Bedford County (Va.) Organization Records, 1907-1941

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:

Bedford County (Va.) Organization Records, 1907-1941, [series or volume title]. Local government records collection, Bedford County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Summary

Extent:
2 volumes.
Creator:
Bedford County (Va.) Circuit Court
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Bedford County (Va.) Organization Records, 1907-1941, [series or volume title]. Local government records collection, Bedford County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Background

Scope and content:

Bedford County (Va.) Organization Records, 1907-1941 is comprised of various records created by groups in Bedford County. Represented records consist of a minute book and a ledger.

Historical Information:Modern Woodmen of America was founded in 1883 by Joseph Cullen Root, an Iowa businessman, to provide financial services, life insurance, and opportunities for fellowship for men ages 18 to 45. The Mountain Valley Camp was organized at Rusher's Store in Montvale, in Bedford County, in 1907.

Scope and Content: The organization records of the Modern Woodmen of America (Mountain Valley Camp) consist of a minute book and a ledger. The minute book contains names of lodge officers and charter members, attendance records, and minutes, 1907-1917. Minutes document committee appointments, election of new members, and other business. The volume also contains records of dues paid by members and other accounts, 1917-1923.

Biographical / historical:

Context for Record Type: Organization Records, both volumes and loose records, are in some cases transferred to the Library of Virginia as components of court record transfers. These organization records in some cases were simply stored in the local court building for safe keeping by business owners. In other cases, organization records (particularly ledgers, account books, etc.) may have been filed in a court case as an exhibit. These organization 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: Bedford County was named probably for John Russell, fourth duke of Bedford, who served as secretary of state for the southern department from 1748 to 1751 and had general supervision of colonial affairs. It was formed from Lunenburg County in 1753, and parts of Albemarle and Lunenburg Counties were added in 1755. The county court first met on 5 May 1754. The county seat is the town of Bedford.

Acquisition information:
These records came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Bedford County in an undated accession.
Processing information:

Prior to 2025, the various organization records in this collection were originally described as individual records, but they have been consolidated into one large organization record for the locality. Since 2025, these records additionally include identified but not processed records.

These records were processed by Catherine OBrion in 2010.

Encoded by J. Taylor: June 2025.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into one series:

  • Series I: Modern Woodmen of America (Mountain Valley Camp) Records, 1907-1941

Physical location:
State Records Center