Administrative Information

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Preferred Citation

Rockingham County (Va.) Judgment (Writ of Ad Quod Damnum), Gray vs. Richardson, 1793 Nov. Local government records collection, Rockingham County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

This item came to the Library of Virginia under accession number 44019.

Historical Information

Rockingham County was named for Charles Watson-Wentworth, second marquis of Rockingham, who supported the colonists in their disputes with Great Britain. It was formed from Augusta County in 1778.

Created in 1778. A courthouse fire in 1787 destroyed wills and estate records, primarily. In June 1864 during the Civil War, court records (mostly volumes) were removed from the courthouse and loaded on a wagon to be taken to place of safety on or beyond the Blue Ridge. The wagon was overtaken by Union troops near Port Republic and set on fire, which was put out by local citizens. Many order books, deed books, will books, and fiduciary books, however, were lost or severely damaged by the fire. The loose records that remained at the courthouse were undamaged. Pre-1865 records including deeds and wills were rerecorded following an act of assembly passed in November 1884.

Scope and Content

Rockingham County (Va.) Judgment (Writ of Ad Quod Damnum), Gray vs. Richardson, 1793 Nov. John Gray petitions the court for a writ of ad quod damnum to asses the damage that would be inflicted by construction of a grist mill and dam on the North River on land abutting property owned by William Richardson. The court grants the writ, according to an Act of Assembly concerning Mill Dams, and other Obstructions of Water Courses, and orders the sheriff to summon twelve men to investigate. They report that Gray does not yet own the land, but has only entered a claim for it. The document includes the names and signatures (or marks) of the twelve persons impaneled by the sheriff.

Related Material

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

Rockingham County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Rockingham Court Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the Lost Records Localites Database found on the Library of Virginia's web site.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Rockingham County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Dams--Virginia--Rockingham County.
• Mills and mill-work--Virginia--Rockingham County.

Geographical Names:

• Rockingham County (Va.)--History--18th century.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Civil actions--Virginia--Rockingham County.
• Local government records--Virginia--Rockingham County.
• Road and bridge records--Virginia--Rockingham County.

Adjunct Descriptive Data