To what lengths would you go to prove your identity if you had no documentation? One formerly enslaved woman was able to do so 150…
Tracy HarterAugust 11, 2021
The Library of Virginia is pleased to welcome the National Genealogical Society 2014 Family History Conference to Richmond, Virginia, 7-10 May. If you’re inspired to start researching your…
Louise JonesMay 7, 2014
A chancery case from Frederick County looked like any other business dispute except for a unique item presented as an exhibit. Columbia Wagon Company vs. John…
Joanne PorterApril 23, 2014
Prior to the abolishment of slavery, the idea of landownership was an impossible dream for most African Americans, but in the years following the Civil…
Sherri BagleyApril 9, 2014
Flora of Virginia, the Library of Virginia’s latest exhibition, highlights the botanical exploration of Virginia from the colonial days to the present. Curated in partnership…
Louise JonesMarch 19, 2014
The Library of Virginia is pleased to announce that digital images for the King William County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1868-1913, are now available online through the Chancery…
Bari HelmsMarch 12, 2014
The editors of Out of the Box would like to give a belated good-bye to Carl Childs, the Library of Virginia’s former Local Records Services director. Last month,…
Roger ChristmanFebruary 7, 2014
While processing collections, archivists often come across items that don’t directly relate to the collection at hand but which often provide a window into a…
Chad UnderwoodFebruary 5, 2014
Processing of the Montgomery County chancery began in August 2013, and one of the early finds was Chancery Cause 1848-016, Letitia Floyd vs. Executors of Elizabeth…
Regan SheltonJanuary 23, 2014
The release of the film 12 Years a Slave had us talking here at Out of the Box. Discussions on slavery are a common occurrence at the Library of…
Bari HelmsDecember 4, 2013
It has been said that there is a thin line between love and hate, and apparently love and obsession. Or so appears to be the…
Joanne PorterNovember 13, 2013
The Library of Virginia, in partnership with the Frederick County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, is pleased to announce that the digitization of Frederick County’s historic…
Sam WaltersOctober 23, 2013
Here at Out of the Box we’re still celebrating Archives Month 2013, and while getting ready for the Library of Virginia’s 30 October event “Homegrown: Celebrating Virginia’s Cultural Heritage…
Louise JonesOctober 16, 2013
One day in 1898, A.M. Scales definitely did not have Georgia on his mind. While processing the Patrick County chancery records, I discovered a divorce case, Georgia L.…
Sherri BagleySeptember 25, 2013
