Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Botetourt County (Va.) Minute Book, 1812-1828. Local government records collection, Botetourt County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

This volume came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court records from Botetourt County.

Historical Information

Botetourt County was named for Norborne Berkeley, baron de Botetourt, the royal governor of Virginia from 1768 to 1770. The county was formed from Augusta County in 1769 and part of Rockbridge County was added in 1785.

On 1970 December 15, a fire gutted the Boutetourt County courthouse in Fincastle, Virginia. The court records were not burned but were heavily water damaged. Many of the court records are extremely fragile today as a result of this water damage and some are not useable. Because of the near loss of the Botetourt County court records, the General Assembly of Virginia passed the Virginia Public Records Act in 1975. The act mandated that deeds, wills, and other vital records be inventoried and microfilmed. Copies of the film were stored permanently at the Library of Virginia in Richmond for safekeeping. Counties could also choose to send court records to the Library of Virginia for storage and safekeeping as needed.

Scope and Content

Botetourt County (Va.) Minute Book, 1812-1828, records all mattters brought before the court on a daily basis when the court is in session including but not limited to: civil and criminal suits, appointments of county officers, appointments of guardians and administrators, deed recordings, free negro registrations, naturalization registrations, and court fees. Clerks would transfer information from minute books to an appropriate order book, deed book, free negro register, etc. This volume was created by the County Court.

Arrangement

Chronological by entry date.

Related Material

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

Botetourt County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Botetourt County Court Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the Lost Records Localities Database found at the Library of Virginia's web site.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Botetourt County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Public records--Virginia--Botetourt County.

Geographical Names:

• Botetourt County (Va.)--History--19th century.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Judicial records--Virginia--Botetourt County.
• Local government records--Virginia--Botetourt County.
• Minute books--Virginia--Botetourt County.

Adjunct Descriptive Data