Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Winchester (Va.) List of Registered Voters, 1894-1950. Local government records collection, Winchester (City) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court papers from Winchester (City).

Historical Information

The City of Winchester, in Frederick County, was first known as Opequon, then as Frederick's Town (or Fredericktown), and, finally, upon establishment as a town in 1752, as Winchester. According to tradition, one of the town's founders, James Wood, named the town in honor of his birthplace in England. Winchester was incorporated as a town in 1779 and as a city in 1874. It was enlarged by annexation from Frederick County in 1970.

The 1902 voter registration books were created following the passage of the 1902 Virginia state constitution. The purpose of the 1902 state constitution was to maintain white suffrage while eliminating African-American voters by means of literacy tests as well as property and poll tax requirements.

Scope and Content

Winchester (Va.) Election Records, 1894-1950, includes List of Registered Voters, 1902-1928, and individual lists of white and colored voters, 1894-1950, from each ward. Information from the individual lists were transferred to the List of Registered Voters. The volume is divided by precincts: Alexandria, Carper's Valley, Lamp, City Hall, Rouso Engine House, Sarah Lane, Shenandoah, Neffstown, Borden, Station House, Friendship, and Stonewell; and within each precinct on the basis of color. Information found in the volumes includes date of registration; number of registered voter; name of registered voter; date of birth; age; occupation; residence; length of residence in state, county, and precinct; whether exempt from poll tax; if naturalized, and if so, date of papers and by what court issued; if transferred from another precinct, and if so, when and to what precinct.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Winchester County (Va.) Circuit Court

Subjects:

• African Americans--History--1877-1964
• African Americans--Suffrage
• African Americans--Virginia--Winchester
• Suffrage--Virginia--Winchester

Geographical Names:

• Winchester (Va.)--Genealogy
• Winchester (Va.)--History--20th century

Genre and Form Terms:

• Election records--Virginia--Winchester
• Local government records--Virginia--Winchester
• Voters' lists--Virginia--Winchester