STAUNTON – Augusta County Clerk of Circuit Court R. Steven Landes announced that James Madison University History Graduate Student R. Matthew Luther has joined the Clerk’s Office to assist with Histories Along the Blue Ridge projects, a partnership with the JMU History Department and JMU Libraries.

     “We are very pleased to have Matt Luther join the Augusta County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office to assist us with projects related to our partnership with the JMU History Department and JMU Libraries,” Landes said. “Having a JMU History Graduate Student will allow us to make great progress on identifying and conserving Augusta County’s historic records.”

     Mr. Luther received his Bachelor of Arts in History from the College of William & Mary in 2019. He is a second year Graduate Student in the JMU History Graduate Program. Mr. Luther is pursuing a Master of Arts with a concentration in Public History. He is from Chesterfield, Virginia.

     Histories along the Blue Ridge is the new name for Exploring Rockingham’s Past, a project launched in 2017-2018 to make selected historic records from the Rockingham County Circuit Court digitally available to the public. Keeping with the original project mission, each year, graduate students from James Madison University partner with local Circuit Court Clerk’s Offices like the Augusta County Circuit Court, to make select collections digitally available. Since 2018, the project has grown rapidly beyond Rockingham County through collaborations with interested community actors and courthouses in neighboring counties along the Blue Ridge Mountain Range in Virginia including Augusta County, Madison County, and Rappahannock County. Future initiatives will also add select, non-court records to the Histories along the Blue Ridge collection as well.

     The Augusta County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office is in downtown Staunton at the Augusta County Courthouse. The Clerk serves as the recorder of deeds and probate judge, issues marriage licenses and is the official court administrator for all civil and criminal cases. The Clerk creates and maintains all court files and records, prepares court orders and jury lists, contacts jurors and issues summons and court processes. More information about the services of the Augusta County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office can be found online at https://www.co.augusta.va.us/government/circuit-court-clerk.