Richmond (Va.) Will Books, 1874-1980

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

Extent:
39 v.
Creator:
Richmond (Va.) Circuit Court
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Richmond (Va.) Will Books, 1874-1980, typically record the name of the testator, list of heirs and the year that the wills were proven in court. These records may also include probate records such as inventories and appraisements.

Biographical / historical:

Richmond was established in 1742 and in 1779 was designated the capital of Virginia effective 30 April 1780. It was incorporated as a town, although "stiled the City of Richmond," in 1782 and was incorporated as a city in 1842. It served as the capital of the Confederacy from mid-1861 to April 1865. Richmond was enlarged by the annexation of Manchester (or South Richmond) in 1910, and by the addition of Barton Heights, Fairmount, and Highland Park in 1914. The city also annexed land from Henrico County in 1867, 1892, and 1941. A further annexation from Chesterfield County occured in 1970. Richmond was named by William Byrd (1674-1744), who envisioned the development of a city at the falls of the James River and with the help of William Mayo laid out the town in 1737. The name probably came from the English borough of Richmond upon Thames, which Byrd visited on several occasions.

Hustings Courts were a system of courts unique to eighteenth and nineteenth century Virginia. These courts administered to independent cities, serving as the equivalent to county courts, adjucating matters of lands and chattels, debts, and contracts. Hustings Courts also had a probate division for the administration of wills. In 1973, Virginia's Hustings Courts and Corporation Courts were reorganized as city Circuit Courts.

During the burning of Richmond on April 3, 1865, Richmond Circuit Court Judge John A. Meredith led efforts to save the circuit court records found at the State Court House. Rescuers successfully removed all the papers that were related to pending suits. Many of the order books, all of the will books and deed books were lost. Records of the superior court and the circuit superior court of law and chancery were also destroyed. Most of the pre-Civil War Hustings Court records survive.

Acquisition information:
These items came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court records from Richmond (City.)
Arrangement:

This collection is arranged chronologically by year.

Physical location:
State Records Center - Archives Annex, Library of Virginia