James City County, Virginia Genealogy

United States   Virginia    James City County For more information, see the discussion page



James City County (formally, the County of James City) is a Tidewater county located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads region in Southeast Virginia. It has an area of 143 square miles.

History


The county is named after King James I of England (1566-1625).

Parent County
1634--James City was created in 1634 as an original shire or county. County seat: Williamsburg

Record Loss
Like many county courthouses in Virginia during the Civil War, the James City County Courthouse was burned in 1864. Consequently, few court records from prior to that date exist, although a few records from the 1850s are housed in the current Williamsburg-James City County Courthouse. Deed Book 1 and Will Book 1 both include some records from the 1850's.


 * Lost censuses: 1790, 1800, 1810, 1890

Populated Places
The following is a list of populated places in James City County:


 * Williamsburg (city)
 * Jamestown (unincorporated place)
 * Norge (unincorporated place)
 * Toano (unincorporated place)

Research Guides

 * "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: James City County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 15, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1971):15-17. Available at New England Ancestors ($).
 * Duvall, Lindsay O., Library of Congress. Manuscript Division and Virginia State Library. Archives and Record Division. James City County, Virginia, 1634-1904: Abstracts of Genealogical Contents of Mss Volumes in the Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., &amp; Archives Division, Virginia State Library, Richmond, Va. Washington, D.C.: L.O. Duvall, 1957.

These three research guides were prepared by the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library at Colonial Williamsburg:


 * Researching Seventeenth Century Virginians
 * Researching Williamsburg Area Virginians
 * Researching Revolutionary Era Virginians

African American

 * Heinegg, Paul. "James City County Personal Property Tax Lists, 1782-1814," 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. 1728886 Item 2.

Cemeteries
For a detailed list, including addresses, phone numbers, and external links, see James City County, Virginia Cemeteries.

The following is a list of cemeteries in James City County:

For a map plotting all of the cemeteries, see Google Maps: Cemeteries in James City County, Virginia.


 * Tyler, Lyon G. "Old Tombstones in York and James City Counties," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 2, No. 2 (Oct. 1893):78-86. Available at JSTOR ($).

Census
1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 U.S. Federal Censuses (Population Schedules) of James City County can be accessed on the Internet. For tips on accessing census records online, see Virginia Census.

1790 - Lost, but a subsitute is available, see Taxation.

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

1810 - Lost, but a subsitute is available, see Taxation.

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
For a detailed list, including addresses, phone numbers, and external links, see James City County, Virginia Churches.

The following is a list of churches in James City County:

For a map plotting all of the churches, see Google Maps: Churches in James City County, Virginia.

Church of England


 * Chappelear, Nancy. Bruton and Middleton Parishes, James City County, Virginia, Parish Register, 1662-1797. Washington, D.C.: Chappelear &amp; Baird, 1966. Available at FHL.
 * Mason, George Carrington. "The Colonial Churches of James City County, Virginia," The William and Mary Quarterly, Second Series, Vol. 19, No. 4 (Oct. 1939):510-530. Available at JSTOR ($).
 * Mason, George Carrington. Colonial Churches of Tidewater Virginia. Richmond, Virginia: Whittet &amp; Shepperson, 1945. Available at FHL; digital version at BYU Family History Archives. [Includes James City County.]
 * "Wilmington Parish, James City and Charles City Counties, Virginia," The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 37, No. 2 (Apr. 1929):97-100. Available at JSTOR ($).

Court
The Williamsburg-James City County Courthouse is located at:

5201 Monticello Avenue Williamsburg, VA 23188-8218 (757) 564-2242

The Courthouse houses records for both the City of Williamsburg and James City County, which are separate municipalities. Deeds for each municipality are maintained separately and may have different numbering schemes (e.g., six digit instrument numbers for Williamsburg deeds and nine digit instrument numbers for James City County deeds).

