Public Guard records of the Virginia Auditor of Public Accounts, 1801-1868

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

Email: archdesk@lva.virginia.gov

Phone: (804) 692-3888

Web: www.lva.virginia.gov

Summary

Extent:

2.6 cu. ft. (3 boxes and 9 oversize folders)

Creator:

Virginia. Auditor of Public Accounts.

Language:

English

Background

Scope and content:

Records, 1801-1868, including accounts, muster and payrolls, provision returns, receipt rolls, and vouchers of the Public Guard. The accounts and vouchers were for clothing (hats, shirts, shoes, vests), thread and cloth, monies paid to the guard, cords of wood, rations of spirits, food (tea, lamb, chicken, sugar, oysters, lamb, beef, veal), payments to the hospital to care for sick guards, and other miscellaneous costs. Of note are the muster and payrolls which list the name, rank, date of appointment, expiration of service, amount of pay, and number of days worked by the public guard.

Biographical / historical:

The public guard was established in 1802 for the protection of public property in Richmond, Virginia. From 1802 through 1822 the guard was quartered on Capitol Square in the Bell Tower; after 1822 the guard was stationed at the Virginia Manufactory of Arms. The public guard was abolished in 1869.

Acquisition information:

Transferred prior to 1913.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into two series by size and then chronologically within each series.