Beckley / West Virginia / United States
Raleigh County was formed from another county in 1850. The history of this is documented in the Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia passed at the Extra and Regular Sessions in 1849 & 1850, as printed by William F. Ritchie in 1850. Provisions were made for a sheriff in this act, which was written by Alfred Beckley, whom our county seat is named after * ( 1 ).The Sheriff of Raleigh County was to hold office for a two year term and was able to hold office one successive term.There was no sheriff during the Civil War, and thus none existed from 1863 to 1865.2. The governor shall commission fifteen persons as justices of the Commissions to peace in and for the said county of Raleigh ; and the justices now in commission, residing in that part of Fayette county which will be in Raleigh county after the commencement of this act, shall be of said number, and shall be commissioned in point of seniority according to the dates of their present commissions ; all of whom shall ( before entering upon and exercising any of the duties of said office ) take the several oaths, and within the time now required by law of persons commissioned as justices of the peace, which oaths may be administered by any justice By whom and of the peace remaining in commission in the said county of Fayette ; and the justice or justices who may administer such oaths shall grant a certificate of the fact under his or their hand and seal of office ; which Certificate of oath certificate shall be by the justices so qualified delivered to the clerk o f to be filed with the county court of Raleigh county, who shall record the same in his office and preserve the original therein: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to prevent any justice of the peace now in commission for the county of Fayette, and residing within the boundary of the new county of Raleigh, from exercising the duties of his office for the said county of Fayette, until the organization of the said county of Raleigh, on the fourth Monday in March next, as hereinafter prescribed.3. A county court for the county of Raleigh shall be holden by the justices thereof on the fourth Monday in each and every mouth, ( after the same shall have been organized, ) in like manner as is provided by law for other counties of this commonwealth, and as shall be by law and their commissions directed.4. The permanent place for holding the courts in the county of Raleigh, now required by law to be holden for the several counties of this commonwealth, shall be at the town of Beckley, at the forks of the Guyandotte and the Giles, Fayette and Kanawha turnpike roads. And Court to provide the county court of Raleigh county shall provide a lot or lots of land at said place, not exceeding two acres, ( unless land shall be furnished for that purpose by donation, in which case, the justices of said county may take and hold the same, provided said donation shall not exceed five acres, and a full and satisfactory title, as herein required, can and shall be made thereto, ) upon which to erect a courthouse and such other necessary public buildings and fixtures as the convenience of the county requires, under existing laws for holding courts and conducting business incident thereto, in the manner now required by law, "where land shall not be already provided and appropriated for that purpose." And the To cause public said court shall cause said buildings and fixtures to be constructed at the charge of the county of Raleigh by levy, in the manner now prescribed by law. The title to any such land, purchased as aforesaid for valuable to be secured- consideration, or furnished in free gift, ( as the case maybe, ) shall be made in fee simple, to any four or more justices of the peace for the said county of Raleigh, and their successors in office, in trust, for the use and benefit of said county.5. The justices of the peace, commissioned and qualified as aforesaid for tne county of Raleigh, shall meet at th
