Washington County, Virginia Genealogy

United States &gt; Virginia &gt; Washington County





History
The county was named after George Washington (1732-1799), who later became President.

Parent County
1776--Washington County was created 7 October 1776 from Fincastle County. Fincastle County was formed from Botetourt County in 1772, and was abolished in 1777. See Montgomery County. County seat: Abingdon

African American

 * Free black tithables, brief lists, 1804, 1806, Pastmaster Journal of the Mountain Empire. Bristol VA: Jan 2004.
 * Heinegg, Paul. "Washington County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List 1806-1819," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * Hockett, Jack. Washington County Virginia (WCV) Personal Property Tax List (PPTL): D.A.P. Campbell: 1862 Property End. Jno. Burwell (Upper District), available online, courtesy: New River Notes. [Includes a list of free negroes over the age of 12.]
 * Kegley, Mary B. Free People of Colour: Free Negroes, Indians, Portuguese and Freed Slaves. Wytheville, Virginia: Kegley Books, 2003. Available at FHL; digital version at BYU Family History Archives. [Includes information from Washington County.]
 * Lowrey, J.K. Washington County Virginia (WCV) 1852 Personal Property Tax List (PPTL): Upper District, available online, courtesy: New River Notes. [Includes a list of free negroes over the age of 12.]
 * Personal property tax list, 1845, coloreds, Holston Pastfinder. Bristol VA: Jun 2001. Vol. 19 Iss. 75.
 * Tax book, 1861, free negroes, Holston Pastfinder. Bristol VA: Jun 1990. Vol. 8 Iss. 31.

Cemeteries

 * McConnell, Catherine S. High on a Windy Hill. 2 vols. Abingdon, Va.: Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia, 1968, 1995, 2000. ; Free Lookups Available!
 * Montgomery, Mary Alice Hurt. Cemetery Census for Hawkins County, Tennessee, Sullivan County, Tennessee and Washington County, Virginia. Kingsport, Tenn.: M.A.H. Montgomery, [2002?]. FHL US/CAN Book 976.896/K1 V3m.

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.]

DNA
DNA has been collected from men claiming descent from the following Washington County, Virginia residents. FamilySearch has not independently verified the lineages of those tested.


 * [Fletcher] Multiple descendants of Drury Fletcher, d. 1817 Washington County, Virginia. Y-DNA 12 and 37 Marker Tests, FTDNA. Genetic signatures available online (labelled William Fletcher of Accomac County, Virginia/James Fletcher of Brunswick County, Virginia), courtesy: The Fletcher DNA Project.
 * [Fletcher] Multiple descendants of Vardaman Fletcher, b. c1760, m. 1797 Washington County, Virginia. Y-DNA 12, 25, and 37 Marker Tests, FTDNA. Genetic signature available online (labelled William Fletcher of Accomac County, Virginia/James Fletcher of Brunswick County, Virginia), courtesy: The Fletcher DNA Project.

Family Histories
It is anticipated that this bibliography will eventually identify all known family histories published about residents of this county. Use this list to:


 * Locate publications about direct ancestors
 * Find the most updated accounts of an ancestor's family
 * Identify publications, to quote Elizabeth Shown Mills, about an ancestor's "FAN Club" [Friends, Associates, and Neighbors]

General

Bibliography


 * [Colley] Boardman, Elizabeth Joye Mabe. Thomas Colley Family: Russell County, Virginia; Washington County, Virginia; Dickenson County, Virginia; Buchanan County, Virginia; Smyth County, Virginia. [Palm Coast, Florida]: J. Boardman, 2001. Available at FHL; digital version at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Early] Early, Cleland Edward. The Early Families of Knox and Whitley Counties, Kentucky with Allied Families. Houston, Texas: D. Armstrong Co., 1989. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 Ea76ea.
 * [Edmondson] Elam, Charlotte Edmondson. The Descendants of Lt. Robert Edmondson, 1753-1816. Memphis, Tenn.: E.A.E. Elam, 1966. FHL US/CAN Film 1433994 Item 2.
 * [Edmondson] Collins, Sonja. Edmondson Family Research Booklet, ca. 1796-1971. Corryton, Tenn.: S. Collins, 1986. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 A1 no. 7160.
 * [Frost] Roberts, Snyder E. Descendants of Joseph Frost, Sr.: from Amherst, Bedford, &amp; Washington Counties, Va. to Anderson County, Tn. and Elsewhere. n.p.: S.E. Roberts, 1989. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 F929r.
 * [Gillespie] Trimble, David B. Buchanan and Gillespie of Southwest Virginia. Austin, Texas: D.B. Trimble, 1992. Available at FHL.
 * [Goodpasture] Goodpasture, Robert Abraham. The Goodpastures of Iowa and Washington: With Related Families. Georgetown, Calif.: R.A. Goodpasture, 1978. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 G624gra.
 * [Hart] Hart, Charles Coffin. Joseph Hart and His Descendants. St. Louis, Mo.: R.P. Studley &amp; Co., 1901. FHL US/CAN Film 928166 Item 4.
 * [King] Phillips, Victor Nichols. The Book of Kings: The King Family's Contribution to the History of Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia. Johnson City, Tenn.: Overmountain Press, 1999. ; digital version at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [McNew] Baer, Frank L. The McNew Family of Washington Co., Va. Typescript, National Library of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Washington, D.C. FHL US/CAN Film 874716 Item 4.
 * [Rice] Rice, Roger Laurence. William Rice of the Great Valley of Virginia and Some of His Descendants: A Journey Along the Great Valley Road and through the Cumberland Gap, One Family from Maryland to Virginia, to Tennessee, to Kentucky and Beyond. Leesburg, Fla.: R.L. Rice, 2008. FHL FAM HIST Book 929.273 R369r; digital version at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Thompson] Eberle, Marie Eileen Thompson and John Allen Thompson. Thompson Twigs: Some Descendants of Sheldon and Ann Thompson of Washington County, Virginia; with Allied Families Allen-Daily, Bowman-Whitaker, Crawford, Johnson-Dickenson, Linder, McCulloch, White. Edwardsville, Ill.: [Busy Bee], 1981.
 * [Whiteley] Whiteley, Amos. This Brief History of the Whiteleys in America is Issued for the Purpose of Presenting Changes and Additions Since My Former Book was Issued ...: Also to Include Information Recently Procured in Regard to the Maryland Branch of the Whiteley Family. n.p.: A. Whiteley, 1922. ; digital versions at BYU Family History Archives and Internet Archive.
 * [Wills] Neal, Carl B. The Wills Family of Johnson County, Tennessee. Olympia, Wash.: [J. Kvatum?], 1960.

