Essex County, Virginia Genealogy

United States   Virginia    Essex County





A county in the Northern Neck region of Virginia. Established 1692.

Parent County
1692--Essex County was created 16 April 1692 from Rappahannock (old) County. County seat: Tappahannock

African American

 * Heinegg, Paul. "Essex County Personal Property Tax List 1782-1819," Free African Americans.com, available online. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]

Census
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.]

Court
Superior Court of Chancery

The Superior Court of Chancery of Fredericksburg (1802-1831) had jurisdiction over certain Essex 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 FHL. [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.]

Family Histories
It is anticipated that this bibliography will eventually identify all known family histories published about residents of this county. Use this list to:


 * Locate publications about direct ancestors
 * Find the most updated accounts of an ancestor's family
 * Identify publications, to quote Elizabeth Shown Mills, about an ancestor's "FAN Club" [Friends, Associates, and Neighbors]

General


 * Pritchett, John W. Southside Virginia Genealogies. CD-ROM. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. Free online index, courtesy: Virginians - The Family History of John W. Pritchett. [Includes information about residents of Essex County, see discussion of cited sources.] FHL US/CAN CD-ROM no. 3887. Purchase at Virginians.com.

Bibliography


 * [Beasley] Beasley, James Dale. The Ancestors of James Dale Beasley: Ancestors of and/or from High Point, North Carolina; Stokes County, North Carolina; Essex County, Virginia and Warwickshire County, England; Covering Primarily the Beasley Family, but Also the Following Families: Yokley, Kennedy, Hedgecock, Clinard and Others. Birmingham, Alabama: J.D. Beasley, 2001. 929.273 B38bjd
 * [Blackburn] Gahn, Bessie Wilmarth. Blackburn Family in Records of Essex and Caroline Counties, Virginia. MSS., 1950, National Library of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Washington, D.C.,
 * [Booker] Booker, J. Motley. A Booker Family of Virginia: Gloucester and Essex Counties and the Northern Neck, with Some of the Descendants and Related Families. Heathsville, Virginia: The Northumberland County Historical Society, 1994. 929.273 B644bja
 * [Boulware] Bradley, Frank E. A Short History of the Boulware Family of Essex County, Virginia. MSS., 928258 Item 5
 * [Buckner] Wright, Mary G. Cousins by the Dozen: The Story of John Buckner "The Immigrant" and His Antecedents, Siblings and Descendants. Bowling Green, Va.: M.G. Wright, 1994?. 929.273 B857w
 * [Byrom] Byrom, Henry Harbin. Some Descendants of Ezekiel Byrom of Southfarnham Parish, Essex County, Virginia, (1790). 1940; with updates through 2003. 1440716 Item 1
 * [Clark] Smith, Walter Burgess. The Edward Clark Genealogy, 1676-1988: from Bacon's Rebellion of 1676 in Virginia Down to the Present Day: Edward (1655?-1737) of Middlesex and Essex Counties, Virginia, and His Descendants, Including the Bristow, Stiff, Roudebush, McFarland, Holleman, and Other Families. Camden, Maine: Picton Press, 1988.
 * [Covington] Covington, Lloyd and Helen Covington. The Descendants of William Covington I, 1618-1696: "Bestland", Essex County, Virginia. Ruther Glen, Virginia: L.P. Covington, 1997. 929.273 C838cL
 * [Croxton] Luht, Richard I. The Croxton Family of Essex and Surrounding Counties of Virginia. Fairbanks, Alaska: R.I. Luht, 1996. 929.273 C886Lr; digital version at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Crutcher] McNamara, Elizabeth W. Descendants of Thomas Crutcher, Died 1722, Essex County, Virginia. Arlington, Virginia: E.W. McNamara, 1985. 929.273 C889me
 * [Daniel] Gee, Christine South. John Daniel, Sr. 1724-1819, of Essex County, Virginia and Laurens County, South Carolina: His Virginia Ancestry and Some of His Descendants. Greenwood, South Carolina: C.S. Gee, n.d. 929.273 D224g; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * [Evitt] Hockett, Thomas Jack and Janice M. Snead. The Evitt, Evat(t), Evet(t) Family of Essex, Buckingham, and Washington Counties, Virginia. MSS., microfilmed in 1991,
 * [Evitt] Hockett, Thomas Jack. The Evitt, Evat(t), Evet(t), Evitts Family of Essex, Buckingham, and Washington Counties, Virginia: An Update of March 1994 Including: Evitt (Evatt; Evitts; Ivett, etc.) Family Chronology. St. David's, Pa.: J. Hockett, 1994. Item 11
 * [Evitt] Hockett, Thomas Jack. The Evitt, Evat(t), Evet(t), Evitts Family of Essex, Buckingham, and Washington Counties, Virginia: An Update of June 1995: Including Evitt (Evatt, Evitts, Ivett, etc.) Family Chronology. St. Davids, Pa.: J. Hockett, 1995. 929.273 Ev39h
