Virginia Chancery Records

[Littlestown]

The Chancery Records Index (CRI) is a result of archival processing and indexing projects overseen by the Library of Virginia (LVA) and funded, in part, by the Virginia Circuit Court Records Preservation Program (CCRP). Each of Virginia's circuit courts created chancery records that contain considerable historical and genealogical information. Because the records rely so heavily on testimony from witnesses, they offer a unique glimpse into the lives of Virginians from the early 18th century through the First World War.

The original court papers are flat-filed, indexed, and conserved using a set of standards developed by the LVA. Since the tri-folded records are often in poor condition, special attention is paid to preparing them for digital reformatting. This laborious process is undertaken so that the best quality images can be captured in one effort. The valuable original records are then retired to secure storage.

The reformatted images—whether digital scans or microfilm—can be viewed at the Library of Virginia, at the circuit court clerk's office, or, in the case of digital images, from any internet connected computer. The indexed but-not-yet-reformatted original records in the Library's care can be viewed in the Archives Research Room prior to reformatting. During reformatting, some or all of the original records may be unavailable for viewing; however, the full index will remain available for research purposes. Information is added to the CRI in such instances to alert researchers regarding a collection's availability.

There are over 233,000 cases indexed in the database and nearly 8 million images of chancery causes available online.

http://www.virginiamemory.com/collections/chancery/

 

[chellers]

This should be a great resource. Thanks, Littlestown.

 

[18thVirginia]

In researching some of my family, court cases have proved invaluable.

Thanks, Littlestown.

 

[John Winn]

Thank you L for that link and info. I didn't know of that project. I'm going over there right now as there are a few cases that I could use if they're among those indexed.

 

[godofredus]

So I searched for GWP Custis and got Index No. 1859-017. Now how do I read it? Thanks, cannot figure it out from the instructions....

 

[GenDeb]

Well I found something on an ancestor dated 1799 but I haven't got the slightest idea what...

 

[Frederick14Va]

The LVA chancery-probate records indexing and conservation has been an ongoing process for near 20 years now, and still rolling along....

I had a couple archivist friends that were involved in the process at various localities around the state (Va)... I would get frequent calls when they stumbled across odd, unusual or just comical files found..... to inquire what they were, or share some interesting court case....

There was the invoice receipts paid of Wolf bounties in the 1830-40's.... If one killed a Wolf they could get a bounty sum paid..... property sales... property disputes.... divorces... civil disputes... wills... One can locate vital important data on ones ancestry... also equally finding the legal dirt on great-grandpa.....

Property sales and forfeitures were required to post advertisement in the local newspaper of the pending action and auction of a piece of property... most of the county clerks clipped out the posting from the paper and included it in the probate file... and also a copy of any handbill poster that may have been used.... a couple times the clerk had a bad day or just lazy and shoved the entire newspaper into the file.... which to us now was most interesting... One found was a minty clean copy of a local paper from 1851... had a blast reading the articles and commentaries within... Including one editorial regarding the recent growing "fad" of Baseball... and prediction of its early demise....

Another side interest was noting how papers were bound together over the many decades... one could see how it evolved.... from sewing a corner together... to the various types and styles of metallic clips, binders then staples that were used over time...

In the late 19th and early 20th century.... If one was subjected to a financial civil suit to settle a debt... there was a poverty clause provision that allowed one to retain a bed, chair, pot, pan, stove and a cow..... that was off limits of being also confiscated....

One interesting court case uncovered that occurred sometime around 1910-1920's.... a male suitor was mislead and scorned in his romantic pursuits of a certain local female.... In his retaliation he had possession of a photo of her in less than complete attire.... he had hundreds of copies made.... recruited a friend that had a tail dragger crop dusting biplane..... they flew over the small town and air dropped hundreds of these photos all over the town..... needless to say the young lady was not amused and filed suit against him for the event....

Back along the civil war era.... lots of estate settlement probate cases regarding deceased soldiers... many times contained interesting information that typically is not found in the usual military records.....

This was also the initial fodder that kicked off research I did into the infamous "Indirect Taxes" that were levied on citizens during and just after the war..... These also filed within the usual probate records..... Interesting and sad... Basically the Federal Government levied the Indirect Tax... which if you lived in an area that had been part of a Southern State under the Confederacy... Once your area was captured and occupied by Federal authorities... all existing residents and property owners were bestowed property taxes, retroactive to the beginning of the war, payable and due immediately... or property be forfeited and sold.... Most folks didn't have Federal green back currency available... and little if no means to procure same.... so lost their homes and farms in short order....

 

[Littlestown]

So I searched for GWP Custis and got Index No. 1859-017. Now how do I read it? Thanks, cannot figure it out from the instructions....

In the Chancery collection? What county?

 

[Littlestown]

Well I found something on an ancestor dated 1799 but I haven't got the slightest idea what...

Were you able to view it, or has it not been scanned yet? What county?

 

[GenDeb]

Were you able to view it, or has it not been scanned yet? What county?[/

John Gordon jr AND sr. Rockbridge. Pls pm.