A Guide to the Virginia Attorney General's correspondence and letter books, 1898-1920 Attorney General's correspondence and letter books, Virginia, A Guide to the, 1898-1920 44018

A Guide to the Virginia Attorney General's correspondence and letter books, 1898-1920

A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Accession Number 44018

Library of Virginia

The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000
USA
Phone: (804) 692-3888 (Archives Reference)
Fax: (804) 692-3556 (Archives Reference)
Email: archdesk@lva.virginia.gov(Archives)
URL: http://www.lva.virginia.gov/

Processed by: Jessie R. Robinson

Repository

The Library of Virginia

Accession Number

44018

Title

A Guide to the Virginia Attorney General's correspondence and letter books, 1898-1920

Extent

8.25 cu. ft. (24 boxes) and 16 volumes

Creator

Virginia. Office of the Attorney General

Language

English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Virginia Attorney General's correspondence and letter books, 1898-1920. Accession 44018, State government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Original transfer information is unavailable. This collection was retroactively accessioned.

Historical Information

The Office of the Attorney General originated in medieval England. While representing the king in his courts, the Attorney General gradually assumed the role of legal advisor to the government and all its agencies. In Virginia, the first Attorney General was commissioned in 1643. The Declaration of Independence in 1776 ended the Attorney General's connection with royal authority, but the state constitution adopted that year continued the office under the auspices of the General Assembly. The constitution adopted in 1851 provided for the popular election of the Attorney General, rendering him independent of all three branches of government. The Attorney General is elected to a four-year term in office and is eligible for reelection.

Scope and Content

Contains incoming correspondence files and outgoing letter books from the administrations of Attorneys General Andrew J. Montague, William A. Anderson, and Samuel W. Williams.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into two series:

Series I. Correspondence files, 1898-1920 Series II. Letter books, 1898-1910

Contents List

Series I. Correspondence files, 1898-1920.

Boxes 1-24.

Extent: 8.25 cu. ft. (24 boxes)

Contains mostly incoming letters to the Virginia Attorney General, as well as a limited number of outgoing letters. The correspondence files span the administrations of Attorneys General, Andrew J. Montague (1898-1902), William A. Anderson (1902-1910), Samuel W. Williams (1910-1914), John G. Pollard (1914-1918), and John R. Saunders (1918-1934). Very little of the correspondence dates from the Pollard and Saunders administrations. The correspondence is comprised of requests for official opinions on a variety of legal matters including voting rights, property disputes, and criminal prosecution. Some communication between the Attorney General, the Governor, Commonwealth's Attorneys, and other state agency officials can be found here. However, most of the correspondence is in the form of letters from private lawyers and citizens with specific questions about various aspects of Virginia law. Located at the end of this collection are folders of cancelled checks, miscellaneous documents and subject files. Several notable subject files relate to a state case against the Jamestown Jockey Club for illegal gambling on horse races.

Arranged chronologically by year, and then by letter of the alphabet. However, there is no particular arrangement of the correspondence within the folder or folders for each letter.

