ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, VA (Rocktown Now) – The Rockingham County Circuit Court received six Voter Registration books (1902-1960) from local residents Sylvia and David Mehegan. These books, discovered among family papers, document voter registration in the Edom Precinct of the Linville District, including white, African American, and female voters, and will be preserved and made available to the public.

For generations, trusted community members played a crucial role in maintaining and safeguarding county records. Among them was Mrs. Pauline Fawley Beard, David Mehegan’s grandmother, a respected and dedicated public servant who served as registrar for the Edom Precinct. Beard was entrusted with the responsibility of recording and storing voter registration records. Her family continued this legacy of service—her husband, J.O. Beard, represented Rockingham County in the House of Delegates, while her daughter, Mary V. Mehegan, served as Chief Magistrate of the Twenty-Sixth Judicial District.

“The right to vote is a fundamental freedom for American democracy,” said Circuit Court Clerk Chaz W. Haywood in a press release. “These registration books reflect the evolution of voting history in Rockingham County, and I am deeply grateful to the Mehegan family for recognizing their importance and ensuring their preservation at the courthouse.”

List of White Female Voters of the Edom Precinct Linville District, Since 1904.

The courthouse’s historic archives maintain a collection of election records, including Capitation Tax Books, Election Returns, Abstracts of Votes, and General Election Records. The collection remains incomplete due to the loss or destruction of records over time.

These collections offer an invaluable service to the county and its residents by documenting the daily lives of those who have called Rockingham County home. Preserving and caring for these records is essential to protecting our shared history. Clerk Haywood urges community members to contact the office if they discover voter registration books or similar county or city records. Deputy Clerk Megan Pullen and the archives team are dedicated to ensuring these historic documents remain preserved and accessible to the public.