Charlotte County, Virginia Genealogy

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

Description
Charlotte County is located in the south-central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III of Great Britain.

County Courthouse
Charlotte County Courthouse 115 David Bruce Ave / PO Box 127 Charlotte Courthouse, VA 23923 Phone: 434-542-5600 Charlotte County Website

County Clerk has birth and death records 1853-1870, marriage, probate court and land records from 1765 and divorce 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 Queen Charlotte (1744-1818), queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom (1738-1820).

Bible Records

 * 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Williams Family Bible, Charlotte and Mecklenburg Counties, Virginia. By Henry deLeon Southerland. The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 18, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1974):311-312., online at: American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).

Cemeteries

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

Census Records
1782 Enumeration
 * Bureau of the Census, Heads of Families at the first Census of the United States taken in the Year 1790. Viewable online as a .pdf. Because the 1790 census had been destroyed, the Census Bureau created the Virginia report from census substitutes from similar time periods. This document contains a list for Charlotte County in the year 1782. Begins on page 13.

1782-1785, 1790
 * Heads of families at the first census of the United States taken in the year 1790, Virginia : records of the state enumerations: 1782 to 1785. Online at FamilySearch Digital Library.

1850 Census takers uncharacteristically recorded the birth town or county of residents this census year.

1860 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. By Ronald Ray Turner..
 * 1890 Veterans Schedules of the U.S. Federal Census. Online at: Ancestry ($). Includes this county.

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places


 * Baptisms and Burials, Church of Our Saviour Parish Register, Charlottesville, Virginia. By Sharon B. Hamner. The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 23, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1979):83-87; Vol. 23, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1979):175-177., online at: American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).

Baptist Early Baptist churches (with years constituted): Charlotte County fell within the bounds of the Appomattox Association, the Meherrin Association, and the Roanoke Association.
 * 1) Ash Camp (1803). Church minutes (1813-1870) have been filmed: . (487+ graves).
 * 2) Cubb Creek aka Cub Creek (1771) . A history was published in 1967: Virginia Baptist Register, Issue 6 (1967).
 * 3) Midway. Meeting minutes and membership lists (1833-1867) have been filmed:.
 * 4) Mossingford (1785)
 * 5) Sandy Creek (1785)
 * 6) Staunton River (1804)

Church of England See also Cornwall Parish Meade's 1861 history of parishes in Charlotte County is available online.

Court Records
County Court Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1786-1809 Charlotte County Virginia Order Book Extracts Books 7 to 16 (VAGenWeb)

Chancery Court
 * Library of Virginia, Chancery Records Index (and images). Fully indexed. Allows searching by county, plaintiff, defendant, and surname. Search is exact spelling only. The Chancery Court records for Charlotte County have been scanned and are viewable as .pdf files.

Emigration and Immigration
During the War of 1812, American officials reported finding a total of 1 British alien living in Charlotte County.

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
 * Charlotte County Personal Property Tax List 1782-1813. By Paul Heinegg. Online at: Free African Americans
 * Search the Library of Virginia's Virginia Untold collection for digitized records related to African Americans of Charlotte 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 Charlotte County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies for a list of published books and articles, or jump to the surname using the alphabet bar.

Compiled Genealogies for Multiple Families
 * Bouldin, Powhatan. The Old Trunk, or, Sketch of Colonial Days. 2nd ed. Danville, Va.: Blair &amp; Boatwright, Printers, 1896. ; digital versions at Google Books; Internet Archive.
 * Charlotte County Heritage Book Committee. The Heritage of Charlotte County, Virginia 1765-2007. Waynesville, N.C.: County Heritage, 2007. 975.565 H2h
 * Priddy, A.S. and Walter M. Priddy. Notes of Some of the Old Families on the Head Waters of Roanoke and Twitty's Creek and the Keysville Section of Charlotte County. Typescript, abt. 1910. Copy: ; digital version at USGenWeb Archives.
 * 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 Charlotte County, see discussion of cited sources.].
 * Steltzner, Mildred White, Virginia Frances Jordan Bloomfield and Fort Wayne Public Library. Hunting for Ancestors by Mildred W. Steltzner: A Genealogy Column in the Charlotte Gazette, Drakes Branch, Virginia. 3 vols. Fort Wayne, Ind.: Allen County Public Library, 1977-1978. 975.565/D1 B3s

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records

Grants and Patents


 * Hudgins. 528 patents dated 1731-1835 in what is now Charlotte County, Virginia placed on a map. DeedMapper, 2010. 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

 * Charlotte County, Virginia: Historical, Statistical, and Present Attractions. 1907. By John Cullen Carrington. n.p. : Hermitage Press. Online at: [100137 FamilySearch Digital Library], Google Books.
 * Lang Syne. 1972. By Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities - Charlotte County Branch. n.p. : n.p. Online at: FamilySearch Online Books.
 * Mulberry Hill and the Family : Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Charlotte County Branch Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, Held at Mulberry Hill on October 2, 1976. 1976. By Frances Barksdale Lynn. n.p. : n.p. Online at: Online Books.
 * The Old Trunk, or, