Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

Use microfilm copy, Botetourt County (Va.) Reel 149.

Preferred Citation

Botetourt County (Va.) Tithables, 1770-1790. Botetourt County (Va.) Reel 149. Local government records collection, Botetourt County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

This negative photostatic copy was created by the Virginia State Library's (now Library of Virginia) Archives Division.

This item came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court papers from Botetourt County under accession 23509a-b.

Historical Information

Botetourt County was formed Augusta County in 1769. Part of Rockbridge County was added in 1785.

In seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Virginia, the term "tithable" referred to a person who paid (or for whom someone else paid) one of the taxes imposed by the General Assembly for the support of civil government in the colony. In colonial Virginia, a poll tax or capitation tax was assessed on free white males, African American slaves, and Native American servants (both male and female), all age sixteen or older. Owners and masters paid the taxes levied on their slaves and servants. For a more detailed history of tithables, consult "Colonial tithables" found on the Library of Virginia's web site.

Created by an act of 1769 to take effect on February 13, 1770. Many of the loose records including pre-1830 chancery and pre-1854 judgments suffered tremendous water damage as a result of a courthouse fire on December 15, 1970. Because of the near loss of records, the General Assembly passed the Virginia Public Records Act in 1975 for the purpose of preserving local records. Volumes that record deeds, court orders, and wills exist.

Scope and Content

Botetourt County (Va.) Tithables, 1770-1790. Consists of a photostat images of the list of tithable heads of household in the county for the years 1770-1790.

Related Material

Botetourt County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Botetourt 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

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Botetourt County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Slaves -- Virginia -- Botetourt County
• Taxation -- Virginia -- Botetourt County

Geographical Names:

• Botetourt County (Va.) -- History -- 18th century.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Local government records -- Virginia -- Botetourt County.
• Tax and fiscal records -- Virginia -- Botetourt County.
• Tithable lists -- Virginia -- Botetourt County.

Adjunct Descriptive Data