Virginia Biographies • FamilySearch

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Biographies provide useful genealogical information such as a person’s birth date and place; names of family members, including maiden names; education; occupation; and social, political, and religious affiliation. They may also contain a physical description of the person, previous residences, and immigration information. Biographies are the product of family knowledge or previous research about early settlers and prominent citizens of a state, county, or town. Local histories may contain biographical sketches of lesser-known people.

Biographical Dictionaries and Encyclopedias[edit | edit source]

McCartney, Martha W. Virginia Immigrants and Adventurers 1607-1635: A Biographical Dictionary. (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., 2007.) FHL book 975.5 D36m Purchase at Genealogical.com.
For information about Virginia's earliest colonists, McCartney's work is a great place to start:

True, Ransom B., ed. Biographical Dictionary of Early Virginia, 1607-1660. (Richmond, Virginia: Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, 1982.) FHL fiche 6332718 (first of 22) Includes more than 100,000 entries with references to 30,000 people who are mentioned in Virginia wills , deeds , court orders, histories, and Virginia Company records. A supplemental Guide FHL film 1750757 item 2; book 975.5 D3bd 1985 contains an explanation of the dictionary and a listing of the sources with their codes.An excellent list of early Virginians.

Tyler, Lyon Gardiner. Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography. Five Volumes. New York, NY: Lewis Historical Publication, 1915. FHL film 1000632; book 975.5 D3tl Digital versions of Vols. 1-2 at Ancestry ($)

Vol. 1 at Google Books and Internet Archive
Vol. 2 at Internet Archive and Google Books
Vol. 3 at Google Books and Internet Archive
Vol. 4 at Google Books and Internet Archive; Vol. 5 at Internet Archive. Includes multi-generation family histories.

Wardell, P.G. Timesaving Aid to Virginia-West Virginia Ancestors: A Genealogical Index of Surnames from Published Sources. Two Volumes. (Athens, Georgia: Iberian Publishing, 1985.) FHL book 975 D22wAn index to biographical sketches in several hundred local histories and genealogies.

Statewide Information[edit | edit source]

Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities
204 West Franklin Street
Richmond, Virginia 23220-5012
Phone: 804-648-1889
Fax: 804-775-0802

Family History Library Collection[edit | edit source]

Brock, Robert Alonzo. Virginia and Virginians. (Richmond and Toledo: H. H. Hardesty, 1888.) FHL film 897042 items 2-3 An index is found on FHL fiche 6048346-47. It lists five to ten prominent citizens from each county with early governors and generals.

Foote, William Henry. Sketches of Virginia: Historical and Biographical. Two Volumes. (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: William S. Martien, 1850-56.) FHL film 1000631; book 975.5 H2f Digital version available through FamilySearch Catalog entry; Volume 2 on FHL film 1598334 item 27.

Foote, William Henry An Index to Sketches of Virginia: Historical and Biographical (Richmond, Virginia: The Library, Union Theological Seminary in Virginia, 1966) FHL book 975.5 H2f (index).Presbyterian history, ministers, and families.

French, S. Bassett. Biographical Sketches [of Virginia]. (Richmond, Virginia: Virginia State Library, 1949?) FHL film 029664-67 Contains brief handwritten sketches of persons born from the 1700s to 1800s, sometimes with birth and death dates.

The Family History has a collection of county histories which include biographical information. To access biographies in the FamilySearch Catalog, use a Place-name Search for:

Virginia - BIOGRAPHIES

Virginia, [COUNTY] - BIOGRAPHY

Virginia, [COUNTY] - HISTORY

Virginia, [COUNTY], [TOWN] - BIOGRAPHY

Virginia, [COUNTY]. [TOWN] - HISTORY

v • d• e Links to Virginia-related articles (see also West Virginia-related articles)

