Rockingham County, Virginia Genealogy

United States   Virginia    Rockingham County

Virginia county in the Shenandoah Valley region.





History


The county is named after Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham (1730-1782), who served two terms as Prime Minister of Great Britain.

Parent County
1777--Rockingham County was created 20 October 1777 from Augusta County. County seat: Harrisonburg

Record Loss

 * Lost censuses: 1790, 1800, 1890

African American

 * Free negroes list, 1815, Magazine of Virginia Genealogy. Richmond VA: Feb 2007. Vol. 45 Iss. 1.
 * Heinegg, Paul. "Rockingham County Personal Property Tax, 1795-1813," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * Heinegg, Paul. "Rockingham County Register of Free Negroes 1807-1859 (Partial)," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]

Biography

 * Wayland, John W. Men of Mark and Representative Citizens of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, Virginia. Staunton, VA: McClure Co., 1943. Available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($); and World Vital Records ($).

Census
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.]

1900


 * United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Rockingham County, Virginia, Census, 1900. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1900. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Church
German Reformed


 * Braun, Johannes, Klaus Wust and Joseph H. Meyerhoeffer. Shenandoah Valley Family Data, 1799-1813: From the Memorandum Book of Pastor Johannes Braun. Edinburg, Va.: Shenandoah History Publishers, 1978. FHL US/CAN Book 975.5 K2bjo.

Genealogy
More than 40 genealogies have been published about Rockingham County families. To view a list, visit Rockingham County, Virginia Genealogy.

Immigration

 * [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=Rockingham&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 Rockingham County, Virginia (work in progress), courtesy: Immigrant Servants Database.

Land

 * Kaylor, Peter Cline. Abstract of Land Grant Surveys of Augusta and Rockingham Counties, Virginia, 1761-1791. Dayton, VA: Shenandoah Press, 1938. Available at FHL; digital version at World Vital Records ($).

Local Histories

 * Wayland, John Walter. A History of Rockingham County, Virginia. Dayton, Va.: Ruebush-Elkins Co., 1912. Available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Wayland, John Walter. Men of Mark and Representative Citizens of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, Virginia: Portraits and Biographies of Men and Women. Staunton, Va.: McClure Co., 1943. Available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Wayland, John Walter. Virginia Valley Records: Genealogical and Historical Materials of Rockingham County, Virginia, and Related Regions (with Map). Strasburg, Va.: Shenandoah Publishing House, 1930. Available at FHL (original edition FHL US/CAN Film 485954 Item 3 and 1978 reprint FHL US/CAN Book 975.5 H2wa 1978); digital version at Ancestry ($); and World Vital Records ($).

Migration

 * Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 20, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1976):269-274. Available at FHL; digital version at New England Ancestors ($). [These records identify migrants who left the county and often their intended destinations. Rockingham County's 1787 Delinquent List appears on pp. 273-274.]

French and Indian War

 * Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. Available at FHL. [Identifies some Rockingham County veterans; see place name index.]

Revolutionary War

 * "A Page from Court Orders of Rockingham County, VA" [Showing Public Claims Enabling Descendants to Join Revolutionary Societies], The American Genealogist, Vol. 11 (1934):4. Available at New England Ancestors ($).
 * Revolutionary Soldiers, Rockingham County, Virginia. Harrisonburg, Va.: The Historical Society?, 1976. Available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 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, Western District, Rockingham County on page 136.]
 * 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

 * 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, Rockingham County, p. 101-102. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

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.

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 Harrisonburg silversmiths.]

Private Papers

 * [Hite] Major, Nettie Leitch. "Hite Family Bible, Rockingham County, Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 21, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1977):119-121. Available at FHL; digital version at New England Ancestors ($).

Research Guides

 * "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Rockingham County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 22, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1981):54-57. Available at FHL; digital version at New England Ancestors ($).

Taxation
How can Virginia tax lists help me?


