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A Guide to the Requests for Certification to take the Written Bar Exam, 1897-1929 (bulk 1897-1909) Requests for Certification to take the Written Bar Exam, 1897-1929 (bulk 1897-1909) 00031578

A Guide to the Requests for Certification to take the Written Bar Exam, 1897-1929 (bulk 1897-1909)

A Collection in the
Supreme Court of Virginia Archives, Virginia State Law Library
Accession Number 00031578


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Virginia State Law Library, Supreme Court of Virginia Archives

Virginia State Law Library
Supreme Court of Virginia
100 North Ninth Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
URL: http://www.courts.state.va.us/courtadmin/library/home.html
Email: LawLibrary@vacourts.gov
Phone: (804) 786-2075

© 2013 By The Virginia State Law Library. All rights reserved.

Processed by: Catherine G. OBrion

Repository
Supreme Court of Virginia Archives, Virginia State Law Library
Accession Number
00031578
Title
Requests for Certification to take the Written Bar Exam, 1897-1929 (bulk 1897-1909)
Physical Characteristics
1.8 cu. ft. (4 boxes)
Creator
Virginia. Supreme Court. Office of the Clerk.
Language
English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

Because the library is not open to the general public, researchers should contact the library to arrange access to the collection.

Preferred Citation

Requests for Certification to take the Written Bar Exam, 1897-1929 (bulk 1897-1909), Accession 00031578, Supreme Court of Virginia Archives, Virginia State Law Library, Richmond, Va.

Acquisition Information

These records were transferred to the State Law Library from the Office of the Clerk to the State Law Library in 2006.

Historical Information

In 1895, the General Assembly enacted legislation transferring responsibility for examining prospective lawyers from the circuit court to the highest court in the state. The Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia established rules that provided for a written examination to be held in Richmond, Staunton, and Wytheville at different times of year while the court was in session. The examinations were open to any applicant, provided he was at least 21 years old, a resident of Virginia for six months, and "able to produce a certificate of honest demeanor from his local circuit court." The new rules took effect July 1, 1896. Women were implicitly denied an opportunity to apply for membership in the bar. In 1894, a U.S. Supreme Court opinion upheld the Supreme Court of Virginia's ruling that the word "person" meant "man" in an 1887 statute regarding admission of foreign attorneys (LOCKWOOD, EX PARTE, 154 U.S. 116).

An act approved by the General Assembly March 14, 1910, established the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners and authorized it to license lawyers and determine the qualifications of applicants who wished to take the bar examination. The Board served under the auspices of the Supreme Court of Appeals.

Source: J. Gordon Hylton, "The Written Bar Examination and the Development of the Modern Legal Profession in Virginia," Richmond Law, Summer 1991 Vol. 4, No. 2, p. 6.

Scope and Content

The collection contains letters to the Supreme Court of Appeals from individuals seeking certification to take the written bar exam, 1897-1909. Most letters include character references from members of the bar in the applicant's local court. For some applicants, the only record is a letter requesting the transfer of the file to Staunton or Wytheville.

The letters are arranged chronologically and alphabetically within each year.

The collection also contains two folders of correspondence, 1902-1929, from attorneys requesting admission to the Virginia bar from other states and the District of Columbia.

Separated material: Law license applications, 1898-1899, and failed bar examinations, 1903-1906, part of the collection, Records of the Supreme Court of Appeals, 1871-1914, accession number 31211.

