A Guide to the Board of Public Works - James River Company Records, 1786-1871
Board of Public Works - James River Company Records, 1786-1871
BPW 83, 30030
Virginia. Board of Public Works. James River Company Records, 1786-1871. Accession BPW 83, 30030, State government records
collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
The company was chartered by an act of the General Assembly of January 14, 1785. The purpose of the company was to extend
the navigation of the James River to its "highest practicable point." By an act of February 17, 1820 the James River and Kanawha
Company was chartered as successor to the James River Company; the state of Virginia subscribing to 3/5 of the stock. With
the expansion of the railroads at the end of the Civil War the company fell on hard times. On March 5, 1880 the company was
sold to the Richmond and Alleghany Railway Company.
Records, 1786-1871, including accounts, agreements, contracts, correspondence, deed books, field notes, financial statements,
lists of stockholders, journals, maps, minute books, plans, receipts, reports, sketch books, vouchers, and warrants of the
James River Company. Included are records concerning the Blue Ridge Canal, the Kanawha Road and river improvements, and the
work on the James River itself.
Plan of Guard Lock for Tuckahoe Creek (with maps see: 755.42 Z1),
1822 .
Box 189
Folder 2
Field Notes, New River, 1 volume,
1819 .
Box 189
Folder 3
Field Notes, Craigs Creek, 1 volume,
1819 .
Box 189
Folder 4
Field Notes, James, Greenbrier, and New Rivers, 1 volume,
1819 .
Box 189
Folder 5
Field Notes, 3 volumes,
1819 .
Box 189
Folder 6
Field Notes, 3 volumes,
1818 .
Box 190
Folder 1
Field Notes, Various surveys by Hugh P. Taylor, 1 volume,
1819 .
Box 190
Folder 2
Field Notes, Irish Falls to Lynchburg (labeled 3rd sketch book to accompany the 4th field book), 1 volume,
1824 .
Box 190
Folder 3
Field Notes, James River to Purgatory Mountain, 1 volume,
1824 .
Box 190
Folder 4
Field Notes, Purgatory Mountain to Covington (labeled experimental survey no. 7 and no. 8), 2 volumes,
1824 .
Box 190
Folder 5
Field Notes, Wood's Island to Dunlap's Creek (labeled 5th sketch book to accompany the field books nos. 7-8), 1 volume,
1824 .
Box 190
Folder 6
Field Notes, Scott's Mill-race to Tye River, 1 volume,
1824 .
Box 190
Folder 7
Field Notes, Blue Ridge Gap, 1 volume,
1824 .
Box 190
Folder 8
Field Notes (labeled: from Mother's Dam to Manchester; sketch book No. 1 to accompany field books no. 1 and 2; 1st appendix
to field books; 2nd appendix to field books; 4th sketch book from the North Branch to Wood's Island to accompany 6th and 7th
field books; survey from Beaverdam Creek to Maiden's Adventure), 6 volumes,
1824-1825 .
Box 191
Folder 1
Field Notes (labeled: 1st field book of the survey of James River from Maiden's Adventure to the Blue Ridge; 2nd field book
of the survey of James River from the Blue Ridge to Covington; 3rd field book of the survey of James River to accompany the
1st field book; 4th field book of the survey of James River to accompany the 1st field book; 5th field book of the survey
of James River to accompany the end of the 1st and beginning of the 2nd field book; 6th field book of the survey of James
River to accompany the 2nd field book; Dam and Canal near Mayo's Bridge), 7 volumes
1827-1829 .
Box 191
Folder 2
Field Notes, Kanawha Turnpike Extension (labeled: 1st book to Kelly's X Witcher's creek; 2nd book from Witcher's creek to
Campbell's creek; 3rd book from Campbell's creek to Charleston and changes made above Kelly's creek; 4th book from Big Sandy
to Barboursville; 5th book from Barboursville to station 614 near Ellis on the Hurricane; 6th book from station 614 near Ellis'
on the Hurricane to Charleston), 6 volumes
1829 .
Box 191
Folder 3
Field notes, Kanawha Turnpike Extension (labeled: from its present termination to Charleston; continuation of the survey of
a route by Sackett's Creek), 2 volumes,
1829 .
Box 192
Folder 1
Map (Lexington Turnpike, Jacksons River, Dunlaps Creek, Kanawha Turnpike, Plan of Covington),
undated .
Box 192
Folder 2
Correspondence, reports, financial statements, and certificates of stock,
1794-1822 .