Box 1 Folder 1
1898 S-Y .
Box 1 Folder 2
1899 A .
Box 1 Folder 3
1899 B .
Box 1 Folder 4
1899 B .
Box 1 Folder 5
1899 C .
Box 1 Folder 6
1899 C .
Box 1 Folder 7
1899 D .
Box 1 Folder 8
1899 E .
Box 1 Folder 9
1899 F .
Box 1 Folder 10
1899 G .
Box 1 Folder 11
1899 G .
Box 1 Folder 12
1899 H .
Box 1 Folder 13
1899 H .
Box 1 Folder 14
1899 I-J .
Box 1 Folder 15
1899 K-L .
Box 1 Folder 16
1899 M .
Box 1 Folder 17
1899 M .
Box 1 Folder 18
1899 N-O .
Box 1 Folder 19
1899 P .
Box 1 Folder 20
1899 R .
Box 2 Folder 1
1899 S .
Box 2 Folder 2
1899 S .
Box 2 Folder 3
1899 T-V .
Box 2 Folder 4
1899 W .
Box 2 Folder 5
1899 W .
Box 2 Folder 6
1899 Y .
Box 2 Folder 7
1900 A .
Box 2 Folder 8
1900 B .
Box 2 Folder 9
1900 B .
Box 2 Folder 10
1900 B .
Box 2 Folder 11
1900 C .
Box 2 Folder 12
1900 C .
Box 2 Folder 13
1900 D .
Box 2 Folder 14
1900 E .
Box 2 Folder 15
1900 F .
Box 2 Folder 16
1900 G .
Box 2 Folder 17
1900 H .
Box 2 Folder 18
1900 H .
Box 2 Folder 19
1900 I-J .
Box 2 Folder 20
1900 K .
Box 3 Folder 1
1900 L .
Box 3 Folder 2
1900 M .
Box 3 Folder 3
1900 M .
Box 3 Folder 4
1900 N .
Box 3 Folder 5
1900 O .
Box 3 Folder 6
1900 P .
Box 3 Folder 7
1900 Q .
Box 3 Folder 8
1900 R .
Box 3 Folder 9
1900 R .
Box 3 Folder 10
1900 S .
Box 3 Folder 11
1900 S .
Box 3 Folder 12
1900 T-V .
Box 3 Folder 13
1900 W .
Box 3 Folder 14
1900 W .
Box 3 Folder 15
1900 Y-Z .
Box 3 Folder 16
1901 A .
Box 3 Folder 17
1901 B .
Box 3 Folder 18
1901 B .
Box 3 Folder 19
1901 C .
Box 3 Folder 20
1901 C .
Box 3 Folder 21
1901 D .
Box 3 Folder 22
1901 E .
Box 4 Folder 1
1901 F .
Box 4 Folder 2
1901 G .
Box 4 Folder 3
1901 H .
Box 4 Folder 4
1901 I-J .
Box 4 Folder 5
1901 K .
Box 4 Folder 6
1901 L .
Box 4 Folder 7
1901 M .
Box 4 Folder 8
1901 M .
Box 4 Folder 9
1901 N-O .
Box 4 Folder 10
1901 P .
Box 4 Folder 11
1901 Q-R .
Box 4 Folder 12
1901 S .
Box 4 Folder 13
1901 T-V .
Box 4 Folder 14
1901 W .
Box 4 Folder 15
1901 Y .
Box 4 Folder 16
1902 A .
Box 4 Folder 17
1902 B .
Box 4 Folder 18
1902 B .
Box 4 Folder 19
1902 B .
Box 4 Folder 20
1902 C .
Box 4 Folder 21
1902 C .
Box 4 Folder 22
1902 C .
Box 4 Folder 23
1902 C .
Box 5 Folder 1
1902 D .
Box 5 Folder 2
1902 D .
Box 5 Folder 3
1902 E .
Box 5 Folder 4
1902 F .
Box 5 Folder 5
1902 G .
Box 5 Folder 6
1902 G .
Box 5 Folder 7
1902 H .
Box 5 Folder 8
1902 H .
Box 5 Folder 9
1902 I-J .
Box 5 Folder 10
1902 K .
Box 5 Folder 11
1902 L .
Box 5 Folder 12
1902 L .
Box 5 Folder 13
1902 M .
Box 5 Folder 14
1902 M .
Box 5 Folder 15
1902 M .
Box 5 Folder 16
1902 N .
Box 5 Folder 17
1902 O .
Box 5 Folder 18
1902 P .
Box 5 Folder 19
1902 P .
Box 6 Folder 1
1902 Q-R .
Box 6 Folder 2
1902 S .
Box 6 Folder 3
1902 S .
Box 6 Folder 4
1902 T .
Box 6 Folder 5
1902 W .
Box 6 Folder 6
1902 W .
Box 6 Folder 7
1902 V .
Box 6 Folder 8
1902 Y-Z .
Box 6 Folder 9
1903 A .
Box 6 Folder 10
1903 B .
Box 6 Folder 11
1903 B .
Box 6 Folder 12
1903 B .
Box 6 Folder 13
1903 C .
Box 6 Folder 14
1903 C .
Box 6 Folder 15
1903 C .
Box 6 Folder 16
1903 C .
Box 6 Folder 17
1903 D .
Box 6 Folder 18
