Essex County (Va.) Processioner's Records, 1815-1843

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:

Essex County (Va.) Processioner's Records, 1815-1843. Local government records collection, Essex County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Summary

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

Essex County (Va.) Processioner's Records, 1815-1843. Local government records collection, Essex County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Background

Scope and content:

Essex County (Va.) Processioner's Records, 1815-1843 typically record an area of land processioned with geographical landmarks, roads, property lines noted, the names of the persons present, the date(s) when the processioning occurred, the names of the processioners, and the date that the return was recorded by the local court.

Biographical / historical:

Essex County was named probably for the English county or perhaps for Algernon Capell, second earl of Essex. It was formed from Old Rappahannock County in 1692. The county seat is Tappahannock.

Two freeholders were appointed on order of the county court to procession or review the bounds of farms or tracts of land in each precinct in order to renew or replace old landmarks. This was originally a function of the church vestry, but was continued by the court after disestablishment. Persons who walked the boundaries were called processioners.

Acquisition information:
These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Essex County.
Arrangement:

Chronological.

Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
1 b.