York County (Va.) Overseers of the Poor Minute Book, 1857-1870

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

Background

Scope and content:

The York County (Va.) Overseers of the Poor Minutes is one volume dated 1857-1870. The minutes give the names of the Overseers and business of the Board of Overseers. The minutes give the accounts of the monies spent by the Board to purchase goods and services, animals, and other items for the Poor Asylum and the Poor Farm. It gives the salary of the staff of the Poor Asylum in 1860 and the payments to other people providing services to the Poor Asylum and Poor Farm. It also list the names of deceased persons for whom a coffin was purchased.

The final document in the book is the accounts of the payments of the Sheriff of York County to James N. Toppin for the years 1868-1771.

Biographical / historical:

York County was originally named Charles River County, for Charles I, and was one of the eight shires formed in 1634. The present name was given in 1643, probably in honor of James, duke of York, the second son of Charles I.

In 1780 the Virginia General Assembly replaced the Anglican vestries and churchwardens of the colonial period with elected bodies called Overseers of the Poor. The Overseers provided food, clothing, shelter, and medical treatment for the persons who were too poor to support themselves or too ill to provide for their basic needs. They also bound out children whose parents could not support them or who failed to educate or instruct them, as well as orphans to become apprentices. The boys learned a trade and the girls learned domestic skills.

Acquisition information:
This microfilm was generated by the Library of Virginia Imaging Service Branch.
Arrangement:

Chronological.

Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
1 v. (48 p.) and 1 microfilm reel