Local Histories

 * Creigh, Alfred. History of Washington County from Its First Settlement to the Present Time: First Under Virginia as Yohogania, Ohio, or Augusta County Until 1781, and Subsequently Under Pennsylvania: With Sketches of All the Townships, Boroughs, and Villages, Etc.: And to Which is Added a Full Account of the Celebrated Mason and Dixon's Line, the Whiskey Insurrection, Indian Warfare, Traditional and Local Historical Events. Harrisburg, Pa.: B. Singerly, printer, 1871, c1870. Available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Publications of the Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia [Nos. 1-18]. Abingdon, Virginia, 1964. Reviewed in The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 8, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1964):185. Review available at New England Ancestors ($).
 * Summers, Lewis Preston. History of Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786, Washington County, 1777-1870. J.L.Hill Print Co., 1903. Available at FHL; digital versions at Ancestry ($) and Google Books (full-view). Following the 1966 reprint, this book was reviewed in The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 11, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1967):84. Review available at New England Ancestors ($).

Military
French and Indian War


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

Revolutionary War


 * Kegley, Mary B. Revolutionary War Pension Applications of Southwest Virginia Soldiers. n.p.: M.B. Kegley, 1997. Available at FHL. [Includes Washington County pensioners.]

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.

Periodicals
Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin

Genealogical articles with abstracts of Washington County, Virginia records have been published in the Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin (39+ vols., 1972-present), the journal of the Watauga Association of Genealogists. The organization has posted tables of contents for most volumes on their website. Back issues are available for purchase. The Family History Library has a complete collection FHL US/CAN Books 976.897 B2w, including Margaret W. Hougland and Betty Jane Hylton's Bulletin Subject Index: The First Thirty Years, 1972-2001 (Johnson City, Tenn.: Watauga Association of Genealogists, 2002) FHL US/CAN Book 976.897 B2w index 1972-2001.

Private Papers

 * Davis--Hatfield--Parkey Family Bible Records, 1779-1919. Kentucky Bible and Cemetery Records / Genealogical Records Committee, Kentucky Society D.A.R. leaves 255-260; FHL US/CAN Film 855039 Item 4.

Research Guides

 * "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Washington County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 24, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1980):58-60. Available at New England Ancestors ($).

Taxation
How can Virginia tax lists help me?


