Richmond County, Virginia Genealogy

United States Virginia Richmond County

Guide to Richmond County Virginia genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, immigration records, and military records.

Richmond County, Virginia
Map
Location in the state of Virginia
Location of Virginia in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	1692
County Seat	Warsaw
Courthouse

Richmond County, Virginia Courthouse

Richmond County, Virginia
10 Court Street
P O Box 1000
Warsaw, Virginia 22572
Phone: 804 504-333-3781

Clerk Circuit Court has birth and death records 1853-1895,
marriage records from 1853, divorce, probate and land
records from 1693

Beginning Dates for Richmond County, Virginia Genealogy Government Records
Birth	Marriage	Death	Census	Land	Probate
1853	1668	1853	1810	1692	1699

Richmond County, Virginia History

Parent County

1692--Richmond County was created 16 April 1692 from Rappahannock (old) County.
County seat: Warsaw

Boundary Changes

For animated maps illustrating Virginia county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Virginia County Boundary Maps" (1617-1995) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss

• Lost censuses: 1790, 1800, 1890

Visit the Library of Virginia's website to determine exactly what records have been lost and their Lost Records Localities Database to find additional resources.

For a list of record loss in Virginia counties see: Virginia Counties with Burned Courthouses

Richmond County, Virginia Places/Localities

Part of the Northern Neck region

Populated Places

Neighboring Counties

Essex Lancaster

Middlesex Northumberland

Westmoreland

Richmond County, Virginia Genealogy Resources

Varichmond.jpg

Getting Started

Compiled genealogies are a good place to start research for this area, see Richmond County, Virginia Genealogy.

If you are researching families who lived in Richmond County, Virginia between the 1690s and 1720s, the Sparacios' books are a great time saver. They comprehensively index several publications covering that period:

• Sparacio, Ruth Trickey and Sam Sparacio. Surname Index of Antient Press Publications. 14+ vols. McLean, Va.: R. & S. Sparacio, Antient Press, 1993-. FHL Collection 975.5 P22s v. 1-2; publisher's website: Antient Press. (Some of the index volumes have not been printed and it is necessary to contact the publishers to search them.)

Research Guides

• Davis, Virginia Lee Hutcheson. "Records of Tidewater Virginia Counties," Tidewater Virginia Families: A Magazine of History and Genealogy, Vol. 1, No. 2 (May-June 1992):53-66. FHL Collection 975.51 D25t [For Richmond County, see p. 63]
• Dorman, John Frederick. "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Richmond County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 21, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1977):222-224. Available at American Ancestors ($).

African American

Richmond County, Virginia Genealogy cohabitation records are available online.

• Freedmen's Bureau Letters or Correspondence, 1865-1872
• Delano, Robert Barnes. "Free Blacks in Richmond County Virginia," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol.27 (1977).
• Heinegg, Paul. "Richmond County Personal Property Tax List, 1782-1817," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
• Kegley, Mary B. Free People of Colour: Free Negroes, Indians, Portuguese and Freed Slaves. Wytheville, Virginia: Kegley Books, 2003. FHL Book 975.5 F2kf; digital version at Family History Archives. [Includes information from Richmond County.]

Bible Records

Images of the Virginia Historical Society's family Bible collection have been digitized:

• Virginia Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007.

Cemeteries

• "Cemetery Records," [Richmond County - Richard Dameron Family Cemetery - Family Cemetery of Robert Christian Sanders - Family Cemetery of Stephen H. Sanders of Cobham Park Neck] Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol.23 (1973).
• "Cemetery Records," [Richmond County - Omohundro Family Cemetery at "Hickory Thicket" - Boswell Family Cemetery - Stosch Family Cemetery] Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 24 (1974).
• "Cemetery Records, Richmond County," [Emmanuel Episcopal Chapel at Emmerton, North Farnham Episcopal Church Parish - Walnut Lawn, home of Daniel Garland near Warsaw - Shackleford Family Cemetery, Warsaw - Menokin Baptist Church near Ethel Post Office - France Family Graveyard near Newland "on farm owned by Burley France" - Lemoine Family Graveyard at Emmerton - Richardson Family Graveyard near Luttrellville on route 600 from Village to Rianswood "these stones were removed from the graves by the owner and placed against a tree."] Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 19 (1969).
• "Early Tombs in Westmoreland, Richmond, and Northumberland Counties," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 11, No. 2 (Oct. 1902):123-130; Vol. 11, No. 3 (Jan. 1903):191-195. Available at JSTOR ($).
• "Packett Family Graveyard at Sabine Hall," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 56 (2006).
• Pearson, Virginia Drewry McGeorge. "Cemetery Records, Cobham Park Baptist Church," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 27 (1977).
• Pearson, Virginia Drewry McGeorge. "Cemetery Records, Emmanuel Episcopal Church Cemetery; Emmerton, Virginia; Cloverdale Farm, Strawberry Hill, Bryant Family Burial Ground near Robley, Clarke Family Burial Ground, Packett Family Burial Ground on Sabine Hall, Belfield Family Cemetery Records on Belle Mount. All in Richmond County," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 21 (1971).
• Pearson, Virginia Drewry McGeorge. "Family and Cemetery Records," [Richmond County - Wellford Family Cemetery at Sabine Hall, Warsaw - Carter Family- Landon Carter Family-Tayloe Family Cemetery at Mt. Airy, Warsaw, VA - Doctor's Hall Cemetery "near where Rapphannock Creek (Cat Point) empties into Rappahannock River" - Brockenbrough Family-Sturman Family Cemetery on Meadowbrook Farm - Chestnut Hill Cemetery, Beale Family - Middletwon Family Cemetery at Durretsvile, or Emmerton "in field of between home of Eloise Middleton Mullin and the Jackson Store"] Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 20 (1970).
• Pearson, Virginia Drewry McGeorge. "Packett and Delano Family Burial Ground," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 22 (1972).

Census

For tips on accessing Richmond County, Virginia Genealogy census records online, see: Virginia Census.

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	6,985	—
1800	13,744	96.8%
1810	6,214	−54.8%
1820	5,706	−8.2%
1830	6,055	6.1%
1840	5,965	−1.5%
1850	6,448	8.1%
1860	6,856	6.3%
1870	6,503	−5.1%
1880	7,195	10.6%
1890	7,146	−0.7%
1900	7,088	−0.8%
1910	7,415	4.6%
1920	7,434	0.3%
1930	6,878	−7.5%
1940	6,634	−3.5%
1950	6,189	−6.7%
1960	6,375	3.0%
1970	5,841	−8.4%
1980	6,952	19.0%
1990	7,273	4.6%
2000	8,809	21.1%
Source: "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau.

1783 Enumeration

• Richmond County Heads of Families - 1783 at U.S. Census Bureau - free. County begins on page 62.

1790

• "Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790, Richmond County," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 24 (1974).

1890 Union Veterans

• Turner, Ronald Ray. Virginia's Union Veterans: Eleventh Census of the United States 1890. Available online, courtesy: Prince William County Virginia website. [Includes residents of this county.]

Church Records

Baptist

Early Baptist churches (with years constituted):

• Farnham (1790). A centennial history was published in 1890:

• "Centennial History of Farnham Baptist Church, Richmond County, Virginia, 1790-1890, Probably Written by Rev. Robert Williamson," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 22 (1972).

• 1776 Petition of Baptists (10,000 names!) and sympathizers from all over Virginia, dated 16 October 1776, asking for an end to persecution of Baptists by the established church. After locating your ancestor, view the digital copies.
  – Digital copies at Library of Congress; also at Library of Virginia
  – Hall, Jean Pickett. "Legislative Petitions: the 10,000 name petition" transcription in the Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vols. 35-38, with annotations in Vol. 39, (Richmond, Virginia: Virginia Genealogical Society, 1983-) online at Ancestry ($) and in book form at various libraries.
  

Church of England

See also Farnham Parish
See also Hanover Parish
See also Lunenburg Parish
See also North Farnham Parish
See also Piscataway Parish
See also Richmond Parish
See also St. Mary's Parish
See also Sittenburne Parish
See also South Farnham Parish

• "Extracts from the Register of Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia," The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Jul. 1899):52-64. Available at JSTOR ($).
• Marsh, Beulah Hinton. "The Early Churches of Northern Neck," [Aquia Church in Stafford County, Christ Church Lancaster County, Farnham Church in Richmond County, Lamb's Creek Church in King George County, St. Mary's White Chapel in Lancaster County, St. Paul's Church in King George County, Yeocomico Church in Westmoreland County--Baptist Churches of White Marsh in Lancaster, Morattico Baptist, Nomini in Westmoreland, Farnham in Richmond, Hanover Baptist in King George] Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 2 (1952).
• Mason, George Carrington. "The Colonial Churches of Essex and Richmond Counties," The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 53, No. 1 (Jan. 1945):3-20. Available at JSTOR ($).
• Payne, Addie V. "Old Farnham Among Most Interesting Virginia Shrines; 200-Year-Old Church Has Seen Depradations of Three Wars; Silver of 18th Century Still Used; Building is Restored," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 10 (1960).

