Spotsylvania County, Virginia Genealogy

United States   Virginia    Spotsylvania County





History


The county was named after Virginia Lieutenant Governor Alexander Spotswood (c1676-1740), who was in office at the time of Spotsylvania County's organization.

Parent County
1720--Spotsylvania County was created 2 November 1720 from Essex, King and Queen and King William Counties. County seat: Spotsylvania

Variant Spellings

 * Spottsylvania

Record Loss

 * Lost censuses: 1790, 1800, 1890

Getting Started
Compiled genealogies are a good place to start research for this area, see Spotsylvania County, Virginia Genealogy.

If you are researching families who lived in Spotsylvania County, Virginia between the 1720s and 1740s, or Fredericksburg families between the 1780s and 1800s, the Sparacios' books are a great time saver. They comprehensively index several publications covering that period:


 * Sparacio, Ruth Trickey and Sam Sparacio. Surname Index of Antient Press Publications. 14+ vols. McLean, Va.: R. &amp; S. Sparacio, Antient Press, 1993-. 975.5 P22s v. 1-2; publisher's website: Antient Press. (Some of the index volumes have not been printed and it is necessary to contact the publishers to search them.)

African American

 * Douthat, James L. Early Spotsylvania County, Virginia Records. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 2010. Free online surname index and purchase details at Mountain Press website. [Includes 1783 slave owners list.]
 * Fitzgerald, Ruth Coder. A Different Story: A Black History of Fredericksburg, Stafford, and Spotsylvania, Virginia. Fredericksburg, Virginia: Unicorn, 1979. Available at.
 * Haley, Alex. Roots. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1976. Available at . [Includes author's descent from Kunta Kinte, born in the spring of 1750 at Juffure, Gambia, captured and brought to the United States in 1767, and sold into slavery in Spotsylvania County, Virginia.]
 * Heinegg, Paul. "Spotsylvania County Personal Property Tax List 1782-1822," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these 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.]

Baptist

 * Dunaway, Thomas Sanford and Walter Jorgensen Young. An Historical Sketch of Massaponax Baptist Church of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, from 1788 to 1938: First Hundred Years, Compiled and Read at Her Centennial Celebration, September 30, 1888. Fredericksburg, Va.: Carmichael, 1938. Available at.
 * Ranck, George Washington. "The Travelling Church": An Account of the Baptist Exodus from Virginia to Kentucky in 1781 Under the Leadership of Rev. Lewis Craig and Capt. William Ellis; With Historical Notes. n.p., 1910. Digital version at Google Books (full-view).

Church of England
See also Berkeley Parish. See also St. George's Parish. See also St. Mark's Parish.

Court
District Court of Fredericksburg

The District Court of Fredericksburg and later the Superior Court of Chancery had jurisdiction over certain Spotsylvania County court cases. An index has been compiled:


 * Indexes of Court Records in the Clerk's Office, Fredericksburg, Virginia, 1782-1904. Original records, Fredericksburg City Courthouse, Fredericksburg, Va., microfilmed reproduction available at . [Indexes the following records: District Court law book v. 8, 1782-1792; District Court law books 1790-1793, v. A-F 1789-1811; Superior Court of Law law order books v. G-H 1812-1831; Superior Court of Chancery chancery order books 1814-1831; Hustings Court orders v. A-O 1782-1871; Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery law order books v. A-E 1831-1875; Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery chancery order books v. A-D 1831-1872; Circuit Court chancery order books v. A2, B-C 1875-1904; Fredericksburg District Court (1789-1808) had jurisdiction over the following counties: Spotsylvania (including Fredericksburg), Caroline, King George, Stafford, Orange, and Culpeper; Superior Court of Chancery (1802-1831) had jurisdiction over the following localities: city of Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, Culpeper, Fauquier, Fairfax, Lancaster, Northumberland, Madison, King George, Orange, Prince William, Richmond, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Essex, and Westmoreland.]

Superior Court of Chancery

See District Court of Fredericksburg

See also Historic Court Records for Fredericksburg

DNA
DNA has been collected from men claiming descent from the following Spotsylvania County, Virginia residents. Attempts have not been made to verify the lineages of those tested.


