Albemarle County (Va.) Reports of Indigent Soldiers' Families, 1863-1865

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:

Albemarle County (Va.) Reports of Indigent Soldiers' Families, 1863-1865. Local government records collection, Albemarle County (Va.) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Summary

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

Albemarle County (Va.) Reports of Indigent Soldiers' Families, 1863-1865. Local government records collection, Albemarle County (Va.) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Background

Scope and content:

The Albemarle County (Va.) Reports of Indigent Soldiers' Families is made up reports of agents providing support to the families of indigent soldiers. It also includes orders appointing agents to purchase supplies for the families. The reports record that funds were to be used for the purchase of corn and outline problems that the agents faced in procuring supplies and concerns about supplies getting to the the families in need rather than being used by the military.

Biographical / historical:

Albemarle County was named for William Anne Keppel, second earl of Albemarle and governor of the Virginia colony from 1737 to 1754. It was formed from Goochland County in 1744, and part of Louisa County and certain islands in the Fluvanna River, now called the James, were added in 1761 and 1838.

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 Albemarle County (Va.).
Arrangement:

Chronological.

Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
.01 cu. ft.