Bland County (Va.) Justice of the Peace Records, 1893-1915

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

Background

Scope and content:

Bland County (Va.) Justice of the Peace Records, 1893-1915, consist of Civil Judgments and Execution Books.

Biographical / historical:

Bland County is said to have been named for Richard Bland, a leader of colonial Virginia's resistance to Great Britain in the 1760s and 1770s. It was formed from Giles, Wythe, and Tazewell Counties in 1861, and another part of Giles was added in 1900. Its area is 369 square miles, and the county seat is Bland.

First known as commissions, the Justice of the Peace office originated with the county quarterly court in 1623. Commanders of Plantations (1607-1629) were predecessors of the commissioners, who since 1662 have been called justices of the peace. They have traditionally had both civil and criminal jurisdiction, and have served other functions, including performing coroners' and lunacy inquisitions. Until 1869 justices served both as judges of the county court and as individual justices; since then they have had only the latter function.

Acquisition information:
These items came to the Library of Virginia in a shipment of court papers from Bland County.
Physical location:
State Records Center - Archives Annex, Library of Virginia
Physical description:
2 v.