Rockingham County (Va.) Fiduciary Records, 1772-1913

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:

Rockingham County (Va.) Fiduciary Records, 1772-1913. Local government records collection, Rockingham County (Va.) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Summary

Creator:
Rockingham County (Va.) Circuit Court.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Rockingham County (Va.) Fiduciary Records, 1772-1913. Local government records collection, Rockingham County (Va.) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Background

Scope and content:

Rockingham County (Va.) Fiduciary Records, 1772-1913, include miscellaneous records filed in a local court by trustees, administrators, executors, guardians, and committees that related to the performance of their duties managing a person's estate. These records typically include the following; bonds, appraisements, audits, inventories, accounts, estate divisions, settlements, dowery records, etc. Information related to enslaved people are commonly found in these records.

Biographical / historical:

Rockingham County (Va.) was named for Charles Watson-Wentworth, second marquis of Rockingham, who supported the colonies during the years before and during the Revolutionary War. The county was formed from Augusta County in 1778.

Created in 1778. A courthouse fire in 1787 destroyed wills and estate records, primarily. In June 1864 during the Civil War, court records (mostly volumes) were removed from the courthouse and loaded on a wagon to be taken to place of safety on or beyond the Blue Ridge. The wagon was overtaken by Union troops near Port Republic and set on fire, which was put out by local citizens. Many order books, deed books, will books, and fiduciary books, however, were lost or severely damaged by the fire. The loose records that remained at the courthouse were undamaged. Pre-1865 records including deeds and wills were rerecorded following an act of assembly passed in November 1884.

Acquisition information:
These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court records from Rockingham County as part of accession 40981.
Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
4.02 cu. ft. and 4 reels