Prince Edward County, Virginia Genealogy

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

Prince Edward County, Virginia Courthouse
Prince Edward County Courthouse P.O. Box 304 North Main Street Farmville, VA 23901-0304 Phone: 434-392-5145

Clerk Circuit Court has birth records 1853-1896, death records 1853-1969, marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1754

Prince Edward County, Virginia History


This county is named after Prince Edward, Duke of York (1739-1767), younger brother of King George III of the United Kingdom.

Parent County
1752--Prince Edward County was created 27 February 1752 from Amelia County. County seat: Farmville

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

 * Heinegg, Paul. "Prince Edward County Personal Property Tax List, 1782-1821," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]

Census
1783 Enumeration


 * Prince Edward County Heads of Families - 1783 at U.S. Census Bureau - free. County begins on page 59.

1785 Enumeration


 * Prince Edward County Heads of Families - 1785 at U.S. Census Bureau - free. County begins on page 100.

1820 Manufactures Schedule - Exists, but the National Archives microfilm copy of Prince Edward County, Virginia omits page 163a. The missing names have been published in The Virginia Genealogist:


 * Petty, Gerald M. "Virginia 1820 Federal Census: Names Not on the Microfilm Copy," The Virginia Genealogist 18, no 2 (April-June 1974):136-139.


 * The list is also available online at the Shenandoah County GenWeb Project.

1850

Census takers uncharacteristically recorded the birth town or county of residents this census year.

1890 Union Veterans


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

Baptist
Early Baptist churches (with years constituted):


 * 1) Appomattox (1773)
 * 2) Mountain Cross (1788)
 * 3) Rocks (1772)
 * 4) Sailor Creek (1781)

Prince Edward County fell within the bounds of the Appomattox Association.

Church of England
See also Nottoway Parish See also St. Patrick's Parish

French's Church served Prince Edward County's parishioners.

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

Presbyterian
Old Buffalo Church was established about 1740 by Rev. John Thompson. A history was prepared in 1935:. Records begin in 1804:.

Court
Chancery Court


 * Indexed images of Prince Edward County, Virginia Chancery Records 1856-1913 are available online through Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index. These records, which were often concerned with inheritance disputes, contain a wealth of genealogical information.

Genealogy
More than 150 genealogies have been published about Prince Edward County families. To view a list, visit Prince Edward County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies.

Historic Residences

 * Smith, Ethel Marion. "Clover Hill. Early History of an Old Appomattox Landmark," The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 57, No. 3 (Jul., 1949), pp. 269-273. Digital version at JSTOR ($). [Includes information about the Patteson family.]

Land and Property
Grants and Patents


 * Sullivan. 429 patents dated 1728-1847 in what is now Prince Edward County, Virginia placed on a map. DeedMapper. [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

 * Burrell, Charles Edward. A History of Prince Edward County, Virginia: From Its Formation in 1753, to the Present. Richmond, Va.: Williams Print. Co., 1922. Available at ; digital versions at Ancestry ($) and.

Migration

 * Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 20, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1976):269-274. Available at ; digital version at American Ancestors ($). [These records identify migrants who left the county and often their intended destinations. Prince Edward County's 1788 Delinquent List appears on pp. 271-272.]
 * Elliott, Katherine B. Emigration to Other States from Southside Virginia. 2 vols. South Hill, Virginia: K.B. Elliott, 1966. Vol. 1 of original edition available at ; 1983 reprints (both volumes) available at ; 1990-1992 reprints (both volumes) also available at . [Includes individuals who migrated out of Prince Edward County to other parts of the country.]

French and Indian War

 * Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. Available at . [Identifies some Prince Edward County militia officers 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 Prince Edward County, see pp. 96-97.]
 * Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. Available at ; digital book at Ancestry ($). [Identifies some Prince Edward County militia officers; see place name index.]

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


 * - 4th Virginia Regiment
 * - 12th Virginia Regiment (9th Company) (perhaps)

Additional resources:

residents' participation in the 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. Digital versions at U.S. Census Bureau and Google Books et. al. 1967 reprint: 973 X2pc 1840. [See Virginia, Eastern District, Prince Edward County on page 132.]
 * 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 from this county; Virginia section begins on page 238.]

War of 1812
Prince Edward County men served in the 63rd Regiment.