 * [Garnett] Garnett, James Mercer. Genealogy of the Mercer-Garnett Family of Essex County, Virginia, Supposed to be Descended from the Garnetts of Lancashire, England... Richmond, Virginia: Whittet &amp; Shepperson, 1910. 1017049 Item 4; digital version at Google Books (full-view).
 * [Garnett] Garnett, Douglas Acree. Garnett Family, Ancestors &amp; Descendants of Joseph B. Garnett Sr. (1849-1931) : Involving Gloucester, Essex, Caroline and King &amp; Queen Counties, Virginia. Chesterfield, Virginia: D. Garnett, 2000. ; 929.273 G187gd; digital version at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Garrett] Garrett, Harry Lee. Garrett History: History of the Garrett Family of Essex and Caroline Counties of Virginia Beginning with William Garrett, Born 1752, Soldier in the American Revolution, Died July 11, 1825. 1962. 929.273 G192gh
 * [Hackley] Hackley, Woodford B. Notes on the Descendants of John Hackley: of Old Rappahannock and Essex Counties Virginia, Including Sidelights and a Suggestion as to John's English Ancestry. n.p.: W.B. Hackley, 1968. Reprint: 929.273 H116hw
 * [Harrison] Harrison, James Edward. A Comment on the Family of Andrew Harrison, Who Died in Essex County, Virginia in 1718. Salt Lake City, Utah: J.E. Harrison, 1985. Original edition: ; 1994 edition: 929.273 H245hje
 * [Hundley] Hill, Margaret Lester. Hundley of Essex County, Virginia. [Center Cross, Virginia?: Mrs. P. Hundley?], 1995. 929.273 H892h
 * [Jones] Jones, Mildred Conway. The Descendants of Gabriel Jones of Essex and Culpeper Counties, Virginia. MSS., 929.273 J716j
 * [Kay] Freeman, Kent Kay. The Four Children of James Kay of Essex County, Va. and Some of Their Descendants. Tacoma, Wash.: K.K. Freeman, 1990. ; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * [Meador] Nunnally, Perkins. The Descendants of Jonas and Frances Meador of Essex, Caroline and Cumberland Counties, Virginia. Pine Bluff, Ark.: P. Nunnally, 1968.  929.273 M461n
 * [Meador] Meador, Victor P. Our Meador Families in Colonial America: As Found in the Records of Isle of Wight, Lancaster, (Old) Rappahannock, Richmond, Essex and Caroline Counties, Virginia. Independence, Missouri: V.P. Meador, 1983.
 * [Mercer] See Garnett.
 * [Meriweather] MacRae, Lawrence. Descendants of John Daingerfield and His Wife, New Kent County, Virginia, 1640-1928: Including Descendants of Elizabeth Meriweather of Essex Co., Va., Apphia Fauntleroy of Richmond Co., Va., Elizabeth Parker of West Moreland Co., Va. and Their Husbands: Also Thomas Deaderick and His Wife of Frederick Co., Va., and Dora Virginia Deaderick and Her Husband, Robert Strange MacRae of Orange County, N. Carolina: De[s]cendants of George Parker and His Wife, Accomac Co., Va., 1650. MSS., 1928, 1415249
 * [Newman] Boogher, William F. Gleanings of Virginia History: An Historical and Genealogical Collection, Largely from Original Sources. Washington: n.p., 1903. ; digital version at Google Books. [Includes a chapter titled "Genealogy of the Newman Family, 1618-1900," see Table of Contents; discusses Newmans of Essex County.]
 * [Parker] "The Parker Family: of Essex, the Northern Neck, &amp;c.," The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 6, No. 1 (Jul. 1898):86-88. Available at JSTOR ($).
 * [Rose] Rose, Christine and Seymour T. Rose. Rev. Robert Rose of Scotland, Essex County, Virginia and Albemarle County, Virginia: The First Five Generations in America. San Jose, California: Rose Family Bulletin, 1972. 1321406 Item 5
 * [Shipp] Sanders, Walter R. The Shipp Genealogy from Essex, Caroline, Faquier Counties, Virginia, to Green, Taylor, Woodford, Jefferson, Fayette, Christian, Bourgon, Scott, Owen, Counties, Kentucky, and Johnson Counties, Indiana. 1946. 929.273 Sh64s
 * [Smith] Coleman, C.W. Genealogy of the Smith Family of Essex County, Virginia. MSS., 1206304 Item 3;  1036947 Item 1;  29887 Item 1
 * [Smith] Coleman, C.W. "Genealogy of the Smith Family of Essex County, Virginia," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 6, No. 1 (Jul. 1897).
 * [Smith] Martin, Richard T. The Smith Family: A History of the Smith Family from William Smith, Who Lived in Essex County, Virginia, in the Early 1700's, to Jessie Smith, Who Died in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1923: Including the Rudd, Burnett and Hayes Families. Spring, Texas: R.T. Martin, 2007. 929.273 Sm68mr
 * [Stephens] Pursley, Clairene Stephens. John Stephens and Some of His Descendants, 1662-1982: of Bristol, England and Essex County, Virginia. Odessa, Texas: C.S. Pursley, 1982. 6019006
 * [Tribble] Rozendal, Keith. The Tribble Family II: (Descendants of Peter Tribble of Essex County, Virginia). El Cajon, California: K. Rozendal, 1992. 929.273 T731r 1992
 * [Waring] Duesberry, Ethel F. A Genealogical Record of the Waring Family in the Counties of Essex and King William, Virginia. Genealogical Notes, Box 16, War., Library of Virginia, 29889 Item 2

