Prince William County, Virginia Genealogy

United States &gt; Virginia &gt; Prince William County

Parent County
1727--Prince William County was created 1 February 1727 from King George and Stafford Counties. County seat: Manassas

Neighboring Counties

 * Charles County, Maryland
 * Fairfax
 * Fauquier
 * Loudoun
 * Stafford

Court
General


 * Lounsbury, Carl R. "'An Elegant and Commodious Building': William Buckland and the Design of the Prince William County Courthouse," The Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, Vol. 46, No. 3 (Sep. 1987):228-240. Available at JSTOR.

Chancery Court


 * Indexed images of Prince William County, Virginia Chancery Records 1804-1951 are available online through Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index. These records, often concerned with inheritance disputes, contain a wealth of genealogical information.

Family Histories
Bibliography


 * [Adams] Ljunstedt, Milnor. "The Adamses in the Northern Neck of Virginia (Upper Counties) and Some Nearby Counties of Maryland," The American Genealogist, Vol. 13 (1936):82-88, 233-241. Available at New England Ancestors.
 * [Ball] Hill, Ronald A. "Ball Family Migration: Virginia to Kentucky, 1784," The American Genealogist, Vol. 78, No. 2 (April 2003):103-114.
 * [Bland] Bland Family of Prince William County, Virginia. [Incomplete citation from Google Books.]
 * [Boswell] Pippenger, Jean Boswell. Descendants of Edward Boswell: Prince William County, Virginia and Orange County, North Carolina. Baltimore, Maryland: Gateway Press, 1986. Available at FHL.
 * [Bradfield] Armstrong, Donald G. Bradfield Genealogy: Descendants of John and Jane (Harmer) Bradfield of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with Notes on Zachariah Bradfield of Prince William County, Virginia, and Other Miscellaneous Bradfields. Newbury Street Press, 2000.
 * [Bridwell] Bridwell, Robert G. The Bridwells of Stafford and Prince William Counties, Virginia, 1620-1998: Allied Families: Combs, Herndon, Lee, Purkins. R.G. Bridwell, 1998.
 * [Brown] Brown, James Edgar. Genealogy of the Brown Family of Prince William County, Virginia: Being a History of William Brown and Seven Generations of His Descendants. Chicago: Press of G.E. Brown &amp; Co., 1898. Available at FHL; digital book available at Ancestry.
 * [Brown] Brown, James Edgar. Genealogy of the Brown Family of Prince William County, Virginia, and the Following Group of Families Allied by Marriage: Bland, Buckner, Byrne, Fairfax, Morgan, Tebbs, Watson, Zinn and Others. Strasburg, Virginia: Shenandoah Publishing House, Inc., 1930. Available at FHL.
 * [Cleveland] Cleveland, Edmund James and H.G. Cleveland. The Genealogy of the Cleveland and Cleaveland Families: An Attempt to Trace in Both Male and the Female Lines the Posterity of Moses Cleveland Who Came from Ipswich, County Suffolk, England, about 1635, was of Worburn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; of Alexander Cleveland of Prince William County, Virginia; and of Ancient and Other Clevelands in England, America and Elsewhere; with Numerous Biographical Sketches; and Containing Ancestriesof Many of the Husbands and Wives; Also a Bibliographyof the Cleveland Family and a Genealogical Account of Edward Winn of Woburn and of Other Winn Families. 3 vols. Hartford, Connecticut: Case, Lockwood and Brainard, 1899. Available at FHL.
 * [Davis] Moore, Robert P. Ancestors and Nelson Co., Ky., Associates of the Kincheloe, Wickliffe, and Davis Families of Prince William County, Virginia. Lexington, Kentucky: R.P. Moore, 1996. Available at FHL.
 * [Davis] See also Dawson.
 * [Dawson] Dawson, Leslie Davis. History of the Dawson-Davis Family and Related Families of Fairfax and Prince William Counties, Virginia. 1974.
 * [DeBell] Peters, Joan and Juanita Price. Descendents of William and Margaret DeBell of Prince William County, Virginia. Richmond, Virginia: Albemarle Press, 1992. Available at FHL.
 * [DeButts] Russell, George Ely. "DeButts Family of Maryland and Virginia," The Genealogist, Vol. 12, No. 2 (Fall 1998):131-188.
 * [Dilley] Jones, Thomas W. "Dilley of Northern Virginia and Ohio: A Proposed Solution Hanging on a Single Word," The American Genealogist, Vol. 79, No. 3 (Jul. 2004):220-227.
 * [Duncan] Roy, Nancy Reba. Some Descendants of Marshall Duncan of Prince William County, Virginia and of Surry County, North Carolina: Also Descendants of Peter Duncan, Immigrant to Virginia. MSS., available at FHL.
 * [Fitzhugh] Family Bible of John Fitzhugh of Prince William County, Virginia: Generations 5, 6, 7, and 8.
 * [Florence] Florence, James Edward. The Flourance, Florance, Florence Families of Old Prince William County, Virginia. Nokesville, Virginia: J.E. Florence, 2001. Available at FHL; digital book available at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Foster] Lineage of the Foster Family of Prince William and Frederick Counties, Virginia. [Incomplete citation from Google Books.]
