Henry County (Va.) Township Records, 1871-1785

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

Background

Scope and content:

Henry County (Va.) Township Records, 1871-1875, consist of three volumes and one folder of minutes and accounts relating to township activities and duties.

Horse Pasture Township Board Order Book, 1871-1874, consists of minutes and accounts. Information recorded includes the division of the township into road districts, appointment of road overseers, establishment of elections for road overseers, accounts claimed against the township board (usually gives name, what claim was for, and the amount), road overseer election results, settlement of overseer of the poor accounts (includes names of the paupers provided for), appointment of election commissioners, establishment of levies for schools, and a list of township warrants issued for the levy of 1874.

Record of Ridgeway Township Board, 1871-1875, consists of minutes and accounts. Information recorded includes the organization of the township board, division of the township into road districts, appointment of road overseers, appointment of election superintendents, claims allowed against the township (usually gives name, what claim was for, and the amount), levies established for school purposes, redivision of the township into road districts, opening of bids to build a bridge, report of the treasurer, election of road overseers, and the establishment of the annual levy. Following the board minutes is a Record of Physicians, 1886-1892, which records the credentials of physicians applying for a license to practice medicine and surgery in the county. Only about five physicians are registered in this volume.

Ridgeway Township Treasurer's Account Book, 1871-1875, contains various accounts related to township financial affairs. Information recorded includes the treasurer's accounts with the township for 1871-1875, a list of tax tickets for 1874, and the township collector's accounts with the treasurer from 1873-1875.

Henry County Township Records, 1871-1879, consist of citizen petitions and a court order to alter township boundaries of Leatherwood Township (1871) and Ridgeway and Horse Pasture townships (1872 and 1879).

Biographical / historical:

Henry County was named for Patrick Henry, revolutionary leader and the first governor of the commonwealth of Virginia. It was formed from Pittsylvania County in 1776.

The 1870 Virginia Constitution required that each county in the state be divided into no less than three townships (see Article VII, section 2). Based on the New England administrative organization of a county, each township would elect the administration officials for the offices of supervisor, clerk, assessor, collector, commissioner of the roads, overseer of the poor, justice of the peace, and constable. The supervisors of each township would comprise the board of supervisors for the county, and would be responsible for auditing the county accounts, examining the assessors' books, regulating property valuation, and fixing the county levies. The Acts of Assembly provided that each township be divided into school and electoral districts (see Acts of Assembly 1869-1870, Chapter 39). A constitutional amendment in 1874 changed the townships into magisterial districts and each district elected one supervisor, three justices of the peace, one constable, and one overseer of the poor. The supervisors of the districts made up the county board of supervisors whose duties were identical as those set out in 1870. The published Acts of Assembly appended a list of township names by county following the acts for every year that townships existed in Virginia.

Acquisition information:
These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Henry County.
Physical location:
State Records Center - Archives Annex, Library of Virginia
Physical description:
3 v. and 1 folder