Chesterfield County, Virginia Genealogy

Guide to Chesterfield County, Virginia ancestry, family history and genealogy Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, immigration records, and military records.

Chesterfield County Virginia Courthouse
Chesterfield County Courthouse 9500 Courthouse Road P O Box 125 Chesterfield, Va 23832 Phone: 804-748-1241

Clerk Circuit Court has marriage records from 1771, land records from 1749, divorce, probate and court records

Chesterfield County Virginia History


The county was named after British statesman Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield (1694-1773).

Parent County
1749--Chesterfield County was created 1 May 1749 from Henrico County. County seat: Chesterfield

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Virginia county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Virginia County Boundary Maps" (1617-1995) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.


 * Lost censuses: 1790, 1800, 1890

African American

 * Freedmen's Bureau
 * Heinegg, Paul. "Chesterfield County Tithables, 1747-1821," Free African Americans.com, available online. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * Kegley, Mary B. Free People of Colour: Free Negroes, Indians, Portuguese and Freed Slaves. Wytheville, Virginia: Kegley Books, 2003. Available at ; digital version at . [Includes information from Chesterfield County.]

Bible Records

 * Bass - King, George Harrison Sanford. "Bass Family Bible, Chesterfield County, Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 9, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1965):81-83. Available at ; digital version at American Ancestors ($).

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

Census
1783 Enumeration


 * Chesterfield County Heads of Families - 1783 at U.S. Census Bureau - free. County begins on page 49.

1890 Union Veterans


 * "Virginia's Union Veterans: Eleventh Census of the United States 1890." Prince William County Virginia, by Ronald Ray Turner.

Baptist
Early Baptist churches (with years constituted):


 * 1) Bethel (1799).
 * 2) Chesterfield (1773)
 * 3) Salem (1794). . A history is available: . Includes a list of persons buried in the cemetery. A list of members was published in Virginia Settlers (Winter 1996):.
 * 4) Skinquarter (1778)
 * 5) Spring Creek (1790)
 * 6) Tomahawk (1777)

Chesterfield County fell within the bounds of the Middle District Association.

Church of England
See also Dale Parish See also King William Parish  See also Manchester Parish

Meade's 1861 history of parishes in Chesterfield County is available online.

Genealogy
More than 200 genealogies have been published about Chesterfield County families. To view a list, visit Chesterfield County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies.

Immigration
Bermuda Hundred has been a port since colonial times. Unfortunately, no official passenger lists survive for the seventeenth or eighteenth centuries.


 * 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. Digital version at American Ancestors.

During the War of 1812, American officials reported finding a total of 7 British aliens, many of whom had families, living in Manchester and Chesterfield County.

Land and Property
Grants and Patents


 * Bannister. 604 patents dated 1638-1790 in what is now Chesterfield County, Virginia placed on a map. DeedMapper, 2002. [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

 * Cox, T. Bransford, John B. Watkins, and Chesterfield County (Va.). Board of Supervisors. Chesterfield County, Virginia, Its History and Present Condition: Prepared Under the Supervision of John B. Watkins, as Authorized by the Board of Supervisors of the County, August, 1906. Richmond, Va.: Williams Printing Co., 1907. Available at ; digital version at Google Books (full-view).

Migration

 * Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 21, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1977):167-171. Available at ; digital version at American Ancestors ($). [These records often identify migrants who left the county and their intended destinations. Chesterfield County's 1788 Delinquent List appears on pp. 115-116.]

French and Indian War

 * Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. Available at . [Identifies some Chesterfield 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. [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 Chesterfield County, see pp. 70, 107.]
 * Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions, With an Added Index to States.  973 M24ur; Collection with index and images at Ancestry ($).   [Identifies some Chesterfield County militia officers; see place name index.]

Revolutionary War
Regiments. Service men in Chesterfield County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Chesterfield County supplied soldiers for the:


 * - 5th Virginia Regiment
 * - 15th Virginia Regiment

Chesterfield residents recommended for military commissions during the Revolutionary War.

Additional resources:


 * 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 versions at U.S. Census Bureau and Google Books et. al. 1967 reprint: 973 X2pc 1840. [See Virginia, Eastern District, Chesterfield County on page 129.]
 * 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
Chesterfield County men served in the 23rd Regiment.


 * Douthat, James L. Roster of War of 1812, Southside, Virginia. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 2007. Free online surname index and purchase details at Mountain Press website. 975.5 M2djL. [Includes Chesterfield County.]
 * 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, Chesterfield County, pp. 67-68.]
 * Chesterfield, County Virginia, County Clerk, Muster rolls, 1861-1865, 1812-1813 (Richmond, Virginia, Virginia State Library and Archives, 1992) FHL Film 1929610 30926 Item 2

Civil War

 * Information about the following regiments can be found titled Chesterfield, An Old Virginia County.


