Madison County, Virginia Genealogy

Guide to Madison County, Virginia ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Description
Madison County is located in the north-central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for the Madison family that owned a tract of land along the Rapidan River. This family produced one of our nation’s early presidents, James Madison.

County Courthouse
Madison County Courthouse 1 Main Street Madison, VA 22727-0220 Phone: 540-948-6888 Madison County Website

Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1793

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

History Timeline
The county is named after President James Madison (1751-1836).

Bible Records

 * 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Cemeteries

 * 1800-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1949-1969
 * Vol. 1
 * page 146 - Fairview Cemetery, at Hood
 * page 149 - Rose Park Cemetery, at Wolfton

Census Records
1890 Union Veterans
 * Virginia's Union Veterans: Eleventh Census of the United States 1890. By Ronald Ray Turner. .  Includes residents of this county.
 * 1890 Veterans Schedules of the U.S. Federal Census. Online at: Ancestry ($). Includes this county.

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Baptist Madison County fell within the bounds of the Culpeper Association. Early Baptist churches (with years constituted):
 * 1) Rapidan (1773)
 * 2) Robinson River (1790)

Church of England Meade's 1861 history of parishes in Madison County is available online.

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records

Chancery Court
 * Indexes and images to Madison County, Virginia Chancery Records 1802-1881 are available online through Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index. Additional records are available at the Madison County Courthouse. These records, which were often concerned with inheritance disputes, contain a wealth of genealogical information.

Superior Court of Chancery The Superior Court of Chancery of Fredericksburg (1802-1831) had jurisdiction over certain Madison County court cases. An index has been compiled:
 * Indexes of Court Records in the Clerk's Office, Fredericksburg, Virginia, 1782-1904. Original records, Fredericksburg City Courthouse, Fredericksburg, Va., microfilmed reproduction available at . [Indexes the following records: District Court law book v. 8, 1782-1792; District Court law books 1790-1793, v. A-F 1789-1811; Superior Court of Law law order books v. G-H 1812-1831; Superior Court of Chancery chancery order books 1814-1831; Hustings Court orders v. A-O 1782-1871; Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery law order books v. A-E 1831-1875; Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery chancery order books v. A-D 1831-1872; Circuit Court chancery order books v. A2, B-C 1875-1904; Fredericksburg District Court (1789-1808) had jurisdiction over the following counties: Spotsylvania (including Fredericksburg), Caroline, King George, Stafford, Orange, and Culpeper; Superior Court of Chancery (1802-1831) had jurisdiction over the following localities: city of Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, Culpeper, Fauquier, Fairfax, Lancaster, Northumberland, Madison, King George, Orange, Prince William, Richmond, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Essex, and Westmoreland.]

Emigration and Immigration

 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes will a of resident of Madison County proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African American
 * 1935-2009 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Heinegg, Paul. "Madison County Personal Property Tax List, 1793-1818," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * Search the Library of Virginia's Virginia Untold collection for digitized records related to African Americans of Madison County.

Funeral Homes

 * 1935-2009 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Genealogies
Compiled Genealogies by Surname A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 * See Madison County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies for a list of published books and articles, or jump to the surname using the alphabet bar.

Compiled Genealogies for Multiple Families
 * Holtzclaw, B.C. Ancestry and Descendants of the Nassau-Siegen Immigrants to Virginia, 1714-1750. Germanna Record No. 5. Harrisonburg, Va.: The Memorial Foundation of the Germanna Colonies in Virginia, 1964. Includes Back, Brumback, Coons, Crim, Fishback, Haeger, Hanback, Hitt, Holtzclaw, Kemper, Martin, Miller, Nay, Rector, Spilman, Utterback, Wayman, Weaver, Young, Whitescarver, and Huffman (2) families. Available at.
 * Holtzclaw, B.C. and Charles Herbert Huffman. Second Germanna Colony of 1717. Harrisonburg, Va.: Memorial Foundation of the Germanna Colonies in Virginia, 1965..
 * Holtzclaw, B.C. Ancestry and Descendants of the Nassau-Siegen Immigrants to Virginia, 1714-1750. Germanna Record No. 5. Harrisonburg, Va.: The Memorial Foundation of the Germanna Colonies in Virginia, 1964. Includes Back, Brumback, Coons, Crim, Fishback, Haeger, Hanback, Hitt, Holtzclaw, Kemper, Martin, Miller, Nay, Rector, Spilman, Utterback, Wayman, Weaver, Young, Whitescarver, and Huffman (2) families. Available at.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Grants and Patents
 * Blankenbaker. 204 patents dated 1722-1739 in what is now Madison County, Virginia (Placed on a Map). DeedMapper, 2004. [In order to view this map, it is necessary to purchase Direct Line Software's DeedMapper product.]
 * Gray, Gertrude E. Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 1775-1800. Vol. III. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1993. ; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes Madison County.]

Local Histories

 * Yowell, Claude Lindsay. A History of Madison County, Virginia. Strasburg, Va.: Shenandoah Publishing House, c1926. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Cities and Towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Revolutionary War War of 1812
 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. 1841. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). 1967 reprint: 973 X2pc 1840. See Virginia, Eastern District, Madison County on page 131.
 * Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." ; digital version at Ancestry ($). Includes veterans. Virginia section begins on page 238.
 * 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. Online at: Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). See Vol. 5, Virginia, Madison County, p. 89. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.
 * Humes, Joseph, Muster roll of Captain Joseph Humes' company, War of 1812 82nd (Madison County).

