Amelia County (Va.) Business Records, 1801-1839

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:

Many of the business volumes are fragile and should not be handled, please check alternative formats for volumes that have been microfilmed. Please use microfilm if available.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Amelia County (Va.) Business Records, 1801-1839. Local government records collection, Amelia County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Summary

Extent:
3 volumes
Creator:
Amelia County (Va.) Circuit Court
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Amelia County (Va.) Business Records, 1801-1839. Local government records collection, Amelia County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Background

Scope and content:

Amelia County (Va.) Business Records, 1801-1839, are comprised of various records created by individuals and companies in pursuit of documenting business activities in and around Amelia County (Va.) Represented records consist of bound volumes such as account books and a daybook.

Historical Information:In 1741, Samuel Cobbs, the first Amelia County court clerk, was authorized to build an 'ordinary' (tavern) at the crossroads near his house. He maintained an office there as well as at Amelia, thus the location eventually became known as Office Tavern Post Office, and a small community grew up around it.

Egbert Giles Leigh, Sr., also served a term as Amelia County Court clerk.

Scope and Content: Office Tavern Post Office Account Book, 1832-1834, records the accounts of individual customers. Each account lists transactions in chronological order. Information found in each account includes dates of transactions, amount owed for mailing or receiving letters, location where letters were mailed and received, and form of payment. This account book was kept by postmaster Egbert Giles Leigh, Sr.

Office Tavern Post Office Account Book, 1837-1839, records the accounts of individual customers. Each account lists transactions in chronological order. Information found in each account includes dates of transactions, amount owed for mailing or receiving letters, location where letters were mailed and received, and form of payment. This account book was kept by postmaster Peter R. Leigh.

Historical Information: The Pridesville Tavern operated in Amelia County during the early nineteenth century.

Scope and Content:The Pridesville Tavern Daybook, 1801-1803, records transactions on a daily basis. Information found in each entry includes name of customer, date of transaction, items purchased or services rendered, and amounts owed and paid. Services provided by the tavern included renting rooms, serving of meals and alcoholic drinks, and the feeding and livery of horses. Some alcoholic drinks served at the tavern were grog, whiskey, julep, wine, brandy, and rum.

Located in the front of the volume is a list of students attending Jefferson College in 1801. Jefferson College, incorporated 26 December 1800, was located in Amelia County. The list includes student name, date student entered college, amount of tuition payment received, and, for a few students, a note on when a student quit the college.

Biographical / historical:

Context for Record Type:Business Records, both volumes and loose records, are in some cases transferred to the Library of Virginia as components of court record transfers. These business records in some cases were simply stored in the local court building for safe keeping by business owners. In other cases, business records (particularly ledgers, account books, etc.) may have been filed in a court case as an exhibit. These business 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:Amelia County was named for Amelia Sophia Eleanora, daughter of King George II. It was formed from Prince George and Brunswick Counties by an act passed in 1734 to take effect on 25 March 1735. The county court first met on 9 May 1735. The county seat is Amelia. Area: 356.8 square miles. Population: 11,400 (2000), 12,100 (2005 estimate).

Acquisition information:

The Office Tavern Post Office Account Books came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Amelia County in an undated accession.

The Pridesville Tavern Daybook came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Amelia County in 2001 under the accession number 37993.

Processing information:

Prior to 2024, the various business records in this collection were originally described as individual records, but they have been consolidated into one large business record for the locality.

Encoded by C. Freed, August 2024

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged

  • Series I: Office Tavern Post Office Account Books, 1832-1839
  • Series II: Pridesville Tavern Daybook, 1801-1803

Physical location:
State Records Center; Library of Virginia