 * - 1st Regiment, Virginia Militia Cavalry (Confederate)
 * - 1st Regiment, Virginia Reserves (Confederate) (Chesterfield Reserves)
 * - 2nd Regiment, Virginia Artillery (Confederate)
 * - 3rd Regiment, Virginia Artillery (Confederate)
 * - 4th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate)
 * - 5th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate)
 * - 6th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company K (Alstadt Grays).
 * - 14th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company D (Chesterfield Central Guards) and Company I (Chester Grays) (Southern Braves).

Records and histories are available, including:


 * 1861-1865 -
 * 1861-1865 -
 * 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)

Civil War Battles
The following Civil War battles were fought in Chesterfield County.


 * May 15, 1862 = Drewry's Bluff, also known as Fort Darling or Fort Drewry
 * May 6-7, 1864 = Port Walthall Junction
 * May 9, 1864 = Swift Creek, also known as Arrowfield Church
 * May 10, 1864 = Chester Station
 * May 12-16, 1864 = Proctor's Creek, also known as Drewry’s Bluff or Fort Darling
 * May 20, 1864 = Ware Bottom Church


 * Maps of Civil War battles in Virginia: 1861 and 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865

Miscellaneous Records

 * 1607-2007 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Naturalization
Virginia

Newspapers
Indexed images of the Virginia Gazette (1736-1780) are available online through the Colonial Williamsburg website. 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 Records
Digital Images of Chesterfield County Wills 1774 to 1785. See names of Testators. Virginia Pioneers

Digital Images of Chesterfield County Wills 1785 to 1800. See names of Testators. Virginia Pioneers

Online Probate Records
 * 1639 – 1850 Virginia Land, Marriage and Probate Records 1639-1850 at Ancestry.com — index to transcribed records, incomplete, $
 * 1774-1785; 1785-1800 Images of Wills, Inventories, Guardianships, Estates at Virginia Pioneers ($)

Research Guides

 * "A Guide to the Counties of Virignia: Chesterfield County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1963):174-176. Available at ; digital version at American Ancestors ($).

Taxation
How can Virginia tax lists help me?


 * 1747-1821 - Chesterfield County, Virginia Lists of Tithables and Insolvents, 1747-1821. Original records, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia; also available on microfilm at.
 * 1747-1821 - Heinegg, Paul. "Chesterfield County Tithables, 1747-1821," Free African Americans.com, available online. Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.
 * 1747-1778 - Chesterfield County - the Colonial Tithe Lists 1747-1778, CD, available for purchase at Binns Genealogy.
 * 1756 - Kolbe, J.C. "Chesterfield Tithables, 1756," The Southside Virginian, Vol. 2.
 * 1756 - Pritchett, John W. Southside Virginia Genealogies. CD. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2007. Available at ; digital version at Virginians - The Family History of John W. Pritchett. Includes annotated 1756 tithe list of Chesterfield County.
 * 1762 - Hart, L.H. "Chesterfield Tithables, 1762," The Southside Virginian, Vol. 3.
 * 1786, 1788 - 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 . Sources for this publication are the 1786 personal property tax list and a partial reading of the 1788 personal property tax list (only published names that do not appear on 1786 list). Chesterfield County is included in Vol. 2.
 * 1788 - Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 21, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1977):167-171. Available at ; digital version at American Ancestors ($). These records often identify migrants who left the county and their intended destinations. Chesterfield County's 1788 Delinquent List appears on pp. 115-116.
 * 1790, 1801 - Indexed images of the 1790 and 1801 Personal Property Tax Lists of Chesterfield County, Virginia are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
 * 1791, 1802 - Indexed images of the 1791 and 1802 Land Tax Lists of Chesterfield County, Virginia are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
 * 1800 - "Chesterfield County, Virginia, 1800 Tax List," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 15, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1971):254-258; Vol. 16, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1972):23-28; Vol. 16, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1972):89-95. Available at ; digital version at American Ancestors ($).
 * 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. Chesterfield County is included in Vol. 1.

Birth

 * 1912-1913 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Marriage

 * 1660-1800 - Virginia Marriages 1660-1800 (Ancestry) ($).
 * 1660-1959 - Virginia, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1740-1850 - Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 (Ancestry) ($).
 * 1771-1853 - Chesterfield County Marriage Index 1771-1853. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1855-1896 - Chesterfield County Marriage Index 1855-1896. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1936-1988 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Knorr, Catherine Lindsay. Marriage Bonds and Ministers' Returns of Chesterfield County. Pine Bluff, Ark., 1958.

Divorce

 * 1918-1988 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Death

 * 1912-1987 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Family History Centers

 * Richmond Virginia Midlothian Family History Center

Chesterfield County Virginia Genealogy Websites

 * Chesterfield County, Virginia USGENWEB
 * Chesterfield County, VA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Familytree101)
 * Cyndi's List
 * Virginia Pioneers. A fee website, however, you can view names of testators under "counties" for free. Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * Virginia Pioneers. A fee website, however, you can view names of testators under "counties" for free. Virginia Pioneers ($)