Virginia
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Virginia
This jurisdictional hub aggregates FRC holdings related to Virginia. It supports research on the Commonwealth’s firearms history, technology, law, policy, and culture from the colonial period through statehood to the present.
- Legal sources: statutes and session laws, administrative code, attorney general opinions, appellate decisions, and select municipal ordinances.
- Historical materials: newspapers, photographs, maps, catalogs, colonial and militia records, maritime and manufacturing archives, agricultural and law-enforcement collections, and oral histories tied to Virginia people and places.
- Research outputs: technical reports, academic studies, training manuals, and curated datasets relevant to the Commonwealth.
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Item type:Item, 9 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 267-68 (1823)(1777)Applied to "all free male persons, hired servants [not indentured], and apprentices, between the ages of sixteen and fifty years." "The county lieutenant, colonels, lieutenant colonels, and major" had to appear "with a sword." Every captain and lieutenant needed a "firelock and bayonet, a cartouch box, a sword, and three charges of powder and ball." Ensigns needed a sword. Non-commissioned officers and privates had to have a rifle and tomahawk, or good fire-lock and bayonet, with a pouch and horn, or a cartouch or cartridge box, and with three charges of powder and ball; and, moreover, each of the said officers and soldiers shall constantly keep one pound of powder and four pounds of ball, to be produced whenever called for by his commanding officer.Item type:Item, 9 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 16, 28 (1823)(1775)Established militia age limits of 16 and 50. Every militiaman had to "furnish himself with a good rifle, if to be had, or otherwise with a tomahawk, common firelock, bayonet, pouch, or cartouch box, three charges of powder and ball, and appear with the same at the place appointed for mustering, and shall constantly keep by him one pound of powder and four pounds of ball."Item type:Item, 11 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 476-78 (1823)(1784)Increased its militia's minimum age to 18, and kept the maximum age at 50. Militiamen were required to appear "armed, equipped, and accoutred" according to rank. "The county lieutenants, lieutenant colonels commandant, and majors, with a sword; the captains, lieutenants, and ensigns, with a sword and espontoon." Noncommissioned officers and privates needed to supply themselves "with a good clean musket, carrying an ounce ball, and three feet eight inches long in the barrel, with a good bayonet and iron ramrod well fitted thereto." Plus also "a cartridge box properly made, to contain and secure twenty cartridges" and "a good knapsack and canteen."Item type:Item, 9 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 281 (1823)(1777)Required "all free born male inhabitants of this state, above the age of sixteen years" to "renounce and refuse all allegiance to George the third" and swear to "be faithful and bear true allegiance to the commonwealth of Virginia, as a free and independent state."Item type:Item, 3 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 13 (1823)(1684)"every trooper of the respective colonies of this country, shall furnish and supply himself with a good able horse, saddle, and all arms and furniture, fitt and compleat for a trooper, and that every foot soldier, shall furnish himselfe, with a sword, musquet and other furniture fitt for a soldier, and that each trooper and foot soldier, be provided with two pounds of powder, and eight pounds of shott, and shall continually keep their armes well fixt, cleane, and fitt for the king's service."Item type:Item, 3 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 335-38 (1823)(1705)The militia included "all male persons whatsoever, from sixteen to sixty years of age ... to serve in horse or foot." An infantryman needed "a firelock, muskett or fusee well fixed, a good sword," cartridge box, and ammunition. He had to bring six rounds of ammunition to muster. Additionally, he had to "have at his place of abode two pounds of powder and eight pounds of shott, and bring the same into the field with him when thereunto specially required." A horseman needed the usual tack and ammunition accoutrements along with a pair of pistols and a sword. He had to bring eight rounds of ammunition to muster. At his usual place of abode, he also had to keep a well fixed carabine, two pounds of powder and eight pounds of shot. The act made it unlawful for creditors to seize a militiaman's arms as payment for debts. If a creditor nevertheless took someone's militia equipment, the seizure would "be unlawful and void." Any "officer or person that presumes to make or serve the same" (e.g., a sheriff serving a writ of attachment) would "be lyable to the suit of the party grieved, wherein double damages shall be given upon recovery."Item type:Item, 2 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 381 (1823)(1676)"whereas by a branch of an act of assembly made in March last, liberty is granted to all persons to carry their armes wheresoever they goe, which liberty hath beene found to be very prejudiciall to the peace and wellfaire of this colony. Bee it therefore further enacted by this present grand assembly, and the authority thereof, and it is hereby enacted, that if any person or persons shall, from and after publication of this act, presume to assemble together in armes to the number of five or upwards without being legally called together in armes the number of five or upwards, they be held deemed and adjudged as riotous and mutinous, and that they be proceeded against and punished accordingly."Item type:Item, 7 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 93-94 (1823)(1757)Restored the minimum militia age to 18 and set the maximum age at 60. Soldiers had to furnish themselves with "a firelock well fixed, a bayonet fitted to the same," and keep an extra pound of powder and "four pounds of ball" at home.Item type:Item, 4 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 78 (1823)(1720)Appropriated one thousand pounds to distribute "to each christian titheable [subject to taxation], one firelock, musket, one