 * [Boswell] Descendant of James Boswell, b. c1737 of Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Y-DNA 37 Marker Test, FTDNA (Kit 164071). Genetic signature available online (labelled Haplogroup R1b), courtesy: The Boswell DNA Project, World Families Network.
 * [Boswell] Descendant of John Boswell, d. Spotsylvania County, Virginia 1700s. Y-DNA, FTDNA. Genetic signature available online (labelled B-7 on Patriarch page, signature not clearly identified, recommend contacting person listed on Patriarch page), courtesy: The Boswell DNA Project, World Families Network.
 * [Shepherd] Descendant of William Shepherd, resident of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, d. 1810. Y-DNA 37 Marker Test, FTDNA (Kit 123338). Genetic signature available online, courtesy: The Shepard DNA Project, World Families Network.

Genealogy
More than 150 genealogies have been published about Spotsylvania County families. To view a list, visit Spotsylvania County, Virginia Genealogy.

Historic Residences

 * Goolrick, John T. Fredericksburg and the Cavalier Country: America's Most Historic Section, It's Homes: It's People and Romances. Richmond, Va.: Garrett &amp; Massie, 1935. Available at.
 * Goolrick, John T. Old Homes and History Around Fredericksburg: The Northern Neck and the Southside, Stafford and Spotsylvania Counties and Battle Sketches. Richmond, Va.: Garrett &amp; Massie, 1929. Available at ; digital versions at Ancestry ($) and BYU Family History Archives.

Immigration

 * Cerny, Johni and Gary J. Zimmerman. Before Germanna. 12 vols. Bountiful, Utah: American Geneal. Lending Library Publishers, 1990. Available at . [Discusses families of German immigrants who settled in Spotsylvania and Orange counties, Virginia.]
 * Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of Spotsylvania County proved in London. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]
 * [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=Spotsylvania&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 Spotsylvania County, Virginia (work in progress), courtesy: Immigrant Servants Database.
 * 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. Available at New England Ancestors ($). [Spotsylvania Co., VA residents: Byrne, Johnson, Lynn, White.]

During the War of 1812, American officials reported finding a total of 8 British aliens, many of whom had families, living in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County.

Land
Deeds


 * Crozier, William Armstrong. Spotsylvania County Records, 1721-1800: Being Transcriptions, from the Original Files at the County Court House, of Wills, Deeds, Administrators' and Guardians' Bonds, Marriage Licenses, and Lists of Revolutionary Pensioners. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1965. Available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($); another digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes abstracts of Deed Books A-P (1722-1800).]

Grants and Patents


 * Gray, Gertrude E. Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants 1694-1742. Vol. I. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1987. Available at . [Includes Spotsylvania County residents.]
 * Hudgins. 371 patents dated 1666-1803 in what is now Spotsylvania County, Virginia placed on a map. DeedMapper. 2004. [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

 * Coleman, Lee Richelieu and Frasia Davis Trice. An Economic and Social Survey of Spotsylvania County. Charlottesville, Virginia: University of Virginia, 1934. Available at.
 * Felder, Paula S. Forgotten Companions: The First Settlers of Spotsylvania County and Fredericksburgh Town (with Notes on Early Land Use). Fredericksburg, Virginia: Historic Publications of Fredericksburg, 1982. Available at.
 * Fitzgerald, Ruth Coder. A Different Story: A Black History of Fredericksburg, Stafford, and Spotsylvania, Virginia. Fredericksburg, Virginia: Unicorn, 1979. Available at.
 * Goolrick, John T. Fredericksburg and the Cavalier Country: America's Most Historic Section, It's Homes: It's People and Romances. Richmond, Va.: Garrett &amp; Massie, 1935. Available at.
 * Warner, Thomas Hoskins. History of Old Rappanhannock County, Virginia, 1656-1692: With Introduction, 1608-1656, Including the Present Counties of Essex and Richmond and Parts of Westmoreland, King George, Stafford, Caroline and Spotsylvania Counties. Tappahannock, Virginia: P.P. Warner, 1965. Available at.

Migration

 * Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 21, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1977):49-53. Available at ; digital version at New England Ancestors ($). [These records identify migrants who left the county and often their intended destinations. Spotsylvania County's 1787 Delinquent List appears on pp. 50-52.]
 * Ranck, George Washington. "The Travelling Church": An Account of the Baptist Exodus from Virginia to Kentucky in 1781 Under the Leadership of Rev. Lewis Craig and Capt. William Ellis; With Historical Notes. n.p., 1910. Digital version at Google Books (full-view).

