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Franklin County, Virginia Genealogy

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


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Franklin County, Virginia
Map
Boundary map of Franklin County, Virginia
Map of Virginia highlighting Franklin County
Location in the state of Virginia
Map of the U.S. highlighting Virginia
Location of Virginia in the U.S.
Facts
Founded 1785
County Seat Rocky Mount
Courthouse
FranklinCoutyVACourthouse.jpg


Franklin County Virginia Courthouse

Franklin County Courthouse
Main Street
Rocky Mount, Va 24151-1392
Phone: 540-483-3065

Clerk Circuit Court has birth, marriage,
death land and court records[1]

Beginning Dates for Franklin County, Virginia Genealogy Government Records
Birth Marriage Death Census Land Probate
1853 1785 1853 1810 1786 1786

Franklin County Virginia History

[[Image:Template:BenjaminFranklin]]

The county was named for Benjamin Franklin.

Parent County

1785--Franklin County was created 17 October 1785 from Bedford and Henry Counties. 
County seat: Rocky Mount [1]

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

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

  • Lost censuses: 1790, 1800, 1890

Franklin County Virginia Places/Localities

Populated Places

Neighboring Counties

Franklin County Virginia Genealogy Resources

Research Guides

  • Sweeney, Alice J. "Bassett Historical Center," The Virginia Genealogical Society Newsletter, Vol. 28, No. 4 (Aug. 2002):1-3. Available at FHL; digital version at Virginia Genealogical Society website.

African American

Bible Records

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


Cemeteries

Tombstone Transcriptions Online Tombstone Transcriptions in Print List of Cemeteries in the county
Findagrave.com Family History Library Findagrave.com
VAGenWeb WorldCat Billion Graves
VAGenWeb Archives
Tombstone Project
Virginia Gravestones
Billion Graves
See Virginia Cemeteries for more information.

Census

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


Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1790 6,842 —
1800 9,302 36.0%
1810 10,724 15.3%
1820 12,017 12.1%
1830 14,911 24.1%
1840 15,832 6.2%
1850 17,430 10.1%
1860 20,098 15.3%
1870 18,264 −9.1%
1880 25,084 37.3%
1890 24,985 −0.4%
1900 25,953 3.9%
1910 96,480 271.7%
1920 26,283 −72.8%
1930 24,337 −7.4%
1940 25,864 6.3%
1950 24,560 −5.0%
1960 25,925 5.6%
1970 26,858 3.6%
1980 35,740 33.1%
1990 39,549 10.7%
2000 47,286 19.6%
Source: "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau.
1790 - Lost, but a substitute is available, see Taxation.

1800 - Lost, but a substitute is available, see Taxation.

1840

  • Douthat, James L. 1840 Mountain Empire of Virginia Census. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 2001. FHL Collection 975.5 X2d 1840. Free online surname index and purchase details at Mountain Press website. [Includes Franklin County.]

1890 Union Veterans

Church Records

Baptist

Early Baptist churches (with years constituted):

  1. Bethel[2]
  2. Black Water (1804)[2]
  3. Chapel[2]
  4. Gill's Creek[2]
  5. Pig River (1773)[2]
  6. Snow Creek[2]
  7. Snow Creek and Pig River[2]

Franklin County fell within the bounds of the Strawberry Association.

Church of England

Gotoarrow.png See also Patrick Parish
Gotoarrow.png See also Russell Parish

Court

Chancery Court

  • Reddy, Anne Waller. Suit -- Brown vs. Brown: Chancery Court Records in Caroline County, Virginia. 1950?. MSS., available at FHL. [Rene (René, Rainey, or Renney) Parsons Brown of Caroline County was sued by John Brown of Franklin County.]

County Court

  • Wingfield, Marshall. An Old Virginia Court: Being a Transcript of the Records of the First Court of Franklin County, Virginia, 1786-1789, with Biographies of the Justices and Stories of Famous Cases. Memphis: West Tennesee Historical Society, 1948. Available at FHL; digital version at World Vital Records ($) additional index at FHL; digital version of original edition at Ancestry ($); and World Vital Records ($).

Genealogy 

More than 175 genealogies have been published about Franklin County families. To view a list, visit Franklin County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies.

Land and Property

An early settlers map is available for Franklin County. The cartographers plot the locations of pioneers from 1786-1886. Find the map for free online, as well as an alphabetical list of names. The Family History Library has a full-scale copy: FHL Map 975.568 E7h.

Local Histories

  • Claiborne, John G. Franklin County, Virginia: Historical and Industrial -- Past, Present and Future. Rocky Mount, Va.: The County News Print. Co., 1926. Available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($).
  • Wingfield, Marshall. Franklin County, Virginia: A History. Berryville, VA: Chesapeake Book Co., 1964. Available at FHL; digital version at World Vital Records ($).

Maps

Migration

  • Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 21, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1977):167-171. Available at FHL; digital version at New England Ancestors ($). [These records often identify migrants who left the county and their intended destinations. Franklin County's 1786 Delinquent List appears on p. 171.]
  • Elliott, Katherine B. Emigration to Other States from Southside Virginia. 2 vols. South Hill, Virginia: K.B. Elliott, 1966. Vol. 1 of original edition available at FHL; 1983 reprints (both volumes) available at FHL; 1990-1992 reprints (both volumes) also available at FHL. [Includes individuals who migrated out of Franklin County to other parts of the country.]

