Spotsylvania County (Va.) County Court Records, 1730-1765

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

Summary

Creator:
Spotsylvania County (Va.) Circuit Court.
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Spotsylvania County (Va.) County Court Records, 1730-1765, consist of 4 order books and 1 minute book.

An order book is the formal, corrected transcription of the clerk's notes of the proceedings of court. A minute book contains the clerk's rough notes of court proceedings, which were later transcribed into an order book. Court order books were usually indexed and neat in appearance, while minute books were not.

Biographical / historical:

Spotsylvania County was formed from Essex, King William, and King and Queen Counties by a statute adopted in 1720 to take effect on 1 May 1721. The county was named for Alexander Spotswood, lieutenant governor of Virginia from 1710 to 1722.

The original records were created by the County Court.

Created by an act of 1720 to take effect on May 1, 1721. Many loose county court papers prior to 1839, when the courthouse moved from Fredericksburg to Spotsylvania Courthouse, are missing. Volumes that record deeds, court orders, and wills exist. The district court, superior court, and circuit court records of Spotsylvania County from 1813 to 1889 are in Fredericksburg.

Acquisition information:
These volumes were created by the Virginia State Library's (now the Library of Virginia) Archives Division.
Physical location:
State Records Center - Archives Annex, Library of Virginia
Physical description:
5 negative photstatic volumes