1903 E .
Box 7 Folder 1
1903 F .
Box 7 Folder 2
1903 G .
Box 7 Folder 3
1903 G .
Box 7 Folder 4
1903 H .
Box 7 Folder 5
1903 H .
Box 7 Folder 6
1903 J .
Box 7 Folder 7
1903 K .
Box 7 Folder 8
1903 L .
Box 7 Folder 9
1903 M .
Box 7 Folder 10
1903 M .
Box 7 Folder 11
1903 M .
Box 7 Folder 12
1903 N-O .
Box 7 Folder 13
1903 P .
Box 7 Folder 14
1903 P .
Box 7 Folder 15
1903 Q .
Box 7 Folder 16
1903 R .
Box 7 Folder 17
1903 S .
Box 7 Folder 18
1903 S .
Box 8 Folder 1
1903 T .
Box 8 Folder 2
1903 V .
Box 8 Folder 3
1903 W .
Box 8 Folder 4
1903 W .
Box 8 Folder 5
1903 W .
Box 8 Folder 6
1903 Y-Z .
Box 8 Folder 7
1904 A .
Box 8 Folder 8
1904 A .
Box 8 Folder 9
1904 B .
Box 8 Folder 10
1904 B .
Box 8 Folder 11
1904 B .
Box 8 Folder 12
1904 B .
Box 8 Folder 13
1904 B .
Box 8 Folder 14
1904 C .
Box 8 Folder 15
1904 C .
Box 8 Folder 16
1904 C .
Box 8 Folder 17
1904 C .
Box 9 Folder 1
1904 D .
Box 9 Folder 2
1904 E .
Box 9 Folder 3
1904 F .
Box 9 Folder 4
1904 G .
Box 9 Folder 5
1904 G .
Box 9 Folder 6
1904 G .
Box 9 Folder 7
1904 H .
Box 9 Folder 8
1904 H .
Box 9 Folder 9
1904 H .
Box 9 Folder 10
1904 I .
Box 9 Folder 11
1904 J .
Box 9 Folder 12
1904 J .
Box 9 Folder 13
1904 K .
Box 9 Folder 14
1904 L .
Box 9 Folder 15
1904 L .
Box 9 Folder 16
1904 M .
Box 9 Folder 17
1904 M .
Box 10 Folder 1
1904 M .
Box 10 Folder 2
1904 M .
Box 10 Folder 3
1904 N .
Box 10 Folder 4
1904 O .
Box 10 Folder 5
1904 P .
Box 10 Folder 6
1904 P .
Box 10 Folder 7
1904 Q .
Box 10 Folder 8
1904 R .
Box 10 Folder 9
1904 R .
Box 10 Folder 10
1904 S .
Box 10 Folder 11
1904 S .
Box 10 Folder 12
1904 T .
Box 10 Folder 13
1904 T .
Box 10 Folder 14
1904 U-V .
Box 10 Folder 15
1904 W .
Box 10 Folder 16
1904 W .
Box 10 Folder 17
1904 W .
Box 10 Folder 18
1904 W .
Box 10 Folder 19
1904 Y .
Box 11 Folder 1
1905 A .
Box 11 Folder 2
1905 A .
Box 11 Folder 3
1905 B .
Box 11 Folder 4
1905 B .
Box 11 Folder 5
1905 B .
Box 11 Folder 6
1905 C .
Box 11 Folder 7
1905 C .
Box 11 Folder 8
1905 C .
Box 11 Folder 9
1905 D .
Box 11 Folder 10
1905 E .
Box 11 Folder 11
1905 F .
Box 11 Folder 12
1905 G .
Box 11 Folder 13
1905 G .
Box 11 Folder 14
1905 H .
Box 11 Folder 15
1905 H .
Box 11 Folder 16
1905 H .
Box 11 Folder 17
1905 I .
Box 11 Folder 18
1905 J .
Box 12 Folder 1
1905 K .
Box 12 Folder 2
1905 L .
Box 12 Folder 3
1905 M .
Box 12 Folder 4
1905 M .
Box 12 Folder 5
1905 M .
Box 12 Folder 6
1905 N .
Box 12 Folder 7
1905 O .
Box 12 Folder 8
1905 P .
Box 12 Folder 9
1905 P .
Box 12 Folder 10
1905 P .
Box 12 Folder 11
1905 Q .
Box 12 Folder 12
1905 R .
Box 12 Folder 13
1905 S .
Box 12 Folder 14
1905 S .
Box 12 Folder 15
1905 S .
Box 12 Folder 16
1905 T .
Box 12 Folder 17
1905 T .
Box 13 Folder 1
1905 U-V .
Box 13 Folder 2
1905 W .
Box 13 Folder 3
1905 W .
Box 13 Folder 4
1905 W .
Box 13 Folder 5
1905 Y .
Box 13 Folder 6
1906 A .
Box 13 Folder 7
1906 B .
Box 13 Folder 8
1906 B .
Box 13 Folder 9
1906 B .
Box 13 Folder 10
1906 C .
Box 13 Folder 11
1906 C .
Box 13 Folder 12
1906 C .
Box 13 Folder 13
1906 C .
Box 13 Folder 14
