Highland County (Va.) Lists of Families of Indigent Soldiers, 1862-1865, circa

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

Background

Scope and content:

Highland County (Va.) Lists of Families of Indigent Soldiers, 1862-1865, circa, are two lists of indigent families whose husbands were in the Confederate Army or who have died or been disabled in the service of the Confederate States of America. Each list includes the name of the head of household (the soldier or widow) and the number of people in the family. The lists are divided by district.

Biographical / historical:

Highland County was so named because of its mountainous terrain, and it is sometimes called the Little Switzerland of America. It was formed from Pendleton (now in West Virginia) and Bath Counties in 1847.

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. 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 among 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 transfers of court papers from Highland County (Va.).
Physical description:
2 p.