Contents List

Requests for certification to take the written bar exam, 1897
  • Brown, Jacob M. (Nelson County)
  • Bronaugh, Minor Bronaugh (Rockbridge County)
  • Chandler, F.W. (Caroline County)
  • Dabney, J.C. (Albemarle County)
  • Davies, J. Jenkins (Prince William County)
  • David, William T. (Petersburg)
  • English, Edward B. (City of Richmond)
  • Flagg, Arthur I. (Fairfax County)
  • Harman, Thomas H. (Floyd County)
  • Jackson, John B. (City of Richmond)
  • Johnston, C.D. (City of Richmond)
  • Newhill, Frank G. (Lancaster County)
  • Rew, John R. (Accomack County)
  • Scott, C.W. (Lynchburg)
  • Sturgis, W.D. (Accomack County)
  • Wayt, Hampton H. (Staunton)
  • Willis, Joseph W. (Alexandria)
  • Woodhouse, J.P. (Princess Anne County)
Requests for certification to take the written bar exam, 1898
  • Boisseau, Preston (Nottoway County)
  • Boschen, Albert O. (City of Richmond)
  • Brockenbrough, Lloyd W. (Northampton County)
  • Casabona, Louis (City of Norfolk)
  • Clark, John D. (Lynchburg)
  • Cline, W.P. (City of Richmond)
  • Coke, Jr., John Archer (City of Richmond)
  • Cooke, William L. (Newport News)
  • Corbitt, James Howard (Southampton)
  • Eckles, W.L. (City of Richmond)
  • Haggerty, John J. (City of Richmond)
  • Heath, Harry Williams (City of Norfolk)
  • Lanier, Alexander Sidney
  • Leake, David H. (Goochland County)
  • Mayo, George H. (Goochland County)
  • Pollard, W.T. (City of Lynchburg)
  • Smith, Augustin R.
  • Stephenson, Percy S. (City of Norfolk)
  • Strode, A.E. (Amherst County)
  • Sutton, Jr., Frank Taylor (City of Richmond)
  • Temple, Thomas (Prince George County)
  • Trinkle, E. Lee (Wythe County)
  • Waddill, G. Edward (Newport News)
  • Wallace, Gustavus B. (Stafford County)
Requests for certifiation to take the written bar exam, 1899
  • Bland, S. Otis (University of Virginia Law Department)
  • Conner, C.B.
  • Drew, Leslie H. (University of Virginia Law Department)
  • Franklin, Roger B. (City of Richmond)
  • Gordon, W.S.
  • Guerrant, John
  • Jones, Charles P.
  • Marshall, E. Carrington
  • Mooklar, W.T. (Lancaster County)
  • Patterson, James S. (City of Richmond)
  • Whitefield, Peyton
Requests for certification to take the written bar exam, 1900
  • Brandt, Sigmund M. (City of Norfolk)
  • Carter, Emery R.
  • DeJarnette, Jr., Elliott H. (Albemarle County)
  • Deshields, H.G. (Northumberland County)
  • Dodge, H.B. (Prince William County)
  • Echols, W.L. (City of Norfolk)
  • Elliott, J.W. (Floyd County)
  • Finnegan, B.E. (Elizabeth City County)
  • Fitzhugh, George (City of Richmond)
  • Gold, Hunter Boyd (University of Virginia Law Department)
  • Jenkins, A.G. (City of Richmond)
  • Shannonhouse, William T.
  • Sherritt, Homer G. (Charlottesville)
  • Tidler, J.O. (Rappahannock County)
  • Waddy, John Larew (Rockbridge County)
  • Wortham, G.W. (Caroline County)
Requests for certification to take the written bar exam, 1901
  • Carter, E.T.
  • Cousins, C.C. (Manchester)
  • Crumpler, W.M.
  • Davis, Richard J. (Portsmouth)
  • Ellison, W.M. (City of Richmond)
  • Johnson, Charles Massie
  • Lewis, James T. (Henrico County)
  • Love, James M. (Fairfax County)
  • McCallister, W.A.
  • Meredith, Edward (Prince William County)
  • Miller, F.C. (City of Norfolk)
  • Moore, T.V. (Chesterfield)
  • Morris, J. Leslie (Bedford County)
  • Morrison, H.J. (Scott County)
  • Peatross, W. Sam
  • Sinclair, G.B. (Albemarle County)
  • Smith, William
  • Stauffer, William T.
  • Stroud, Augustus T. (City of Norfolk)
  • Thomas, Temple
  • Thomas, J. Lewis (Norfolk County)
  • Triplett, Roderick T. (Norfolk County)
  • Walsh, W. Brantley (Fairfax County)
  • Wingfield, Gustavus A.
  • Wilkins, F. Tucker (Northampton County)
  • Winston, James H.
Requests for certification to take the written bar exam, 1902
  • Altizer, Marvin H. (Roanoke County)
  • Ames, Warner (University of Virginia Law Department)
  • Austin, Branch (Albemarle County)
  • Bailey, W. Norris (City of Richmond)
  • Booker, M.B. (Halifax County)
  • Bragg, S.B. (Brunswick County)
  • Bristow, J.C. (Middlesex County)
