Botetourt County (Va.) Tithables, 1771

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:

Botetourt County (Va.) Tithables, 1771. Local government records collection, Botetourt County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Summary

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

Botetourt County (Va.) Tithables, 1771. Local government records collection, Botetourt County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Background

Scope and content:

Botetourt County (Va.) Tithables, 1771, consists of a list by William Christian of the heads of household and associated tithes for that year.

Biographical / historical:

Botetourt County was formed Augusta County in 1769. Part of Rockbridge County was added in 1785.

In seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Virginia, the term "tithable" referred to a person who paid (or for whom someone else paid) one of the taxes imposed by the General Assembly for the support of civil government in the colony. In colonial Virginia, a poll tax or capitation tax was assessed on free white males, African American slaves, and Native American servants (both male and female), all age sixteen or older. Owners and masters paid the taxes levied on their slaves and servants. For a more detailed history of tithables, consult "Colonial Tithables" found on the Library of Virginia's web site.

Created by an act of 1769 to take effect on February 13, 1770. Many of the loose records including pre-1830 chancery and pre-1854 judgments suffered tremendous water damage as a result of a courthouse fire on December 15, 1970. Because of the near loss of records, the General Assembly passed the Virginia Public Records Act in 1975 for the purpose of preserving local records. Volumes that record deeds, court orders, and wills exist.

Acquisition information:
This item came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Botetourt County.
Physical location:
State Records Center - Archives Annex, Library of Virginia
Physical description:
1 p.