The Clerk's Office in the Circuit Court has a variety of City of Williamsburg and James City County records including deed and will books, twenteith-century tax records, tax assessors, maps, plats, military induction records, marriage records, death records, order books, and other documents. The Courthouse maintains a searchable computer-based index for deeds, marriages, and wills, as follows:

You must visit the courthouse reading room in person (8:30 - 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday) in order to search the computer index. Recent records are added to the index within about a week.

The Clerk of Circuit Court does not accept mail in requests. However, all James City County records are available on microfilm through Interlibrary Loan via the Library of Virginia. Scanners are not permitted; cameras may or may not be allowed. A copier is available.

Chancery Court


 * Indexes (1799-1967) and images (1799-1933) to James City County, Virginia Chancery Records are available online through Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index. These records, often concerned with inheritance disputes, contain a wealth of genealogical information.

General Court of Virginia


 * "Bridge over Powhatan Swamp, in James City County," [1670] The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 12, No. 2 (Oct. 1903):137. Available at JSTOR ($). [Cites Records of General Court of Virginia, MSS.]

Genealogy
More than 25 genealogies have been published about James City County families. To view a list, visit James City County, Virginia Genealogy.

Historic Buildings

 * "Old Houses in James City County," The William and Mary Quarterly, Second Series, Vol. 17, No. 4 (Oct. 1937):528. Available at JSTOR ($).
 * "Old Houses in James City, York, and Warwick Counties," The William and Mary Quarterly, Second Series, Vol. 18, No. 1 (Jan. 1938). Available at JSTOR ($).
 * "Old Houses in James City and King William Counties," The William and Mary Quarterly, Second Series, Vol. 18, No. 3 (Jul. 1938). Available at JSTOR ($).

Immigration

 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of Brewerton Parish [Bruton Parish], Bruton Parish, Cape Henry, Carey's Fort, James City County, James River, Jamestown, Martin's Hundred, and Williamsburg proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]
 * "John Clayton, of James City, Afterwards of Crofton, Yorkshire," The William and Mary Quarterly, Second Series, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Apr. 1921):114-115. Available at JSTOR ($).
 * "Letters to Tom Pecke, of James City County," [1659] The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 5, No. 4 (Apr. 1897):269-270. Available at JSTOR ($). [Discusses importation of indentured servants and other mercantile activities.]
 * [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=James&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 James City County, Virginia (work in progress), courtesy: Immigrant Servants Database.
 * Ljungstedt, Milnor. "Items from Southern Records" [Showing Family and Trade Connections with Northern Colonies and the Home Countries], The American Genealogist, Vol. 15 (1938):95-104. Available at New England Ancestors ($). [Surname: Sherwood.]
 * Pead, Deuel and Richard Beale Davis. "A Sermon Preached at James City in Virginia the 23rd of April 1686, Before the Loyal Society of Citizens Born in and about London and Inhabiting in Virginia," The William and Mary Quarterly, Third Series, Vol. 17, No. 3 (Jul. 1960):371-394. Available at JSTOR ($).

Land
Grants and Patents


 * Nugent, Nell Marion. Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants 1623-1666. Vol. I (1934; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1991). Available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes James City County. N.B. If Ancestry's search engine fails, try checking the printed index at the end of the book.]
 * "Patents Issued during the Regal Government: James City County," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 11, No. 4 (Apr. 1903):271-276; Vol. 12, No. 2 (Oct. 1903):104-110; Vol. 12, No. 3 (Jan. 1904):185-191. Available at JSTOR ($).

Local Histories
Martha W. McCartney, James City County: Keystone of the Commonwealth (Virginia Beach, Va: Donning Company/Publishers, 1997), 640 pgs (click here for a summary)

Migration

 * Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 20, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1976):199-208; Vol. 22, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1978):43-50. Available at FHL; digital version at New England Ancestors ($). [These records identify migrants who left the county and often their intended destinations. James City County's 1787-1790 Delinquent Lists appear on 20:207-208; additional 1789 Delinquent Lists appear on 22:43-44.]

Military
The Clerk's Office in the Circuit Court has military induction records.