Military

Revolutionary War
  • 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, Franklin County on page 130.]
  • Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." FHL Book 973 M24ur; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes veterans from this county; Virginia section begins on page 238.]
War of 1812

Franklin County men served in the 42nd and 110th Regiments.[3]

  • 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, Franklin County, p. 80. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]
Civil War

Regiments. Service men in Franklin 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 Franklin County, Virginia Genealogy:

- 2nd Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company D (Franklin Rangers).
- 10th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (1st Cavalry Regiment, Wise Legion (Confederate). Company K (Rosser's Mounted Rangers, Virginia Rangers, or Texas Rangers).[4]
- 21st Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company G 2nd.[5]
- 24th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company B (Franklin Rifles) and Company D (Early Guards).[6]
- 37th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Dunn's Battalion, Partisan Rangers) (Confederate). Company A and Company G.[7]
- 42nd Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company K (Franklin Invincibles).[8]
- 47th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate).[9]
- 57th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Companies B (Franklin Sharpshooters) and C (The Franklin Fireaters).[10]
- 58th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Companies D and E (Hale's Ford Franklin Guards).[11]

Miscellaneous Records

Newspapers

The Virginia Newspapers Project identifies local Franklin County, Virginia Genealogy newspapers.
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 the Virginia Gazette and other Virginia newspapers (1736-1803), see: The Geography of Slavery in Virginia.

Petitions

  • Watts, Dorothy C. "Petitions of Residents of Bedford and Henry Counties, Virginia, in Favor of and Opposed to a New County (Franklin)," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 24, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1980):83-89; Vol. 24, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1980):192-199. Available at FHL; digital version at New England Ancestors ($).

Probate Records

Online Probate Records

Taxation

How can Virginia tax lists help me?

  • [1786] Weaver, Jeffrey C. The 1786 Franklin County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List (New River Notes) - free.
  • [1786] Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 21, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1977):167-171. Available at FHL; digital version at New England Ancestors ($). [These records often identify migrants who left the county and their intended destinations. Franklin County's 1786 Delinquent List appears on p. 171.]
  • [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. Online at FamilySearch - free; FHL. [The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Franklin County is included in Vol. 1.]
  • [1788, 1799] Indexed images of the 1788 and 1799 Personal Property Tax Lists of Franklin County, Virginia are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
  • [1800] Tax List, 1800, Bedford Genealogical Society Newsletter, Vol. 8, No. 4 (Nov. 1997); Vol. 9, No. 1 (Feb. 1998).
  • [1800] Tax List, 1800, Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 22, No. 2 (Apr. 1978); Vol. 22, No. 3 (Jul. 1978); Vol. 22, No. 4 (Oct. 1978).
  • [1804-1821] Heinegg, Paul. "Franklin County Personal Property Tax List 1804-1821," Free African Americans.com, available online. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
  • [1812] Tax Relief in 1812, Times of Franklin Before & After 1786. Rocky Mount VA: Jun 2007.
  • [1815] Ward, Roger D. 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). 6 vols. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997-2000. Available at FHL. [The source for this publication is the 1815 land tax. Franklin County is included in Vol. 2.]
  • [1830] Persons with Taxable Property in Robert Hairston's District, 1830, Times of Franklin Before & After 1786. Rocky Mount VA: Aug 2004.
  • [1830] Personal Property Tax List, 1830, Virginia Appalachian Notes, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Feb. 1984).
  • [1840] Personal Property Tax List, 1840, Virginia Appalachian Notes, Vol. 9, No. 3 (Aug. 1985).

Vital Records

Indexes to Franklin 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

Birth
Marriage
  • 1660-1800 - Virginia Marriages 1660-1800 (Ancestry) ($).
  • 1740-1850 - Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 (Ancestry) ($).
  • 1786-1915 - Franklin County Marriage Index 1786-1915. Batch M868775 at FamilySearch - free.[12]
  • 1786-1858 - Wingfield, Marshall. Marriage Bonds of Franklin County, Virginia. Memphis, TN, USA: West Tennessee Historical Societ, 1939. 1967 index available at FHL; 1973 reprint available at FHL; digital version of original edition at Ancestry ($).
Death
  • 1853-1871 - Franklin County Death Index 1853-1871. Batch B868776 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.


Tip: For birth, marriage, and death record substitutes, see Bible Records, Cemeteries, Church Records, Newspapers, and Probate Records.

Franklin County Virginia Genealogy Societies and Libraries

Family History Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

  • FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
  • FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Franklin County Virginia Genealogy Websites

Franklin County Virginia Genealogy References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Franklin County, Virginia. Page 713 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Robert Baylor Semple and George William Beale, A History of the Rise and Progress of the Baptists in Virginia (Pitt and Dickinson, 1894), 338-339. Digital version at Google Books.
  3. ↑ Stuart Lee Butler, A Guide to Virginia Militia Units in the War of 1812 (Athens, Ga.: Iberian Pub. Co., 1988), 85. FHL Book 975.5 M2bs.
  4. ↑ Robert J. Driver, 10th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, c1992). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 87.
  5. ↑ John E. Olson, 21st Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, c1989). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 57.
  6. ↑ Ralph White Gunn, 24th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1987). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 34.
  7. ↑ J.L. Scott, 36th and 37th Battalions Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1986). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 24.
  8. ↑ John Chapla, 42nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1983). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 5.
  9. ↑ Richard L. Armstrong, 26th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1994). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 110.
  10. ↑ Charles W. Sublett, 57th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1985). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 21.
  11. ↑ Robert J. Driver, Jr. 58th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1990). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 68.
  12. ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/images/3/37/Igivirginia.pdf.
  13. ↑ Alice J. Sweeney, "Bassett Historical Center," The Virginia Genealogical Society Newsletter, Vol. 28, No. 4 (Aug. 2002):1-3, available online at: http://www.vgs.org
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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



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