Chesterfield County, Virginia Genealogy

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

Description
Chesterfield County is located in the central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Philip Dormer Stanhope, fourth Earl of Chesterfield, a prominent English statesman who had been the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

County Courthouse
Chesterfield County Courthouse 9500 Courthouse Road Chesterfield, Va 23832 Phone: 804-748-1231 Chesterfield County Website

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

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

Bible Records

 * 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Bass Family Bible, Chesterfield County, Virginia. By George Harrison Sanford King. The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 9, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1965):81-83. Available at, digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).

Cemeteries

 * 1800-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Census Records
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. By Ronald Ray Turner..
 * 1890 Veterans Schedules of the U.S. Federal Census. Online at: Ancestry ($).

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Baptist Early Baptist churches (with years constituted): Chesterfield County fell within the bounds of the Middle District Association.
 * 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)

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.
 * Prosecution of Baptist Ministers, Chesterfield County, Va., 1771-'73. 1904. The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol 11. Online at: JSTOR.

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records Library of Virginia's Chancery Record Index can be used to search for Chesterfield County chancery records for the years 1751-1913. Originals located at the Library of Virginia.

Emigration and Immigration
Bermuda Hundred has been a port since colonial times. Unfortunately, no official passenger lists survive for the seventeenth or eighteenth centuries. 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.
 * Items from Southern Records. By Milnor Ljungstedt. The American Genealogist, Vol. 15 (1938):95-104. Showing family and trade connections with Northern Colonies and the Home Countries. Digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African American
 * 1865-1872 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1935-2009 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Chesterfield County Tithables, 1747-1821. By Paul Heinegg. Online at: Free African Americans.
 * Free People of Colour : Free Negroes, Indians, Portuguese and Freed Slaves. 2003. By Mary B. Kegley. Wytheville, Virginia : Kegley Books.
 * Search the Library of Virginia's Virginia Untold collection for digitized records related to African Americans of Chesterfield 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 Chesterfield County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies for list of published books and articles, or jump to the surname using the alphabet bar.

Compiled Genealogies for Multiple Families
 * Foley, Louise Pledge Heath. Early Virginia Families Along the James River, Their Deep Roots and Tangled Branches. 3 vols. Richmond, Va.: L.P.H. Foley, 1974-1990. . Volume 1 includes Chesterfield County families.
 * 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 a great deal of information about residents of Chesterfield County, see discussion of cited sources. CD-ROM no. 3887.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records

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.

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Migration

 * Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790. By Robert Y. Clay. The Virginia Genealogist Vol. 19, No. 3. July - Sept.1975:190-194. Online at: New England Ancestors ($), . Chesterfield County's 1788 Delinquent List appears on pp. 115-116.

Military Records
French and Indian War
 * Gleanings of Virginia History: An Historical and Genealogical Collection, Largely from Original Sources. By William F. Boogher. 2007. Baltimore : Genealogical Pub. Co. Online at: Internet Archive.; . 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. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." ; digital version at Ancestry ($). Includes veterans. Virginia section begins on page 238.
 * Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. By Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck. 1988. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co. . Online at: Ancestry ($). Identifies some Chesterfield County militia officers, soldier enlistments, and veterans; see place name index.

Revolutionary War
 * 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. Washington : Blair and Rives. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($); . See Virginia, Eastern District, Chesterfield County on page 129.
 * Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." ; digital version at Ancestry ($). Includes veterans. Virginia section begins on page 238.
 * Virginia Militia in the Revolutionary War: McAllister's Data. By J. T. McAllister. c1913. Hot Springs, Virginia : McAllister Pub. Co. Online at: Hathitrust, Internet Archive;.

