Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Petersburg (Va.) Court Records, 1821-1851. Local government records collection, Local Government Records Replevin Collection. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in 2004 in a transfer.

Historical Information

Petersburg was formed from parts of Dinwiddie, Prince George, and Chesterfield Counties. A garrison and fur-trading post called Fort Henry was established there in 1645 on the site of the Indian village Appamattuck. The present name, suggested in 1733 by William Byrd II, honors Peters Jones, Byrd's companion on expeditions into the Virginia backcountry. Petersburg was established in 1747 and incorporated as a town in 1784. In the latter year the towns of Blandford, Pocahontas, and Ravenscroft were added to Petersburg. It was incorporated as a city in 1850. Petersburg was enlarged by annexation from both Prince George and Dinwiddie Counties in 1972.

This record was replevined by the Library of Virginia following the trial entitled Commonwealth of Virginia vs. Larry I. Vass heard in Henrico County Circuit Court in November 1972.

Scope and Content

Petersburg (Va.) Court Records, 1821-1851. The collection contains two letters and a will removed from Petersburg court records, as follows: a letter, with envelope, from Thomas G. Randolph to Thomas S. Gholson, 1850 Mar. 8, pertaining to a proposed settlement in an unamed suit; a letter from John M. Gregory to the Sergeant of the City of Petersburg seeking information about Pleasant Jordan in regards to a suit, Clopton vs. Jordan, 1851 June 30 ; and a copy of the last will and testament of Lucy Bolt, proven in Amelia County in 1821 and used as an exhibit in a Petersburg suit in 1832.

Related Material

For additional information concerning the replevin of these items see Larry I. Vass Case records, 1781-1973, found at the Library of Virginia.

Additional Petersburg court records can be found on microfilm and in the Chancery Records Index at the Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm" and The Chancery Records Index .

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Petersburg (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Equity--Virginia--Petersburg.
• Replevin--Virginia.

Geographical Names:

• Petersburg (Va.)--History--19th century.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Envelopes--Virginia--Petersburg.
• Judicial records--Virginia--Petersburg.
• Letters (correspondence)--Virginia--Petersburg.
• Local government records--Virginia--Petersburg.
• Wills--Virginia--Amelia County.

Adjunct Descriptive Data