Presbyterian

There was a Presbyterian congregation in Richmond County from the 1750s through the 1770s.

Court

General

• Fleet, Beverley. Richmond County Records, 1704-1724. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1961. FHL Collection; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Contains depositions, fines., etc.]
  
• Pearson, Virginia Drewry McGeorge. "Richmond County, Virginia, Courthouses (and Predeccors)," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 20 (1970).
• Simmons, Christine K. "Public Building, Circa 1748," [Richmond County Court House] Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 3 (1953).

County Court

• "Abstracts from Records of Richmond County, Virginia," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 17, No. 2 (Oct. 1908):73-85 [abstracts of some entries from Order Books 1-5 (1692-1713)]. Available at JSTOR ($).
• Morgan, Gwenda. "Law and Social Change in Colonial Virginia: The Role of the Grand Jury in Richmond County, 1692-1776," The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 95, No. 4 (Oct. 1987):453-480. Available at JSTOR ($).

DNA

DNA has been collected for purported descendants of the following Richmond County, Virginia residents. Attempts have not been made to verify the lineages of those tested.

• [Newman] Multiple descendants of Thomas Newman, b. c1620 England, d. c1690 Richmond County, Virginia. Y-DNA 37 and 67 Marker Tests, FTDNA. Genetic signatures available online (labelled Lineage II), courtesy: The Newman DNA Project, World Families Network.

Genealogy

More than 300 genealogies have been published about Richmond County families. To view a list, visit Richmond County, Virginia Genealogy.

Gazetteers

• Wilson, John C. Creek Peek Collection: From the Piankatank to the Potomac: Locations of 195 Creeks, Coves, Bays, Branches, Prongs, Ponds and Rivers in Lancaster, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond and Westmoreland Counties of Virginia. Rappahannock Press, 199-?.

Historic Residences

• Arnest, H. Lee. "Andrea Polladio, The Venetian High Renaissance And the Northern Neck of Virginia," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 26 (1976). [Mt. Airy]
• Brown. "Cobham Park: Kent, England and Richmond County, Virginia," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 42 (1992).
• Chinn, Esther Ball. "Edge Hill, near Downings, Richmond County, Virginia," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 21 (1971). [Chinn family residence.]
• Pearson, Virginia Drewry McGeorge. "Belle Mount Farm, Richmond County, Virginia," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 21 (1971).
• Pearson, Virginia Drewry McGeorge. "'Harlyn Lodge' (Sedgely) - Richmond County," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 22 (1972).
• Pearson, Virginia Drewry McGeorge. "Indian Banks," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 22 (1972). [Glasscock family residence.]
• Pearson, Virginia Drewry McGeorge. "Linden Farm," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 33 (1983).
• Pearson, Virginia Drewry McGeorge. "New Design," [Orchard Grove] Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 26 (1976).
• Pearson, Virginia Drewry McGeorge. "Wilna - Sharps," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 16 (1966).
• Pearson, Virginia Drewry McGeorge. "Woodford, Originally Farnham Plantation," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 15 (1965).
• Pearson, Virginia Drewry McGeorge. "Wrens Nest," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 25 (1975).
• Wellford, Dabney. "Sabine Hall," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 8 (1958).
• Wellford, R. Carter and T. Dabney Wellford. "Old Carter Family Portraits at Sabine Hall," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 25 (1975).

Immigration

Headright grants identify many Richmond County, Virginia Genealogy immigrants who arrived before 1720. The Virginia Immigration article provides tips about using this source.

Additional resources include:

• Coldham, Peter Wilson. "Correspondence with the American Colonies 1739-1782," The Genealogist, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Spring 1998):108-128; Vol. 12, No. 2 (Fall 1998):189-205. [Overseas correspondence of residents of Sabine Hall [Richmond County] and Menokin, Richmond County with the following surnames: Carter and Lee.] FHL Collection
• Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of Farnham [North Farnham Parish], Richmond County, St. Mary's Parish, and Sittenburne Parish proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]

• List of imported servants and transported convicts from Europe who served labor terms in Colonial Virginia are online at: Immigrant Servants Database.
  

