Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Caroline County (Va.) Minute Books, 1777-1875. Local government records collection, Caroline County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Caroline County.

Historical Information

Caroline County was named for Caroline of Anspach, consort of George II. It was formed from Essex, King and Queen, and King William Counties in 1728, and additional parts of King and Queen were added later. Its area is 549 square miles, and the county seat is Bowling Green.

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.) Minute Books, 1777-1875, record all matters brought before the court on a daily basis when it was 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 appropriate order book, deed book, fiduciary book, free negro register, etc.

Arrangement

Chronological by entry date.

Related Material

Additional Caroline County 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:

• Caroline County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Public records--Virginia--Caroline County.

Geographical Names:

• Caroline County (Va.)--History.

Genre and Form Terms:

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

Adjunct Descriptive Data

See the Lost Records Localities Digital Collection available at Virginia Memory.

For more information and a listing of lost records localities see Lost Records research note .