Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Mathews County (Va.) Board of Supervisors Records, 1871-1973, undated, Local government records collection, Mathews County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of records from Mathews County Circuit Court Clerk.

Processing Information

These records came in a large transfer of various local records types. The majority of this series retains the original order at the time of transfer. Some early material, such as the road and bridge records, found in the court papers have been minimally processed- flat-filed and foldered by series sub-type. The mid- and late-twentieth century materials retain their arrangment at the time of transfer.

These records were processed by S. Walters, V. Brooks, and Library of Virginia staff.

Encoded by S. Walters: April 2012; Edited by V. Brooks: July 2025.

Historical Information

Context for Record Type: The Board of Supervisors is the basic governing body of the county. County law (called ordinances) may also be passed by this board. This form of government came into existence with the state constitution of 1869 when the counties were divided into a minimum of three townships each, with a popularly elected supervisor from each township. When the township system was abolished in 1875, the counties were divided into magisterial districts. The Board of Supervisors are the current elected representatives of these districts and meet in regular monthly public sessions. The board's duties are fixed by statute and are primarily concerned with maintenance and construction of county buildings and fiscal matters.

Until 1869 the county court controlled construction, alteration of, and maintenance of roads. The state constitution of 1869 created overseers of the roads and road boards which fell under the jurisdiction of the county's board of supervisors.

The General Assembly on 1875 March 20 passed an Act to provide for working and keeping in order the Roads of the Commonwealth 1875 Mar. 20. The legislation provided for the appointment of road commissioners by the county courts and outlined their responsibilities.

Before the Byrd Road Act of 1932, counties were responsible for the control, construction, alteration, and maintenance of the roads and bridges in their locale. People living along sections of the road were responsible for its maintenance. An individual Surveyor of the Road was appointed from among the residents in each section of the road, to oversee the work for that section of the road.

Locality History: Mathews County was named for Thomas Mathews, of Norfolk, the Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates when it was formed from Gloucester County by a statute passed on 16 December 1790 to take effect on 1 May 1791.

Scope and Content

Mathews County (Va.) Board of Supervisors Records, 1871-1973, undated, consist of administrative subject files; accounts and correspondence; disbursement ledgers; department of public welfare reports; road claims; road orders; road fines; road petitions and applications; road reports; financial records; overseer and surveyor appointments and resignations; and warrant receipts. For descriptive purposes, the collection has been divided into two series: Series I: Minimally Processed Board of Supervisors Records, and Series II: Unprocessed Board of Supervisors Records.

Arrangement

For descriptive purposes, the collection has been divided into two series:

Related Material

Additional Mathews County Records can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm."

Mathews County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Mathews 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 at Virginia Memory.

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

Adjunct Descriptive Data