Collections

The Letter, James W. Keeble to Unidentified, consists of three pages, filled front and back, telling an unidentified friend about his new life in Mississippi. Included is mention of a Virginian family named the Montagues and a brief paragraph about the possibility of Virginian secession and Keeble's determination to fight for Virginia.

Essex County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1728-1914, consists of cases concerning issues of equity brought largely by residents of the county and filed in the circuit court. These cases often involve the following actions: divisions of estates or land, disputes over wills, disputes regarding contracts, debt, divorce, and business disputes. Other less prevalent issues include freedom suits, permissions to sell property, and disputes concerning trespass. Predominant documents found in these chancery causes include bills (documents the plaintiff's complaint), answers (defendant's response to the plaintiff's complaint), decrees (court's decision), depositions, affidavits, correspondence, lists of heirs, deeds, plats, wills, records involving enslaved individuals, business records or vital statistics.

Essex County (Va.) Clerk's Fees, 1841-1848. The records document fees charged to several individuals and Langston and Company for services provided by the Essex Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery. Services provided include entering a judgment, filing papers, etc.

Essex County (Va.) Deeds, 1674-1855, consist primarily of deeds which include deeds of bargain and sale, deeds of gift, mortgages, bills of sale, and deeds of trust which are grouped by year. Included are a small section of processed material consisting of bills of sale and deeds,1714-1771, involving enslaved Black individuals.

Essex County (Va.) Lists of Tithables circa 1742, 1766, 1775, consists of manuscript of the list of tithable heads of household in the county.

Essex County (Va.) Military and Pension Records, 1757-1899; undated, consist of military service records, accounts and vouchers, and claims for reimbursement by civilians and service members. These include:

Essex County (Va.) Organization Records, 1726 is comprised of records created by groups in Essex County. These records consist of unprocessed, loose records. The records typically consist of appointments of trustees, minutes, and miscellaneous records of religious organizations, fraternal organizations, independent associations, and cooperatives.

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.

Essex County (Va.) Records, 1677-1940, undated, consist of the following series: Bonds/Commissions/Oaths; County Administrative Records (including Board of Supervisors and Overseer of the Poor Records); County, General, Superior Court of Chancery, Superior Court of Law, Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery and Circuit Court Records (including Criminal, Clerk's Records, Judgments, and an Indictment for Riot); Fiduciary Records; Health and Medical Records; Land Records; Marriage Records and Vital Statistics; Military and Pension Records; Miscellaneous Records; Organization Records; Road and Bridge Records; School Records; Tax and Fiscal Records and Wills.

Essex County (Va.) School Records, 1835-1907 (bulk 1871-1899.) The collection contains financial records documenting teacher salaries and other expenses paid to operate schools in three school districts in the county: Central and Rappahannock Districts, 1870-1907 and the Occupacia District, 1872-1873; 1879-1880 in addition to two townships, Rappahannock and Central, 1871. The records are comprised of teacher contracts, treasurer's warrants for teacher salaries and other expenses, accounts, receipts for teacher reports indicating the number of days taught and salary earned in a given month, and petitions for the establishment of schools and hiring of particular teachers.