Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society Collection
Summary Information
- Repository:
- Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University
- Title:
- Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society Collection
- Collection No.:
- SC 0117
- Date:
- 1740-1950
- Extent:
- 6 boxes, 1 flat folder, 3.0 Cubic Feet
- Language of the Material:
- English
- Abstract:
- This collection consists of approximately 1,700 items, in six boxes and one flat folder, and covers the dates 1740-1950. The collection is comprised of a very wide variety of legal, governmental, business, school, and church records, as well as personal papers, all primarily from the Central Shenandoah Valley (Rockingham, Shenandoah, Augusta, and Page counties). Most are originals, but some facsimiles are included.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], [box #, folder #], Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society Collection, 1740-1950, SC 0117, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.
Scope and Content
This collection consists of approximately 1,700 items, in six boxes and one flat folder, and covers the dates 1740-1950. The collection is comprised of a very wide variety of legal, governmental, business, school, and church records, as well as personal papers, all primarily from the Central Shenandoah Valley (Rockingham, Shenandoah, Augusta, and Page Counties). Most are originals, but some photocopies are included.
The Legal/Governmental Documents Series includes summonses, road documents, juror lists, delivery bonds, papers from the Sheriff's Office and the Circuit Courts of Rockingham and Shenandoah Counties, CSA Telegraph Reports, postal accounts, and miscellaneous other official reports, claims, applications, etc.
The Business/Institutional Documents Series includes church histories and other church documents, school catalogs, slave purchase documents, records of Cootes' Store, and other miscellaneous business papers which are not related to families, such as the merger of the News Register Co. and Rockingham Publishing Co. Significantly the collection includes a complete issue of the Rockingham Weekly Register from April 26, 1828, that is not extant elsewhere.
The Individual/Family Documents Series contains deeds and indentures; letters; receipts; promissory notes and other financial papers, including those related to family businesses; certificates; and miscellaneous other documents. Of particular interest are the Harrison and Lincoln family folders, which include several noteworthy deeds; and the Winfield family folder, which includes several items relating to the Civil War.
Arrangement
Most of the papers were received in no order. A few packets were labeled with family names. Documents are arranged chronologically within folders, except in the Miscellaneous folders of the Individual/Family series, where they are filed alphabetically. The documents were sorted into the following series and sub series:
- 1. Legal/Governmental Documents
- 2. Business/Institutional Documents
- 3. Individual/Family Documents
- 3.1. Individual Families
- 3.2. Miscellaneous Families
- 4. Oversize
- 4.1. Legal/Governmental Documents
- 4.2. Business/Institutional Documents
- 4.3. Individual/Family Documents
- 4.4. Maps
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.
Use Restrictions
The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).
Acquisition Information
This collection was compiled from many boxes of miscellaneous papers placed on deposit at the library by the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society.
Processing Information
In order to streamline the process of applying collection numbers, Special Collections staff completed a large-scale renumbering campaign in the spring of 2017. This collection was previously cataloged as SC 2095.
Location
Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University
880 Madison DriveMSC 1704Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807library-special@jmu.eduURL: https://www.lib.jmu.edu/special/
Index Terms
Subject
- Virginia -- History, Local -- Sources
- Virginia -- History -- Sources
- Virginia -- Genealogy -- Sources
- Virginia -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
- Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1775-1865
- Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1861-1865
- Virginia -- Politics and government -- 1865-1950
- Virginia -- Social life and customs
- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History -- Sources
- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- Religious life and customs
- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- Social life and customs
- Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- Genealogy -- Sources
- Rockingham County (Va.) -- History -- Sources
- Shenandoah County (Va.) -- History -- Sources
- Augusta County (Va.) -- History -- Sources
- Page County (Va.) -- History -- Sources
- Rockingham County (Va.) -- Genealogy -- Sources
- Shenandoah County (Va.) -- Genealogy -- Sources
- Page County (Va.) -- Genealogy -- Sources
- Augusta County (Va.) -- Genealogy -- Sources
Title
- Virginia--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
Collection Inventory
Series 1: Legal/Governmental Documents |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Title/Description | Instances | ||
| Account book, J. H. Shue, Clerk of Circuit Ct. (1 item), 1875-1881 | box 1 | folder 1 | |
| Applications to create voting precincts (2 items), 1875-1881 | box 1 | folder 2 | |
| Applications for soft-drink licenses (78 items), 1916-1931 | box 1 | folder 3 | |
| Appointments to office (7 items), 1876-1887 | box 1 | folder 4 | |
| Arrest warrants (6 items), 1890-1920 | box 1 | folder 5 | |
| Articles of agreement, 1861 Militia draft substitute agreement (11 items), 1821-1894 | box 1 | folder 6 | |
| Black voters, Rockingham County (1 item), 1902-1903 | box 1 | folder 7 | |
| Complaints of illegal sales of poison (14 items), 1906-1907 | box 1 | folder 8 | |
| Complaints to the court (5 items), 1778-1825 | box 1 | folder 9 | |
| Court Actions: court decisions and grand jury presentments (7 items), 1779-1897 | box 1 | folder 10 | |
| Courthouse and Public Square; papers dealing with the building of a new courthouse (12 items), 1832-1838 | box 1 | folder 11 | |
| Court Petitions (5 items), 1798-1899 | box 1 | folder 12 | |
| CSA Military telegraph reports, Confederate Bonds (5 items), 1864 | box 1 | folder 13 | |
| Debt contracts (19 items), 1797-1907 | box 1 | folder 14 | |
| Delivery bonds (90 items), 1844-1893 | box 1 | folder 15 | |
| Inquests (10 items), 1790-1823 | box 1 | folder 16 | |
| Jail: Reports on the condition of the jail (3 items), 1824-1916 | box 1 | folder 17 | |
| Juror lists. See also Oversize Series (63 items), 1871-1902 | box 1 | folder 18 | |
| Lawsuit: Haga vs. Bradley; Article of agreement and depositions concerning this lawsuit (13 items), 1829-1835 | box 1 | folder 19 | |
| Licenses; To sell merchandise, keep private entertainment, practice as physician or attorney, operate as daguerrian artist, 1929 list of stills (53 items), 1760-1929 | box 1 | folder 20 | |
| Oaths of office (7 items), 1779-1893 | box 1 | folder 21 | |
| Pleas of the Commonwealth (7 items), 1855-1860 | box 1 | folder 22 | |
| Postal accounts, Parnassus, Va. (25 items), 1875-1881 | box 1 | folder 23 | |
| Assessments of Clerks of the Court (93 items), 1880-1914 | box 1 | folder 24 | |
| Civilian Defense (1 item), 1941-1944 | box 1 | folder 25 | |
| Prohibition petition (1 item), 1914 | box 2 | folder 1 | |
| Promises to pay (28 items), 1817-1910 | box 2 | folder 2 | |
| Receipts & applications for business charters (51 items), 1875-1903 | box 2 | folder 3 | |
| Records & claims against estates (9 items), 1792-1890 | box 2 | folder 4 | |
| Recognizance bonds (50 items), 1883-1889 | box 2 | folder 5 | |
| Recognizance bonds, promises to keep the peace (77 items), 1890-1897 | box 2 | folder 6 | |
| Road documents. See also Oversize Series (57 items), 1793-1927 | box 2 | folder 7 | |
| Summonses and subpoenas (36 items), 1801-1930 | box 2 | folder 8 | |
| Tax Data. See also Oversize Series (4 items), 1801-1861 | box 2 | folder 9 | |
| Miscellaneous legal documents: Claims, judgments of court, deposition notice, program from dedication ceremony of W. G. Myers Armory (6 items), 1797-1954 | box 2 | folder 10 | |
Series 2: Business/Institutional Documents |
|||
| Title/Description | Instances | ||
| C&W Railroad Company. See also Oversize Series (3 items), 1895 | box 2 | folder 11 | |