Historic Residences

 * Woman's Club of Essex County (Virginia). Old Homes of Essex County. n.p.: Woman's Club of Essex County (Virginia), c1940, 1957. Available at FHL.

Immigration

 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of Clydeside and Essex County proved in London. Land in Tappahannock is also mentioned. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]
 * [http://www.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=Essex&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 Essex County, Virginia (work in progress), courtesy: Immigrant Servants Database.

Land
Deeds


 * Fleet, Beverley. Essex County Records, 1703-1706. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1961. Three copies available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Fleet, Beverley. Essex County Wills and Deeds, 1711-1714. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1961. Three copies available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Fleet, Beverley. Essex County Wills and Deeds, 1714-1717. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1961. Three copies available at FHL; 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. Available at FHL; digital version at [http://search.ancestryinstitution.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=49389 Ancestry. [Includes Essex County.]

Local Histories

 * Slaughter, James B. Settlers, Southerners, Americans: The History of Essex County, Virginia, 1608-1984. n.p.: Essex County Board of Supervisors, c1985 (1998). Available at FHL.
 * Warner, Thomas Hoskins. History of Old Rappanhannock County, Virginia, 1656-1692: With Introduction, 1608-1656, Including the Present Counties of Essex and Richmond and Parts of Westmoreland, King George, Stafford, Caroline and Spotsylvania Counties. Tappahannock, Virginia: P.P. Warner, 1965. Available at FHL.

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. Essex County's 1788-1789 Delinquent Lists appear on pp. 169-170.]

Military
Colonial Militia


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

French and Indian War


 * Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. Available at FHL. [Identifies some Essex 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 FHL; 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 Essex County, see p. 75.]
 * Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. Available at FHL; digital book at Ancestry ($). [Identifies some Essex County militia officers; see place name index.]

