Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

For Record Book of Walton Township, 1870-1875, and Record of Roanoke Township, 1871-1875, use microfilm, Charlotte County (Va.) Reel 153.

Preferred Citation

Charlotte County (Va.) Township Papers, 1870-1875. Local government records collection, Charlotte County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

These original volume and papers came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Charlotte County. The filmed volumes were microfilmed by the Library of Virginia's Imaging Services Division.

Part of this collection is located at the State Records Center. Contact Archives Research Services for access information, directions and hours.

Historical Information

Charlotte County was named for Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, consort of George III. It was formed from Lunenburg County in 1764.

The 1870 Virginia Constitution required that each county in the state be divided into no less than three townships (see Article VII, section 2). Based on the New England administrative organization of a county, each township would elect the administration officials for the offices of supervisor, clerk, assessor, collector, commissioner of the roads, overseer of the poor, justice of the peace, and constable. The supervisors of each township would comprise the board of supervisors for the county, and would be responsible for auditing the county accounts, examining the assessors' books, regulating property valuation, and fixing the county levies. The Acts of Assembly provided that each township be divided into school and electoral districts (see Acts of Assembly 1869-1870, Chapter 39). A constitutional amendment in 1874 changed the townships into magisterial districts and each district elected one supervisor, three justices of the peace, one constable, and one overseer of the poor. The supervisors of the districts made up the county board of supervisors whose duties were identical as those set out in 1870. The published Acts of Assembly appended a list of township names by county following the acts for every year that townships existed in Virginia.

Scope and Content

Charlotte County (Va.) Township Records, 1870-1875, consist of three volumes and papers relating to the administrative functions of the township boards of the county.

Bacon Township road and election records, 1870-1875, consist of one folder of loose papers including lists of white and colored voters by road district, road orders, officials' bonds, minutes dividing the township into election districts and ordering elections, a road commissioner's report, road overseer accounts, road receipts allowed, and road tax receipts.

Madison Township Board Minutes, 1870-1875, consist of minutes and accounts. Information recorded includes township officials' names, division of the township into election districts, division of the township into road districts, appointment and election of officials, road and poor support allowances against the township, tax and levy rates established, officials' payments, road overseer reports, and bridge constructions contracts.

Record of Roanoke Township, 1871-1875, consists of minutes and accounts. Information recorded includes division of the township into election districts, appointment of road overseers, changes made to road districts, tax and levy rates, officials' payments, bridge construction, and accounts allowed for officials' salary, road accounts and poor relief.

Roanoke Township papers, 1871-1875, consist of one folder of loose papers including officials' bonds, officials' payments, road overseer reports, citizen request for a new road, delinquent tax receipt, and accounts allowed in 1872 and 1873 for road work, poor relief, and officials' payments.

Record Book of Walton Township, 1870-1875, consists of minutes and accounts. Information recorded includes division of the township into voting districts, division of the township into road districts, appointment and election of road overseers, officials' bonds, allowances for poor assistance, officials' payments, tax rates, and rates for road allowances. The names of the poor provided for are given.

Walton Township papers, 1871-1874, consist of one folder of loose papers including election results for road commissioners, road accounts for Walter L. Gardin, road receipts allowed for 1871-1872, and a published booklet titled Acts in Relation to the Public Roads of the Commonwealth of Virginia dated 1871.

Unspecified township papers, 1871 and undated, consist of one folder of loose papers including road district boundaries, a letter about a township levy, election results for road overseer, a report about bridge repair, and a list of the amount of road tax paid in labor.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Charlotte County (Va.). Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• County government -- Records and correspondence -- Virginia -- Charlotte County.
• Local finance -- Virginia -- Charlotte County.
• Local government -- Virginia -- Charlotte County.
• Public records -- Virginia -- Charlotte County.

Geographical Names:

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

Genre and Form Terms:

• Accounts -- Virginia -- Charlotte County.
• Bonds (legal records) -- Virginia -- Charlotte County.
• Election records -- Virginia -- Charlotte County.
• Local government records -- Virginia -- Charlotte County.
• Minute books -- Virginia -- Charlotte County.
• Petitions -- Virginia -- Charlotte County.
• Road and bridge records -- Virginia -- Charlotte County.
• Tax and fiscal records -- Virginia -- Charlotte County.
• Township records -- Virginia -- Charlotte County.

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

• Township of Bacon (Charlotte County, VA)
• Township of Madison (Charlotte County, VA)
• Township of Roanoke (Charlotte County, VA)
• Township of Walton (Charlotte County, VA)