Regiments. Madison County men served in the 82nd Regiment. Civil War
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)

Regiments. Madison County men most often served in regiments (and companies) from their home county. At times, however, individuals and small groups can be found serving in regiment from neighboring counties. Later in the war, Confederate units often reorganized. Men from Madison County can be found in the following regiments: Infantry:
 * - 2nd Virginia Militia
 * - 7th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate) - Company A (The Richardson Guards) and Company K (The Madison Grays) had many men from Madison County while Companies A, C, E, F, G only had eight or fewer men from Madison County. See also 7th Battalion, Virginia Infantry, Local Defense (1st Nitre Battalion) (Confederate)
 * - 10th Regiment Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company L (Jeff Davis Guards).
 * - 13th Regiment Virginia Infantry (Confederate)
 * - 34th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company L (Fray's Artillery) (Madison Artillery).
 * - 38th Regiment Virginia Infantry (Confederate)
 * - 49th Regiment Virginia Infantry (Confederate)
 * - 82nd Regiment Virginia Militia
 * - 108th Virginia Militia
 * - 135th Virginia Militia
 * - Quartermaster Department

Cavalry:
 * - 1st Regiment Virginia Cavalry (Confederate), Co. I mustered one trooper from Madison County
 * - 2nd Regiment Virginia Cavalry (Confederate), Co. K mustered one trooper from Madison County
 * - 4th Regiment Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company C (The Madison Invincibles)
 * - 5th Regiment Virginia Cavalry (Confederate), Co. H mustered one trooper from Madison County
 * - 6th Regiment Virginia Cavalry (Confederate), Co. F mustered one trooper from Madison County
 * - 7th Regiment Virginia Cavalry (Confederate), Co. B mustered one trooper from Madison County
 * - 11th Regiment Virginia Cavalry (Confederate), Co. A mustered one trooper from Madison County
 * - 12th Regiment Virginia Cavalry (Confederate), Co. G mustered eleven troopers from Madison County
 * - 35th Battalion Virginia Cavalry (Confederate), Co. F mustered one trooper from Madison County
 * - 39th Battalion Virginia Cavalry (Confederate), Co. D mustered one trooper from Madison County
 * - 43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry (Confederate), this battalion, known as Mosby's Rangers, mustered four troopers from Madison County

Artillery:
 * - 1st Battalion, Virginia Light Artillery (Hardaway's) (Moseley's) (Confederate)
 * - 1st Regiment Virginia Artillery (Richmond Howitzers)
 * - 4th Battalion Virginia Heavy Artillery (Confederate)
 * - 13th Virginia Artillery
 * - Charlottesville Light Artillery (Confederate)
 * - King William Artillery (Confederate)
 * - Rockbridge Artillery, No. 2 (Confederate)
 * - Letcher's Battery Light Artillery
 * - Capt. Rice's Company Virginia Light Artillery
 * - 1st Battalion Virginia Reserves (Madison Reserves)


 * Information about the history of the companies in these regiments can be found in:
 * - For Home and Honor
 * - titled A Guide to Virginia Military Organizations 1861-1865

Asterisk indicates regiments with fifteen or fewer men from Madison. World War II
 * 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

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.

Other Records
Private Papers
 * Mallory, James. Journal of James Mallory, Son of Uriel Mallory, Jr. and Melinda Welch; Grandson of Capt. Uriel Mallry, Sr. and Hannah Cave, and of Major Nathaniel Welch and Elizabeth Terrell, of Virginia, Begins April 20, 1834, Madison County, Virginia, Ends November 12, 1877, Talladega County, Alabama. MSS., microfilmed 1962.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1633-1800 Wills and Estate Records Index at Library of Virginia.London Courts
 * 1652-1900 Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1900 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes will a of resident of Madison County proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records


 * 1793-1818 Heinegg, Paul. "Madison County Personal Property Tax List, 1793-1818," Free African Americans.com.  Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.
 * 1793-1850 Madison County, Virginia Personal property tax lists, 1793-1850. Original records, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va.; microfilmed reproduction available at  - images.
 * 1800 Tax List, 1800, The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 39, No. 3 (Jul. 1995); Vol. 39, No. 4 (Oct. 1995). ; online at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).
 * 1815  Ward, Roger D. 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). 6 vols. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997-2000. .  The source for this publication is 1815 land tax. Madison County is included in Vol. 4.

Birth

 * 1584-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1715-1901 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1853-1866 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1912-1913 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Marriage

 * 1660-1800 Virginia Marriages 1660-1800 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1660-1959 Virginia, United States Marriages at at Findmypast — index($) — index $
 * 1715-1901 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1740-1850 Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1785-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
 * 1785-1940 Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1853-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; Also at: Ancestry ($)
 * 1936-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Death

 * 1715-1901 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1853-1911 Virginia, U.S., Death Registers, 1853-1911 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1853-1912 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection;  index & images
 * 1912-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Divorce

 * 1918-1988 at FamilySearch — index & images

FamilySearch Centers

 * Charlottesville Virginia FamilySearch Center
 * Culpeper Virginia FamilySearch Center
 * Harrisonburg Virginia FamilySearch Center


 * Rocktown History - an affiliate library

Libraries

 * Central Virginia Genealogical Association

Websites

 * Madison County, Virginia GenWeb. Part of the USGenWeb Project. Maps, name indexes, history.


 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.

Research Guides

 * "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Madison County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 17, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1973):50-52. ; online at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).