The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-11-08

80 ----- 7--
since 1866 by theft. The authorities urge
the employment. pf an expert collector 10
prevent such mishaps for the future.
The destruction OF so many early re-
cords makes douby valuable similar re-.
cords preserved by England, France,
Spain relating to the colonial period 1t
England particularly. In the Public Re-
cord Office, there are hundreds OF docu-
ments relating exclusively to Virginia.
Numerous transcripts FROM these records
have recently been made In The London
Office for the State of Virginia, which
will prove of the greatest interest to the
student OF history. Among these recent
transcripts may be mentioned: MIC
Donald Papers, nine volumes; ..Mc.
Abstracts" 1905 1740), twenty volumes:
"DeJnrnette Papers (16os-l6sl), two
volumes; "Winder Papers Co,f-17oS), two
yoluin es Jared Sparks Selections from
lie Papers OF the Board Of Trade (Eng.
land 1753-175O.s one volume; "Sparks's
Selections from Papers In Council CHAM
her Richmopd, one volumes Papers In
British Museum relating to Bacon's Re,
bellion. one vo1ume Letters, etc." re.
laung to treaties Between Virginia and
the Cherokees, 1753-1772; Aspinwall Papers
from the Barlow collection; Yong's yoy-
nse to virginia and Maryland d634) one
volume.
These various transcripts covers most
interesting historical periods from 1906
1772., In the London Record Office there
are still many others papers equally In
tIn,ately associated with Virginia his
tory and of less interest to the his
torcal student; and there the library IL
VOW making arrangements to have copied.
Documents OF this character, together
With many others now in the Virginia
Land Office and the Virginia Historical
Society supply many missing links In
tho history OF this state.
County Court Records.
Another valuable source Of inform alton
which the library aims to cover as fully
as possible Is con tained in the old County
Court records. The members OF the
County Courts were frequently men OF
great Influence and the functions OF the
courts were so 1nultifarlous as to reflect
u large part OF the life OF the county.
Mr. s. p. Patteson, In a recent address
before the Virginia Bar Association, laid 4
the greatest phasls on the light with
the County Records throw upon the adj 4
Dinistration Of Justice. Under present
conditions, these records are for the most
part ill-kept and IN wretchcd shape. The 4
report includes a tAbulated list show
ing only, twenty eight counties, Including
Chesterfield, which have a complete set
or records. In eight counties, these valu-
able archives have been entirely destroy
cd, and In sixteen have been only par
TALLY preserved. Hanover county. for
example, has two deed books l.yo-5 and
.17S3, apart from which everything has
1s. 4 .,J Ill,
nothing earlier han 1871, and several sets
of5records after that date arc missing. I
In 1882 5000 was appropriated to copy
various records to the year 1900, which
was duly done in the case OF eight coun-
ties. There Is now need of further APP
preparation to carry the copying to 1900,
and to extend 1t to other counties ten OF 1
which require especial and Immediate at
tcntion.
The development of the Library's ac-
tlvities has not gone on without con-
siderable tax on its resources, and sew
era needs have now. become rather
rather glaringly apparent. The addition
Of some five or six thousand volumes
during the past year, for one thing, me-
gccssitates an early enlargement Of the
Present stack-space, and authorization.
is llrG ed for the building OF second
deck In the main housing room, thus
doubling the stack-space available for |
use. Other present needs are in the d.
rection Of funds for the purchase OF books
and for additional help. clerical and at
tendant. These have been listed in the
appended schedule, the figures in each
case representing expenses for the next
two years:
Building second deck for books. 81 Q, 800
Library fund i 0 900
Travelling libraries ....... ......... $500
Assistant Libraries 1890. ....... 5000
Archives i. Z. 4. !. II. i. {. y. B. 2,4oo
Chief Reading ROOM Division So. 2.4oO
Chief Serial Division 49,. ....... 2,400
sas,2o6
HENRICO COUNTY.