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Counties	Accomack • Albemarle • Alleghany • Amelia • Amherst • Appomattox • Arlington • Augusta • Bath • Bedford • Bland • Botetourt • Brunswick • Buchanan • Buckingham • Campbell • Caroline • Carroll • Charles City • Charlotte • Chesterfield • Clarke • Craig • Culpeper • Cumberland • Dickenson • Dinwiddie • Essex • Fairfax • Fauquier • Floyd • Fluvanna • Franklin • Frederick • Giles • Gloucester • Goochland • Grayson • Greene • Greensville • Halifax • Hanover • Henrico • Henry • Highland • Isle of Wight • James City • King and Queen • King George • King William • Lancaster • Lee • Loudoun • Louisa • Lunenburg • Madison • Mathews • Mecklenburg • Middlesex • Montgomery • Nelson • New Kent • Northampton • Northumberland • Nottoway • Orange • Page • Patrick • Pittsylvania • Powhatan • Prince Edward • Prince George • Prince William • Pulaski • Rappahannock (New) • Richmond • Roanoke • Rockbridge • Rockingham • Russell • Scott • Shenandoah • Smyth • Southampton • Spotsylvania • Stafford • Surry • Sussex • Tazewell • Warren • Washington • Westmoreland • Wise • Wythe • York

Independent Cities	Alexandria • Bedford • Bristol • Buena Vista • Charlottesville • Chesapeake • Clifton Forge • Colonial Heights • Covington • Danville • Emporia • Fairfax • Falls Church • Franklin • Fredericksburg • Galax • Hampton • Harrisonburg • Hopewell • Lexington • Lynchburg • City of Manassas • Manassas Park • Martinsville • Newport News • Norfolk • Norton • Petersburg • Poquoson • Portsmouth • Radford • Richmond • Roanoke • Salem • Staunton • Suffolk • Virginia Beach • Waynesboro • Williamsburg • Winchester

Extinct Counties/Cities	Alexandria County • Dunmore • Elizabeth City • Fincastle • Illinois • Kentucky • Manchester • Nansemond • Norfolk • Norfolk (Lower) • Norfolk (New) • Norfolk (South) • Norfolk (Upper) • Princess Anne • Rappahannock (Old) • South Boston • Warwick • West Augusta • Yohogania

Counties gone to KY	Bourbon • Fayette • Jefferson • Kentucky (extinct) • Lincoln • Madison • Mason • Mercer • Nelson • Woodford

Counties gone to WV	Barbour • Berkeley • Boone • Braxton • Brooke • Cabell • Calhoun • Clay • Doddridge • Fayette • Gilmer • Greenbrier • Hampshire • Hancock • Hardy • Harrison • Jackson • Jefferson • Kanawha • Lewis • Logan • Marion • Marshall • Mason • McDowell • Mercer • Monongalia • Monroe • Morgan • Nicholas • Ohio • Pendleton • Pleasants • Pocahontas • Preston • Putnam • Raleigh • Randolph • Ritchie • Roane • Taylor • Tucker • Tyler • Upshur • Wayne • Webster • Wetzel • Wirt • Wood • Wyoming