Colonial Militia

 * Crozier, William Armstrong. Spotsylvania County Records, 1721-1800: Being Transcriptions, from the Original Files at the County Court House, of Wills, Deeds, Administrators' and Guardians' Bonds, Marriage Licenses, and Lists of Revolutionary Pensioners. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1965. Available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($); another digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes colonial militia.]

French and Indian War

 * Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. Available at . [Identifies some Spotsylvania 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 Spotsylvania County, see pp. 100-101, 112.]
 * Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. Available at ; digital book at Ancestry ($). [Identifies some Spotsylvania County militia officers, soldiers, and veterans; see place name index.]
 * Crozier, William Armstrong. Spotsylvania County Records, 1721-1800: Being Transcriptions, from the Original Files at the County Court House, of Wills, Deeds, Administrators' and Guardians' Bonds, Marriage Licenses, and Lists of Revolutionary Pensioners. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1965. Available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($); another digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes French and Indian War records.]

Revolutionary War

 * Krick, Robert K., J. Roger Mansfield, and Merle C. Strickler. Spotsylvania County Patriots, 1774-1786. 1976?. Available at.
 * Revolutionary Service Record of William Warren (b. 1745) of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, and Orange County, North Carolina, in Milton Rubincam, Miscellaneous Wills and Genealogical Notes. 1947. Available at.
 * Crozier, William Armstrong. Spotsylvania County Records, 1721-1800: Being Transcriptions, from the Original Files at the County Court House, of Wills, Deeds, Administrators' and Guardians' Bonds, Marriage Licenses, and Lists of Revolutionary Pensioners. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1965. Available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($); another digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes Revolutionary records and pensioners.]
 * 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, Spotsylvania County on page 133.]
 * 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, Spottsylvania County [sic], pp. 104-105. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Civil War

 * There are many accounts of the Civil War battle fought in Spotsylvania County available at the Family History Library. Keyword search for Spotsylvania Civil War.

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 . [Includes a section on Fredericksburg silversmiths.]

Officials

 * Crozier, William Armstrong. Spotsylvania County Records, 1721-1800: Being Transcriptions, from the Original Files at the County Court House, of Wills, Deeds, Administrators' and Guardians' Bonds, Marriage Licenses, and Lists of Revolutionary Pensioners. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1965. Available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($); another digital version at Ancestry ($). [Identifies Spotsylvania's sheriffs.]
 * Fisher, Therese. Skeletons in the Closet: 200 Years of Murders in Old Virginia; a Genealogical and Historical Resource. Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, 2001. Available at . [Identifies Spotsylvania's acting justices and sheriffs 1722-1846.]

Petitions

 * Virginia. General Assembly. Legislative Petitions, 1776-1833. Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia. Available at . [Includes Spotsylvania County Petitions 1776-1820.]

Private Papers

 * Redwine, Lucy Leah and J.E. Hays. Family Bible Records. MSS., Department of Archives and History, Atlanta, Georgia. Available at.
 * [Crafton] Crafton Bible [Records, ca. 1780-1944]. MSS., Genealogical Records / Newport News Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, 1950. Available at.
 * [Dangerfield] King, George Harrison Sanford. "Bible Record of Colonel William Daingerfield of 'Coventry,' Spotsylvania County, Virginia," The Virginia Gazette, Vol. 19, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1975):243-247. Available at ; digital version at New England Ancestors($).
 * [Davis] Moore, Robert P. Ancestors and Nelson Co., Ky., Associates of the Kincheloe, Wickliffe, and Davis Families of Prince William County, Virginia. Lexington, Kentucky: R.P. Moore, 1996. Available at . [Includes chapter titled "Transcript from the Davis Bible, Spottsylvania Co., Virginia, 1741-1811, with Revolutionary War Record of Thomas Davis," see pp. 326-327.]
 * [Durrett] Harter, Mrs. Bert. "Bible of Jonathan Durrett, Spotsylvania County, Virginia," The Virginia Gazette, Vol. 5, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1961):28-30. Available at ; digital version at New England Ancestors($).
 * [Keaton] Family Bible Record [1746-1928] of Leven G. and Nancy Keaton Pritchard. Available at.
 * [Lewis] Papers of the Lewis Family, Essex Co., 1768-1824. Charlottesville, Va.: University of Virginia, Alderman Library, 1945. Available at.

