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Use microfilm copies, Richmond (Va.) Reels 995 and 996.
Manchester (Va.) Board of Trusteees Minute Book, 1811-1875. Richmond (Va.) Reel 995 and 996, Local government records collection, Richmond (City) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.
These original volumes came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from the City of Richmond.
Reels 995 and 996 were generated by Backstage Library Works through the Library of Virginia's Circuit Court Records Preservation Program.
Manchester was established as a town by the General Assembly in November 1769. According to this act, "the honorable William Byrd hath lately laid out a parcel of his lands at Rocky Ridge, at the falls of the James River, in the county of Chesterfield, in lots and streets for a town." Directors and trustees were appointed and the town was named Manchester. The town was incorporated on February 27, 1834. On March 20, 1874, a city charter was approved by the General Assembly and the city was divided into 4 wards. Three members from each ward served on the City Council, the main governing body of the city along with the mayor. On April 15, 1910, the city of Manchester was officially annexed to the City of Richmond with the provisos that a free bridge would be constructed to connect Manchester with Richmond and that Manchester would retain a courthouse. Today the area is also known as South Richmond. The town of Manchester was named probably for Manchester Parish in Chesterfield County. The parish in turn was named either for George Montague, fourth duke of Manchester, or for the town of Manchester, England.
Manchester (Va.) Board of Trustees Minute Books, 1811-1875, are comprised of three separate volumes dealing with the business of the town of Manchester's Board of Trustees through the creation of the city of Manchester's City Council. When the town was established in 1769, directors and trustees were appointed to govern the town. The first volume dates from 1811-1850 and numbers 308 pages. The volume opens with surviving trustee, John Murchie, calling for a meeting of the town's freeholders to elect the proper persons to supply vacancies on the Board of Trustees. The town sheriff, in charge of the elections, appoints seven new trustees to the board. These trustees are then entrusted with running the town--dealing with bonds for town officials, passing town ordinances--relating to both free men and slaves--in order to create a code of law for the town, forming committees to deal with various issues, surveying land and lots, collecting subscriptions for studies and improvements to the town's infrastructure, noting assessments of taxable property, including Treasurer's accounts as well as various reports and claims for town services.
The second volume dates from 1850-1870 and numbers 432 pages. This volume notes the continued work of the town's Board of Trustees from the presenting of bills, communications received and estimates given to various regulations, by laws and elections. According to Benjamin Weisiger's book, page 18, "The Manchester Board of Trustees apparently did not meet during the Civil War, or if they did, the minutes for the period are missing." In addition, there is an internal index found in the beginning of the volume. The last volume dates from 1870-1875 and numbers 563 pages. This volume notes the filing of various propositions and petitions. When the town received its city charter in 1874, the organization of the City Council is outlined--beginning on page 436 of this volume. Henceforth, the town of Manchester's Board of Trustees was replaced by the city of Manchester's City Council.
Arranged chronologically.
Additional Richmond City Government Records can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult
A wonderful history of Manchester "Old Manchester and Its Environs, 1769-1910" was published in 1993 by noted local historian, Benjamin B. Weisiger III. The volume is found in the Library of Virginia's book collection.