Sussex County, Virginia Genealogy

United States   Virginia    Sussex County





History


Sussex County, Virginia was formed as the result of a law passed by the Virginia General Assembly in November, 1753. This created Sussex County from southwestern Surry County in 1754.

The county is named after the English county of Sussex.

Sussex County, Virginia's county seat is Sussex, where county records were kept in the Dillard House, which was built in 1802, until a courthouse could be erected.

Early in its history, Sussex County was a part of the Anglican parish known as Albemarle Parish.

Parent County
1754--Sussex County was created 1754, as the result of a 1753 legislative act, from Surry County. County seat: Sussex

Record Loss

 * Lost censuses: 1790, 1800, 1890

Populated Places

 * Jarratt
 * Stony Creek
 * Wakefield
 * Waverly

African American

 * Heinegg, Paul. "Sussex County Personal Property Tax List 1782-1818," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * Johnson, Martha C. Black Families of Elizabeth City Co., VA, 1800-1990: Research of Families of Callis, Davis, Simpson, Radcliff, Originating from Gloucester Co., Mathews Co., York and James Counties and Elizabeth Co., Hampton, Virginia. Microfilmed reproduction available at . [Includes information about the Bassette family of Sussex County, Virginia.]
 * Judkins Family Association. The Judkins Journal. [Newsletter] 16 vols. plus supplement. Available at.

Cemeteries

 * Sussex County, Virginia Cemeteries (ePodunk)

Census
1840


 * Evans, June Banks. Census of 1840, Sussex County, Virginia. New Orleans, Louisiana: Bryn Ffyliaid Publications, 1990. Available at.

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 of England
See also Albemarle Parish


 * Boddie, John Bennett. Births, Deaths and Sponsors, 1717 - 1778 from the Albemarle Parish Register of Surry and Sussex Counties, Virginia. Baltimore, MD: Clearfield, 1998. Available at . Digital version at World Vital Records ($).
 * Davis, Virginia Lee Hutcheson, and Andrew Wilburn Hogwood. Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, 1742-1786, Surry and Sussex Counties, Virginia. Baltimore: Clearfield, 2005.
 * Mason, George Carrington. Colonial Churches of Tidewater Virginia. Richmond, Va.: Whittet &amp; Shepperson, 1945. Available at ; digital version at BYU Family History Archives. [Includes Sussex County.]

Quaker

 * Putnam, Martha A. Quaker Records of Southeast Virginia. Westminster, Maryland: Family Line Publications, 1996. Available at . [Includes records about Quakers in Dinwiddie, Isle of Wight, Nansemond, Norfolk, Prince George, Southampton counties and Suffolk City from 1600s and 1700s (Blackwater Montly Meeting, Chuckatuck Monthly Meeting, Pagan Creek Meeting, Western Branch Monthly Meeting, and Somerton Monthly Meeting.)]

Genealogy
More than 50 genealogies have been published about Sussex County families. To view a list, visit Sussex County, Virginia Genealogy.

Historic Residences

 * Stephenson, Mary A. Old Homes in Surry &amp; Sussex. Richmond [Virginia]: Dietz Press, 1942.

Immigration

 * [http://immigrantservants.com/search/advancedResults.php?surname=&givenName=&varientSurnameSpellings=&gender=&dateOfBirthDay=&dateOfBirthMonth=&dateOfBirthQuantifier=&dateOfBirthYear=&placeOfBirthParish=&placeOfBirthTown=&placeOfBirthCity=&placeOfBirthCounty=&placeOfBirthColony=&placeOfBirthNation=&occupations=&religions=&orphan=&familyPosition=&immigrationYearQualifier=&immigrationYear=&portOfDepartureTown=&portOfDepartureCity=&portOfDepartureCounty=&portOfDepartureNation=&placeOfArrivalTown=&placeOfArrivalCounty=&placeOfArrivalColony=&shipName=&convict=&yearOfIndentureQualifier=&yearOfIndenture=&lengthOfIndentureYears=&lengthOfIndentureMonths=&yearOfFreedomQualifier=&yearOfFreedom=&placeOfIndentureTown=&placeOfIndentureCity=&placeOfIndentureCounty=Sussex&placeOfIndentureColony=Virginia&agentSurname=&agentGivenName=&agentTitle=&masterSurname=&masterGivenName=&masterTitle=&residenceParish=&residenceTown=&residenceCity=&residenceCounty=&residenceColony=&residenceNation=&landowner=&literate=&spouseSurname=&spouseGivenName=&spouseMarriageDateDay=&spouseMarriageDateMonth=&spouseMarriageDateQualifier=&spouseMarriageDateYear=&spouseMarriageLocationParish=&spouseMarriageLocationCounty=&spouseMarriageLocationColony=&spouseMarriageLocationNation=&deathDateDay=&deathDateMonth=&deathDateQualifier=&deathDateYear=&deathLocality=&deathCounty=&deathColony=&deathState=&testate=&proofServantStatus=&proofConvictStatus=&headright=&preServitudeSources=&postServitudeSources=&comments=&family=&sourceCitations=&interestedResearchers= List of imported servants and transported convicts from Europe] who served labor terms in Colonial Sussex County, Virginia (work in progress), courtesy: Immigrant Servants Database.