socket, bayonet fitted thereto, one cartouch box, eight pounds bullet, two pounds powder, until the whole one thousand pounds be laid out."Item type:Item, 3 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 205-07 (1823)(1701)Provided 500-acre land grants, with the proviso that the grantee keep "upon the said land one christian man between sixteen and sixty years of age perfect of limb, able and fitt for service." Such men should be "continually provided with a well fixt musquett or fuzee, a good pistoll, sharp simeter, tomahauk and five pounds of good clean pistoll powder and twenty pounds of sizable leaden bulletts or swan or goose shott to be kept within the fort directed by this act besides the powder and shott for his necessary or usefull shooting at game..."Item type:Item, 7 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 534, 537 (1823)(1762)Ensured that "every person so exempted shall always keep in his house or place of abode such arms, accoutrements, and ammunition, as are by the [1757] act required to be kept by the militia."Item type:Item, 5 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 16 (1823)(1738)The militia under this act consisted of "all male persons, above the age of one and twenty years."Item type:Item, 2 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 126 (1823)(1662)"that every man able to beare armes have in his house a fixed gun, two pound of powder and eight pound of shot at least"Item type:Item, 1 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 127 (1809)(1623)24. That no man go or send abroad without a sufficient partie will armed. 25. That men go not to worke in the ground without The samL their arms (and a centinell upon them). 27. That the commander of every plantation take care that there be sufficient of powder and amunition with powder in the plantation under his command and their pieces fixt and their arms compleate.Item type:Item, 1 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 263 (1809)(1643)"Masters of every family shall bring with them to church on Sundays one fixed and serviceable gun with sufficient powder and shott"Item type:Item, 2 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 333 (1823)(1676)"that in goeing to churches and courts in those tymes of danger, all people be enjoyned and required to goe armed for their greate security"Item type:Item, 1 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 198 (1809)(1632)"NOE man shall goe to worke in the grounds without theire armes, and a centinell uppon them places where the commander shall require it." And "ALL men that are fittinge to beare armes, shall bringe their peices to the church"Item type:Item, 1 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 525 (1809)(1659)"That every man able to beare armes have in his house a fixt gunn two pounds of powder and eight pound of shott at least"Item type:Item, 1 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 226 (1809)(1639)"ALL persons except negroes to be provided with arms and ammunition or be fined at pleasure of the Governor and Council"Item type:Item, 1 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 127 (1809)(1624)"That men go not to worke in the ground without their arms (and a centinell upon them)." And "That the commander of every plantation take care that there be sufficient of powder and amunition within the plantation under his command and their pieces fixt and their arms compleate."Item type:Item, 1 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 292 (1809)(1645)"all negro men and women, and all other men from the age of 16 to 60" could be drafted to carry on war against the IndiansItem type:Item, 1 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 173 (1809)(1632)"NOE man shall goe or send abroade without a sufficient party well armed." And "NOE man shall goe to worke in the grounds without theire armes, and a centinell uppon them" And "ALL men that are fittinge to beare armes, shall bringe their pieces to the church"Item type:Item, 1619: Laws enacted by the First General Assembly of Virginia 70, reprinted in 1 Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virginia 9–14 (H. R. McIlwaine and John P. Kennedy eds., 1905)(1619)Prohibited selling or giving "Indians" arms or ammunition. Punishable by hanging.Item type:Item, 4 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 78 (1823)(1720)Appropriated one thousand pounds to distribute "to each christian titheable [subject to taxation], one firelock, musket, one socket, bayonet fitted thereto, one cartouch box, eight pounds bullet, two pounds powder, until the whole one thousand pounds be laid out."Item type:Item, 3 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 335-38 (1823)(1705)The militia included "all male persons whatsoever, from sixteen to sixty years of age . . . to serve in horse or foot." An infantryman needed "a firelock, muskett or fusee well fixed, a good sword," cartridge box, and ammunition. He had to bring six rounds of ammunition to muster. Additionally, he had to "have at his place of abode two pounds of powder and eight pounds of shott, and bring the same into the field with him when thereunto specially required." A horseman needed the usual tack and ammunition accoutrements along with a pair of pistols and a sword. He had to bring eight rounds of ammunition to muster. At his usual place of abode, he also had to keep a well fixed carabine, two pounds of powder and eight pounds of shot. The act made it unlawful for creditors to seize a militiaman's arms as payment for debts. If a creditor nevertheless took someone's militia equipment, the seizure would "be unlawful and void." Any "officer or person that presumes to make or serve the same" (e.g., a sheriff serving a writ of attachment) would "be lyable to the suit of the party grieved, wherein double damages shall be given upon recovery."Item type:Item, 3 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 205-07 (1823)(1701)Provided 500-acre land grants, with the proviso that the grantee keep "upon the said land one christian man between sixteen and sixty years of age perfect of limb, able and fitt for service." Such men should be "continually provided with a well fixt musquett or fuzee, a good pistoll, sharp simeter, tomahauk and five pounds of good clean pistoll powder and twenty pounds of sizable leaden bulletts or swan or goose shott to be kept