Botetourt County (Va.) Business Records, 1803-1933

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:
43 volumes
Creator:
Botetourt County (Va.) Circuit Court
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Botetourt County (Va.) Business Records, 1803-1933, are comprised of various records created by individuals and companies in pursuit of documenting business activities in and around Botetourt County (Va.) Represented records consist of bound volumes such as an account ledger, account books, a bank book, a stock ledger and collection book, ledgers, minute books, registers, a sales book, a stock certificate book, letter books, a payroll book, a cashbook, daybooks and sales ledgers.

Biographical / historical:

Context for Record Type: Business Records, both volumes and loose records, are in some cases transferred to the Library of Virginia as components of court record transfers. These business records in some cases were simply stored in the local court building for safe keeping by business owners. In other cases, business records (particularly ledgers, account books, etc.) may have been filed in a court case as an exhibit. These business record exhibits appeared both in chancery causes and in judgments, these records serving as exhibits for business dissolution cases, debt suits, and contract disputes.

Locality History: Botetourt County was named for Norborne Berkeley, baron de Botetourt, the royal governor from 1768 to 1770. It was formed from Augusta County in 1769, and a part of Rockbridge County was added in 1785. The county court first met on 13 February 1770. The county seat is Fincastle. Area: 542.7 square miles. Population: 30,496 (2000), 31,800 (2005 estimate).

Lost Records Locality: 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:
These records came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Botetourt County in an undated accession.
Arrangement:

This collection is arranged

  • Series I: Benford and Wilson Account Ledger B, 1866-1867
  • Series II: McKnight and Galbraith Account Book, 1836-1846
  • Series III: Waskey Mills Account Book, 1840-1847
  • Series IV: Williams and Woodville Account Books, 1849, 1852-1853, 1861-1870
  • Series V: Beckley and Brother Account Book, 1867-1892
  • Series VI: Clinton Savings Bank Book, 1853-1860
  • Series VII: Farmers Bank Stock Ledger and Collection Record, 1856-1919
  • Series VIII: Lybrook, Beckley, and Company Account Book, 1866-1895
  • Series IX: John McDowell Ledger No. 3, 1873-1875
  • Series X: Joseph Ogilby and Company Account Book, 1860
  • Series XI: Salem and New Castle Turnpike Company Minute Book, 1839-1840
  • Series XII: Shenandoah Hotel Room Register, 1932-1933
  • Series XIII: Smith and Briggs Brass Works Records, 1891-1897
  • Series XIV: Unidentified Business Account Book, 1803-1806
  • Series XV: Unidentified Business Account Book, 1840-1842
  • Series XVI: Unidentified Business Account Book, 1852-1858
  • Series XVII: Unidentified Business Cashbook, 1843-1851
  • Series XVIII: Unidentified Clothing Store Daybook, 1856-1857
  • Series XIX: Unidentified Delivery Business Ledger, 1853-1854
  • Series XX: Unidentified General Store Account Book, 1883-1888
  • Series XXI: Unidentified General Store Daybook, 1858-1861
  • Series XXII: Unidentified General Store Daybook, 1875-1876
  • Series XXIII: Unidentified General Store Daybook, 1884-1887
  • Series XXIV: Unidentified General Store Sales Ledger, 1872-1873
  • Series XXV: Unidentified General Store Sales Ledger, 1873-1874
  • Series XXVI: Unidentified Merchant Daybook, 1870
  • Series XXVII: Unidentified Merchant Daybook, 1882-1883
  • Series XXVIII: Unidentified Mill Account Book, 1850-1852
  • Series XXIX: Unidentified Physician Account Book, 1843-1850
  • Series XXX: Unidentified Physician Ledger, 1842-1852
  • Series XXXI: Western Hotel Ledger, 1856-1857
  • Series XXXII: White and Robinson Ledger, 1851-1852
  • Series XXXIII: Dr. Charles Williams Account Book, 1854-1865
  • Series XXXIV: Zimmerman and Thrasher Account Book, 1858-1859

Physical location:
State Records Center/Library of Virginia