Land
Deeds


 * Hopkins, William Lindsay. Sussex County, Virginia Deed Books A-E, 1754-March 1779. Richmond [Virginia]: W.L. Hopkins, 1990. Available at.
 * Bradley, Stephen E. The Deeds of Sussex County, Virginia, 1779-1792. [Deed Books F and G] Keysville, Virginia: S.E. Bradley, 1993. Available at.

Grants and Patents


 * Hudgins. 798 patents dated 1701-1818 in what is now Sussex County, Virginia placed on a map. DeedMapper. 2004. [Names of those who received land patents, dates, land descriptions, and references may be viewed free of charge (click "Index" next to the county listing); however, in order to view the maps, it is necessary to purchase Direct Line Software's DeedMapper product.]

Local Histories

 * Virginia Writers' Program, Works Projects Administration, Sussex County: A Tale of Three Centuries. Richmond: Whittet &amp; Shepperson, 1942. Available at ; digital version at Ancestry ($).

Migration

 * 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 ; 1983 reprints (both volumes) available at ; 1990-1992 reprints (both volumes) also available at . [Includes individuals who migrated out of Sussex County to other parts of the country.]

Early migration routes to and from Sussex County for European settlers included:


 * Atlantic Ocean
 * King's Highway about 1704
 * Secondary Coast Road late 1730s

French and Indian War

 * Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. Available at . [Identifies some Westmoreland 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. Available at ; digital version at Google Books (full-view). [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 Sussex County, see p. 101.]
 * Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. Available at ; digital book at Ancestry ($). [Identifies some Accomack County militia officers; see place name index.]

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 version at Google Books. 1967 reprint: 973 X2pc 1840. [See Virginia, Eastern District, Sussex County on page 133.]
 * 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." 973 M24ur; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes veterans from this county; Virginia section begins on page 238.]

War of 1812

 * 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. 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, Virginia, Sussex County, p. 105. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Newspapers
Indexed images of the Virginia Gazette(1736-1780) are available online through the Colonial Williamsburgwebsite. 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.

Private Papers

 * Family Bible Records of Lamb and Driver Families. MSS., Smithfield Branch of the Isle of Wight Library, Smithfield, Va. Microfilmed reproduction available at.

Research Guildes

 * "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Sussex County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 23, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1979):127-129. Available at New England Ancestors ($).

Taxation
How can Virginia tax lists help me?


 * [1777] Tithables, 1777, Southside Virginian. Richmond VA: Jan 1985. Vol. 3 Iss. 2.
 * [1782] Personal property tax lists, 1782, Southside Virginian. Richmond VA: Apr 1988. Vol. 6 Iss. 2; Jul 1988. Vol. 6 Iss. 3.
 * [1782-1818] Heinegg, Paul. "Sussex County Personal Property Tax List 1782-1818," 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 &amp; 21 Years, the Number of Slaves over 16 &amp; Those Under 16 Years, Together with a Listing of Their Horses, Cattle &amp; 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. Available at . [The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Sussex County is included in Vol. 2.]
 * [1789, 1799] Indexed images of the 1789 and 1799 Personal Property Tax Lists of Sussex County, Virginia are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
 * [1798, 1802] Removals from militia fines, 1798-1802, Southside Virginian. Richmond VA: Jul 1983. Vol. 1 Iss. 4.
 * [1815] Ward, Roger D. 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). 6 vols. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997-2000. Available at . [The source for this publication is the 1815 land tax. Sussex County is included in Vol. 2.]

Vital Records
Birth


 * Boddie, John Bennett. Births, Deaths and Sponsors, 1717 - 1778 from the Albemarle Parish Register of Surry and Sussex Counties, Virginia. Baltimore, MD: Clearfield, 1998. Available at . Digital version at World Vital Records ($).

Marriage

Death


 * Boddie, John Bennett. Births, Deaths and Sponsors, 1717 - 1778 from the Albemarle Parish Register of Surry and Sussex Counties, Virginia. Baltimore, MD: Clearfield, 1998. Available at . Digital version at World Vital Records ($).

Societies and Libraries

 * Sussex County, Virginia Historical Society

Websites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Profile for Sussex County, Virginia (ePodunk)
 * Sussex County, Virginia History, Records, Facts, Genealogy, and Ancestry (Family History 101)
 * VAGenWeb's Sussex County Project (U.S. GenWeb)
 * VAGenWeb's Sussex County Project (U.S. GenWeb)