-----Original Message----- From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Brooks, Vincent (LVA) Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 9:42 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [VA-HIST] Dinwiddie and Giles County Chancery Causes The Library of Virginia (LVA) is pleased to announce that processing, indexing, and digital reformatting of the Dinwiddie and Giles County chancery causes is now complete. The index and images have been added to the Library's on-line Chancery Records Index <http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/chancery/index.htm> and are now available for searching through the LVA website. The Dinwiddie County chancery collection covers the years 1844 through 1954, and scanned images are available though 1932. The Giles County chancery index consists of cases for the years 1807 through 1936 (bulk 1812-1908). The scanned images have been posted through 1929. These counties join the growing list of localities whose chancery causes have been preserved and made available through the Library's innovative Circuit Court Records Preservation Program, which seeks to preserve the historic records of Virginia's Circuit Courts. Please see the Chancery Records Index for a listing of additional locality chancery collections that are available. Chancery causes are cases that are decided on the basis of equity and fairness as opposed to the strictly formulated rules of common law cases. Chancery cases are especially useful when researching local history, genealogical information, and land or estate divisions. They are a valuable source of local, state, social, and legal history and serve as a primary source for understanding a locality's history. Chancery causes often contain correspondence; property lists, including slaves; lists of heirs; and vital statistics, along with many other records. Some of the more common types of chancery causes involve divisions of the estate of a person who died intestate (without a will); divorces; settlements of dissolved business partnerships; and resolutions of land disputes. ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html