>> In regard to the Feb. 1, 2008 posting on this forum by William >> Hunt, on Franklin Co., Va., the following is provided. There are >> many books written which have errors in regard to the formation of >> Virginia's counties. The authority which "trumps" all others is >> the Library of Virginia which was given that authority by our >> state's legislative body as both the repository and authority for >> all of Virginia's records. Further, the Library of Virginia is >> where I obtained the dates that I provided in my posting on this >> forum. These are the exact dates in regard to all counties that >> were formed within Virginia. And they were written in the >> "Bulletin of the Virginia State Library (issued quarterly.) No. 9. >> January, April, July, 1916. Nos. 1, 2 and 3." "Virginia Counties: >> Those Resulting from Virginia Legislation," by Morgan P. Robinson. >> For background, Mr. Robinson was the archivist of the Virginia >> State Library and, in those instances that Virginia counties >> information was unknown or questionable, he journeyed to England >> to obtain records that had been recorded there when our country >> was still under England's control. This trip was required in view >> of some of what Mr. Hening had recorded was in dispute, not in >> evidence, and/or did not include exact dates. Mr. Robinson's >> publication, cited in paragraph 1 above, has been reprinted by >> Genealogical Publishing Co, Inc., 1001 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, >> Maryland, publication year 1992. It is also in the Library of >> Congress Catalogue Card Number 91-78136, as well as International >> Standard Book Number 0-8063-1335-8. I would suggest anyone >> involved in genealogy within the Commonwealth of Virginia should >> have this book. >> >> If one wants to readily view/confirm the two dates, "created by >> law" and "date formed," without purchasing above reference, the >> VaGenWeb shows both, and they are consistent with above mentioned >> reference. As written in an earlier posting, without a "justice" >> and a court house," no county could be formed, Brunswick County >> showing the longest span between the two dates, about 12 years, >> created by law in 1720 and formed in 1732. >> >> The reference by "Salmon" included in Mr. Hunt's posting i.e. >> "October 1785" is not the date of record by the legislative body; >> the date, as I posted earlier, to which Mr. Hunt was replying, was >> "Nov. 29, 1785." It could well be that although the date "October >> 1785" was the date of the order, possibly the date the session >> closed was Nov. 29, 1785, and all legislation passed during that >> legislative session was given that particular date.