  • Davis, Beverly H. (City of Richmond)
  • Dillard, D.W. (Henry County)
  • Drewry, P.D. (Henry County)
  • Elliott, J.W. (Floyd County)
  • Elliott, Milton C. (Albemarle County)
  • Fugate, Robert C. (Washington County)
  • Garrow, John Tommer (Warwick County)
  • Hairston, Samuel W. (Henry County)
  • Heth, Stockton (Radford)
  • Hilldrup, J.W. (Campbell County)
  • Jones, William C. (Gloucester County)
  • Lacy, Lane (City of Richmond)
  • Martin, James G. (City of Norfolk)
  • Moore, C. Ridgeway (Northampton County)
  • Mullen, J.M. (Petersburg)
  • Nelson, George E. (Bath County)
  • Nottingham, Gardner R. (Northampton County)
  • Rogers, Hamilton (Petersburg)
  • Roper, Albert S. (City of Norfolk)
  • Ross, William E. (City of Richmond)
  • Swift, Granville R. (City of Fredericksburg)
  • Tucker, J.R. (Rockbridge County)
  • Tyler, Walter G. (City of Richmond)
  • Waller, G. Gardner (Warren County)
  • Weaver, Aubrey G. (Warren County)
  • Wilkins, John T. (City of Richmond)
  • Willis, Russell H. (City of Richmond)
Requests for certification to take the written bar exam, 1903
  • Bagby, A. Julian (King William County)
  • Colvin, Howard T. (Alexandria)
  • Farrier, M.P. (Giles County)
  • Fishburne, George Petrie (Charlottesville)
  • French, K.S.
  • Harris, Thomas S. (York County)
  • Koteen, Meyer (Gloucester County)
  • Lightfoot, Jr., John B. (City of Richmond)
  • Marsh, I. Basye (Northumberland County)
  • Morrison, A.K. (Charlottesville)
  • Parrish, Winston (Albemarle County)
  • Pearson, Harry L. (City of Richmond)
  • Powell, Samuel Peter (Spotsylvania County)
  • Price, Jr., William H. (Charlottesville)
  • Smith, Howard W. (Fauquier County)
  • Snyder, W.T. (Charlottesville)
  • Teiser, Sidney (City of Norfolk)
  • Winston, Francis Byrd (Hanover County)
  • Woodson, B.B. (Cumberland County)
  • Wright, James F. (Albemarle County)
Requests for certification to take the written bar exam, 1904
  • Bohannon, James Gordon (Surry County)
  • Cave, William Walter (Rockbridge County)
  • Cole, Thomas Stokeley (Albemarle County)
  • Davies, H. Thornton (Prince William County)
  • Deans, Parke P. (Albemarle County)
  • Dey, Jr., William H. (City of Norfolk)
  • Goolrick, William K. (Albemarle County)
  • Hankins, J.G. (Halifax County)
  • Hudgins, Floyd A. (Newport News)
  • Isaacs, George Grant (City of Richmond)
  • Leonard, James N. (Fairfax County)
  • Lewis, R. Colton (Fairfax County)
  • McCoy, Taylor (Staunton)
  • Morris, George W. (Charlottesville)
  • Peery, Kent Eppa (Rockbridge County)
  • Richards, J. Donald (Fauquier County)
  • Segar, Jr., Arthur S. (Elizabeth City County)
  • Turner, J.M. (City of Richmond)
  • Upton, Robert J. (City of Norfolk)
  • Walker, R.C. (City of Richmond)
  • Wampler, T. Morris (Culpeper County)
  • Wooding, Jr., Harry (Danville)
Requests for certification to take the written bar exam, 1905
  • Alexander, J.R.H. (Loudoun County)
  • Armistead, Frank (Newport News)
  • Beverly, L.T. (Newport News)
  • Boyd, E.R. (Albemarle County)
  • Bragg, S.B. (City of Richmond)
  • Brown, C. Beverley (Albemarle County)
  • Collins, William G. (Fairfax County)
  • Crittenden, William L. (University of Virginia)
  • Dinwiddie, H.A. (Charlottesville)
  • Edwards, John E. (Albemarle County)
  • Gresham, Phillip M. (Lancaster County)
  • Jackson, W.M. (Patrick County)
  • Johnson, J.B. (Albemarle County)
  • McClung, Louis (Roanoke County)
  • McCoy, Harry E. (Charlottesville)
  • Miller, John (Russell County)
  • Nelson, Leon M. (Albemarle County)
  • Norton, R.K. (Albemarle County)
  • Overbey, R.
  • Paul, John (Albemarle County)
  • Saunders, Hartley Poe (Charlottesville)
  • Shackleford, S.D. (Roanoke)
  • Walker, Otis P. (Henrico County)
  • Webb, J. McBryde (City of Norfolk)
Requests for certification to take the written bar exam, 1906
  • Anderson, J. Homes (Charlottesville)
  • Bassette, Jr., A.W.E. (Elizabeth City County)
  • Bickers, H.C. (Page County)
  • Bond, N. (City of Richmond)
  • Brigham, E. Foster (Albemarle County)
  • Brooke, H. Laurence (Albemarle County)
  • Brown, E. Walton (Charlottesville)
