information:
These items came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court papers from Lancaster County (Va.).
Arrangement:

Chronological

Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
.05 cu. ft. (1 folder)