 * [1777] "Augusta County Tithables, 1777," Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 42 Iss. 4 (Nov. 2004):307-310. Available at FHL. [Covers area of present-day eastern Rockingham and Page counties.]
 * [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. Rockingham County is included in Vol. 1.]
 * [1787] Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 20, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1976):269-274. Available at FHL; digital version at New England Ancestors ($). [These records often identify migrants who left the county and their intended destinations. Rockingham County's 1787 Delinquent List appears on pp. 273-274.]
 * [1788] Boyd-Rush, Dorothy. "Three Tax-Militia Lists: Heads of Families and Male Members Thereof Over Sixteen Years of Age of Rockingham County, Virginia, 1788," The Rockingham Recorder, Vol. 3, No. 2 (Apr. 1982):66-68. Available at FHL.
 * [1789, 1801] Images of the 1789 and 1801 Personal Property Tax Lists of Rockingham County, Virginia are available to browse online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
 * [1790] Boyd-Rush, Dorothy. "1790 Poling List, Rockingham County, Virginia," The Rockingham Recorder, Vol. 3, No. 2 (Apr. 1982):69. Available at FHL.
 * [1792] Strickler, Harry M. Tenth Legion Tithables (Rockingham Division) Rockingham County, Virginia Tithables for 1792: A List of All the White Males Above 16 Years of Age in the County and All the Slaves Above 12 in the County in 1792. Luray, Virginia: H.M. Strickler, 1930. Available at FHL US/CAN Book 975.592 R4sand FHL US/CAN Film 1425662 Item 7 ; digital version at Ancestry ($); and World Vital Records ($).
 * [1795-1813]Heinegg, Paul. "Rockingham County Personal Property Tax, 1795-1813," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * [1798] Tax list of house owners, 1798, Rockingham Recorder. Dayton VA: Apr 1945. Vol. 1 Iss. 1.
 * [1815] Ward, Roger D. 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). 6 vols. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997-2000. Available at FHL. [The source for this publication is 1815 land tax. Rockingham County is included in Vol. 4.]
 * [1815] Boyd-Rush, Dorothy A. "1815 Rockingham County Tax List," Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 40, No. 2 (May 2002):89-102; Vol. 40, No. 3 (Aug. 2002):200-206; Vol. 40, No. 4 (Nov. 2002):317-326; Vol. 41, No. 1 (Feb. 2003):55-68; Vol. 41, No. 2 (May 2003):149-166; Vol. 42, No. 2 (Feb. 2005):97-104; Vol. 43, No. 1 (Feb. 2005):70-74. Available at FHL; digital version of Volume 40 at Ancestry ($).
 * [1815] Boyd-Bragg, Dorothy A. "A List of the Free Negroes, Rockingham County [1815]," Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 45, No. 1 (Feb. 2007):63-64. Available at FHL.
 * [1816] Boyd-Bragg, Dorothy A. "Rockingham County Tax Book for the Year 1816," Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 42, No. 3 (Aug. 2004):189-202; Vol. 42, No. 4 (Nov. 2004):265-284; Vol. 43, No. 2 (May 2005):153-168. Available at FHL.

Vital Records
Birth

Beth Fridley has published the following abstracts of Rockingham County, Virginia birth records online at Ancestry:


 * Rockingham County, Virginia Births, 1853-56 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).
 * Rockingham County, Virginia Births, 1857-59 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).
 * Rockingham County, Virginia Births, 1860-65 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).
 * Rockingham County, Virginia Births, 1866-84 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).
 * Rockingham County, Virginia Births, 1885-87 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).
 * Rockingham County, Virginia Births, 1888-90 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).
 * Rockingham County, Virginia Births, 1891-93 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).
 * Rockingham County, Virginia Births, 1894-96 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).

Marriage


 * Wayland, John Walter. Virginia Valley Records: Genealogical and Historical Materials of Rockingham County, Virginia, and Related Regions (with Map). Strasburg, Va.: Shenandoah Publishing House, 1930. Available at FHL (original edition FHL US/CAN Film 485954 Item 3 and 1978 reprint FHL US/CAN Book 975.5 H2wa 1978); digital version at Ancestry ($); and World Vital Records ($) Original, and Reprint. Includes Rockingham Marriages 1795-1825.

Death

Beth Fridley has published the following abstracts of Rockingham County, Virginia death records online at Ancestry:


 * Rockingham County, Virginia Deaths, 1853-61 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).
 * Rockingham County, Virginia Deaths, 1862-77 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).
 * Rockingham County, Virginia Deaths, 1878-85 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).
 * Rockingham County, Virginia Deaths, 1886-95 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).

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