  • Bullock, Otis W. (Charlottesville)
  • Burson, M.E. (Charlottesville)
  • Carter, E.M. (Scott County)
  • Carter, Ellerbe W. (Albemarle County)
  • Cary, Lucious F. (Albemarle County)
  • Chichester, C.H. (Charlottesville)
  • Conrad, Laird L. (Albemarle County)
  • Dalton, T.P. (Charlottesville)
  • Daniel, Edward M. (Albemarle County)
  • Dulaney, Paul (Bristol)
  • Elliott, J.W. (Floyd County)
  • Faires, Clifgard C. (Albemarle County)
  • Ferguson, A.H. (Winchester)
  • Foreman, A.H. (Albemarle County)
  • Galt, H.B.G. (Albemarle County)
  • Geddy, T.H. (Williamsburg and James City County)
  • Harrison, Edmund C. (City of Richmond)
  • Hubard, Robert T. (Charlottesville)
  • Jones, James Paris (Albemarle County)
  • Joyren, Herbert S. (Charlottesville)
  • Kelly, Emerson W. (Wise County)
  • Kelsey, D.A. (City of Norfolk)
  • Keyes, W.W. (Albemarle County)
  • Kizer, D.H. (Charlottesville)
  • Lewis, H. Stuart (Albemarle County)
  • McCandlish, F.S. (Middlesex County)
  • Monserrat, D. (Albemarle County)
  • Payne, George M. (City of Norfolk)
  • Rust, George M. (City of Norfolk)
  • Shackelford, Virginius R. (Albemarle County)
  • Spratley, C. Vernon (Albemarle County)
  • Stayer, Harry V. (Albemarle County)
  • Stump, Robert W. (Fairfax County)
  • Visanka, Ernest L. (Charlottesville)
  • Wallace, H. Lewis (Fredericksburg)
  • Walsh, Horman W. (Albemarle County)
  • Way, L.B. (Albemarle County)
  • West, Eugene R. (Albemarle County)
  • Wiggs, James O. (City of Roanoke)
  • Wilhelm, William (City of Roanoke)
  • Williams, Ashby (Charlottesville)
  • Williams, Thomas J. (Albemarle County)
  • Woodhouse, Edward J. (Albemarle County)
  • Worth, E. Clay (Charlottesville)
Requests for certification to take the written bar exam, 1907
  • Beale, Richard L. (City of Richmond)
  • Cotten, P.S. (City of Norfolk)
  • Eanes, E. Ennis (Charlottesville)
  • Ferrall, E.T. (City of Richmond)
  • Foushee, W.L. (City of Richmond)
  • Garner, Henceford Noel (Alexandria)
  • Geddy, T.H. (City of Williamsburg and James City County)
  • Hanckel, Allan R. (City of Roanoke)
  • Hopwood, A.C. (City of Roanoke)
  • Kerse, T.L. (City of Richmond)
  • Masincup, W.H. (City of Roanoke)
  • McNeil, W.S. (City of Richmond)
  • Monserrat, Damian (Albemarle County)
  • Nelson, Berkeley (Roanoke County)
  • Parker, W.J.
  • Powell, Jr., J.L. (Spotsylvania County)
  • Purvis, Benjamin (Stafford County)
  • Selby, Innis C. (Middlesex County)
  • Walker, William R. (Albemarle County)
  • Washington, Richard B. (Alexandria)
  • White, William J. (City of Norfolk)
  • Williams, A. Roy (Portsmouth)
  • Williams, David T. (Pittsylvania County)
  • Wilson, Frederick R. (Buchanan County)
Requests for certification to take the written bar exam, 1908
  • Arnold, John Murrelle (Rockbridge County)
  • Ball, Frank L. (Alexandria)
  • Beard, Stanley Alphonse (Rockbridge County)
  • Burnette, Gilbert (Albemarle County)
  • Cauthorn, Alexander J. (Bedford County)
  • Fife, William O. (Albemarle County)
  • Gore, B.S. (Bristol)
  • Harrison, James M. (City of Norfolk)
  • Hunter, Thomas Lomax (King George County)
Requests for certification to take the written bar exam, 1909
  • Burt, W. Stanley (Surry County)
  • Fry, George Washington (Albemarle County)
  • Painter, Gresham M. (Charlottesville)
Requests for admission to the Virginia bar from lawyers outside the state, 1902-1929
  • Alexander, Henry A. (Georgia) 1908
  • Burke, John T. (Montana) 1915
  • Conrad, Jr., Holmes (North Carolina) 1905
  • Echols, John Warnock (District of Columbia) 1904
  • Gwynn, Walter Ballard (North Carolina) 1908
  • Hill, Jr., Edmund (District of Columbia) 1916
  • Kelly, A.D. (Texas) 1905
  • Kines, Edward S. (Maryland) 1908
  • I'Anson, D.T. (South Carolina) 1907
  • Leigh, Jr., William (Maryland) 1915
  • Madison, Andrew D. 1916
  • Mahoney, William Joseph (Kentucky) 1902
  • Partlow, Ira J. (West Virginia) 1916
  • Rowley, Eugene Cooper (Wisconsin) 1910
  • Ryan, E.R. (District of Columbia) 1902
  • Swartz, S.T. 1906
  • Waring, Wingate (South Carolina) 1929
  • Zollicoffer, Dallas B. (North Carolina) 1923