Land and Property

Deeds

• "Abstracts from Records of Richmond County, Virginia," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 17, No. 2 (Oct. 1908):73-85 [abstracts of some entries from Deed Books 1-2 and Miscellaneous Deeds (1692-1696, 1770s)]. Available at JSTOR ($).
• Fleet, Beverley. Richmond County Records, 1692-1704: Deed Book No. 1, 1692-1693, Deed Book No. 2, 1693/4-1696, Deed Book No. 3, Lost, Miscellaneous Records, 1699-1704. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1961. FHL Collection; digital version at Ancestry ($).
  

Grants and Patents

• Gray, Gertrude E. Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants 1694-1742. Vol. I. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1987. FHL Collection; digital version at Ancestry. [Includes Richmond County.]

Local Histories

• Bryant, W. Elwood. "Life on a Self Contained Farm," [after the Civil War] Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 28 (1978).
• "Musicale at Belleville, from Northern Neck News December 18, 1891," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 21 (1971).
• Kreiser, Barnette. "Nursery of A New Nation: The Northern Neck of Virginia," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 25 (1975).
• Rice. "Music in Richmond County," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 42 (1992).
• Ryland. "An Address Observing the Tercentenary of Richmond County, Virginia," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 42 (1992).
• Ryland, Charles H. "Richmond County, An Address by Charles H. Ryland at Mt. Airy on September 30, 1967," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 17 (1967).
• Ryland. "Richmond County's Colonial Tavern in Warsaw," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 42 (1992).
• Ryland. "The Name 'RICHMOND,'" Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 42 (1992).

Maps

Migration

• Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 20, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1976):269-274. FHL Collection; digital version at American Ancestors ($). [These records identify migrants who left the county and often their intended destinations. Richmond County's 1787 and 1789 Delinquent Lists appear on pp. 272-273.]

Military

Colonial Militia

• Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. FHL Collection [Identifies some Richmond County militia officers and/or soldiers; see place name index.]
• Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. FHL Collection; digital book at Ancestry ($). [Identifies some Richmond County militia officers; see place name index.]

French and Indian War

• Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. FHL Collection [Identifies some Richmond County militia officers, soldier enlistments, and veterans; see place name index.]
• Boogher, William F. Gleanings of Virginia History: An Historical and Genealogical Collection, Largely from Original Sources. Washington: n.p., 1903. FHL Collection; digital version at Google Books. [Includes a chapter titled "Legislative Enactments connecting the preceding historic sketch [French and Indian War, Lord Dunmore's War] with the adjudication of the resulting accounts that follow; with the list of officers, soldiers and civilians entitled to compensation for military and other services rendered." For Richmond County, see p. 100.]
• Ryland, Elizabeth Powell. "Richmond County Men in the French and Indian Wars," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 25 (1975).
• Sweeny, William Montgomery. "Richmond County, Virginia: Claims for Services in French and Indian War, and War of the Revolution, and List of Revolutionary War Officers Commissioned," The William and Mary Quarterly, Second Series, Vol. 23, No. 2 (Apr. 1943):220-223. Available at JSTOR ($).

Revolutionary War

Regiments. Service men in Richmond County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Richmond County supplied soldiers for the:

- 5th Virginia Regiment

- 15th Virginia Regiment

Additional resources:

• O'Dell, Jeffrey M. "The War of Independence and the Northern Neck of Virginia," [Chapter IV, Richmond County, High Sheriffs, Patrol List Captains, Justices] Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 21 (1971).
• Ryland, Charles H. "An Address Delivered by Charles H. Ryland at 'Mt. Airy,' September 25, 1976, in Connection with the Observance by Richmond County, Virginia, of the Bicentennial of the Independence of The United States of America," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 26 (1976).
• Shearman, Virginia W. "Revolutionary War Soldiers, Sailors and Patriots of Richmond and Westmoreland Counties, VA (1775-1783)," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 25 (1975); Vol. 26 (1976).
• Sweeny, William Montgomery. "Richmond County, Virginia: Claims for Services in French and Indian War, and War of the Revolution, and List of Revolutionary War Officers Commissioned," The William and Mary Quarterly, Second Series, Vol. 23, No. 2 (Apr. 1943):220-223. Available at JSTOR ($).
• A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census]. 1841. Digital versions at U.S. Census Bureau and Google Books et. al. 1967 reprint: FHL Collection 973 X2pc 1840. [See Virginia, Eastern District, Richmond County on page 133.]