| Cootes Store: legal & financial records, 1857-1923 | box 2 | folder 12 | |
| Cootes Store Horse Co. ledger, 1911 | box 2 | folder 12.5 | |
| Cootes Store: charges, receipts, 1839-1898 | box 2 | folder 13 | |
| Cootes Store: Post office records, 1866-1895 | box 2 | folder 14 | |
| Cootes Store: Bark business, 1890-1892 | box 2 | folder 15 | |
| Currency: Bills issued from banks and counties (2 items), 1860-1861 | box 2 | folder 16 | |
| Gilbert, Felix. Extracts by Warren Skidmore from Account book, 1768-1769 | box 2 | folder 16.3 | |
| Harrisonburg Chamber of Commerce, 1925-1944 | box 2 | folder 16.5 | |
| Mossy Creek Iron Works (1 item), 1801 | box 2 | folder 17 | |
| Rawley Springs Tonic Water Co., Rawley Springs Turnpike Co. (4 items), 1890, 1896 | box 2 | folder 18 | |
| River Bank Bridge Co. (3 items), 1867 | box 2 | folder 18.5 | |
| Rockingham Thespian Society (1 item), 1866 | box 2 | folder 18.7 | |
| Telephone companies: Receipts from Harrisonburg Mutual Telephone Co.; by-laws of Page Co. Telephone Company (3 items), 1902-1904 | box 2 | folder 19 | |
| General Church documents: Contains undated typed manuscript "Some Old Churches of Rockingham& Neighboring Counties" by Ruebush & Wayland; M. E. Church S., Rockingham Dist. Steward's Bk. 1884; 1911 Rockingham Sunday School Association Constitution; [Peaked Mountain Church] list, 1920 (4 items), 1884-1920, undated | box 2 | folder 20 | |
| Trustees and officers of churches, 1875-1918 | box 3 | folder 1 | |
| Church histories and directories, Cook's Creek Presbyterian, Hebrew Friendship congregation, Methodist Church of Dayton, Mt. Hebron, Port Republic Methodist Church, New St. Stephen's Reformed Church, Trissels Mennonite Congregation, 1927-1952 | box 3 | folder 2 | |
| School documents: Catalogs from Girls' Home School, Prospectus for Industrial School at Massanetta Springs, Program from McGaheysville H. S., Teacher's District Meeting, Timberville, 1908 program (5 items), 1889-1926 | box 3 | folder 3 | |
| Mossy Creek Academy: Lists of subscribers, Constitution (with transcription) (5 items), 1850 | box 3 | folder 4 | |
| Slave Purchase Documents (3 items), 1794-1825 | box 3 | folder 5 | |
| Miscellaneous business documents; 1901 timber contract; 1816 & other sale notices; 1843 Elk Run tent holders agreement; subscription form, Golden Horseshoe Tavern, Elkton; 1855 Rockingham Mutual Fire Ins. Co. policy for A. Sprinkel; 1913 (?) merger of News Register Co. & Rockingham Pub. Co., Account with J.P. Houck; Minute book of Weyers Cave Telephone Exchange, 1898-1952; Receipts of P.H. Myers (29 items), 1816-1919 | box 3 | folder 6 | |
Series 3: Individual/Family Documents |
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Series 3.1: Individual Families
Separate folders under each family or individual for which 5 or more relevant items are held. |
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| Title/Description | Instances | ||
| Basford, Thomas. Includes summonses, tax data, and business accounts (8 items), 1868-1874 | box 3 | folder 7 | |
| Conrad, Edward. Contains deeds & plat for downtown Harrisonburg; other deeds; & receipt for Valley Telephone Co. shares. See also Oversize (12 items), 1895-1908 | box 3 | folder 8 | |
| Crawford, William. Contains tax information (13 items), 1867-1877 | box 3 | folder 9 | |
| Eversole Family. Contains letters; road tax toll; RR stock receipts; & misc (70 items), 1832-1879 | box 3 | folder 10 | |
| Gaither Family (25 items), 1834-1907 | box 3 | folder 11 | |
| Garber Family. Includes tax data, muster fines, tax paper for the Confederacy, and receipts from shares of stock (5 items), 1834-1886 | box 3 | folder 12 | |
| Gibbons Family. Contains letters written by Mary Gibbons, including one dated 20 June 1862 describing battles of Pt. Republic & Cross Keys (17 items), 1838-1895 | box 3 | folder 13 | |
| Harrison Family. Includes an indenture that transferred land from T. Harrison to Rockingham County for a courthouse (3 items), 1779-1831 | box 3 | folder 14 | |
| Harnsbarger Family. Indentures, surveys (6 items), 1815-1824 | box 3 | folder 15 | |
| Kemper Family. Letters, mostly written to Fanny Kemper before Civil War (34 items), 1843-1862 | box 3 | folder 16 | |
| Kite, Joseph H. Bankruptcy papers (30 items), 1873-1875 | box 3 | folder 17 | |
