The contents of this Minute Book are comprised chiefly of: General Court cases or "causes"; Criminal cases; Grand jury indictments; Grievances; Apprenticeships (binding out) of youth seems to have disappeared or nearly disappeared by this time; Deaths: one may sometimes make a rough estimate of many deaths by judging from the multiple entries of estates from individuals dead for at least 3 months (occasionally one month), turned over to the sheriff for administration as well as cases implemented by persons then deemed to have died since the event (often the suit is implemented in the name of another person); Civil War: A number of Washington County persons who received under acts of Feb 1884 and Feb 1886, disabling wounds during the Civil War applied for artificial limbs (or, if not able to use such, compensation/commutation) for limbs lost (or other involved infirmities) during the war; presentment at court and confirmation of admission to record of Deeds, Deeds of Trust, Agreements, Releases, Mechanics Liens, Lis Pendens, Partitions of estate, et al. during past court terms; extensive entries involving "road orders": view routes for new roads, alternative routes, etc.; ad quod damnums...; removal of lunatics to the Western Lunatic Asylum at Staunton or return of wards or lunatics to their native areas; also appointment of Committees for lunatics and payments for medical services to lunatics; payments of the county or commonwealth to jurors, venire men (potential jurors selected), for recording births, deaths and marriages, conveying prisoners to the penitentiary, to county officials (sheriff, deputy sheriffs, coroner etc.; granting of exemption from taxation or working on roads granted because of old age or bodily infirmity; granting of licenses to persons operating houses of entertainment, ordinaries, eating houses, or to liquor and bar room merchants; granting of permission to licensed ministers to perform the rite of matrimony; granting of permission for attorney(s) to practice in county court as well as Courts of the commonwealth; administration of required oaths to county/court officials, and filling of vacancies of such, as required.
Thomas Jack Hockett and Donald Helton
2018, 8" x 10", 248 pp.
107-WSM26
