Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

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Use Restrictions

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Preferred Citation

Sussex County (Va.) Township Records, 1871-1875. Local government records collection, Sussex County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Sussex County.

Historical Information

Sussex County was named for the English county, and was formed from Surry County in 1753.

The 1870 Virginia Constitution required that each county in the state be divided into no less than three townships (see Article VII, section 2). Based on the New England administrative organization of a county, each township would elect the administration officials for the offices of supervisor, clerk, assessor, collector, commissioner of the roads, overseer of the poor, justice of the peace, and constable. The supervisors of each township would comprise the board of supervisors for the county, and would be responsible for auditing the county accounts, examining the assessors' books, regulating property valuation, and fixing the county levies. The Acts of Assembly provided that each township be divided into school and electoral districts (see Acts of Assembly 1869-1870, Chapter 39). A constitutional amendment in 1874 changed the townships into magisterial districts and each district elected one supervisor, three justices of the peace, one constable, and one overseer of the poor. The supervisors of the districts made up the county board of supervisors whose duties were identical as those set out in 1870. The published Acts of Assembly appended a list of township names by county following the acts for every year that townships existed in Virginia.

Scope and Content

Sussex County (Va.) Township Records, 1871-1875, consist of seven volumes of minutes and accounts relating to the administrative functions of the township boards of the county.

Henry Township Board Minutes, 1871-1875, consist of minutes and accounts. Information recorded includes township collector accounts, election returns, division of the township into road districts, appointment of road overseers, establishment of tax and levy rates, accounts allowable against the township board, examination of road overseer accounts, bridge building and repair proposals, reports on delinquent taxes, and examination of the treasurer's accounts. Following the minutes on pages 28-55 are Applications for Purchase of Delinquent Land, 1898-1899. Information recorded includes name of attorney, applicant name, name in which land sold, mortages or trustees, description of land, date of filing, years due, fees and costs, and when collected. There is a separate index volume inserted at the front of this volume that relates only to these applications.

Newville Township Board Minutes, 1871-1875, consist of minutes and accounts. Information recorded includes division of the township into road districts, road petitions, election precincts and orders for elections, appointment and election of road overseers, road overseer reports, accounts allowable against the township board, establishment of rates allowable for road work, special levys for bridge repairs, bridge and road inspection reports, reports of township warrants paid, acquisition of supplies for the township board (stationery, desk, room for office, etc), and reports of township assessor and collector. Following the minutes are an index and several pages of charters and articles of incorporation, 1890-1891. The index applies to the charters and not to the minutes.

Newville Township Warrant Books, 1872-1875, are two volumes of warrants issued by the the township board to individuals so they could receive payment from the collector. Information recorded includes the warrant number, date, account of (individual's name), reason for warrant, and amount.

Stony Creek Township Warrants, 1872-1875, are warrants issued to individuals by the township board so they can receive payment for services provided the board. Recorded information includes warrant number, date, name paid to, reason for payment, amount, and the signatures of the township clerk and board chairman. Following are Sussex County warrants for 1882-1885. The bindings of this volume have been heavily water damaged. Please use with care.

Sussex Courthouse Township Board Minutes, 1871-1875, consist of minutes and accounts. Information recorded includes division of the township into road districts, appointment of road overseers, calling of elections for road overseers, accounts allowable against the township, establishment of levys to support the township, road overseer reports, redivision of the township into road districts, road and bridge reports, and examination of treasurer's reports.

Waverly Township Board Minutes, 1872-1875, consist of minutes and accounts. Information recorded includes division of the township into road districts, appointment of road overseers, proposal to buy a lot of land to build township offices, specifications for the township office building, calling of election for road overseers, orders to inspect bridges, establishment of tax rates, accounts allowable against the township board, reports on bridge inspections, road overseer reports, proposals for the building of a township hall, and settlement of township treasurer accounts. Following the minutes is a Register of Physicians and Surgeons, 1891-1908, that contains entries of physicians and surgeons who presented their certificate to the county court from the state Boards of Medical Examiners showing that they are legally permitted to practice medicine in the state.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Sussex County (Va.). Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• County government -- Records and correspondence -- Virginia -- Sussex County.
• Local finance -- Virginia -- Sussex County.
• Local government -- Virginia -- Sussex County.
• Physicians -- Virginia -- Sussex County.
• Public records -- Virginia -- Sussex County.

Geographical Names:

• Sussex County (Va.) -- History -- 19th century.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Accounts -- Virginia -- Sussex County.
• Local government records -- Virginia -- Sussex County.
• Minute books -- Virginia -- Sussex County.
• Registers (lists) -- Virginia -- Sussex County.
• Tax and fiscal records -- Virginia -- Sussex County.
• Township records -- Virginia -- Sussex County.
• Warrants -- Virginia -- Sussex County.

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

• Township of Henry (Sussex County, VA)
• Township of Newville (Sussex County, VA)
• Township of Stony Creek (Sussex County, VA)
• Township of Sussex Courthouse (Sussex County, VA)
• Township of Waverly (Sussex County, VA)