Loyal Land Company Records

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Documentation

From user:Dan Welch, to WalkerShortList mailing list, 22 June 2010.

Commentary

Loyal (Land) Company was the key land dealer in Southwest Virginia. In most of the years of our interest Thomas Walker (of Cumberland gap fame) was the chief Agent. Sometimes land sales were made on credit. In such credit cases a notation was entered into Loyal Company records. None of these credit sales were recorded in the County Courthouses. It is my understanding that in some cases these credit sales were backed with notes indicating the basis for extending credit - other lands owned - credit worthy relatives - or other assets. If the terms of the credit sales were later satisfied the Loyal Company would provide the grant documents for Courthouse deed records. If the credit sales were not satisfied the Loyal Company would again attempt sale to another individual.

It is clear that these Loyal Company records should overlap local Courthouse records being more or less complete depending upon the history of the particular tract. It is my understanding that the Loyal Company records are in the Virginia State Archives at Richmond and they have not been microfilmed. At the moment we are at a loss to understand the full value or extent of these records. Nor do we understand ease of use for researching land ownership in Southwest Virginia. Even one or two notes dealing with any of the tracts of our interest might untangle much land ownership confusion. At the moment I am inclined to believe the Loyal Company records are difficult to use or we would have heard much more about them by now.