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Library of Virginia
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Processed by: Greg Crawford
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Henrico County (Va.) Business Records, 1803-1898. [include volume title]. Local government records collection, Augusta County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.
The majority of these records came to the Library of Virginia in transfers of court papers from Henrico County in an undated accession.
One volume from Series II: James H. Barton Real Estate Business Records, 1889-1898, the James H. Barton Accounts Ledger, 1895-1896, came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from the city of Richmond in an undated accession.
Prior to 2024, the various business records in this collection were originally described as individual records, but they have been consolidated into one large business record for the locality.
These records were processed by Greg Crawford in 2008, except the business records of William Halyard, which were processed in 2003. Efforts have been taken to identify chancery causes related to these business records as some of these records were used as evidence in court proceedings.
Encoded by J. Taylor: June 2024.
Context for Record Type: Business Records, both volumes and loose records, are in some cases transferred to the Library of Virginia as components of court record transfers. These business records in some cases were simply stored in the local court building for safe keeping by business owners. In other cases, business records (particularly ledgers, account books, etc.) may have been filed in a court case as an exhibit. These business record exhibits appeared both in chancery causes and in judgments, these records serving as exhibits for business dissolution cases, debut suits, and contract disputes.
Locality History: Henrico County was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, eldest son of King James I. It was one of the eight original shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634. The county seat is in the western part of the county.
Lost Locality Notes: All county court records prior to 1655 and almost all prior to 1677 are missing. Many records were destroyed by British troops during the Revolutionary War. Post-Revolutionary War county court records exist. Almost all circuit superior court of law and chancery and circuit court records were destroyed by fire during the evacuation of Richmond on 3 April 1865 in the Civil War. The county's circuit court held its sessions at the state courthouse in Richmond.
Henrico County (Va.) Business Records, 1803-1898, is comprised of various records created by individuals and companies in pursuit of documenting business activities in and around Henrico County (Va.). Represented records consist of bound volumes such as ledgers, daybooks, journals, and account books.
This collection is arranged into three series:
See also: Henrico County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1770-1965.
Additional Henrico County Court Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm."
Henrico County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Henrico County Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the Lost Records Localities Digital Collection available on the Library of Virginia website.
The business records of Edward Powers and John van Lew consist of two subseries for the two businesses formed and run by the two men; subseries A contains the business records of Edward Powers and Company, and subseries B contains the business records of the Richmond Chemical Works. Both businesses were created in 1875 and operated until 1877. The business records consist of three account books, all of which were used as exhibits in a chancery suit.
See also: Henrico County (Va.) Chancery Cause, 1886-019: John N. Vanlew etc. vs. Edward Powers and wife etc.
Historical Information: Edward Powers and Company was a partnership formed in 1875 by John N. Van Lew and Edward Powers for the purpose of manufacturing paper bags. The partnership dissolved in 1877.
Scope and Content: The business records of Edward Powers and Company consists of one account book.
Historical Information: Richmond Chemical Works was a partnership formed in 1875 July by John N. Van Lew and Edward Powers for the purpose of manufacturing Benedict's Patent Car Axle Grease. Powers left the partnership in 1875 November. Van Lew continued operating the business until 1877. The company was also known as Richmond Drug, Paint, and Chemical Works.
Scope and Content: The business records of the Richmond Chemical Works consists of two account books. The books recorded the receipts and disbursements of Richmond Chemical Works. One account book includes copious number advertisements of businesses that sold steam engines, brick machines, pumps, coffee, tea, fruit dryers, grist mills, and miscellaneous machine industries. It also includes newspaper clippings on miscellaneous topics and poems perhaps by van Lew.
Historical Information: James H. Barton was born in Pennsylvania in 1837. He served in the Union army during the Civil War. After the war, Barton became a real estate developer in Little Rock, Arkansas and Memphis, Tennessee. In 1889, Barton moved to Virginia and founded a real estate development on a site a north of Richmond in Henrico County that became known as Barton Heights. Barton was so successful that in less than six years Barton Heights had been incorporated as a town in Henrico County. Due to a depressed economy and poor financial decisions, Barton had a difficult time repaying loans he owed. Hounded by creditors and allegations of financial improprieties, Barton and his wife Elizabeth fled Virginia in 1896 February. Barton died in Chester, Pennsylvania in 1912 January.
Founded in 1889, Barton Heights began as a late nineteenth-century suburban development named for its founder James H. Barton. It was built north of Richmond, Virginia on the heights above the confluence of Bacon Quarter branch and Cannon's branch of Shockoe Creek, which flow east and south to separate the high land from Richmond's Jackson Ward. Barton's goal was to attract middle class professionals seeking affordable homes and who wanted to move away from the turmoil of the city. Barton Heights was annexed from Henrico County by the city of Richmond in 1914.
Scope and Content: The business records of James H. Barton Real Estate consists of three ledgers, two volumes of bills receivable and payable account books, a journal, and a daybook.
The ledger of James H. Barton Real Estate and Building Book No. 2, recorded individual accounts of contractors, businesses, laborers, and Barton Heights homeowners with whom Barton conducted business. Transactions related specifically to home construction and repair. Each account lists debit and credit transactions in chronological order. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, type of transaction, amount owed, and amount paid.
James H. Barton Real Estate Journal, 1891-1896, recorded transactions in chronological order. Information found in transaction entries include dates of transactions, names of parties involved in transactions, types of transactions, amounts owed and paid.
James H. Barton Real Estate Ledger, 1895-1896, Bills Receivable and Payable, 1892-1896, and Bills Receivable and Payable, 1889-1898, records the names of individuals indebted to Barton or to whom Barton was indebted and whether or not debts were paid.
James H. Barton Ledger, 1889-1894 recorded individual accounts of contractors, businesses, and Barton Heights homeowners with whom Barton conducted business. Each account lists debit and credit transactions in chronological order. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, type of transaction, line number of transaction entry found in corresponding journal, amount owed, and amount paid.
Daybook of James H. Barton recorded Barton's banking transactions with Richmond Perpetual Building Loan and Trust Company.
Historical Information: William Halyard owned a general store which conducted business in Henrico County in the early nineteenth century.
Scope and Content: The business records of William Halyard consists of a ledger, labelled "Ledger C." The volume recorded the accounts of individual customers and the store's controlling account. Each account lists transaction in chronological order. Information found in each entry includes date of transaction, form of transaction, page number of transaction found in corresponding journal or daybook, amount owed, form of payment, and amount paid. Volume does not contain detailed information regarding items sold by the store. Rather, it uses the general terms "sundries" and "merchandise." Payments made by cash, credit, or barter of items such as wheat, corn, and tobacco. The store's controlling accounts include merchandise account, tobacco transfer account, cash account, and wheat account.