Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Westmoreland County (Va.) Overseers of the Poor Records, 1788-1915 (bulk 1822-1915). Local government records collection, Westmoreland County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in shipment of court papers from Westmoreland County under the Accession Number 41895.

Biographical Information

Westmoreland County was formed from Northumberland County in 1653. Part of King George County was added in 1777.

In 1780, the Virginia General Assembly replaced the Anglican vestries and churchwardens of the colonial period with elected bodies called Overseers of the Poor. The Overseers provided food, clothing, shelter, and medical treatment for the persons who were too poor to support themselves or too ill to provide for their basic needs. They also bound out children whose parents could not support them or who failed to educate or instruct them, as well as orphans to become apprentices. The boys learned a trade and the girls learned domestic skills.

In 1844, the General Assembly enacted laws to create poor farms overseen by boards of directors for the maintenance and education of the poor. The boards bought farms and built buildings, appointed a superintendant for each poor farm, and chose a physician to attend the sick and teachers to educate the children. The adults and older children were required to work if they were able.

Scope and Content

Westmoreland County (Va.) Overseers of the Poor Records, 1788-1915 (bulk 1822-1915) consist of four boxes of unprocessed records. They are Overseer of the Poor Records, 1822-1915; Overseer of the Poor Records, 1880-1903, Box 1, Accession 41895; Overseer of the Poor Records, 1788-1820, 1880-1903, undated, Box 2, Accession Number 41895; Overseer of the Poor Records, 1880-1903, Box 3, Accession 41895.

Arrangement

Unprocessed

Related Material

Additional enter Westmoreland County Court 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:

• Westmoreland County (Va.) Circuit Court

Subjects:

• Public welfare--Virginia--Westmoreland County

Geographical Names:

• Westmoreland County (Va.)--History

Genre and Form Terms:

• Local government records--Virginia--Westmoreland County

Adjunct Descriptive Data