WYTHEVILLE, VA VOUCHERS

The authors discovered nine “vouchers” from Wythe County, Virginia, which were issued to family members of soldiers away in military service. In their book, Virginia Obsolete Paper Money, Richard Jones and Keith Littlefield attribute these vouchers to the military, however, the Order Book for Wythe County reveals a civilian authority issued this “local benevolence.”

On September 9, 1861, the justices of the Wytheville Court provided for support of local families who had family members serving in military units of Virginia or the Confederate States of America. Initially no amount of money was appropriated for this effort, but on December 8, 1862 the court appropriated the sum of $15,000.

Although not addressed in the court order, apparently it was left up to the commissioners to determine a family’s eligibility, and the amount to be distributed. The amount of each voucher was usually relatively small; $4.00, $5.00, $6.00 and $8.00. Exceptions included larger amounts of $10.00, $15.00, and an impressive voucher for exactly $62.52. One voucher dated in 1864, distributed “one bunch of cotton” [attesting to exhausted finances late in the war.]

Pre-printed Wythe County 7th District Voucher for Four Dollars issued on December 8 th , 1864 to Polly A. Grogg, for the family of J. W. Grogg, (deceased) of the 63 rd Virginia Regiment.

Pre-printed Wythe County 2nd District Voucher for Fifteen Dollars issued on September 15th, 1863 to Martha Austin, for the family of James Austin, 51 st Virginia Regiment.

Perhaps the most interesting information contained in the vouchers is the family name of the soldier who received support from the county. As a case in point, a voucher given to Martha Austin on September 15, 1863 can be used to determine the name of her husband who, according to the voucher, was serving in the 51st Virginia Regiment. Given that there is a regimental history that lists all members of the 51st Virginia Regiment, we can see the service record of James Austin. His service record indicates that he enlisted in Company H, as a private, on 4/9/1862, was taken prisoner at Waynesboro, sent to Harper’s Ferry, and then on to Ft. Delaware on 3/12/1865. He was released on 6/19/1865.

For more information on the Virginia Numismatic Association, see:
http://www.vnaonline.org/

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