Amherst County (Va.) Justice of the Peace Records, 1822-1842

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:

Amherst County (Va.) Justice of the Peace Records, 1822-1842. Local government records collection, Amherst County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Summary

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

Amherst County (Va.) Justice of the Peace Records, 1822-1842. Local government records collection, Amherst County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Background

Scope and content:

Amherst County (Va.) Justice of the Peace Records, 1822-1842, consists of a docket of Justices' Executions Returned.

First known as Commanders of Plantations and then Commissioners, the office came into existence with the county quarterly court of 1623. Called Justices' of the Peace in 1662, they have had both civil and criminal jurisdiction, and have served other functions, including performing corners' 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.

The justices' execution docket lists executions sued out or pending by the justices. It shows notice of process, names of all parties, amount of judgment, date of execution, return date and justices' returns.

Biographical / historical:

Amherst County was formed from Albemarle County in 1761. Islands in the Fluvanna (now the James) River were added in 1770. The county is named for Major General Jeffery Amherst, British commander in North America during the later part of the French and Indian War and governor of Virginia from 1759-1768.

Acquisition information:
This volume came to the Library of Virginia in a shipment of court records from Amherst County.
Physical location:
State Records Center - Archives Annex, Library of Virginia
Physical description:
1 v.