Cumberland County (Va.) Lists of Indigent Soldiers' Families, 1863

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

Background

Scope and content:

The Cumberland County (Va.) Lists of Indigent Soldiers' Families includes names individuals, number of children per family, status of soldier in the Confederate army, and the amount of provisions provided to each family.

Biographical / historical:

Cumberland County was named for William Augustus, duke of Cumberland, third son of King George II. It was formed from Goochland County in 1749.

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 Cumberland County.
Arrangement:

Chronological.

Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
3 p.