Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

York County (Va.) County Administrative Records, 1880-1997 (bulk 1912-1997.) Local government records collection, York County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court records from York County.

Items in Boxes 1151944-1151963 came to the Library of Virginia under accession number 40286.

Historical Information

York County originally was named Charles River County, for King Charles I, and was one of the eight shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634. A record of 7 January 1634 employs the name York County, and a statute of 1643 officially changed the name to York County, probably in honor of James, duke of York, the second son of King Chares I, and later King James II.

Recognized in 1634 as an original shire. Most pre-Revolutionary War-era loose records are missing. Volumes that record deeds, court orders, and wills exist.

The Board of Supervisors is the basic governing body of the county. County laws--called ordinances--may also be passed by this board. This form of government came into existence with the state constitution of 1869 when the counties were divided into a minimum of three townships each, with a popularly elected supervisor from each township. When the township system was abolished in 1875, the counties were divided into magisterial districts. The Board of Supervisors are the current elected representatives of these districts and meet in regular monthly public sessions.

The Virginia Constitution of 1869 provided for the election of a superintendent of the poor, and he shared with the overseers responsibility for the almshouses, beggars, vagrants, and other welfare concerns.

The state literary fund was established in 1811, and was assigned the next year to the education of the poor. After 1818, the county court appointed school commissioners to direct the education of indigent children; these commissioners were the active ancestors of the county school board. The Virginia Constitution of 1869 created a uniform system of compulsory free schools, and the new system was administrated by a county superintendent and by school trustees whose general duties were adminstration of school matters and construction and maintenance of school buildings.

Scope and Content

York County (Va.) County Administrative Records, 1880-1997 (bulk 1912-1997), consist of three record categories: Board of Supervisors' Papers, 1921-1953; an annual report of the Superintendent of the Poor, 1880 and School Board Minutes, 1912-1997.

Related Material

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

York County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional York Court Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Digital Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the Lost Records Localites Digital Collection available on Virginia Memory.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• York County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Public records--Virginia--York County.

Geographical Names:

• York County (Va.)--History.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Local government records--Virginia--York County.

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

• York County (Va.) Board of Supervisors.

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

• York County (Va.) School Board.

Adjunct Descriptive Data