The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-31
Warwick countie tho 2st. York County
tlio aIth: fortha'ton the 2sth, OF evcrie

u nt,onr The archives Of tho counties IN
1ishrIco is recorded a proclamation. call
N tnr for the beating OF drums and the
Il i,iowinr OF flies IN celebration Of the
+ ncccssion OF William and Mary. Il, &C.
h cot,,ac the earliest records bear date OF
1868. .'At a court held III Accomacks \. c t,n.
Y ty6ye 2lst April, by His Mnjestv's ousuces
n ~ the peace for We said county IN Se
3 fifteenth year or tho Raigne Of our SOW
N 3, n,rn lord Charles Se Second, ny Sc
IA Grace Of God, Of Great Britain, france
and Ircland-King, Defender OF ye fnith.
II, We year Of our Lord God, 1861 p 1..ss.
Z cnt Anto. 11odgkins. CAPTAIN George
~ Me- lam wise. Eslis Ordered that Se
E,,ext court be held ye 22d day Of MAY:
ssnt Mr. Anto. Hodglins's house. Orde.,Ca
4fthat "a sheriff give 70 clarke notice then
To attend we court.
Powers Of the Court.
IN this manner the County Court NAG
lie beginning. The nnl11e was cnanseua
rom "Monthlie Courts to County
Is5 t.t,lrts,.lin 16l2.'4S. At first these courts
were given power and authotitS ~. -,
~ hear ana determine all such suits n m.
controversies between parry any III
as exceed not tho value OF one huna ,.es
rounds of tobacco" and were REQUIRED
e IT, take into their care the consefNn.
tiorN of The peace, the quiet government
asand safety Of the people there rcsiails
Il or being" and TO see that nll ORDERS
n and proclamations bee kept anu "
sc,.y..d. and according to the same y. ~
inflicte a punishment upon , a.. ismn,,
it uuents either by fine or otherwise lsu Nc,
vs. offenses only excepted as concerne the
4 4ol;inr away OF life or mcmDcr) IN
an art of 1642-4s the right of trial BY
irrv was secured ito parties who desire
IT, aud in 1657-'5S the grand turies, Wh ~,
hitherto had been meeting only at me
March and midsummer courts, were re-
Il Rn,,;rod II he empaneled ut every court.
Mr. Gordon, from whose paper. many
az the fncts and quotations above set
ant are drawn, further quotes the ms
torian. Fiskc, who, In speaking OF ,l,c
N Colonial County Courts Of Virginia, sala
I'M !, ..The County Court in Virginia had Ju-
ristliction in criminal actions nov ~,
vloying peril of life or limb, ana III ciY,'
suits where the sum at sake ehoe a,,,,,a
4 Twenty-Five shillings. Smaller SUITS coulu
he tried by single justice. Inc court
n also had charge of the probate and 40,
Il ministratlon of Wills. Tho court appointed
Its own clerk, who kept the county re-
IN cords. II supcrintended the construction
and repair Of bridges and highways, ana
for this purpose divided the county INTO
n precincts, and appointed annually LOT
( ench precinct highway surveyor. Inc
court also seems to have appointed con-
stables, one for each precinct; and each
v,,,.r the court presented the names Of
thron If its members to tho Governor,
who appointed one, generally the senior
i3 Justice to he the sheriff Of the county for
the ensuing year."
The Changes Made.
81 CONSTITUTED In this manner the County
Court has come down through the years.
Other courts We're formed. some higher.
some lower, and from time to time
changes We're made in the powers cf
the County Court. But the court always
existed and was always first in the minds
Of the people. 1t was essentially pc
p1e's tribunal particularly up to 1870, when
this feature of it began to show falling
y off. owing to q change In the form OF
administration.
In tie Constitution OF 1s29-'so it Is pro-
vided that the judicial power shall be
vested in "a Supreme Court OF Appeals
In such superior courts as the Legisla-
ture may from time to timo- ordain and
u establish u1,G the judges thereofS in tn,
county Courts. and in justices OF, the
nea CO., Provision for the County Courts
was also expressly made In the nota BILE
Constitution of 1776 at Williamsburg, and
~ also in the Constitution Of 1850. During all
this time the court was constituted d.
magistrates who presided over 1t We're
citizens elected by citizens.
When the Underwood Constitution
went into effect about 1870, this popular
feature was removed and the 1udgesnlp
was established. Since that time men
eminent In the public life of the State
have occupied the county bench posi-
ton that was esteemed an honor by any
man In the Constitutional Convention
of 1903 the final change was made. This
ancient County Court described above
was abolished and a Circuit Court. IN
Isl which was centered the powers of botn
the old County Court and the old Circuit
Court were established. On yesterday this
renovating change went into effect
# throughout the State; tomorrow the new
regime will begin its sway.
The judicial side q 'the County Court
ID IS not the only aspect upon Which 1t must
Is be viewed in parting. Its. social and edu-
@ cational fea lures were marked. 1t was
III u market place. where the farmer on
5S changed his wares for those of his neigh
Y Dor; it was forum, IN which speeches. were
q made contracts formed. bargains closed
til social and festive gatherings held. II
was holiday for the people-court day
II was. 1t was school for politics, where
= was heard upon many fair day the
& spread-eagle oratory so notably Southern
- IN It's richness, OIL ColOTlllS. II was II spot
where the most distinctive life Of the
community developed and displayed It
self; where the fires that flashed out
during the dark revolutionary days OF
IA aT76 were kindled.
There is then no wonder that the re-
# moval of an institution so inwoven in the
! life of the people causes among many 6
5 feeling of regret, What the town meeting
was to New England, court day has beer
to the Old Dominion. Again. quoting {
quotation in Mr. Gordon's paper. Vir
glnia while without this town meeting
"had It's familiar court day--n hollda!
for all the county, especially in the fal
9 and spring, From all directions came II
the people, on horseback, In wagons AM
afoot. On the courthouse green Assem-
hled, in indiscriminate confusion. pcopl
of all classes-the hunter from the back
woods, the owner of a few acres. tn
grand proprietor, and the grinning. heed
less negro. Old debts were settled an
new ones made; there were auctions
4 transfers of property, and, II election
times were near. stump-speaking,'
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