1906 D .
Box 13 Folder 15
1906 E .
Box 13 Folder 16
1906 E .
Box 13 Folder 17
1906 F .
Box 14 Folder 1
1906 G .
Box 14 Folder 2
1906 G .
Box 14 Folder 3
1906 H .
Box 14 Folder 4
1906 H .
Box 14 Folder 5
1906 I .
Box 14 Folder 6
1906 J .
Box 14 Folder 7
1906 K .
Box 14 Folder 8
1906 L .
Box 14 Folder 9
1906 L .
Box 14 Folder 10
1906 M .
Box 14 Folder 11
1906 M .
Box 14 Folder 12
1906 M .
Box 14 Folder 13
1906 M .
Box 14 Folder 14
1906 N .
Box 14 Folder 15
1906 O .
Box 14 Folder 16
1906 P .
Box 14 Folder 17
1906 P .
Box 15 Folder 1
1906 R .
Box 15 Folder 2
1906 R .
Box 15 Folder 3
1906 S .
Box 15 Folder 4
1906 S .
Box 15 Folder 5
1906 S .
Box 15 Folder 6
1906 S .
Box 15 Folder 7
1906 T .
Box 15 Folder 8
1906 U-V .
Box 15 Folder 9
1906 W .
Box 15 Folder 10
1906 W .
Box 15 Folder 11
1906 W .
Box 15 Folder 12
1906 Y-Z; unknown .
Box 15 Folder 13
1907 A .
Box 15 Folder 14
1907 B .
Box 15 Folder 15
1907 B .
Box 15 Folder 16
1907 B .
Box 15 Folder 17
1907 B .
Box 16 Folder 1
1907 C .
Box 16 Folder 2
1907 C .
Box 16 Folder 3
1907 C .
Box 16 Folder 4
1907 D .
Box 16 Folder 5
1907 E .
Box 16 Folder 6
1907 E .
Box 16 Folder 7
1907 E .
Box 16 Folder 8
1907 F .
Box 16 Folder 9
1907 G .
Box 16 Folder 10
1907 G .
Box 16 Folder 11
1907 H .
Box 16 Folder 12
1907 H .
Box 16 Folder 13
1907 H .
Box 16 Folder 14
1907 H .
Box 16 Folder 15
1907 H .
Box 16 Folder 16
1907 I .
Box 16 Folder 17
1907 J .
Box 17 Folder 1
1907 K .
Box 17 Folder 2
1907 L .
Box 17 Folder 3
1907 M .
Box 17 Folder 4
1907 M .
Box 17 Folder 5
1907 M .
Box 17 Folder 6
1907 M .
Box 17 Folder 7
1907 M .
Box 17 Folder 8
1907 N-O .
Box 17 Folder 9
1907 P .
Box 17 Folder 10
1907 P .
Box 17 Folder 11
1907 Q-R .
Box 17 Folder 12
1907 S .
Box 17 Folder 13
1907 S .
Box 17 Folder 14
1907 S .
Box 17 Folder 15
1907 S .
Box 17 Folder 16
1907 S .
Box 17 Folder 17
1970 T .
Box 17 Folder 18
1907 T .
Box 18 Folder 1
1907 V .
Box 18 Folder 2
1907 W .
Box 18 Folder 3
1907 W .
Box 18 Folder 4
1907 W .
Box 18 Folder 5
1907 W .
Box 18 Folder 6
1907 Y-Z .
Box 18 Folder 7
1908 A .
Box 18 Folder 8
1908 B .
Box 18 Folder 9
1908 B .
Box 18 Folder 10
1908 B .
Box 18 Folder 11
1908 B .
Box 18 Folder 12
1908 C .
Box 18 Folder 13
1908 C .
Box 18 Folder 14
1908 D .
Box 18 Folder 15
1908 D .
Box 18 Folder 16
1908 E .
Box 18 Folder 17
1908 E .
Box 19 Folder 1
1908 F .
Box 19 Folder 2
1908 G .
Box 19 Folder 3
1908 H .
Box 19 Folder 4
1908 H .
Box 19 Folder 5
1908 H .
Box 19 Folder 6
1908 H .
Box 19 Folder 7
1908 I-J .
Box 19 Folder 8
1908 K .
Box 19 Folder 9
1908 L .
Box 19 Folder 10
1908 L .
Box 19 Folder 11
1908 M .
Box 19 Folder 12
1908 M .
Box 19 Folder 13
1908 M .
Box 19 Folder 14
1908 M .
Box 19 Folder 15
1908 N .
Box 19 Folder 16
1908 O .
Box 20 Folder 1
1908 P .
Box 20 Folder 2
1908 P .
Box 20 Folder 3
1908 R .
Box 20 Folder 4
1908 R .
Box 20 Folder 5
1908 S .
Box 20 Folder 6
1908 S .
Box 20 Folder 7
1908 S .
Box 20 Folder 8
1908 T .
Box 20 Folder 9
1908 T .
Box 20 Folder 10
1908 T .
Box 20 Folder 11
1908 W .
Box 20 Folder 12
1908 W .
