Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

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Use Restrictions

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Preferred Citation

Essex County (Va.) List of Guardians, 1804-1823. Local government records collection, Essex County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

This negative photostatic volume was created, under the accession number 20678, by the staff of the Virginia State Library's (now the Library of Virginia) Archives Division.

Historical Information

Essex County was formed from old Rappahannock County in 1692. The county was named probably for the English county or perhaps for Algernon Capell, second earl of Essex.

When an individual acts as a trustee for another, the relationship is described as a fiduciary one. The protection of inherited property (both real and personal) was an important reason for the creation of court records. When minor children (under the age of thirteen) survived a parent, a guardian was appointed to protect the estate for the children. Appointments of guardians are recorded in the county court order books. A performance bond was required.

At age thirteen, a child was eligible to go into court and choose his/her own guardian. Periodically, guardians were required to bring estate accounts into court. These accounts deal with the expenditures of the guardian for the raising of each child, generally on an individual basis. The estate of a deceased person with minor children required the keeping of records (estate or fiduciary) until it was settled. When the last minor child married or arrived at legal age, the estate was settled.

The original manuscript volume, compiled by the clerk from original summonses, was created by the County Court.

Scope and Content

Essex County (Va.) List of Guardians, 1804-1823, was a register kept by the county court clerk. According to a note found in the front of the volume, the clerk was ordered to issue summonses against all guardians who obtained their appointments during this time period so that all accounts could be settled. The register lists the names of the guardians, the names of the wards, the date of the guardians' qualifications, the names of the parents, the account of guardianship (when settled and for what years) and any accounts not settled.

Arrangement

Arranged by day, month and year qualified.

Related Material

Additional Essex County Fiduciary Records can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm"

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Essex County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Guardian and ward--Virginia--Essex County.
• Orphans--Virginia--Essex County.

Geographical Names:

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

Genre and Form Terms:

• Appointments--Virginia--Essex County.
• Fiduciary records--Virginia--Essex County.
• Local government records--Virginia--Essex County.
• Registers (lists)--Virginia--Essex County.

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

• Essex County (Va.) County Court.

Adjunct Descriptive Data