Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Shenandoah County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1772-1927 digital images can be found on the Chancery Records Index available electronically at the website of the Library of Virginia.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Shenandoah County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1772-1927. (Cite style of suit and chancery index no.). Local government records collection, Shenandoah County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, 23219.

Acquisition Information

Digital images were generated in 2006 by Crowley through the Library of Virginia's Circuit Court Records Preservation Program.

Processing Information

These records were processed in the field prior to 2006. The records were digitized by Crowley in 2006, but original records were never transferred to the Library of Virginia.

These records were processed in the field. These records were then reindexed in 2022-2023.

Encoded by G. Crawford: 2007; Updated by E. Swain: January 2025.

Historical Information

Context of Record type: Chancery Causes are cases of equity. According to Black's Law Dictionary they are "administered according to fairness as contrasted with the strictly formulated rules of common law." A judge, not a jury, determines the outcome of the case; however, the judge is basing the decision on findings compiled and documented by Commissioners. Chancery causes are useful when researching local history, genealogical information, and land or estate divisions. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history. Chancery causes document the lived experiences of free and enslaved individuals; women; children; people living with physical disabilities or mental health struggles; people living in poverty; defunct institutions and corporate entities; or those that may not have otherwise left traditional written histories.

Locality History: Shenandoah County was named for the Shenandoah River, which passes through the county. The county was named Dunmore when it was formed from Frederick County in May 1772. A statute changed the name of the county effective 1 February 1778. The county seat is Woodstock.

Scope and Content

Shenandoah County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1772-1927, consists of cases concerning issues of equity brought largely by residents of the county and filed in the circuit court. These cases often involve the following actions: divisions of estates or land, disputes over wills, disputes regarding contracts, debt, divorce, and business disputes. Other less prevalent issues include freedom suits, permissions to sell property, and disputes concerning trespass. Predominant documents found in these chancery causes include bills (documents the plaintiff's complaint), answers (defendant's response to the plaintiff's complaint), decrees (court's decision), depositions, affidavits, correspondence, lists of heirs, deeds, plats, wills, records involving enslaved individuals, business records or vital statistics.

Arrangement

Organized by case, of which each is assigned a unique index number comprised of the latest year found in case and a sequentially increasing 3-digit number assigned by the processor as cases for that year are found. Arranged chronologically.

Related Material

See also: Page County (Va.) Chancery Causes.

Additional Shenandoah County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm."

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Shenandoah County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1772-1927, are retained in the locality. Contact the clerk of the Circuit Court for access.