Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Petersburg (Va.) Judgments, Permelia F. McKinney vs. Frank Roberts, letters used as exhibits, 1915-1916. Local government records collection, Petersburg (City) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from the city of Petersburg under the accession number 43614.

Historical Information

Petersburg was formed from parts of Dinwiddie, Prince George, and Chesterfield counties. A garrison and fur trading post called Fort Henry was established in 1645 on the site of the Indian village of Appamattuck. The present name, suggested in 1733 by William Byrd II, honors Peter Jones, Byrd's companion on expeditions into the Virginia backcountry. Petersburg was established in 1748 and incorporated as a town in 1784. In the latter year the towns of Blandford, Pocahontas, and Ravenscroft were added to Petersburg. It was incorporated as a city in 1850. Petersburg was enlarged by annexation from both Prince George and Dinwiddie counties in 1972.

A breach of promise is a shorthand expression for "breach of promise of marriage." It is a tort, or a civil wrong or injury, for which the court will provide a remedy in the form of an action for damages.

Scope and Content

Judgments, Permelia F. McKinney vs. Frank Roberts, contains around 58 letters and postcards dated 1915-1916 that were used as exhibits in a breach of promise judgment suit. McKinney and Roberts had been in a romantic relationship, as is demonstrated by the letters. McKinney was then living in New Canaan, CT, and Roberts in Petersburg, VA. When Roberts broke off the relationship, McKinney sued him for breach of promise in Petersburg, asking for damages of $10,000. At the 1916 November term of the Hustings Court, the jury found for McKinney and awarded her $2000 damages. Roberts appealed, but failed in his appeal. A notation beside the order book entry for 1917 January ruling against his appeal indicates that the judgment has been paid in full. Letter number eleven contains a photograph of Frank Roberts.

A folder of photocopies from the order books and related newspaper articles from the Petersburg Daily Progress are included in the box.

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by date of letter.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Petersburg (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Breach of promise -- Virginia -- Petersburg.

Geographical Names:

• Petersburg (Va.) -- History -- 20th century.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Civil court records -- Virginia -- Petersburg.
• Letters (correspondence) -- Connecticut -- New Canaan.
• Letters (correspondence) -- Virginia -- Petersburg.
• Local government records -- Virginia -- Petersburg.
• Photographs -- Virginia -- Petersburg.
• Postcards -- Connecticut -- New Canaan.
• Postcards -- Virginia -- Petersburg.