 * [1782] "Tithables in Washington County, Virginia, in 1782," Publications (The Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia). Series 2, No. 7 (Winter-Spring 1968-1969), No. 8 (Jul. 1970) and No. 9 (Jul. 1971). Available at FHL.
 * [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 FHL. [1782 personal property tax list of Washington County.]
 * [1782] Personal Property Tax List, 1782, Tazewell County Historical Society Newsletter. Tazewell VA: Jun 1996. Vol. 9 Iss. 2.
 * [1782] Personal Property Tax List, 1782, Holston Pastfinder. Bristol VA: Jun 1992. Vol. 10 Iss. 39.
 * [1782] "Washington County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists - 1782," The Mountain Empire Genealogical Quarterly, Vol. 4, No. 2 (Summer 1985):124-127. FHL US/CAN Book 975 D25m v. 4 (1985). [Abstracted from The Sutherland Collection.]
 * [1782] Weaver, Jeffrey C. The 1782 Washington County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List, available online, courtesy: New River Notes.
 * [1782] The 1782 Washington County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List, available online, courtesy: Clinch Mountain Home.
 * [1784] Personal property tax list, 1784, Holston Pastfinder. Bristol VA: Dec 1992. Vol. 11 Iss. 41.
 * [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. Washington County is included in Vol. 2.]
 * [1788, 1797] Images of the 1788 and 1797 Personal Property Tax Lists of Washington County, Virginia are available to browse online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
 * [1791] Tax list, c. 1791, Hart County Historical Society Quarterly. Munfordville KY: Summer 2005.
 * [1797] Tithables, 1797, Holston Pastfinder. Bristol VA: Dec 1993. Vol. 12 Iss. 2; Mar 1994. Vol. 12 Iss. 3; Jun 1994. Vol. 12 Iss. 4; Sep 1994. Vol. 13 Iss. 1; Dec 1994. Vol. 13 Iss. 2; Mar 1995. Vol. 13 Iss. 50.
 * [1804, 1806] Free black tithables, brief lists, 1804, 1806, Pastmaster Journal of the Mountain Empire. Bristol VA: Jan 2004.
 * [1806] Weaver, Jeffrey C. The 1806 Washington County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List, available online, courtesy: New River Notes.
 * [1806-1819] Heinegg, Paul. "Washington County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List 1806-1819," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * [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 the 1815 land tax. Washington County is included in Vol. 5.]
 * [1815] Kegley, Mary B. Southwest Virginia Tax Assessments, 1815: Grayson, Lee, Scott, Russell, Washington, and Wythe Counties. Wytheville, Va.: Kegley Books, 1991. Original edition and 1992 supplement available at FHL. [The source for this publication is a private collection of 1815 tax assessment tickets for the First District of Virginia. The tickets includes landowners' names, number of acres or lots, number of buildings along with descriptions, and number of slaves. N.B. These are not the 1815 land tax books.]
 * [1845] Personal property tax list, 1845, coloreds, Holston Pastfinder. Bristol VA: Jun 2001. Vol. 19 Iss. 75.
 * [1845] Personal property tax list, 1845, Upper District, Holston Pastfinder. Bristol VA: Mar 2001. Vol. 19 Iss. 3.
 * [1845] Personal property tax list, 1845, Ha-Wh, Holston Pastfinder. Bristol VA: Jun 2001. Vol. 19 Iss. 75.
 * [1852] Lowrey, J.K. Washington County Virginia (WCV) 1852 Personal Property Tax List (PPTL): Upper District, available online, courtesy: New River Notes. [Includes a list of free negroes over the age of 12.]
 * [1861] Tax book, 1861, free negroes, Holston Pastfinder. Bristol VA: Jun 1990. Vol. 8 Iss. 31.
 * [1862] Hockett, Jack. Washington County Virginia (WCV) Personal Property Tax List (PPTL): D.A.P. Campbell: 1862 Property End. Jno. Burwell (Upper District), available online, courtesy: New River Notes. [Includes a list of free negroes over the age of 12.]
 * [1868] Hockett, Jack. Washington County Virginia (WCV) Personal Property Tax List (PPTL), 1868, Upper District), available online, courtesy: New River Notes.
 * [1870] Supplement to Saltville District, 1870, labor and tax, 1872-1873, Holston Pastfinder. Bristol VA: Dec 2002. Vol. 21 Iss. 81.
 * [1870] Hockett, Jack. 1870 Personal Property Tax List (PPTL), Washington County Virginia (WCV): Upper District), available online, courtesy: New River Notes.
 * [1871] Hockett, Jack. Washington County VA Personal Property Tax List, Saltville Township, 1871), available online, courtesy: New River Notes.
 * [1872-1873] Hockett, Jack. A Supplement to the 1870 Census of Washington Co.VA, Saltville District: List of Labor &amp; Tax 1872 &amp; 1873, available online, courtesy: New River Notes.
 * [1883] Hockett, Jack. Washington County, VA (WCV) Personal Property Tax List (PPTL), 1883; Upper District: John D. Blackwell, Commissioner of the Revenue, available online, courtesy: New River Notes.
 * [1903-1906] Poll tax lists, 1903-6, Saltville dist., Holston Pastfinder. Bristol VA: Sep 1998. Vol. 17 Iss. 1; Dec 1998. Vol. 17 Iss. 65; Mar 1999. Vol. 17 Iss. 3; Jun 1999. Vol. 17 Iss. 4; Sep 1999. Vol. 18 Iss. 1; Dec. 1999. Vol. 18 Iss. 2; Mar 2000. Vol. - Iss. 70.
 * [1906] Tax list, 1906, Ab-Sc, Holston Pastfinder. Bristol VA: Jun 1998. Vol. 16 Iss. 4.

Vital Records
Birth


 * Fridley, Beth, comp. Washington County, Virginia Births, 1889-96 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2000. Available at Ancestry ($).

Marriage


 * Barbe, Waverly. "Washington County, Virginia, Mc Marriages, 1801-1820," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 20, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1976):130-132. Available at New England Ancestors ($).
 * Fleet, Beverley. Washington County Marriage Register, 1782-1820. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1961. Available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($).

Death

Beth Fridley has published abstracts of the following Washington County death records online at Ancestry:


 * Washington County, Virginia Deaths, 1853-85 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($). 
 * Washington County, Virginia Deaths, 1886-96 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).

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
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: SW_VA-L (Topic: Southwest Virginia)