Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

Use microfilm copy, Dinwiddie County (Va.) Reel 70.

Preferred Citation

Dinwiddie County (Va.) Records of Meetings of Overseers of the Poor, 1850-1870. Dinwiddie County (Va.) Reel 70, Local Government Records Collection, Dinwiddie County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

This item came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court papers from Dinwiddie County.

The microfilm was generated by Backstage Library Works through the Library of Virginia's Circuit Court Records Preservation Program.

Historical Information

Dinwiddie County was named for Robert Dinwiddie, lieutenant governor of Virginia from 1751 to 1758. The county was formed from Prince George County in 1752.

In 1780 the Virginia General Assembly replaced the Anglican vestries and churchwardens of the colonial period with elected bodies called Overseers of the Poor. The Overseers provided food, clothing, shelter, and medical treatment for the persons who were too poor to support themselves or too ill to provide for their basic needs. They also bound out children whose parents could not support them or who failed to educate or instruct them, as well as orphans to become apprentices. The boys learned a trade and the girls learned domestic skills.

In 1844, the General Assembly enacted laws to create poor farms overseen by boards of directors for the maintenance and education of the poor. The boards bought farms and built buildings, appointed a superintendant for each poor farm, and chose a physician to attend the sick and teachers to educate the children. The adults and older children were required to work if they were able.

The bulk of court records prior to 1865 were stolen, mutilated, and/or destroyed by Union troops who ransacked the courthouse during the last months of the Civil War. Post-1830 volumes such as deed books, will books, chancery order books, and marriage registers exist.

Scope and Content

The Dinwiddie County (Va.) Records of Meetings of the Overseer of the Poor is one volume dated 1850-1870. The minutes give the names of people receiving financial support, food, and clothing, as well as those removing to other states and the burial of the deceased. The minutes also include the details of the collection of the levy for the poor and how the money was spent. In addition, a report of the business of the poorhouse is contained in the minutes

Stuck in the book is paper with undated accounts, 3 surnames and a payment for Frank Morgan.

Arrangement

Chronological

Related Material

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

See 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 .

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Dinwiddie County (Va.) Board of Overseers of the Poor
• Dinwiddie County (Va.) Circuit Court

Subjects:

• Apprentices--Virginia--Dinwiddie County
• Poor--Employment--Virginia--Dinwiddie County
• Poor--Virginia--Dinwiddie County
• Public welfare--Virginia--Dinwiddie County
• Tax Collection--Virginia--Dinwiddie County

Geographical Names:

• Dinwiddie County--History--19th century

Genre and Form Terms:

• Almshouses--Virginia--Dinwiddie County
• Local government records--Virginia--Dinwiddie County
• Minutes--Virginia--Dinwiddie County

Adjunct Descriptive Data