Impressed Property Claim Records of the Auditor of Public Accounts (Public Service Claims), 1776-1794

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:
LVA
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Impressed Property Claims Records, 1776-1797, including certificates, claims, commissioner's booklets, court booklets, indexes, lists, orders, property valuations, registers and vouchers, related to compensation from the state made by Virginia citizens for materials, supplies, and personal services provided to militia, State and Continental troops during the Revolutionary War.

These records have been individually cataloged and indexed. Click here to access catalog: Revolutionary War Public Service Claims.

Biographical / historical:

During the Revolution the Virginia General Assmebly authorized the procurement of supplies from its citizens for the use of the militia, state, and Continental troops. The Legislature, sitting in sessions between 1780 May 4 and 1780 July 14, passed "An act for procuring a supply of provisions and other necessaries for the use of the Army" [Hening 10:233-237]. This act, extended in other sessions, authorized the governor to appoint commissioners within each county to impress such supplies and services as were thought necessary to the war effort.

The commissioners issued receipts, or certificates, to individuals for the requisitioned items so that owners could seek reimbursement from the state government. The certificates and any other available documentation were presented to the county court during special sessions held between 1781 and 1783. Certificates were examined and authenticated by the courts, and the amount of compensation was determined. Information pertaining to claims that were approved was recorded by the court clerk in court booklets which were sent to the public service claims commissioners' office in Richmond. The local provision law commissioners and deputy commissaries also kept lists of foodstuffs, animals and other provisions that were collected in each county.

Two public service claims commissioners were appointed by the governor in 1783 to authorize reimbursement for materials and services provided. Individuals or their agents went to the commissioner's office in Richmond where payment on their claims was approved based on information contained in the certificates and court booklets. These transactions were recorded in the commissioners' books. The individual or his agent was then issued a warrant by the Auditor of Public Accounts which he in turn took to the state treasurer's office for payment.

Acquisition information:
Transferred by the Auditor of Public Accounts in 1913.
Arrangement:

This collection is arranged alphabetically into eight series. This collection consists of several Auditor of Public Accounts (APA) accessions that, while identified separately, all pertain to the same collection of records. Since the specific APA accessions have been used and referenced over the years it was decided that each distinct APA accession number would be maintained separately, while creating one finding aid to describe the entire collection. Each series references it's specific APA accession number.

  • Series I: Certificates, 1780-1783 (APA 241)
  • Series II: Claims reaudited - Orders and vouchers, 1779-1786 (APA 239)
  • Series III: Commissioner's books, 1783 (APA 243)
  • Series IV: Computations and memoranda on property valuations, 1776-1783, 1786, 1791 (APA 237)
  • Series V: Court booklets, indexes and lists, 1779-1788 (APA 242)
  • Series VI: General claims approved, 1777, 1779-1784, 1789-1790, 1794 (APA 238)
  • Series VII: Rejected claims lists, 1780, 1784-1785, n.d. (APA 240)
  • Series VIII: Warrant register, 1783 July 10-August 24 (APA 244)
Physical description:
23 cu. ft. (57 boxes and 6 volumes)