Hanover County (Va.) Fiduciary Records 1784-1871

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:

Hanover County (Va.) Fiduciary Records, 1784-1871. Local government records collection, Hanover County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Summary

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

Hanover County (Va.) Fiduciary Records, 1784-1871. Local government records collection, Hanover County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Background

Scope and content:

Hanover County (Va.) Fiduciary Records, 1784-1871, include miscellaneous records filed in a local court by trustees, administrators, executors, guardians, and committees that related to the performance of their duties managing a person's estate. These records typically include the following; bonds, appraisements, audits, inventories, accounts, estate divisions, settlements, dowery records, etc. Information related to enslaved people are commonly found in these records.

Biographical / historical:

Hanover County was named for King George I, who at the time of his accession to the English throne was elector of Hanover in Germany. The county was formed from New Kent County by an act passed in 1720 to take effect 1 May 1721.

Created by an act of 1720 to take effect on May 1, 1721. Most county court records, particularly deeds, wills, and marriage records, were destroyed by fire on April 3, 1865, in Richmond, where they had been moved for safekeeping during the Civil War. The circuit court records were not moved to Richmond and were relatively unscathed. Consequently, there is a strong run of common law papers and chancery papers after 1831 that were generated by the circuit superior court of law and chancery and its successor, the circuit court.

Acquisition information:
These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court records from Hanover County.
Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
11.7 cu. ft. (26 boxes)