 * [Harrison] Harrison, Fairfax. "Parson Waugh's Tumult: A Chapter from 'Landmarks of Old Prince William,'" The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 30, No. 1 (Jan. 1922):31-37. Available at JSTOR.
 * [Hedges] Hedges, Robert. The Hedges of Stafford/Prince William Counties, Virginia, 1660-1980. Taylorsville, Kentucky: R. Hedges, 1994. Available at FHL.
 * [Herndon] Herndon, Dudley L. The Herndons of the American Revolution Part IV: #82, William Herndon (b. ca. 1737-d. ca. 1796) of Prince William County, Va., and His Known Descendants. Maryland: Gateway Press, 1992.
 * [Hutchison] Winthurst, Phyllis. The Hutchison Chronicles: Some Stories of the Nine Generations of Descendants of John and Margaret Hutchison, Prince William and Shenandoah Counties, Virginia and Montgomery County, Tennessee. Tucson, Arizona: P.R. Winthurst, 1998. Available at FHL.
 * [Kincheloe]See Davis.
 * [Kirkpatrick] Kirkpatrick, Martin Glen. John and Priscilla Kirkpatrick of Prince William County, Va: and their Descendants; Records. 1959.
 * [Legg] Deason, Lisa Marie Hirst. Descendants of Eli Legg (1775-1835) and Jane Prince (1776-1846): of Prince William County, Virginia. Cedar Hills, Utah: L.M.H. Deason, 2004. Available at FHL.
 * [Milton] Moore, Robert P. Milton of Virginia and Kentucky: Richard Milton (Melton) of Prince William County, Virginia, and Nelson County, Kentucky (1712-1801), His Ancestors and Descendants. R.P. Moore, 1992.
 * [Northcutt] Miller, Elizabeth Ellis. John Northcutt of Prince William County, Virginia, 1740 and Some of His Descendants. 1958. Available at FHL.
 * [Owens] Owens, David Hatfield. Owens Family of Virginia (Richmond, King George, Stafford, Prince William, Fauquier Counties) and Kentucky (Mason, Lewis, Fleming, Bracken, Mercer, Boyle Counties). Ann Arbor, Michigan: D.H. Owens, 1991. Available at FHL.
 * [Owens] Owens, Claude M. William Owens, Sr., (ca 1725 - ca. 1793), His Father and Grandfather: (Westmoreland, Prince William and Frederick Counties, Virginia). South Laguna, California: C.M. Owens, 1995. Available at FHL.
 * [Peak] Raese, David S. Descendants of John Peak IV of Prince William County Virginia and Scott County Kentucky: With Selected Allied Families. D.S. Raese, 1999.
 * [Prince] See Legg.
 * [Randolph] Randolph, Blanche Willie Grace and Deborah Ann Kraemer Small. The Randolphs of Prince William County, Virginia. Little Rock, Arkansas: B. Randolph, 1979. Available at FHL.
 * [Randolph] Small, Deborah Ann Kraemer and Blanche Willie Grace Randolph. The Randolphs of Prince William County, Virginia, Volume II. Winter Park, Florida: D. Small, 1989. Available at FHL.
 * [Randolph] Raski, Arma, James Randolph, and Glenita Guthrie. Additions &amp; Corrections to Vol. II, the Randolphs of Prince William Co., VA by Deborah K. Small. Available at FHL.
 * [Reid] West, Donal Sinclair and Lola Edwards Lindsey. The Descendants of Joseph Reid (1702-1749) and Elizabeth Hampton: Absolom Reid (1727- ) and Sarah Simpson (1735- ), Joab Reid (1762-1855) and Nancy West (1764-1805), Prince William and Fairfax Co. VA, Adams and Brown Co. OH, Clay Co. MO. West, 1997.
 * [Rose] Rose, Mrs. Seymour T. Family of James Rose, Prince William County, Virginia. 1971.
 * [Rose] Rose, Christine and Claudia Mortensen. James and Jane (Conover) Rose of Prince William County, Virginia and Some Descendants. C. Rose, 1992. Available at FHL.
 * [Rousseau] Rousseau, Marilyn K. "The Colonial Virginia Ancestry of a Pioneer Florida Family: William H. Rousseau (1818-1870), Florida House of Representatives 1852, Florida State Senate 1865," The American Genealogist, Vol. 79, No. 3 (Jul. 2004):184-198.
 * [Simpson] McFarland, Robert H. and Twilah M. McFarland. Simpson Connections: John and Hannah Simpson of Prince William County, Virginia and their Descendants. Rolla, Missouri: McFarland Home Enterprises, 1987. Available at FHL.
 * [Spiller] Harrill, Janice Robertson. The Spiller Family of Prince William County, Virginia, Tennessee, and Illinois. [Incomplete citation from Google Books.]
 * [Spiller] Gottschalk, Katherine Cox. The Spiller Family of Prince William County, Virginia; Robertson County, Tennessee; Williamson County, Illinois. MSS., available at FHL.
 * [Stone] Woodruff, Helen Stone. Stone - Descendants of Thomas and Sarah Stone of Prince William County, Virginia. Tahlequah, Oklahoma: H.S. Woodruff, 1984. Available at FHL.
 * [Trone] Kebler, J. Descendants of Peter Trone of Prince William County, Va. 1977.
 * [Weedon] Karracker, James L. and George Harrison Sanford King. The Weedon Family of Westmoreland, Prince William, Fauquier, Culpeper Counties, Va. MSS., available at FHL.
 * [Wickliffe] See Davis.

