Henrico County (Va.) Business Records, 1803-1898

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:
12 volumes
Creator:
Henrico County (Va.) Circuit Court
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Henrico County (Va.) Business Records, 1803-1898, is comprised of various records created by individuals and companies in pursuit of documenting business activities in and around Henrico County (Va.). Represented records consist of bound volumes such as ledgers, daybooks, journals, and account books.

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, debut suits, and contract disputes.

Locality History:Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, eldest son of King James I. It was one of the eight original shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634. The county seat is in the western part of the county.

Lost Locality Notes: All county court records prior to 1655 and almost all prior to 1677 are missing. Many records were destroyed by British troops during the Revolutionary War. Post-Revolutionary War county court records exist. Almost all circuit superior court of law and chancery and circuit court records were destroyed by fire during the evacuation of Richmond on 3 April 1865 in the Civil War. The county's circuit court held its sessions at the state courthouse in Richmond.

Acquisition information:

The majority of these records came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Henrico County in an undated accession.

One volume from Series II: James H. Barton Real Estate Business Records, 1889-1898, the James H. Barton Accounts Ledger, 1895-1896, came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from the city of Richmond in an undated accession.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into three series:

  • Series I: Business Records of Edward Powers and John van Lew, 1875-1878
  • Series II: Business Records of James H. Barton Real Estate, 1889-1898
  • Series III: Business Records of William Halyard, 1803-1804

Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
.