A Guide to the Caroline County (Va.) Coroners' Inquisitions, 1811-1912
A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Collection Number 1116117
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia800 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000
USA
Phone: (804) 692-3888 (Archives Reference)
Fax: (804) 692-3556 (Archives Reference)
Email: archdesk@lva.virginia.gov(Archives)
URL: http://www.lva.virginia.gov/
© 2020 By The Library of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.
Processed by: LVA staff
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Use Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Preferred Citation
Caroline County (Va.) Coroners' Inquisitions, 1811-1912. Local government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
Acquisition Information
This item came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Caroline County.
Historical Information
The separate office of coroner appeared in Virginia about 1660. The judicial duty of the office is to hold inquisitions in cases when persons meet sudden, violent, unnatural or suspicious death, or death without medical attendance. The coroner would summon a jury to assist him in determining cause of death. Prior to November 1877, the jurors numbered twelve. Between November 1877 and March 1926, the jurors numbered six. The jury viewed the body of the deceased and heard the testimony of witnesses. The coroner was required to write down witness testimony. After seeing and hearing the evidence, the jury delivered in writing to the coroner their conclusion concerning cause of death referred to as the inquisition. After March 1926, only the coroner determined cause of death. He could require physicians to assist him with determing cause of death. If a criminal act was determined to be the cause of death, the coroner was to deliver the guilty person to the sheriff and the coroners' inquests would be used as evidence in the criminal trial.
Caroline County was named for Caroline of Anspach, wife of King George II. It was formed from Essex, King and Queen, and King William Counties on 1 May 1728, and additional parts of King and Queen County were added in 1742 and in 1763. The county seat is Bowling Green.
Created in 1728. Most loose records and deed books prior to 1836 and will books prior to 1853 were stolen, mutilated, and/or destroyed by Union troops who ransacked the courthouse in May 1864. A near-complete run of order books exists.
Scope and Content
Caroline County (Va) Coroners' Inquisitions, 1811-1912, are investigations into the deaths of individuals who died by a sudden, violent, unnatural or suspicious manner, or died without medical attendance. Causes of death found in coroners' inquisitions include murder, infanticide, suicide, domestic violence, exposure to elements, drownings, train accidents, automobile accidents, and natural causes, or as commonly referred to in the 19th century, visitation by God. Documents commonly found include in coroners' inquests include the inquisition, depositions, and summons. Criminal papers such as recognizance bonds can be found in coroner inquisitions. Information found in the inquisition include the name of the coroner, the names of the jurors, the name and age of the deceased if known, gender and race of the deceased, and when, how, and by what means the deceased came to his or her death. If the deceased was African American, the inquest would identify the deceased as a slave or free person if known. If the deceased was a slave, the inquest would include, if known, the name of the slaveowner and the slaveowner's residence. Information found in the depositions include the name of the deponent and his or her account of the circumstances that led to the death of the deceased.
Arrangement
Chronological by date coroner filed inquisition in the court.
Related Material
Additional Caroline County court records can be found on microfilm and in the Chancery Records Index at the Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm" and The Chancery Records Index .
Caroline County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Caroline 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 web site.
Index Terms
- Caroline County (Va.) Circuit Court.
- African Americans--Virginia--Caroline County
- Coroners--Virginia--Caroline County
- Death--Causes--Virginia--Caroline County
- Infanticide--Virginia--Caroline County
- Murder victims--Virginia--Caroline County
- Murder--Investigation--Virginia--Caroline County
- Slaves--Virginia--Caroline County
- Women--Virginia--Caroline County
- Caroline County (Va.)--History.
- Death records--Virginia--Caroline County
- Health and medical records--Virginia--Caroline County
- Local government records--Virginia--Caroline County
Corporate Names:
Subjects:
Geographical Names:
Genre and Form Terms:
Selected Coroners' Inquisitions of Interest
Found dead with no violence; visitation of God.
Death caused by gunshot in and around the mouth, allegedly committed by enslaved person named Tom, owned by the estate of John Southworth. (See also Commonwealth Cause for Tom, 1811 Oct. 22)
Death caused by assault of enslaved person Daniel, by kicking, stamping, and jumping upon Bob's breast. (See also Commonwealth Cause for Daniel, 1822 Dec.)
Cause of death unknown.
Cause of death unknown.
Death caused by shotgun in the hands of John T. Terrell a young son of Lindsay L. Terrell, said gun being fired accidentally.
Death by violence at the hands of Lucinda Samuel, its mother.
Died by pistol shot would from the hands of Robert Campbell in self defence (sic) & justifiable.
Died at the hands of Sarah Ann Upshur (mother). Witness had been hunting and dog found body. African American woman named Fanny Beverly took up the child and it was re-interred.
Death caused by freezing on the night of Feb. 6, 1871 near Rappahanock Academy.
Death caused by intense cold at night. Depositions of white and African American witnesses.
Death caused by a pistol shot fired by Ernest Blackburn into his breast.
Death caused by shotgun wound inflicted by one Henry Morton.