| Koontz, John. Includes 1812 grant to land where Koontz built the house later occupied by Lincoln's. See also Oversize Series (24 items), 1805-1832 | box 3 | folder 18 | |
| Lincoln Family. Includes land indentures and typescript of genealogy. See also Oversize Series (6 items), 1780-1831 | box 3 | folder 19 | |
| Martz Family. Business letters from E. R. Shue, F. H. Bowman, etc. and letter to Hiram Martz commenting on politics and the recent elections (34 items), 1840-1914 | box 3 | folder 20 | |
| McGahey Family. Letters, deed, survey, & appraisal of estate of Tobias R. McGahey, 1845; blacksmithing accounts; 1862 note from John Letcher; 1884 note from J. R. Jones; churn patents, & misc (45 items), 1809-1944 | box 3 | folder 21 | |
| Miller Family (6 items), 1837-1882 | box 4 | folder 1 | |
| Morrison Family (12 items), 1876-1898 | box 4 | folder 2 | |
| Nicholas Family. See also Oversize Series (5 items), 1839-1843 | box 4 | folder 3 | |
| Reherd, William (17 items), 1834-1881 | box 4 | folder 4 | |
| Roller, John Edwin. Letters; description of military drill; tax receipts & other business papers (55 items), 1846-1908 | box 4 | folder 5 | |
| Senger, Daniel (5 items), 1899-1905 | box 4 | folder 6 | |
| Shacklett Family. Letters (65 items), 1834-1872 | box 4 | folder 7 | |
| Shacklett & Gibbons. Invoices (16 items), 1855-1858 | box 4 | folder 8 | |
| Shacklett & Others. Invoices (57 items), 1827-1888 | box 4 | folder 9 | |
| Showalter, Jacob. Includes 1840 indenture of John Showalter; other docs. relevant to estate of Jacob (31 items), 1826-1876 | box 4 | folder 10 | |
| Shue, J. H. 3 Confederate bills; docs. relating to Shue estate (15 items), 1864-1886 | box 4 | folder 11 | |
| Spader, John, and relatives. Deeds, loan bonds (ca. 12 items), 1866-1917 | box 4 | folder 12 | |
| Winfield Family. Includes many documents relating to the Civil War, business documents, indenture for servitude of a free boy of color (37 items), 1823-1944 | box 4 | folder 13 | |
| Zirkle, Crawford (11 items), 1865-1876 | box 4 | folder 14 | |
Series 3.2: Miscellaneous Families
Combined folders in one alphabetical sequence for four or less documents per name. See Cross Index for names. |
|||
| Title/Description | Instances | ||
| A-C | box 5 | folder 1 | |
| D-G | box 5 | folder 2 | |
| H-K | box 5 | folder 3 | |
| L-Q | box 5 | folder 4 | |
| R-Z | box 5 | folder 5 | |
Series 4: Oversize |
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Series 4.1: Legal/Governmental Documents |
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| Title/Description | Instances | ||
| Assessments of clerks of the Court (8 items), 1880-1914 | box OV 1 | folder 1 | |
| Public road papers (4 items) [MISSING], 1794-ca.1870 | box OV 1 | folder 2 | |
| Reports of business of the Courts (35 items), 1883-1914 | box OV 1 | folder 3 | |
| Tax Data (1 items), 1833 | box OV 1 | folder 4 | |
| Miscellaneous legal documents: Juror list, list of Rockingham county officers; lists of county pensioners 1920, '21 (5 items), 1874-1921 | box OV 1 | folder 5 | |
Series 4.2: Business/Institutional Documents |
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| Title/Description | Instances | ||
| Chesapeake & Western Railroad Company: complete issue of Rockingham Weekly Register, April 28, 1828 | box OV 1 | folder 6 | |
| Chesapeake & Western Railroad Company: 1 page from Bridgewater Herald, September 14, 1895 | case Map 1:3 | folder Flat Folder 1 | |
| Church documents (2 items), 1794 | box OV 1 | folder 7 | |
Series 4.3: Individual/Family Documents |
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| Title/Description | Instances | ||
| A-G | box OV 1 | folder 8 | |
| H-K | box OV 1 | folder 9 | |
| L-R | box OV 1 | folder 10 | |
| L-R | case Map 1:3 | folder Flat Folder 1 | |
| S-Z (several large items in map drawer including a March 19, 1777 deed between Michael Bowyer and Sebastian March in Augusta County, in the Colony of Virginia.) | box OV 1 | folder 11 | |
| Conrad Family land grants and indentures | box OV 1 | folder 12 | |
Series 4.4: Maps |
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| Title/Description | Instances | ||
| Plat of Hall lands, Harrisonburg (1 item), 1883 | case Map 1:3 | folder Flat Folder 1 | |
| Himmelsbrief, Rockingham County (1 item), ca. 1800 | box OV 1 | folder 13 | |