Box 20 Folder 13
1908 W .
Box 20 Folder 14
1908 W .
Box 20 Folder 15
1908 Y-Z .
Box 21 Folder 1
1909 A .
Box 21 Folder 2
1909 B .
Box 21 Folder 3
1909 B .
Box 21 Folder 4
1909 B .
Box 21 Folder 5
1909 C .
Box 21 Folder 6
1909 C .
Box 21 Folder 7
1909 D .
Box 21 Folder 8
1909 D .
Box 21 Folder 9
1909 E .
Box 21 Folder 10
1909 E .
Box 21 Folder 11
1909 F .
Box 21 Folder 12
1909 G .
Box 21 Folder 13
1909 H .
Box 21 Folder 14
1909 H .
Box 21 Folder 15
1909 H .
Box 21 Folder 16
1909 J .
Box 21 Folder 17
1909 K .
Box 22 Folder 1
1909 L .
Box 22 Folder 2
1909 L .
Box 22 Folder 3
1909 M .
Box 22 Folder 4
1909 M .
Box 22 Folder 5
1909 M .
Box 22 Folder 6
1909 N .
Box 22 Folder 7
1909 O .
Box 22 Folder 8
1909 P .
Box 22 Folder 9
1909 P .
Box 22 Folder 10
1909 R .
Box 22 Folder 11
1909 S .
Box 22 Folder 12
1909 S .
Box 22 Folder 13
1909 S .
Box 22 Folder 14
1909 T .
Box 22 Folder 15
1909 T .
Box 22 Folder 16
1909 U-V .
Box 23 Folder 1
1909 W .
Box 23 Folder 2
1909 W .
Box 23 Folder 3
1909 W .
Box 23 Folder 4
1909 W .
Box 23 Folder 5
1909 Y .
Box 23 Folder 6
1910 B .
Box 23 Folder 7
1910 D-E .
Box 23 Folder 8
1910 H-L .
Box 23 Folder 9
1910 M .
Box 23 Folder 10
1910 O-S .
Box 23 Folder 11
1910 T-W .
Box 23 Folder 12
1911 .
Box 23 Folder 13
1912 .
Box 23 Folder 14
1913 A-C .
Box 23 Folder 15
1913 D-H .
Box 23 Folder 16
1913 K-L .
Box 23 Folder 17
1913 M-R .
Box 23 Folder 18
1913 S .
Box 23 Folder 19
1913 T .
Box 23 Folder 20
1913 W-Y .
Box 23 Folder 21
Cancelled checks, 1911-1912 .
Box 24 Folder 1
Commonwealth vs Jamestown Jockey Club, 1911 .
Box 24 Folder 2
Commonwealth vs Jamestown Jockey Club, 1912-1916 .
Box 24 Folder 3
Commonwealth vs Jamestown Jockey Club (court papers), 1911 .
Box 24 Folder 4
Commonwealth vs Jamestown Jockey Club (court papers), 1911 .
Box 24 Folder 5
Commonwealth vs Jamestown Jockey Club (court papers), 1911 .
Box 23 Folder 22
Miscellaneous documents and opinions, 1902-1912; undated .
Box 24 Folder 6
Portrait of Mrs. Elvira B. Taylor, 1917-1920 .
Box 24 Folder 7
W.H. Robertson, Special Commissioner vs Commonwealth, 1919-1920 .

Series II. Letter books (outgoing), 1898-1910.

Extent: 16 volumes.

Letter books contain only outgoing correspondence written by the Attorney General. The books span the administrations of Attorneys General Andrew J. Montague (1898-1902) and William A. Anderson (1902-1910). Most of the letters answer questions posed by citizens and government entities regarding topics such as the Code of Virginia, the validity of taxes and local ordinances, and constutional law. Some letters also pertain to specific court cases.

Arranged chronologically.

1898 January-November .
1898 November-1900 April .
1900 April-1901 December .
1902 January-August .
1902 August-1903 April .
1903 April-November .
1903 November-1904 June .
1904 June-1905 March .
1905 March-September .
1905 September-1906 April .
1906 April-November .
1906 November-1907 July .
1907 July-1908 April .
1908 April-1909 February .
1909 February-1910 January .
1910 January-March .