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James City County/Williamburg (Va.) Records, circa 1831-1959, undated. Local government records collection, James City County/Williamsburg Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.
Two boxes came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court records from James City County/Williamsburg. One box (1167494) came to the Library of Virginia under the accession number 42169.
James City County was named for King James I. The county was one of the original eight shires, or counties, enumerated in 1634. Parts of York County and New Kent County were added later.
Williamsburg, in James City and York counties, was established by the General Assembly as Middle Plantation in 1633. Middle Plantation was renamed Williamburg in honor of William III in 1699. Although its actual status was a borough, it was declard a "city Incorporate" by a royal charter in 1722. Williamsburg served as the state's capital from 1699-1780. It was incorporated as a city in 1884. The city's area was enlarged by annexations from both York and James City counties in 1915, 1924, 1942 and 1964 and from James City County alone in 1983.
Beginning in 1770, the courts of James City county and Williamsburg shared a common courthouse. During the Civil War, the records of both localities were transferred to Richmond for safekeeping but were destroyed by fire on 3 April 1865. The records of the Superior Court of Chancery for the Williamsburg District were destroyed by a courthouse fire in April 1911.
James City County/Williamsburg (Va.) Records, circa 1831-1959, undated, consist of the following series: Bonds/Commissions/Oaths, Business Records, County/City Administrative Records (subfield series include Commissioner of the Revenue Records, Board of Supervisors Records: Road and Bridge Records and Sheriff's Records), Fiduciary Records, Tax and Fiscal Records, Miscellaneous Records, Public Buildings and Ground Records, Court Records (subfield series include Chancery Records, Clerks' Records, Court Finance and Criminal Records.)
Additional James City County and Williamsburg Records can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult
James City County/Williamsburg is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional James City County/Williamsburg Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the
For more information and a listing of lost records localities see
Bonds/Commissions/Oaths: Appointment Bonds, Officials' Bonds, 1870-1871; Business Records: Certificates of Charter, 1958-1959; County Administrative Records: Commissioner of Revenue Records: List of Persons Assessed, 1911; Fiduciary Records: Guardian Accounts, 1858-1859; Tax and Fiscal Records: Contracts for Personal Property and Financing Statements, 1869-1927; Miscellaneous Records: Mechanics' Liens, 1869-1927; Public Buildings and Grounds Records: Reports of Jail Inspection, 1869-1927; County Administrative Records: Board of Supervisors Records: Road and Bridge Records, 1903-1906; Tax and Fiscal Records: Claims Against the Commonwealth, 1870.
Court Records: Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery Extract of Decree for Trustee of Roscoe Cole and others v. Admr of James Davis and others, 1846; Court Records: Chancery Records: Circuit Court: Admr of E.M.J. Bright vs. Ann S. Mutter, 1858; Court Records: Clerk's Records: Fees for Services, 1831-1856, Fees, 1834-1843, Miscellaneous Receipts and Accounts, 1835, 1838, 1850, 1852, n.d. and List of Fees Due the Clerk From Residents of Other Counties (Gloucester, Matthews, Warwick, York), 1835-1850, n.d.; County Administrative/City Administrative Records: Sheriff's Records: Settlement of Sheriff and Sergeant Accounts (James City Co. Sheriff, York Co. Sheriff, City of Williamsburg, Sergeant), 1836, Sheriff's Receipts from Residents of Other Counties (Gloucester, Henrico), 1841, n.d.and Writ, Taxes , 1855-1856; Court Records: Clerk's Records: Correspondence, 1855-1858, n.d. and Clerk's Fees Insolvents, n.d.; Fiduciary Records: Estate of Joseph C. Hubbard, 1852-1853; Miscellaneous Records: Agreement between William McMoody and S.T. and S.W. Bowman in re: house building and accounts of payments, 1853-1854, Assignment of Claim from Jacob Shook and Robert H. Crockett to J.B. Alexander, 1858 and Letter to Judge Smith from Scott Brothers, General Contractors, 1901.
Court Records: Clerk's Records: Clerk's correspondence, 1919; Court Records: Court Finance, 1868 ca., 1927, 1928; Court Records: Criminal Records: Jailor's Report to the Circuit Court, 1919; Miscellaneous Records: Petitions To Carry Weapons, 1919 (1 item); Tax and Fiscal Records: Erroneous Assessment of Taxes, 1920-1944, n.d.