Militia

• Lewis, James F. "Richmond County Militia, 1804-05," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 8, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1964):66. Available at American Ancestors ($).

War of 1812

Richmond County men served in the 41st Regiment.

• List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883; Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Why Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, the Rate of Pension Per Month, and the Date of Original Allowance... Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883. FHL Collection 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, Virginia, Richmond County, p. 100. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Civil War

Regiments. Service men in Richmond County, Virginia Genealogy served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Richmond County, Virginia Genealogy:

- 9th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company K (Richmond County Cavalry).

- 15th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company B.

- 20th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company A (The Virginia Guard).

- 21st Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company F.

- 47th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company D.

- 59th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Companies A1 (Richmond Light Infantry Blues) and E3 (Bruce Guard).

- 60th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (3rd Regiment, Wise Legion) (Confederate). Company 1H (Richmond Light Guard).

Records and histories are available, including:

• Virginia, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers 1861-1865
• Virginia, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers 1861-1865
• "Two War Letters of Mrs. Eliza Bland Smith Brockenbrough of Belle Ville, Richmond County, Virginia," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 11 (1961). [Written at time of the Civil War.]

Naturalization

• Virginia Naturalization Petitions, 1906-1929

Newspapers

The Virginia Newspapers Project identifies local Richmond County, Virginia Genealogy newspapers.

Indexed images of the Virginia Gazette (1736-1780) are available online through the Colonial Williamsburg website. In addition, Professor Tom Costa and The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia have created a database of all runaway advertisements for slaves, indentured servants, transported convicts, and ship deserters listed in this source and other Virginia newspapers (1736-1803), see: The Geography of Slavery in Virginia. These newspapers are valuable resources for all regions of Virginia.

Occupations

• Hammack, Russell Cralle. "Lumbering in Richmond County," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 26 (1976).
• Lewis, James F. "Farmer's Club - Richmond County 1851," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 26 (1976).
• Pearson, Virginia Drewry McGeorge and Joseph Belfield. "Doctors of Yesteryear, Richmond County, Virginia," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 24 (1974). [Includes Belfield family.]

Officials

• "Justices of the Peace, Richmond County, Virginia 1757-1775," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 24 (1974).
• O'Dell, Jeffrey M. "The War of Independence and the Northern Neck of Virginia," [Chapter IV, Richmond County, High Sheriffs, Patrol List Captains, Justices] Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 21 (1971).

Petitions

• "Miscellaneous Legislative Petitions From The Counties of Westmoreland, Richmond, Northumberland and Lancaster," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 10 (1960).

Private Papers

Virginia, Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007

Coldham, Peter Wilson. "Correspondence with the American Colonies 1739-1782," The Genealogist, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Spring 1998):108-128; Vol. 12, No. 2 (Fall 1998):189-205. [Overseas correspondence of residents of Sabine Hall [Richmond County] and Menokin, Richmond County with the following surnames: Carter and Lee.] FHL Collection

• [Brockenbrough] "Two War Letters of Mrs. Eliza Bland Smith Brockenbrough of Belle Ville, Richmond County, Virginia," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 11 (1961).
• [Sanders] Sherman, Virginia W. "Records from the Bible of Robert Sanders of Richmond County, Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 11, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1967):135-136. Available at American Ancestors ($).
• [Williams] Booker, J. Motley and James F. Lewis. "Life As It Was For The Teenage Boy Richmond County - 1853," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 15 (1965).

Probate Records

A free index to Richmond County, Virginia Genealogy wills and administrations (1692-1800) is available at the Library of Virginia.

Local Court

• "Abstracts from Records of Richmond County, Virginia," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 17, No. 2 (Oct. 1908):73-85 [abstracts of some wills from Will Books 2 (1699-1708); Vol. 17, No. 3 (Jan. 1909):176-195 [abstracts of some wills from Will Books 3-7 (1710-1790)]. Available at JSTOR ($).
• Davison, Gertrude Sanford. "Henry Asbury's Will, June 12, 1813," Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 23 (1973).
• Headley, Robert K. Wills of Richmond County, Virginia, 1699-1800. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1983. {{FHL|50580|item|disp=FHL Book 975.523 P2h]; digital version of 2002 reprint: Ancestry ($); and World Vital Records ($).
• Hopkins, William Lindsay. Some Wills from the Burned Counties of Virginia and Other Wills Not Listed in Virginia Wills and Administrations 1632-1800. Richmond, Virginia: W.L. Hopkins, 1987. FHL Collection [Includes Richmond County.]
• Sweeny, William Montgomery. Wills of Rappahannock County, Virginia 1656 - 1692. [Lynchburg, Virginia?]: Mrs. W.M. Sweeny, 1947. FHL Collection 975.534 P2s and FHL Collection 1421588 Item 4; digital version World Vital Records ($).

