Chapter III of Warren Billings's Old Dominion in the 17th Century is a succinct
introduction to the social and welfare responsiblities exercised by the county
courts (though the parishes were involved as well).
Directly relevant to colonial Virginia one could also delve into vol 1 "The Old
Poor Law" in Sidney and Beatrice (Potter) Webb's monumental "English poor law
history" (London, New York: Longmans, Green and Co. 1927-29 for a thorough
institutional review of contemporary English institutions that were being
replicated and/or adapted by Virginia's localities and parishes - and of course
post-WWII English social history has spawned a vast literature pertaining to all
this.

Jon Kukla

Jim Watkinson wrote:

> The poor laws of Virginia came into effect within 20 years of the landing at
> Jamestown.  However, they did little to help the poor, relieving them only
> of some taxes.  The poor still had to pay to support the local minister, and
> had to have someone "testifie to their poverty."  From then on, poor laws
> generally evolved in a fashion similar to English law.

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