 * Douthat, James L. Roster of War of 1812, Southside, Virginia. Signal Mountain, Tennessee: Mountain Press, 2007. [Includes Prince Edward 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, Prince Edward County, p. 99. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 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)


 * - 3rd Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company K (Prince Edward Dragoons).
 * - 18th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company D (Prospect Rifle Grays) and Company F (Farmville Guard).
 * - 20th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company G (Hampden-Sydney Boys).
 * - 21st Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company K (Meherrin Grays).
 * - 23rd Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company I (Prince Edward Central Guards).
 * - 44th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company G (Randolph Guard).
 * - 53rd Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company D (Old Dominion Riflemen).

Civil War Battles
The following Civil War battles were fought in Prince Edward County.


 * April 6, 1865 = Rice's Station, also known as Rice's Depot
 * April 6, 1865 = Sailor's Creek, also known as Hillsman Farm or Lockett Farm
 * April 6-7, 1865 = High Bridge


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

Miscellaneous Records

 * 1607-2007 - at FamilySearch — index and images

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.

Petitions

 * Drake, Mrs. William P. Petitioners and Tithables in Prince Edward County, Virginia, 1775-1776. West Palm Beach, Florida: Genealogical Records Committee, Seminole Chapter, NSDAR, 1979. Available at.

Probate Records
Online Probate Links
 * 1639 – 1850 Virginia Land, Marriage and Probate Records 1639-1850 at Ancestry.com — index to transcribed records, incomplete, $
 * 1754 - 1785 Images of Wills and Estates Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * 1785 - 1795 Images of Wills and Estates Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * 1797 - 1807 Images of Wills and Estates Virginia Pioneers ($)

Research Guides

 * "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Prince Edward County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 20, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1976):291-294. Digital version at American Ancestors ($).

Taxation
How can Virginia tax lists help me?


 * [1747] Amelia Tithables, 1747, Magazine of Virginia Genealogy. Richmond VA: Nov 2004. Vol. 42 Iss. 4. [Useful for Prince Edward County families.]
 * [1754-1789] Miscellaneous Papers, Prince Edward County, Virginia. 1939. Available at . [Contains poll lists, tithables, and inhabitants covering 1754-1789.]
 * [1755] Morton, W.S. "A List of Tithables Between Bush and Buffalo Rivers Taken by Thomas Scott, June 1755," Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 18 (1936):50-54. Available at ; reprinted in Virginia Tax Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983, which is also available at.
 * [1767] Tax List, 1767, Magazine of Virginia Genealogy. Richmond VA: Summer 1995. Vol. 33 Iss. 3.
 * [1773] Tithables, 1773, Magazine of Virginia Genealogy. Richmond VA: Winter 1996. Vol. 34 Iss. 1.
 * [1775-1776] Drake, Mrs. William P. Petitioners and Tithables in Prince Edward County, Virginia, 1775-1776. West Palm Beach, Florida: Genealogical Records Committee, Seminole Chapter, NSDAR, 1979. Available at.
 * [1782-1821] Heinegg, Paul. "Prince Edward County Personal Property Tax List, 1782-1821," Free African Americans.com. [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 . [The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Prince Edward County is included in Vol. 2.]
 * [1788] Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 20, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1976):269-274. Available at ; digital version at American Ancestors ($). [These records identify migrants who left the county and often their intended destinations. Prince Edward County's 1788 Delinquent List appears on pp. 271-272.]
 * [1792, 1800] Indexed images of the 1792 and 1800 Personal Property Tax Lists of Prince Edward County, Virginia are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
 * [1800] County Tax List, 1800, The Virginia Genealogist. Falmouth VA: Jul 2005. Vol. 49 Iss. 3; Oct. 2005. Vol. 49 Iss. 4.
 * [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. Prince Edward County is included in Vol. 2.]

Birth

 * 1862-1896 - Fridley, Beth. Prince Edward County, Virginia Births, 1862-96 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 1999. Available at Ancestry ($).
 * 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) ($).
 * 1755-1850 - Bonds Virginia Pioneers ($)

Divorce

 * 1918-1988 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Death
Beth Fridley's abstracts of these records are also available on Ancestry ($):


 * 1862-1879 - Prince Edward County, Virginia Deaths, 1862-79
 * 1880-1896 - Prince Edward County, Virginia Deaths, 1880-96
 * 1912-1987 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Voting

 * Miscellaneous Papers, Prince Edward County, Virginia. 1939. Available at . [Contains poll lists, tithables, and inhabitants covering 1754-1789.]

Prince Edward County, Virginia Genealogy Websites

 * Prince Edward Co., VAGenWeb. Part of the USGenWeb Project. Maps, name indexes, history.
 * Prince Edward County, VA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Familytree101)