Colonial Militia

 * Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. Available at FHL. [Identifies some James City County militia officers and/or soldiers; 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 James City County, see pp. 87, 111.]
 * Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. Available at FHL; digital book at Ancestry ($). [Identifies some James City 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 James City County militia officers, soldier enlistments, and veterans; 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 James City County militia officers; see place name index.]

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, James City County, p. 86. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Newspapers

 * The Virginia Gazette

There are two distinct publication timeframes for newspapers titled The Virginia Gazette.

The was paper was first published weekly in Williamsburg, Virginia during much of the 18th century, when Williamsburg was the capital of the colony. Beginning in 1766, another printer launched a competing publication by the same name. In total, three different publishers used the name "Virginia Gazette" during the Colonial era, and are listed separately in the digital collection, grouped by publisher. Digitized images of the paper can be viewed on-line through the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Digital Library. The collection is indexed for publication years 1736 to 1780. Williamsburg Regional Library has microfilm of the Colonial era collection, as well.

More recently, the Virginia Gazette was revived in 1930 by publisher J.A. Osborne as part of the first Colonial Williamsburg renovation.


 * The Richmond Dispatch

Digitized images of the paper through the Library of Congress. Collection covers from 1900 to 1903.


 * The Times (Richmond, Va)

Digitized images of the paper through the Library of Congress. Collection covers from 1901 and 1903.


 * The Richmond Times-Dispatch

Digitized images of the paper through the Library of Congress. Collection covers from 1907 to 1910.

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.

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 Williamsburg silversmiths.]

Probate
Original Wills


 * Hopkins, William Lindsay. Some Wills from the Burned Counties of Virginia and Other Wills Not Listed in Virginia Wills and Administrations 1632-1800. Richmond, Virginia: W.L. Hopkins, 1987. Available at FHL. [Includes James City County.]
 * "Will of William Broadribb, of James City Co., Va." [1703], The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 14, No. 1 (Jul. 1905):35-37. Available at JSTOR ($).
 * "Will of Col. James Shields of James City County" [1795], The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 20, No. 1 (Jul. 1911):36-38. Available at JSTOR ($).

Power of Attorney


 * Kerr, John H. (Mrs.) "Drummond, a James City County, Virginia, Records," [1679] The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 15, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1971):109-110. Available at New England Ancestors ($).

London Courts


 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of Brewerton Parish [Bruton Parish], Bruton Parish, Cape Henry, Carey's Fort, James City County, James River, Jamestown, Martin's Hundred, and Williamsburg proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]

York County, Virginia Court

York County Probate Records

This collection includes digitized images of the probate records from York County during the colonial period. York county abuts James City County, and these records include information from Williamsburg, Virginia. The images are provided by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. The records can be digitally searched.

