Series 2. Original Materials, 1784-1958

Series 2- Original Materials, consists of 76 boxes of various records, and 18 “wrapped packages.” The boxed material consists of various court and public records, primarily relating to court cases, financial records, and marriage records. Court cases include a variety of cases, including estate and chancery cases, as well as financial matters, working conditions, and liquor. Many of the cases include extensive and detailed transcripts of court proceedings and witness statements. Packages 1-7 are sets of envelopes or folders wrapped in paper, not bound volumes. Packages 4-7 are shorthand notes for various cases, sometimes including additional materials relating to the case such as newspaper articles and other papers. The notes are collected in folders which are labeled with the case and arranged alphabetically. In addition to the estate cases, there are also some deeds (boxes 27-28) and various bills of sale, contracts, estrays, etc. Financial records include tax records, road funds, sheriff’s expenses, and financial records of the Public Health Service and the department of Public Administration County Relief Records. These records are mainly related to the expenses of administration and staff. This series also includes poll books and election returns from 1836-1860, and tally sheets, nomination certificates, lists of voters, and election results for 1936.

Boxes 45 and 75 contain correspondence to C.H. Bland, clerk, and Earl W. Underwood, sheriff. Correspondence to Underwood is primarily related to tax returns. Bland’s includes court related business as well as personal papers related to the Standard Home Company fraud case in Birmingham, his Free Masons membership card, and other financial matters. Box 66, Tax Receipts, are also in envelopes addressed primarily to Underwood. Records are in their original envelopes. Box 74 contains blank forms for various county records including; tax documents (circa 1923-1951), absentee ballot applications, employee compensation, court summons, case envelopes, and other assorted records, none of which have been filled out. There is also a blank parole form attached to a letter from the warden in box 72.

Highlights for this series include roughly 3,600 records of State Health examinations performed by the Division of Child Hygiene from 1936-1943 (boxes 46-48). These records can provide statistical information on the health, history, and living conditions of children in Braxton County such as height, weight, history of disease, how long they were bottle or breast fed, parents' occupations, and brief notes about home life. These records are restricted for general use, but access may be requested for their use in research. Many of the court cases for Braxton county include extensive transcripts and witness statements, which provide detailed accounts of the court proceedings (predominantly boxes 49-57). Several of these are related to cases against companies including the Elk Lead Zinc Company (1906, Box 53); the Pittsburgh Railway Company (1896, Box 50); and the Novelty Mill Company (1894, box 49). The cases in box 52 include extensive details of a case concerning sale of liquor and a doctor writing prescriptions for liquor (circa 1908).