Fine info, Margaret, and is it not true that precious few of those "loose papers" have been abstracted or even indexed yet????     I know that is true for the Surry "loose papers" and those of MANY other counties, and that virtually none of those are on the internet.   Thanks.  Paul 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: [log in to unmask] 
  To: [log in to unmask] 
  Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2004 12:11 PM
  Subject: Virginia Courthouses


  There are vast differences from what is available from County to county in
  Virginia. In some instances loose papers were sent to Richmond by the clerks of
  the court to solve a crowding problem. In cases such as these you had to
  obtain permission from the clerk of the county clerk to view them because although
  they were in The Library of Virginia they were still under the clerks control.
  In recent years the Library of Virginia or State Archives I am no sure which
  sponsored grants for clerks of courts to begin to flat file loose papers so
  they can be preserved. They were then inventoried. One such project took place
  in Fauquier County, Virginia. It is wonderful. My Burgess family found proof of
  who the children were through the papers supporting a law suit. A few years
  ago and electrician crawling around in the attic of the court house in Accomac
  County, VA found an old chest containing papers dating to about 1735. In
  another case a Methodist Minster "acquired papers" from a courthouse where his
  ancestor lived. And this has happened in many cases. Descendants "aquaria" loose
  papers when left unsupervised in courthouse that are usually understaffed.
  Unlike archives that are set up to deal with researchers through a system of
  lockers where the persons places all belongs the court house sees most folks
  using briefcases. So if you run into a situation where the papers are
  restricted, it is probably due to funding shortfalls. Do not give up. Ask the clerk or
  deputy clerk if they have plans to obtain a grant for flat filing and when
  they think it will actually be done. I understand it is currently on hold because
  of funding. Not a Good thing for a state that will celebrate its 400
  anniversary in a few short years. Margaret

  Margaret R. Amundson, CGsm is a service mark of the Board for Certification
  of Genealogists, used under license by Board-certified associates after
  periodic proficiency evaluations.

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