Probate
Local Court


 * Crozier, William Armstrong. Spotsylvania County Records, 1721-1800: Being Transcriptions, from the Original Files at the County Court House, of Wills, Deeds, Administrators' and Guardians' Bonds, Marriage Licenses, and Lists of Revolutionary Pensioners. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1965. Available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($); another digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes abstracts of Will Books A-F (1722-1800), Administration Bonds, and Guardian Bonds.]
 * Will of Thomas Warren of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, 1749, in Milton Rubincam, Miscellaneous Wills and Genealogical Notes. 1947. Available at.
 * Will [and Codicil] of John Waller of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, 1753, MSS., Library of Virginia; also available at.
 * "Wills from Spotsylvania County, Virginia" [Edward Carter, John Gilbert, Edward Herndon] in The Pennsylvania Traveler-Post, Vol. 9 (1972). Available at.

London Courts


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

Research Guides

 * "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Spotsylvania County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 22, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1978):290-292. Available at ; digital version at New England Ancestors($).

Taxation
How can Virginia tax lists help me?


 * [1782] Fothergill, Augusta B. and John Mark Naugle. Virginia Tax Payers, 1782-87, Other Than Those Published by the United States Census Bureau. 1940; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1978. Available at . [1782 personal property tax list of Spotsylvania County.]
 * [1782-1822] Heinegg, Paul. "Spotsylvania County Personal Property Tax List 1782-1822," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * [1782] Douthat, James L. Early Spotsylvania County, Virginia Records. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 2010. Free online surname index and purchase details at Mountain Press website. [Includes 1782 tax list.]
 * [1783] James, Edward Wilson. "Slave Owners in 'Spotsylvania' County, 1783," Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 4 (1896/1897):104-106, 292-299. Available at ; reprinted in Virginia Tax Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983, which is also available at ; digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * [1787] Schreiner-Yantis, Netti and Florene Speakman Love. The 1787 Census of Virginia: An Accounting of the Name of Every White Male Tithable Over 21 Years, the Number of White Males Between 16 &amp; 21 Years, the Number of Slaves over 16 &amp; Those Under 16 Years, Together with a Listing of Their Horses, Cattle &amp; Carriages, and Also the Names of All Persons to Whom Ordinary Licenses and Physician's Licenses Were Issued. 3 vols. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1987. Available at . [The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Spotsylvania County is included in Vol. 2.]
 * [1787] Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 21, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1977):49-53. Available at ; digital version at New England Ancestors ($). [These records identify migrants who left the county and often their intended destinations. Spotsylvania County's 1787 Delinquent List appears on pp. 50-52.]
 * [1787] Douthat, James L. Early Spotsylvania County, Virginia Records. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 2010. Free online surname index and purchase details at Mountain Press website. [Includes 1787 tax list.]
 * [1790, 1800] Indexed images of the 1790 and 1800 Personal Property Tax Lists of Spotsylvania County, Virginia are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
 * [1798] Direct tax of 1798, Magazine of Virginia Genealogy. Richmond VA: Feb 1999. Vol. 37 Iss. 1.
 * [1798] U.S. 1798 Direct Tax, Berkeley Parish, Spotsylvania County, Virginia, available online, courtesy: Spotsylvania County Genealogy.
 * [1815] Ward, Roger D. 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). 6 vols. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997-2000. Available at . [This publication is based on the 1815 land tax. Spotsylvania County is included in Vol. 4.]

Vital Records
Marriage


 * Crozier, William Armstrong. Spotsylvania County Records, 1721-1800: Being Transcriptions, from the Original Files at the County Court House, of Wills, Deeds, Administrators' and Guardians' Bonds, Marriage Licenses, and Lists of Revolutionary Pensioners. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1965. Available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($); another digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes Marriage Licenses (1722-1750) and the Spotsylvania County Court Marriage Register (1795-1800).]
 * Douthat, James L. Early Spotsylvania County, Virginia Records. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 2010. Free online surname index and purchase details at Mountain Press website. [Includes early marriage licenses 1722-1755.]

Websites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.