Revolutionary War


 * Stewart, Robert Armistead. "Essex Militia," [1781] The Researcher: A Magazine of History and Genealogical Exchange, Vol. 1, No. 4 (Jul. 1927):237. Available at FHL. [Taken from Auditor's Public Claim Papers, Virginia State Archives.]

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.

Occupations

 * Cutten, George Barton. The Silversmiths of Virginia (together with Watchmakers and Jewelers) from 1694 to 1850. Richmond, Va.: The Dietz Press, Incorporated, 1952. Available at FHL. [Includes a section on Essex County (Ephesus Springs) silversmiths.]

Probate
Local Courts


 * Fleet, Beverley. Essex County Records, 1703-1706. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1961. Three copies available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Fleet, Beverley. Essex County Wills and Deeds, 1711-1714. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1961. Three copies available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Fleet, Beverley. Essex County Wills and Deeds, 1714-1717. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1961. Three copies available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Sweeny, William Montgomery. Wills of Rappahannock County, Virginia 1656 - 1692. [Lynchburg, Virginia?]: Mrs. W.M. Sweeny, 1947. Available FHL US/CAN Book 975.534 P2s and FHL US/CAN Film 1421588 Item 4. Digital version World Vital Records ($).

London Courts


 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of Clydeside and Essex County proved in London. Land in Tappahannock is also mentioned. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]

Taxation
How can Virginia tax lists help me?


 * [1704] "Virginia Quit Rent Rolls, 1704," Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 28 (1920):207-218, 328-339; Vol. 29 (1921):18-28, 337-343, 402-412; Vol. 30 (1922):21-30, 280-285, 341-347; Vol. 31 (1923):70-75, 153-163, 215-231, 314-318; Vol. 32 (1924):69-75, 144-158, 281-287, 338-343; Vol. 33 (1925):47-50, 359-370; Vol. 34 (1926):113-119, 252-258, 313, 321. Available at FHL; reprinted in Virginia Tax Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983, which is also available at FHL; digital version of VMHB at JSTOR ($). [Essex County appears in 33:359-370. "Thomas Leftwitch in Essex" appears on the King and Queen County list, see 32:151.]
 * [1704] Nicklin, John Bailey Calvert. "Essex County: An Annotated Copy of the Rent Roll of 1704," William and Mary College Quarterly, 2nd Series, Vol. 21 (1941):397-405. Available at FHL; reprinted in Virginia Tax Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983, which is also available at FHL; digital version of W&amp;MQ at JSTOR ($).
 * [1715] Nicklin, John Bailey Calvert. "Quit Rent Roll of 1715 - Essex County, Va.," William and Mary College Quarterly, 2nd Series, Vol. 18 (1938):203-206. Available at FHL; reprinted in Virginia Tax Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983, which is also available at FHL; digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * [1741] Sweeny, William Montgomery. "True and Exact Poll of the Election of Burgesses, Essex County, Va., November 20, 1741," William and Mary College Quarterly, 2nd Series, Vol. 22 (1942):54-60. Available at FHL; reprinted in Virginia Tax Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983, which is also available at FHL; digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * [1782-1819] Heinegg, Paul. "Essex County Personal Property Tax List 1782-1819," Free African Americans.com, available online. [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 FHL. [The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Essex County is included in Vol. 2.]
 * [1788-1789] 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. Essex County's 1788-1789 Delinquent Lists appear on pp. 169-170.]
 * [1790, 1800] Indexed images of the 1790 and 1800 Personal Property Tax Lists of Essex 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. Available at FHL. [The source for this publication is the 1815 land tax. Essex County is included in Vol. 3.]

Vital Records
Marriage


 * Wilkerson, Eva Eubank. Index to Marriages of Old Rappahannock and Essex Counties, Virginia, 1655-1900. Richmond, VA, USA: Clearfield Co., 1953. Available at FHL; 1983 reprint available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($); and World Vital Records ($).

Websites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Family History Library Catalog
 * "Northern Neck," Wikipedia.
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: VA-NORTHERN-NECK-L