Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

Should you wish to quote from or reproduce images of any of the materials, you must write to the Librarian of the Huntington Library, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108, requesting formal permission to do so. Please note that you do not have to obtain permission if you are quoting fewer than fifty words, or if you are only citing the document. Images made with microfilm-reader printers are for research use only and may not be used for publication without permission.

Preferred Citation

Henrico County (Va.) Circuit Court. Records, 1766-1879, Robert Alonzo Brock Collection, Henry E. Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Acquisition Information

The Robert Alonzo Brock Collection was filmed by The Huntington Library in cooperation with The Library of Virginia with funding provided by The Library of Virginia Foundation with the support of The Roller- Bottimore Foundation and The Robins Foundation. Microfilm received 15 April 2004.

Historical Information

Recognized in 1634 as an original shire. All county court records prior to 1655 and almost all prior to 1677 are missing. Many records were destroyed by British troops during the Revolutionary War. Post–Revolutionary War county court records exist. Almost all circuit superior court of law and chancery and circuit court records were destroyed by fire during the evacuation of Richmond on April 3, 1865, during the Civil War. The county’s circuit court held its sessions at the state courthouse in Richmond.

Scope and Content

Records, 1762-1879, of Henrico County Circuit Court consist of papers related to fiduciary records (1822, 1842, 1851), wills (no date, 1762, 1766, 1809, 1810, 1811, 1819, 1820, 1828, 1835), documents related to judgments (no date, 1777, 1778, 1783, 1784, 1805, 1819, 1823, 1824, 1825, 1826, 1839, 1840, 1845, 1868, 1873), criminal records (1823, 1846), marriage records (1828, 1832, 1843), clerks' records (1801, 1804, 1814, 1816), bonds/commissions/oaths records (1851), tax and fiscal records (1818, 1829, 1858), accounts and transactions related to the estate of Judith Bullington (1810-1816), and miscellaneous records (1789, 1828, 1830, 1841, 1857, 1867.)

Wills found in collection include Joseph Parson, 1762; John Williams, 1766, John White, 1809, John Harris, 1810, Tarpley White, 1811, Wright Southgate, 1811, William Gentry, 1819, John Graham, 1820, Jim Parkinson, 1828, Joseph Bailey Scott, Senior, no date; and Margaret Maule, 1835.

Fiduciary records found in collection include an appraisement of Samuel Paine's estate, 1822

Criminal records found in collection include various court documents that relate to criminal matters involving free negroes and slaves such as not having free papers, assault and battery, and attempted murder.

Miscellaneous records include a partial history of the Henrico County Courthouse written in 1867.

Related Material

Additional Henrico County court records, fiduciary records, tax and fiscal records, and wills can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm."

Henrico County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Henrico County Court Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the Lost Records Localities Database found at the Library of Virginia web site.

Access Terms

Corporate Name

• Henrico County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subject Terms

• African Americans--Virginia--Henrico County.
• Clerks of court--Virginia--Henrico County.
• Courthouses--Virginia--Henrico County.
• Free African Americans--Virginia--Henrico County.
• Judgments--Virginia--Henrico County.
• Marriage--Virginia--Henrico County.
• Public records--Virginia--Henrico County.
• Slaves--United States.
• Slaves--Virginia--Henrico County.

Geographic Terms

• Henrico County (Va.)--History.

Record Type

• Criminal court records--Virginia--Henrico County.
• Estate inventories--Virginia--Henrico County.
• Judicial records--Virginia--Henrico County.
• Marriage licenses--Virginia--Henrico County.
• Marriage records--Virginia--Henrico County.
• Wills--Virginia--Henrico County.

Added Entry - Personal Name

• Brock, R. A. (Robert Alonzo), 1839-1914, collector.

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Originals are located at the Henry E. Huntington Library, San Marino, California.