Collections : [Library of Virginia]

Winchester (Va.) Confederate Pension Board Register and Minute Book, 1900-1915, consists of the minutes taken during the meetings of the Confederate Pension Board related to its work largely approving or rejecting pension applications for relief aid made by individuals or widows of those who fought in the War Between the States.

Winchester (Va.) Convict Register, 1874-1906, is a "descriptive list of persons convicted of a felony, or other infamous offences, in the Corporation Court of Winchester, Virginia, since 20 July 1874." Based on a set form, the listings of each conviction include the individual's name in full and any aliases, the present and last known residence of the accused, the color or race of the individual (including white, black, mulatto, brown, copper, light mulatto, yellow, dark brown, dark complexion, ginger cake colored, ginger cake, light ginger cake, bright mulatto, ginger or colored), the individual's height, eye color, hair color and any identifying marks, the apparent or known age of the accused, his or her occupation, the offence, the court in which convicted, the date of conviction and page of record and whether the judgment was reversed or pardon granted and date thereof. The volume has 147 leaves but only a small portion of the volume was actually used. The entries include the convict's full name and are arranged by date of conviction. There are 3 loose pages in the beginning of the volume with additional information and an unrelated copy of court executions from 1797 which may have been used as a page marker. At the beginning, the volume contains an index.

Winchester (Va.) Court Records 1798 - 1937 includes the following series; Chancery Court Common Law, Chancery Order Books, Constables' Returns of Justices' Executions, Corporation and Circuit Court Law Papers and Bonds, Criminal and Charges Tried by Justice's of the Peace, Dockets, Execution Books, Fee Books, Judgment Docket Judgments, Jury Attendance Books, Justices'Judgments and Executions, Law Order Books, Minute Books, Process Book and Rough Dockets.

Winchester (Va.) Deed of Trust, Sidney P. York and Wife to William L. Bent, 1860, transfers York's property in order to satisfy debts incurred by York. York granted control over a lot in Winchester known as the "Valley Institute," along with all of the furniture in the establishment. The "Valley Institute" refers to York's Methodist school the Valley Female Institute, which was later termed Fairfax College.

Winchester (Va.) Deeds, 1785-1979 (bulk 1900-1979) consist of deeds of bargain and sale, deeds of gift, mortgages, and deeds of trust. On presentation to the court, deeds were proved and recorded. If the deed was not witnessed, the grantor acknowledged the deed in open court. A few of the deeds include plats. Except for a few years early in the eighteenth century, slaves in Virginia were considered personal property and consequently were not usually sold by deed. However, they were often transferred in deeds of gift or were the property listed in mortgages and deeds of trust.

Winchester (Va.) Election Records, 1894-1950, includes List of Registered Voters, 1902-1928, and individual lists of white and colored voters, 1894-1950, from each ward. Information from the individual lists were transferred to the List of Registered Voters. The volume is divided by precincts: Alexandria, Carper's Valley, Lamp, City Hall, Rouso Engine House, Sarah Lane, Shenandoah, Neffstown, Borden, Station House, Friendship, and Stonewell; and within each precinct on the basis of color. Information found in the volumes includes date of registration; number of registered voter; name of registered voter; date of birth; age; occupation; residence; length of residence in state, county, and precinct; whether exempt from poll tax; if naturalized, and if so, date of papers and by what court issued; if transferred from another precinct, and if so, when and to what precinct.

Winchester (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1814-1857. The collection contains free negro registrations, 1814-1857; a certificate of non-importation, 1814; and two deeds of emancipation, 1824 and 1856. Registrations include age, a brief physical description, and information documenting the person's free birth or circumstances of emancipation. The collection contains regisrations for Berkeley Allen, 1814; Thomas Cook, 1826; Rosanna Robinson, 1841; Kitty Brown, 1842; James and Sarah Elizabeth Weaver, 1846; Robert Webb, 1857; and Robert Mason, undated. Also included in the collection is a deed of emancipation for Lewis, from James Little, 1824; a deed of emancipation for Elizabeth, ("who is also my wife") from Griffin Taylor, 1856 Dec. 31; and a certificate of non-importation from Samuel Smith for Charles, an enslaved person he inherited from his father, and brought to Winchester from Prince George County, Maryland.

Winchester (Va.) Marriage Records and Vital Statistics, 1790-1976 bulk (1932-1976) consist of boxes of Marriage Records, Marriage Registers Nos. 1-35, an Index to Marriage Register No. 1, a Register of Deaths and an undated Index to a Register of Births.

Winchester (Va.) Minute Books, 1802-1811, 1843-1860, record all matters brought before the court on a daily basis when it was in session including but not limited to: civil and criminal suits, appointments of county officers, appointments of guardians and administrators, deed recordings, free negro registrations, naturalization registrations, and court fees. Clerks would transfer information from minute books to appropriate order book, deed book, fiduciary book, free negro register, etc. Collection includes a minute book from the City of Winchester circuit court.

Winchester (Va.) Muster Roll in the War with Germany, 1917-1960 (bulk 1917-1918), is a listing of men who served in one of the several branches of the armed services during World War I. Information included in the muster roll includes name, address (name of town), age, color, selective service (date drafted), volunteers for army, navy and marine corps (date accepted and which branch), National Guard and naval militia (date and where mustered), rank, branch, and remarks which include notations about date discharged, reason and date of deaths, whether someone was a chaplain, etc.