The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-03-06
LOCAL MATTERS.

LOCAL nj AL LEXIS.
OIn Books AND PArERs-ANNuAL Re-
FORT OF TIRE JOINT COMMITTEE OF THE
STATE LiRRARy-Thc annual report Of the
iont committee of the two houses of
the General Assembly has been submitted to
the Legislature. In reference to the organi-
zaton of the llustiugS Court Of this city the
committee publish q letter from Mr.. An
drew Jinkins, clerk Of the court. Mr.. jim
kins. in his letter, says that pursuant to an
act of the General Assembly Of Virginia eu-
titled "An act for Incorporating the town
of Richmond, and for other purposes" Will
liam FouShcc, Mayor; William Hay, Re-
corder; Jacquein Amber. John Beckley,
Robert Mitchell, and james Hunter, Jr., Al
derincn. respectively SO elected BY the Com
mon Hail of said city, on Wednesday the Sd
day Of July, 1872, after being duly qualified
| before Turner Soutball, Z justice Of the peace
of the county Of Henrico, assembled
themselves in the said city on Monday the
18th day Of July, 1882, and organized a
Court Of Hastings for the city of Richmond,
| and proceeded ia business by eiectins Adam
Craig as clerk, who took the oath of fidelity
to the Commonwealth of Virginia and the
oath of office. This court continued in eX-
| iS,cnce from the Sd of July, 1882, down to
| the adoption OF the present Constitution Of
Virginia, when the whole judiciary system
of Virginia was changed, and the old "Court
| of Hastings for the city Of Richmond" held
| by the mayor, recorder, and aldermen, was
| abolished, along with the old county-court
system, and "Hustings Court of the city
| OF Richmond" was established, to be pre-
sided over by a city or huStings judge.
| Under the old system all deeds, Wills, ac-
| counts, probate and granting of letters OF ad-
ministratiou on decedentS' estates were re-
| corded and granted in the Court of Hastings !;
| except in matters of probate and recording
of wills and granting c. letters Ct adInlns4.ss
| tration on decedents' estates the Circuit
| Court Of this city had concurrent juriSaic-
| ton.
MIR. Jinkins says that he has also on record
| in his office all land-books of real estate in
| the city of Richmond; returns of delin-
uuent lands; all ordinary and tavern
licenses are granted in this court: qualfca-
tions Of all public officers; registration. books,
| record Of all marrage-liceDses, indentures Of
apprenticeship, returns Of all judgments
| rendered by justices Of the peace, and the
record of births and death. He has no ves-
| try-bookS or parish registers in his office.
There is hanging in the Hastings Court
room a life-size portrait of John Marshall,
late Chicf.Justice of the Supreme Court of
the United States, painted, he believes, by
Sully OF Philadelphia.
All maps and portions Of maps relating to
titles and real estate in the city of Richmond
are recorded and filed in the Chancery Court
of the city of Richmond.
No weights or measures in bis possession.
There is an office of Sealer Of Weights and
Noos ,trnS 10 nf RIphmnn1 n
such are in his possession.
The Court of Hastings for the city of Rich.
mond had seal from IFS organization in
1872, and Mr. Jinkins found the following
order entered in court on tie 14lh day of
April 1888. The clerk of the court haying
stated that the seal of the court has been
casually lost or purloincd from his office,
the clerk is directed to have a new seal en-.
graved OF the following description: The
figure of Justice bandaged and seated in the
centre, holding the scales i'll her right hand
and sword i'll her left, the words "C0urt
Of Hastings for the city Of Richmond
around the top, and the motto I" In hoe
Signo resTtdS" and the date 1IS2 at bottom,
and Oh The Se;t Of the figure Of Justice,
4" changed 1898 y; and upon the same being
executed, the clerk is directed 10 use it as
! the seal of the court.
(Thc writer here gives IN impression or
| tic seal) This seal was used Is the seal OF
the Court of Hastings for the city of Rc!.-
mond until the I'd day of May, 1870. When
the present Hastings Court was organized
the above seal was dispensed with, and a
new seal was furnished by the Secretary Of
the Commonwealth for the use Of the court.
Mr.. Burton, the clerk of the Henrico
County Court, writes that there are several
ri boocS in, tho nffipn min bRck n
about 1850; the court-orderS, wills, deeds,
&C., seem to have been entered in the same
book; they are generally i'll q remarkable
state Of preservation, and the writing per-
fectly legible; the ink has faded but little
there arc frequent omiSsions-from IT'S to
1925, from 1884 to 1744, and from 1144 to
1871. The clerks office was burned during
| the Revolutionary war, when the court
house was ut Farina, and these books were
saved from the flames, as be is informed.
There is On separate sheet, in one of
| the books, a copy of the oath of ''Ahjura-
| tion.' and also announcing the doctrine of
| Transubstantiaton." He finds filed away
| among the old deeds one from w. Byrd, of
Westover, Charles City county, to Francis
West, dated 14th March, 1741, conveying
half an acre Of land, in certain town called
Richmond, lately laid off in the county Of
Henrico; and on the back OF the deed Is the
following
'Memorandum.-That delivered livery
and seisin, by twiS aud turf, to the within
mentioned Francis West, and gave him quiet
possession of the lot, on the other side men-
toned. (SiSneO w. BYRD.
lie also finds probate of the will OF
Charles Scruggs, granted by Lieutenant.Gov.
crnor Alexander Spotswood, dated 3Oth
April, 1119. The seal of the colony, which
seems to be sof beeswaX, was annexed, aud
a portion now remains, though the inscrip-
ton is unintelligible.
W. d. COLEMAN ISDIcrED.-The grand
Jury of the Hastings Court met yesterday,
and found two bills for felony against w.
D. Coleman. The first indictment is under
section of chapter 1S9 Of the Code of 1873,
in reference to making fraudulent use of or
fraudulent entries in public records. The
second indictment is for grand larceny with
a count for embezzlement.