Leesburg, VA (July 1, 2026) – Thomas Balch Library has acquired the original March 11, 1776, bond for Philip Noland as Sheriff of Loudoun County. Recently donated to the library, this rare manuscript is a significant  addition to Leesburg’s archival record of Virginia’s Revolutionary era.

The bond is a formal legal promise in which Noland pledged 1,000 pounds to King George III, backed by two local men, Josias Clapham and Farling Ball, who guaranteed his reliability. It confirms Noland’s duties as sheriff—collecting required fees, keeping accurate accounts, turning over those funds properly, and carrying out all legal responsibilities. The document also highlights the administrative changes of 1776, noting that Noland’s commission followed “an Ordinance of Convention” rather than the authority of Virginia’s colonial Governor, Lord Dunmore.

Noland’s appointment as Sheriff is also notable because he is believed to be the Sheriff who first read the Declaration of Independence on the steps of the County Courthouse on August 13, 1776.

“This document is especially meaningful to share with our community during the 250th anniversary of American Independence,” stated Laura Christiansen, Director of Thomas Balch Library. “It highlights a pivotal moment when Loudoun’s leaders clearly aligned themselves with the Revolutionary Virginia Convention. In March 1776, as Royal Governor Lord Dunmore was in exile on a ship in the Chesapeake, local officials literally struck his name from this bond. It’s rare to find a record that captures such a monumental shift in governance so clearly—and it offers an extraordinary window into what was happening in Leesburg at that time.”

The bond will be on view during the monthly First Friday pop-up exhibit at the Donaldson Log Cabin (14 Loudoun Street SW) on Friday, July 3, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The exhibit will highlight the people and places that connected the Town to the broader story of America's founding while demonstrating how historians reconstruct the past from letters, court records, military documents, and other primary sources.

The public can also see it on Saturday, July 4, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Loudoun County Courthouse as part of the “Independence Declared: A 250th Anniversary” event.

Beginning Monday, July 6, and throughout the remainder of the month, the bond will be displayed in the Mercer Room at Thomas Balch Library (208 W. Market Street) as part of the exhibit “Celebrating 1776: A Look Back at Historic Commemorations of American Independence.” The public may view the document during regular library hours: Monday and Friday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Tuesday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Wednesday 2:00 to 8:00 p.m.; Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; and Sunday 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Contact: 
Thomas Balch Library 
balchlib@leesburgva.gov Ÿ 703-737-7195