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

War of 1812 Regiments. Chesterfield County men served in the 23rd Regiment.
 * Muster rolls, 1812-1813, 1861-1865. 1992. Compiled by Chesterfield County, Virginia, County Clerk. Richmond, Virginia : Virginia State Library and Archives. FS Library Film 1929610 30926 Item 2
 * Roster of War of 1812, Southside, Virginia. By James L. Douthat. 2007. Signal Mountain, Tenn : Mountain Press. Mountain Press provides online surname list;.
 * 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... 1883. Washington, D.C : Government Printing Office. Online at: Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). See Vol. 5, Virginia, Chesterfield County, pp. 67-68.

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)


 * Muster rolls, 1812-1813, 1861-1865. 1992. Compiled by Chesterfield County, Virginia, County Clerk. Richmond, Virginia : Virginia State Library and Archives. FS Library Films 1929610 or 30926, Item 2

Regiments. Civil War service men in Chesterfield County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed here:


 * 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).

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.
 * Battles of the American Civil War maps - filter by state or by battle name.

World War II
 * 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1906-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

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
Online Probate Indexes and Records Digital Images of Chesterfield County Wills 1774 to 1785. See names of Testators. Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * 1633-1800 Wills and Estate Records Index at Library of Virginia.Digital Images of Chesterfield County Wills 1774 to 1785.  See names of Testators. Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * 1639-1850 Virginia Land, Marriage and Probate Records 1639-1850 at Ancestry — index, incomplete ($)
 * 1652-1900 Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1900 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1774-1785; 1785-1800 Images of Wills, Inventories, Guardianships, Estates at Virginia Pioneers ($)

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

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

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records
 * 1747 Chesterfield County Tax Lists 1747 List of Tithes online at Genealogy Trails.
 * 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 Chesterfield County Tithables, 1747-1821. By Paul Heinegg. Free African Americans.
 * 1756 Chesterfield Tithables, 1756. By J. C. Kolbe. The Southside Virginian, Vol. 2; online at Internet Archive.
 * 1756 Southside Virginia Genealogies. 2007. By John W. Pritchett. Baltimore, MD : Genealogical Publishing Co. Available at, online at: Virginians - The Family History of John W. Pritchett. Includes annotated 1756 tithe list of Chesterfield County.
 * 1762 Chesterfield Tithables, 1762. By L. H. Hart. The Southside Virginian, Vol. 3; online at Internet Archive.
 * 1786-1851 Personal property tax lists, 1786-1851..
 * 1786, 1788 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 & 21 Years, the Number of Slaves over 16 & Those Under 16 Years, Together with a Listing of Their Horses, Cattle & Carriages, and Also the Names of All Persons to Whom Ordinary Licenses and Physician's Licenses Were Issued. c1987. By Netti Schreiner-Yantis and Florene Speakman Love. Springfield, Virginia : Genealogical Books in Print. . 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 Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790. By Robert Y. Clay. The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 19, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1975):190-194. ; searchable database at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($). These records often identify migrants who left the county and their intended destinations. Chesterfield County's 1788 Delinquent List appears on pp. 115-116.
 * 1800 Chesterfield County, Virginia, 1800 Tax List. The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 15, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1971):254-258; Vol. 16, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1972):23-28; Vol. 16, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1972):89-95. Available at ; searchable database at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).
 * 1815 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). By Roger D. Ward. c1997. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co. . . The source for this publication is the 1815 land tax. Chesterfield County is included in Vol. 1.

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


 * Marriage Bonds and Ministers' Returns of Chesterfield County. 1958.By Catherine Lindsay Knorr. Pine Bluff, Arkansas : n.p.

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

 * Richmond Virginia FamilySearch Center
 * Richmond Virginia Midlothian FamilySearch Center


 * Hardin County Genealogy Society - Robert Reed Library - an affiliate library

Websites

 * Va GENWEB Chesterfield
 * Cyndi's List
 * Virginia Pioneers. A fee website, however, you can view names of testators under "counties" for free. Virginia Pioneers ($)


 * – 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: Chesterfield County. The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1963):174-176. Available at, digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).