Amelia County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1738-1939 (bulk 1850-1913)

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

Background

Scope and content:

Amelia County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1738-1939, consists of cases concerning issues of equity brought largely by residents of the county and filed in the circuit court. These cases often involve the following actions: divisions of estates or land, disputes over wills, disputes regarding contracts, debt, divorce, and business disputes. Other less prevalent issues include freedom suits, permissions to sell property, and disputes concerning trespass. Predominant documents found in these chancery causes include bills (documents the plaintiff's complaint), answers (defendant's response to the plaintiff's complaint), decrees (court's decision), depositions, affidavits, correspondence, lists of heirs, deeds, plats, wills, records involving enslaved individuals, business records or vital statistics.

While there are several suits concerning the freedom of enslaved individuals, these cases largely represent the perspective of white enslavers and their disputes involving the sale, hiring, financial responsibilities, and legality of ownership of Black individuals. Under the system of chattel slavery, laws permitted enslavers to treat enslaved people as personal possessions in the same manner as livestock, farm equipment, or household items.

Commonly found surnames among the plaintiffs and defendants include Archer, Barden, Bass, Bevel (also spelled Bevil, Bevill, and Beville), Blanton, Booker, Bottom, Burton, Cousins, Craddock, Deaton, Eggleston, Farley, Ford, Foster, Green, Hardaway, Holt, Jackson, Jeter, Leath, Mann, Mumford, Munford, Noble, Perkinson, Pollard, Pride, Randolph, Rowlett, Royall (also spelled Royal), Seay, Southall, Steger, Tabb, Thraves, Townes, Tucker, Vaughn, Walthall (also spelled Walthal), Webster, Willson, Wilson, Wingo, Worsham, and Wright.

Biographical / historical:

Context for Record Type: Chancery Causes are cases of equity. According to Black's Law Dictionary they are "administered according to fairness as contrasted with the strictly formulated rules of common law." A judge, not a jury, determines the outcome of the case; however, the judge is basing the decision on findings compiled and documented by Commissioners. Chancery causes are useful when researching local history, genealogical information, and land or estate divisions. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history. Chancery causes document the lived experiences of free and enslaved individuals; women; children; people living with physical disabilities or mental health struggles; people living in poverty; defunct institutions and corporate entities; or those that may not have otherwise left traditional written histories.

Locality History: Amelia County was named for Amelia Sophia Eleanora, daughter of King George II. It was formed from Prince George and Brunswick Counties by an act passed in 1734 to take effect on 25 March 1735. The county court first met on 9 May 1735. The county seat is Amelia.

Acquisition information:
The bulk of these materials came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Amelia County in 2003 under accession number 40724. Additional records were transferred to the Library of Virginia in 2001 under accession number 37994, in 2004 under accession number 41507, in 2007 under accession number 43189, and as part of an undated accession.
Arrangement:

Organized by case, of which each is assigned a unique index number comprised of the latest year found in case and a sequentially increasing 3-digit number assigned by the processor as cases for that year are found. Arranged chronologically.

Arrangement of documents within each folder are generally as follows: Bill, Answer, and Final Decree (if found.)

Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
Digital images; 77.35 cubic feet (164 boxes)