Immigration

 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes will of a resident of Prince William County proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]
 * Harrison, Fairfax. "When the Convicts Came: A Chapter from 'Land Marks of Old Prince William,'" The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 30, No. 3 (Jul. 1922):250-260. Available at JSTOR.
 * [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=Prince&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 Prince Edward, Prince George, and Prince William Counties, Virginia (work in progress), courtesy: Immigrant Servants Database.

Local Histories

 * Berkley, Henry J. "The Port of Dumfries, Prince William Co., Va.," The William and Mary Quarterly, Second Series, Vol. 4, No. 2 (Apr. 1924):99-116. Available at JSTOR.
 * Ewell, Alice Maude. A Virginia Scene, or, Life in Old Prince William. Lynchburg, Virginia: J.P. Bell Co., 1931. Digital book available at Ancestry.
 * Prince William: The Story of its People and its Places. Richmond, Va.: Whittet &amp; Shepperson, 1941. Digital book available at Ancestry.
 * Curtis, Donald E. and Prince William County Historical Commission. The Curtis Collection: A Personal View of Prince William County History. Prince William, Virginia: Prince William County Historical Commission, 1988. Available at FHL.

Military
French and Indian War


 * Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. Available at FHL. [Identifies some Prince William 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 Prince William County militia officers and soldiers; see place name index.]

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.

Probate
Local Court


 * Prince William County, Virginia Wills, Part 1, 1734-1951. Database at Ancestry.
 * Prince William County, Virginia Wills, Part 2, 1734-1920. Database at Ancestry.

London Courts


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

Slavery and Bondage

 * Harrison, Fairfax. "When the Convicts Came: A Chapter from 'Land Marks of Old Prince William,'" The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 30, No. 3 (Jul. 1922):250-260. Available at JSTOR.

Taxation

 * "Rent Roll, Prince William County, Va. - 1736," in Junie Estelle Stewart King, Abstracts of Wills, Administrations, and Marriages of Fauquier County, Virginia, 1759-1800. Baltimore, Maryland, 2001. Available at Ancestry.
 * Images of the 1788 and 1799 Personal Property Tax Lists of Prince William County, Virginia are available to browse online at Binns Genealogy.

Vital Records
Births


 * Prince William County, Virginia Births, 1853-77. Database at Ancestry.
 * Prince William County, Virginia Births, 1878-96. Database at Ancestry.

Deaths


 * Prince William County, Virginia Deaths, 1853-96. Database at Ancestry.

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