London Courts

• Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of Farnham [North Farnham Parish], Richmond County, St. Mary's Parish, and Sittenburne Parish proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]

Taxation

How can Virginia tax lists help me?

• [1716] Land Owners, 1716, Tidewater Virginia Families. Williamsburg VA: Feb 2003. Vol. 11 Iss. 4.
• [1771] Cridlin, W.B. "Richmond County Election Poll, 1771," Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 29(1921):510-512. FHL Collection; reprinted in Virginia Tax Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983, which is also available as FHL Collection; digital version at JSTOR ($).
• [1782-1817] Heinegg, Paul. "Richmond County Personal Property Tax List, 1782-1817," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
• [1787] Schreiner-Yantis, Netti and Florene Speakman Love. The 1787 Census of Virginia: An Accounting of the Name of Every White Male Tithable Over 21 Years, the Number of White Males Between 16 & 21 Years, the Number of Slaves over 16 & Those Under 16 Years, Together with a Listing of Their Horses, Cattle & Carriages, and Also the Names of All Persons to Whom Ordinary Licenses and Physician's Licenses Were Issued. 3 vols. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1987. FHL Collection [The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Richmond County is included in Vol. 2.]
• [1787, 1789] Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 20, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1976):269-274. FHL Collection; digital version at American Ancestors ($). [These records identify migrants who left the county and often their intended destinations. Richmond County's 1787 and 1789 Delinquent Lists appear on pp. 272-273.]
• [1789, 1798] Indexed images of the 1789 and 1798 Personal Property Tax Lists of Richmond County, Virginia are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
• [1799] Indexed images of the 1799 Land Tax List of Richmond County, Virginia are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
• [1815] Ward, Roger D. 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). 6 vols. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997-2000. FHL Collection [The source for this publication is the 1815 land tax. Richmond County is included in Vol. 3.]

Vital Records

Indexes to Richmond County, Virginia Genealogy births, marriages, and deaths are available online. These collections are incomplete, but are easy to search. Most records can also be ordered electronically online as well. Courtesy: FamilySearch. See also How to order Virginia Vital Records

Marriage

• 1649-1800 - Headley, Robert K. Married Well and Often: Marriages of the Northern Neck of Virginia 1649-1800: Marriages and Marriage References for the Counties of Lancaster, Northumberland, Old Rappahannock, Richmond, and Westmoreland. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2003. FHL Collection
• King, George Harrison Sanford. Marriages of Richmond County, Virginia. Fredericksburg, Va.: G.H.S. King, 1964.
• 1660-1800 - Virginia Marriages 1660-1800 (Ancestry) ($).
• 1740-1850 - Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 (Ancestry) ($).
• 1750s-1790s - "Marriage Bonds at Warsaw, Richmond County," [1750s-1790s] The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 5, No. 1 (Jul. 1896):19-20. Digital version at JSTOR - free.
• 1802-1842 - "William Forester Marriage Register 1802-1842," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1966):3-10; Vol. 10, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1966):57-65. Digital version at American Ancestors ($). FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 10 (1966).
• 1824-1850 - Richmond County Marriage Index 1824-1850. Batch M868659 at FamilySearch - free.
• 1853-1878 - Richmond County Marriage Index 1853-1878. Batch M868646 at FamilySearch - free.

Vital Record Substitutes

The Virginia Historical Society's Marriage and Obituary Index, 1736-1820 (newspaper abstracts) is available at FamilySearch. Images of the original index cards are browseable, arranged alphabetically by surname.

Richmond County, Virginia Genealogy Societies and Libraries

• Mary Ball Washington Museum and Library
• The Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Society
• Tidewater Genealogical Society
• Middle Peninsula African-American Genealogical & Historical Society

Family History Centers

• Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
• Richmond Virginia Family History Center

Richmond County, Virginia Genealogy Websites

• Richmond County, Virginia USGENWEB
• Family History Library Catalog
• Richmond County, VA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Familytree101)
• "Northern Neck," Wikipedia.
• RootsWeb Mailing List: VA-NORTHERN-NECK-L

References

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Family History Library (FHL); now called, FamilySearch Library (FSL)

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