Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

Also available on microfilm, Shenandoah County (Va.) Reel 52.

Preferred Citation

Dunmore County (Va.) Order Book, 1772-1774. Local government records collection, Shenandoah County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

This item was lent by the Shenandoah County clerk of court for copying. It came to the Library of Virginia under the accession number 21004.

Historical Information

Shenandoah County was named for the Shenandoah River, which passed through the county. Shenandoah is an Indian word meaning beautiful daughter of the stars. The county was named Dunmore when it was formed from Frederick County in 1772 and named for John Murray, fourth earl of Dunmore and governor of Virginia from 1771 to 1775. Lord Dunmore's actions at the outbreak of the American Revolution made him so unpopular with Virginians that the General Assembly changed the county's name to Shanando (now Shenandoah) in 1778.

Scope and Content

Dunmore County (Va.) Order Book, 1772-1774, is also known as the Shenandoah County (Va.) Order Book. The negative photostatic copy of this order book recorded all matters brought before the county court when it was in session. It provides a synopses of cases in a neater, more organized form. A wide variety of information is found in the order book including: deeds, chancery causes, judgments, criminal causes, records of legal disputes heard before the county court and road orders. The order book has an index.

At the front of the volume is a negative photostatic copy of a 1934 Washington Post newspaper article describing how this order book had been found in the attic of local resident Elon O. Henkel's house and returned by him to the clerk's office.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Shenandoah County (Va.). Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Court records -- Virginia -- Dunmore County.
• Public records -- Virginia -- Dunmore County.

Geographical Names:

• Dunmore County (Va.) -- History -- 18th century.
• Northern Neck (Va.) -- History -- 18th century.
• Shenandoah County (Va.) -- History -- 18th century.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Judicial records -- Virginia -- Dunmore County.
• Local government records -- Virginia -- Dunmore County.

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

• Dunmore County (Va.) County Court.