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 ($). [James City County appears in 31:153-163.]
 * [1704] See also 1783.
 * [1768-1769] James City County, Virginia, Tax Book, 1768-1769. Original records, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va.; also available at FHL.
 * [1768-1769] Woodson, Robert F. and Isobel B. Woodson. Virginia Tithables from Burned Record Counties: Buckingham, 1773-1774; Gloucester, 1770-1771, 1774-1775; Hanover, 1763 and 1770; James City, 1768-1769; Stafford, 1768 and 1773. Richmond, Virginia: I.B. Woodson, 1970. Available at FHL.
 * [1768] "James City County, Virginia, Sheriff's Tax Book, 1768," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1957):18-22; Vol. 1, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1957):69-72. Available at New England Ancestors ($).
 * [1768, 1783] Hansford, Thelma. Tax Lists York County 1782, 1783, 1784; Rent Roll York County 1704, Gloucester 1704, Warwick 1704; James City County Taxes 1768. Virginia?: T.I. Hansford?, 1950. Available at FHL. [1768 list taken from article in The Virginia Genealogist; 1783 property tax taken from the magazine section.]
 * [1769] Tax Book, 1769, Tidewater Virginia Families, Vol. 5, No. 4 (Feb. 1997); Vol. 6, No. 1 (May 1997); Vol. 6, No. 2 (Aug. 1997). Available at FHL.
 * [1782] Fothergill, Augusta B. and John Mark Naugle. Virginia Tax Payers, 1782-87, Other Than Those Published by the United States Census Bureau. 1940; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1978. Available at FHL. [1782 personal property tax list of James City County.]
 * [1782-1814] Heinegg, Paul. "James City County Personal Property Tax Lists, 1782-1814," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * [1783] Stewart, Robert Armistead. "First Tax List of the Commonwealth of Virginia: Property Tax List of James City County, 1783 [and] Family Names Above Occurring in the Quit Rent Roll of James City County, 1704," The Researcher: A Magazine of History and Genealogical Exchange, Vol. 1, No. 3 (Apr. 1927):175-177. Available at FHL.
 * [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. James City County is included in Vol. 2.]
 * [1787-1790] Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 20, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1976):199-208; Vol. 22, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1978):43-50. Available at FHL; digital version at New England Ancestors ($). [These records identify migrants who left the county and often their intended destinations. James City County's 1787-1790 Delinquent Lists appear on 20:207-208; additional 1789 Delinquent Lists appear on 22:43-44.]
 * [1790, 1800] Indexed images of the 1790 and 1800 Personal Property Tax Lists of James City County, Virginia are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
 * [1790, 1800] Indexed images of the 1790 and 1800 Land Tax Lists of James City County, Virginia are available online at Binns Genealogy.
 * [1810] Schreiner-Yates, Netti. A Supplement to the 1810 Census of Virginia: Tax Lists of the Counties for which the Census is Missing. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1971. Available at FHL. [The source for this publication is the 1810 personal property tax list. James City County is included because the 1810 Census for that county has been destroyed.]
 * [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. James City County is included in Vol. 3.]

Vital Records
The records management room in the County's Government Complex contains microphils of the Board of Supervisor's Meeting Minutes from September 10, 1887 on. Microfilm of the Board of Supervisor's Meeting Minutes are also available on microfilm through the Library of Virginia.

Birth


 * Fridley, Beth, comp. James City County Virginia Birth Records, 1853-96 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2001. Available at Ancestry ($).

Jamestown Related Records
The Jamestown Records of the Virginia Company of London: Part of the Thomas Jefferson Collection at the Library of Congress

Local Resources
The Williamsburg Regional Library

The WRL is the central library for the City of Williamsburg and James City County

Swem Library at The College of William &amp; Mary

Swem Library is the central research library for The College of William and Mary.

The John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library

This library is operated by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Its contains secondary and primary materials on the colonial history of Virginia.

The Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture

The Omohundro Institute is a joint research institute between The College of William &amp; Mary and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, focusing on academic research on early American history.

State Resources
Virginia Genealogical Society

Virginia Historical Society

The Library of Virginia

The Library of Virginia has an extensive collection of documents related to James City County including: """Board of Supervisor Minutes: Sept. 1887 to 1908, Court Minutes: 1871-1882, Clerk's Guide to Sampel Forms for Certain Court Records, undated, Chancery Execution Book: 1868-1916, Chancery Minutes: 1871-1873, Chancery Order Books: 1889-1903, Chancery Rules: 1872-1911, Execution Book: 1866-1916, Judgment Docket: 1865-1903, Law Execution Book: 1866-1882, Circuit Court Order Book: 1879-1885, James City County and Williamsburg Fiduciary Bond Book: 1865-1908, James City County and Williamsburg Plat Books: 1891-1918, Birth Register: 1866-1884, Death Register: 1864-1884, School Commissioners Records: 1819-1861, Tax Book: 1768-1769, Deed and Will Books: 1854-1861, 1865-1874 Land Tax Lists: 1782 on, Personal Property Tax Lists: 1782 on, Agricultural Census Records: 1850-1880, Census Records: full run, Slave Schedules: 1850 and 1860, Processioners Records: 1890-1891, 1903-1904 James City County/Williamsburg Rolls of Registered Voters: 1900-1965, James City County/Williamsburg Contracts for Personal Property: 1900-1918"

Websites

 * Official James City County Website
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Family History Library Catalog
 * James City County on Wikipedia

Link title