Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Brunswick County (Va.) Militia rolls and petitions for exemption, 1854-1862. Local government records collection, Brunswick County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court records from Brunswick County.

Historical Information

Brunswick County was named for the duchy of Brunswick-Luneburg, one of the German possessions of King George I. It was formed by statute in 1720 from Prince George County and on 31 October 1723 the boundaries of the county were ordered to be laid out, but, because of the sparse population, the county court first met in June 1732. Brunswick County was enlarged by the addition of parts of Surry and Isle of Wight Counties in 1733. The county seat is Lawrenceville.

In accordance with an act passed by the General Assembly 1862 Feb. 18 and amended 1862 Oct. 1 providing a mode of exemption from military service, the county and corporation courts were directed to appoint a Board of Exemption. The board was charged with deciding all claims for military exemptions brought before it, "carefully and rigidly conforming to all the provisions of the Act of Assembly." On 1863 Feb. 13, the Governor issued an order directing that where no board had been appointed, the presiding justice of each county and corporation court, together with the two senior justices, constitute the board.

Scope and Content

Brunswick County (Va.) Militia rolls and petitions for exemption, 1854-1862, consist of militia rolls, 1854-1857, the list of persons between the ages of eighteen and forty-five to be enrolled for the militia and petitions for exemption, 1862, of persons who applied to be exempted from military service during the Civil War. Names of the persons applying for exemption are given as well as the reason given for the exemption (mainly physical disability.)

Arrangement

Arrangement is alphabetical by last name of the person petitioning for exemption.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Brunswick County (Va.) Board of Exemption.
• Brunswick County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Recruitment and enlistment.

Geographical Names:

• Brunswick County (Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Local government records -- Virginia -- Brunswick County.
• Military records -- Virginia -- Brunswick County.