Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Rockingham County (Va.) Organization Records, 1845-1913. Local government records collection, Rockingham County Organization Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer.

Historical Information

Rockingham County was formed from Augusta County in 1778 and is named for Charles Watson-Wentworth, second marquis of Rockingham, who supported the colonists in their disputes with Great Britain. The county seat is the city of Harrisonburg.

Scope and Content

Rockingham County (Va.) Organization Records, 1845-1913, typically consist of appointments of trustees, minutes, and miscellaneous records of religious organizations, fraternal organizations, independent associations, and cooperatives.

A courthouse fire in 1787 destroyed wills and estate records, primarily. In June 1864 during the Civil War, court records (mostly volumes) were removed from the courthouse and loaded on a wagon to be taken to place of safety on or beyond the Blue Ridge. The wagon was overtaken by Union troops near Port Republic and set on fire, which was put out by local citizens. Many order books, deed books, will books, and fiduciary books, however, were lost or severely damaged by the fire. The loose records that remained at the courthouse were undamaged. Pre-1865 records including deeds and wills were rerecorded following an act of assembly passed in November 1884.

Related Material

Additional Rockingham County records can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm" found on the Library of Virginia's web site.

Additional Richmonc County Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the Lost Records Localities Digital Collection .

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

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Rockingham County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Public records--Virginia--Rockingham County.

Geographical Names:

• Rockingham County (Va.)--History.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Local government records--Virginia--Rockingham County.

Adjunct Descriptive Data