Isle of Wight County (Va.) Organization Records, 1813-1936

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:

Isle of Wight County (Va.) Organization Records, 1813-1936, [series or volume title]. Local government records collection, Isle of Wight County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Summary

Creator:
Isle of Wight County (Va.) Circuit Court
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Isle of Wight County (Va.) Organization Records, 1813-1936, [series or volume title]. Local government records collection, Isle of Wight County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Background

Scope and content:

Isle of Wight County (Va.) Organization Records, 1813-1936 is comprised of various records created by groups in Isle of Wight County. Represented records largely consist of unprocessed loose records. These records typically consist of appointments of trustees, minutes, and miscellaneous records of religious organizations, fraternal organizations, independent associations, and cooperatives.

Includes boxes containing material identified as organization records. These records may be flat filed or foldered but not fully processed.

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: Isle of Wight County was most likely named for the Isle of Wight off the south coast of England. It was first known as Warrosquyoake and was one of the eight shires established in 1634. The present name was given in 1637. Part of Nansemond County was added in 1769. Its area is 319 square miles and the county seat is Isle of Wight.

Lost Locality Notes: Recognized as Warrosquyoake County, one of the original shires, in 1634 and given its present name in 1637. Most pre–Revolutionary War–era loose records are missing. Volumes that record deeds, court orders, and wills exist. During the Civil War, the county clerk had Randall Boothe, a Black man he enslaved, transport the court records to Greensville and Brunswick Counties for safekeeping. After the war ended, Boothe returned the records to Isle of Wight and served as Courthouse Caretaker.

Acquisition information:
These records came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court papers Isle of Wight County under 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.

Encoded by J. Porter: 2013; updated by J. Taylor: September 2025.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into one series:

  • Series I: Isle of Wight County (Va.) Organization Records, 1813-1936 [UNPROCESSED]

Physical location:
State Records Center - Archives Annex, Library of Virginia
Physical description:
0.45 cubic feet (1 box)