Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Charlotte County (Va.) Estray Records, 1770-1870. Local government records collection, Charlotte County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

These records came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court records from Charlotte County.

Historical Information

Charlotte County was named for Charlotte Sophia of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of King George III. It was formed from Lunenburg County in 1764. The county court first met on 5 March 1765.

Estrays were stray livestock found wandering. An inquest was held to determine the value of the livestock in order to reimburse the person who had found and cared for the animal. The report generally includes a physical description of the animal as well as an assessed monetary value.

Scope and Content

Charlotte County (Va.) Estray Records, 1770-1870, contains various loose records giving public notice of valuable, tame animals, either lost or found wandering and presumed escaped from their owners, allowing the owners to reclaim the animals. Enteries generally indicate by whom the animal was taken up, before what justice the person went and when, and the description and appraisement (value) of the animal.