Box 192
Folder 3
Correspondence, reports, financial statements, and certificates of stock,
1823-1824 .
Box 192
Folder 4
Correspondence, reports, and financial statements,
1825-1827 .
Box 192
Folder 5
Correspondence, reports, and financial statements,
1828-1831 .
Box 192
Folder 6
Correspondence, reports, financial statements, and list of stockholders,
1832-1835 .
Box 193
Folder 1
Lower Canal contracts,
1820-1823 .
Box 193
Folder 2
Lower Canal receipts (John Staples, Superintendent, Part 1),
1823 .
Box 193
Folder 3
Lower Canal receipts (John Staples, Superintendent, Part 2),
1823 .
Box 193
Folder 4
Accounts of labor on canal (includes names of laborer),
1823 .
Box 193
Folder 5
Lower Canal Fencing and bridges, Correspondence and papers,
1823-1825 .
Box 193
Folder 6
Lower Canal, Proposals and agreements for work,
1826-1835 .
Box 194
Folder 1
Kanawha River Improvement, Correspondence, accounts, contracts, etc. (John Bosher, Superintendent),
1821-1822 .
Box 194
Folder 2
Receipts for surveys,
1821-1824 .
Box 194
Folder 3
Kanawha Road, Correspondence, contracts, etc. (John Caruthers for construction),
1821-1825 .
Box 194
Folder 4
Kanawha Road, Contracts, etc. (James Moore, Contractor for Greenbrier and Gauley Bridges),
1823-1826 .
Box 194
Folder 5
Kanawha River Improvement, Contracts, correspondence, etc.,
1823-1832 .
Box 194
Folder 6
Blue Ridge Canal, Correspondence (includes 2 letters between James Brown, Jr., Second Auditor, and John Robertson, Attorney
General),
1824 .
Box 194
Folder 7
Blue Ridge Canal, Land papers, condemnations, etc.,
1825-1832 .
Box 194
Folder 8
Blue Ridge Canal Turnpike, Correspondence, etc.,
1831-1836 .
Box 195
Folder 1
Form of bonds, Old J.R. Company, and Correspondence (John Clarke to Thomas M. Randolph),
1820 .
Box 195
Folder 2
Kanawha Road and Navigation, Correspondence (William Anderson, Commissioner),
1823-1826 .
Box 195
Folder 3
Kanawha Road, Correspondence and accounts (Shields and Blair, Contractors to rebuild Gauley Bridge),
1827-1831 .
Box 195
Folder 4
Kanawha Road, Correspondence (James C. Warren, Agent for western improvements),
1828-1831 .
Box 195
Folder 5
Kanawha Road, Correspondence (Coffman, Royce, and Chappell, contractors),
1830-1834 .
Box 195
Folder 6
Kanawha Road and Blue Ridge Canal, Receipts of tolls, labor, etc.,
1834 .
Box 196
Folder 1
Kanawha Road, Correspondence and accounts of Kanawha Road Commissioners,
1821-1823 .
Box 196
Folder 2
Kanawha Road, Correspondence, maps, etc. (William Anderson, construction superintendent),
1822-1823 .
Box 196
Folder 3
Kanawha Road, Correspondence, bids, accounts, etc. (Part 1),
1821-1831 .
Box 196
Folder 4
Kanawha Road, Correspondence, bids, accounts, etc. (Part 2),
1821-1831 .
Box 196
Folder 5
Kanawha Road, Correspondence and recommendations of gatekeepers,
1826-1835 .
Box 197
Folder 1
Powers of attorney,
1786-1822 .
Box 197
Folder 2
Receipts for labor, supplies, etc.,
1823 .
Box 197
Folder 3
Kanawha Road and Navigation, Receipts for labor, supplies, and tolls (Part 1),
1832-1833 .
Box 197
Folder 4
Kanawha Road and Navigation, Receipts for labor, supplies, and tolls (Part 2),
1832-1833 .
Box 197
Folder 5
Kanawha Road and Navigation, Receipts for labor, supplies, and tolls (Part 1),
1834-1835 .
Box 197
Folder 6
Kanawha Road and Navigation, Receipts for labor, supplies, and tolls (Part 2),
1834-1835 .
Box 197
Folder 7
Miscellaneous (includes Resolutions of Richmond City Common Council regarding bridges, etc; Bosher's Dam proposals for repairing,
etc.; Norfolk Borough Hustins Court suit Blanchard et. al. vs. Newton, regarding James River Co. stock; rough notes of canal
construction expenses),
1811-1836 .
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