within the fort directed by this act besides the powder and shott for his necessary or usefull shooting at game..."Item type:Item, 1 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 127 (1809)(1624)"That men go not to worke in the ground without their arms (and a centinell upon them)." And "That the commander of every plantation take care that there be sufficient of powder and amunition within the plantation under his command and their pieces fixt and their arms compleate."Item type:Item, 1 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 127 (1809)(1623)That no man go or send abroad without a sufficient partie will armed.Item type:Item, 1 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 292 (1809)(1645)"all negro men and women, and all other men from the age of 16 to 60" could be drafted to carry on war against the IndiansItem type:Item, 3 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 13 (1823)(1684)"every trooper of the respective colonies of this country, shall furnish and supply himself with a good able horse, saddle, and all arms and furniture, fitt and compleat for a trooper, and that every foot soldier, shall furnish himselfe, with a sword, musquet and other furniture fitt for a soldier, and that each trooper and foot soldier, be provided with two pounds of powder, and eight pounds of shott, and shall continually keep their armes well fixt, cleane, and fitt for the king's service."Item type:Item, 2 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 381 (1823)(1676)"whereas by a branch of an act of assembly made in March last, liberty is granted to all persons to carry their armes wheresoever they goe, which liberty hath beene found to be very prejudiciall to the peace and wellfaire of this colony. Bee it therefore further enacted by this present grand assembly, and the authority thereof, and it is hereby enacted, that if any person or persons shall, from and after publication of this act, presume to assemble together in armes to the number of five or upwards without being legally called together in armes the number of five or upwards, they be held deemed and adjudged as riotous and mutinous, and that they be proceeded against and punished accordingly."Item type:Item, 1 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 263 (1809)(1643)"Masters of every family shall bring with them to church on Sundays one fixed and serviceable gun with sufficient powder and shott"Item type:Item, 2 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 333 (1823)(1676)"that in goeing to churches and courts in those tymes of danger, all people be enjoyned and required to goe armed for their greate security"Item type:Item, 1 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 198 (1809)(1632)"NOE man shall goe to worke in the grounds without theire armes, and a centinell uppon them places where the commander shall require it." And "ALL men that are fittinge to beare armes, shall bringe their peices to the church"Item type:Item, 2 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 126 (1823)(1662)"that every man able to beare armes have in his house a fixed gun, two pound of powder and eight pound of shot at least"Item type:Item, 1 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 226 (1809)(1639)"ALL persons except negroes to be provided with arms and ammunition or be fined at pleasure of the Governor and Council"Item type:Item, 1 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 525 (1809)(1659)"That every man able to beare armes have in his house a fixt gunn two pounds of powder and eight pound of shott at least"Item type:Item, 1 William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 173 (1809)(1632)"NOE man shall goe or send abroade without a sufficient party well armed." And "NOE man shall goe to worke in the grounds without theire armes, and a centinell uppon them" And "ALL men that are fittinge to beare armes, shall bringe their pieces to the church"Item type:Item, 1786 Va. Acts 35(1786)Ch. 49, An Act Forbidding and Punishing Affrays: "Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that no man, great nor small, of what condition soever he be, except the Ministers of Justice in executing the precepts of the Courts of Justice, or in executing of their office, and such as be in their company assisting them, be so hardy to come before the justices of any court, or either of their Ministers of Justice, doing their office, with force and arms, on pain, to forfeit their armour to the Commonwealth, and their bodies to prison, at the pleasure of a Court; nor go nor ride armed by night nor by day, in fair or markets, or in other places, in terror of the county, upon pain of being arrested and committed to prison by any Justice on his own view, or proof by others, there to abide for so long a time as a jury, to be sworn for that purpose by the said Justice, shall direct, and in like manner to forfeit his armour to the Commonwealth; but no person shall be imprisoned for such offence by a longer space of time than one month."Item type:Item, 9 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large; Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 281-82 (1821)(1777)Act of May 5, 1777, ch. 3: An act to oblige the free male inhabitants of this state above a certain age to give assurance of Allegiance to the same, and for other purposes. WHEREAS allegiance and protection are reciprocal, and those who will not bear the former are not entitled to the benefits of the later, Therefore Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that all free born male inhabitants of this state, above the age of sixteen years, except imported servants during the time of their service, shall, on or before the tenth day of October next, take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation before some one of the justices of the peace of the county, city, or borough, where they shall respectively inhabit; and the said justice shall give a certificate thereof to every such person, and the said oath or affirmation shall be as followeth, viz . . . And the justices tendering such oath or affirmation are hereby directed to deliver a list of the names of such recusants to the county lieutenant, or chief commanding officer of the militia, who is hereby authorised and directed forthwith to cause such recusants to be disarmed
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