Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Auditor of Public Accounts, Buckingham furnace lands: records concerning sale, 1833-1837. Accession APA 657. State government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

No acquisition information is available.

Historical Information

In May 1776, John Bellendine and John Reveley petitioned the Fifth Revolutionary Convention for an advance of funds to construct a blast furnace, foundry, and other structures for the manufacture of iron for military use. By 1781, a blast furnace had been built in Buckingham County and a foundry was operating in Westham, near Richmond. The furnace operated only briefly, however, and by 1784 the sheriff of Buckingham County threatened to sell the furnace land for taxes owed. Apparently the land escheated to the state and was rented out, but poorly maintained. On February 28, 1822 the General Assembly passed an act appointing one agent to collect rents and find new tenants. Evidently the plan proved unsatisfactory, for on February 23, 1822 the General Assembly authorized the sale of the property. The heirs of John Reveley received a portion of the proceeds.

Scope and Content

These records are part of Auditor of Public Accounts. Administration of State Government: State-Owned Property - Escheats. This series contains correspondence and receipts concerning the sale of the Buckingham Furnace lands. Each receipt contains the date, the amount received, the name of the person from whom the money was received, and the reason for the payment. Records cover the following dates: 1833-1834 and 1836-1837.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged alphabetically by type of record.