Colonial Parishes	Abingdon • Accomac • Accomack • Albemarle • Amherst • Antrim • Appomattox • Argall's Gift • Augusta • Bath • Beckford • Berkeley • Blisland • Blount Point • Botetourt • Boutracy • Bristol • Bromfield • Brunswick • Bruton • Camden • Cameron • Charles City • Charles • Charles River • Chickacoan • Chickahominy • Chippokes • Chiskiack • Chotank • Christ Church (Lancaster Co.) • Christ Church (Middlesex Co.) • Chuckatuck • Cople • Cornwall • Cumberland • Dale • Denbigh • Dettingen • Drysdale • East • Elizabeth City • Elizabeth River • Fairfax • Fairfield • Farnham • Flowerdew Hundred • Fluvanna • Frederick • Fredericksville • Hamilton • Hampton • Hanover • Harrop • Henrico • Hog Island • Hungars • James City • Jordan's Journey • Kecoughtan • Kingston • King William • Lancaster • Lawnes Creek • Lee • Leeds • Lexington • Littleton • Lower (Elizabeth City Co.) • Lower (Isle of Wight Co.) • Lower (Lancaster Co.) • Lower (Nansemond Co.) • Lower (Northampton Co.) • Lower (Stafford Co.) • Lower (Upper Norfolk Co.) • Lower Suffolk • Lunenburg • Lynnhaven • Machodick • Manchester • Marston • Martin's Brandon • Martin's Hundred • Meherrin • Middle Plantation • Middletowne • Montgomery • Mulberry Island • New Poquoson • Newport • Nomini • Norborne • Northampton • North Farnham • Nottoway (Prince Edward Co.) • Nottoway (Southampton Co.) • Nutmeg Quarter • Occohannock • Overwharton • Patrick • Petsworth • Piankatank • Piscataway • Poropotank • Portsmouth • Potomac • Raleigh • Richmond • Rockbridge • Rockingham • Russell • St. Andrew's • St. Anne's (Albemarle Co.) • St. Anne's (Essex and Caroline Cos.) • St. Asaph's • St. Brides • St. David's • St. George's (Accomack Co.) • St. George's (Spotsylvania Co.) • St. James Northam • St. James Southam • St. James's (Goochland Co.) • St. James's (Mecklenburg Co.) • St. John's • St. Luke's • St. Margaret's • St. Mark's • St. Martin's • St. Mary's • St. Mary's Whitechapel • St. Patrick's • St. Paul's (Hanover Co.) • St. Paul's (King George Co.) • St. Peter's • St. Stephen's (King and Queen Co.) • St. Stephen's (Northumberland Co.) • St. Thomas • Shelburne • Sittenburne • Smith's Hundred • South • Southampton • South Farnham • Southwark • Stafford • Stanley Hundred • Stratton Major • Suffolk • Tillotson • Trinity (Lancaster Co.) • Trinity (Louisa Co.) • Truro • Upper (Elizabeth City Co.) • Upper (Isle of Wight Co.) • Upper (Lancaster Co.) • Upper (Nansemond Co.) • Upper (Northampton Co.) • Upper (Stafford Co.) • Upper Suffolk • Varina • Wallingford • Ware • Warrosquyoake • Warwick • Washington (Westmoreland Co.) • Washington (Washington Co.) • Waters Creek • West • West and Shirley • Westbury • Westover • Weyanoke • Wicomico • Wilmington • York • Yorkhampton

Major Repositories	Bristol Public Library · Germanna Foundation Library · Handley Regional Library · Historical Society of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA) · Historical Society of Washington, D.C. · John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library at Colonial Williamsburg · Jones Memorial Library · Library of Congress (Washington, DC) · Library of Virginia · Mary Ball Washington Museum and Library · Maryland State Archives (Annapolis, MD) · National Archives I (Washington, DC) · National Archives II (College Park, MD) · National Archives at Philadelphia (PA) · National Genealogical Society · New York Public Library (New York City, NY) · Pennsylvania State Archives (Harrisburg, PA) · Portsmouth Public Library · Roanoke County Public Library · Salisbury University Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History and Culture (Salisbury, MD) · Santa Cruz Public Library Downtown (Santa Cruz, CA) · University of Virginia Library · Virginia Department of Health · Virginia Historical Society · Virginia Theological Seminary · Washington National Records Center (Suitland, MD) · William and Mary College Swem Library

Migration Routes	Routes: Chesapeake Bay • James River • Potomac River • Rappahannock River • York River • Chesapeake and Ohio Canal • Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad • Fall Line Road (or Southern Road) • Great Indian Warpath • Great Trading Path • Great Valley Road • Kanawha Trail • King's Highway • National Road (Cumberland Road) • New River and Southern Trail • Occaneechi Path • Old Cherokee Path • Old Northwestern Turnpike • Pamunkey-New River Trail • Pioneer Road • Richmond Road • Richmond-Williamsburg Road • Saura-Saponi Trail • Secondary Coast Road • Upper Road • Wilderness Road • Wilmington, Highpoint, and Northern Trail • Ports: Atlantic Coast Ports • Accomack • Alexandria • Belvoir Plantation • Bermuda Hundred • Dumfries • Falmouth • Fredericksburg • Hampton • Jamestown • Leedstown • Norfolk • Port Royal • Portsmouth • South Quay • Suffolk • Tappahannock (aka Hobb's Hole) • Urbanna • Williamsburg • Yorktown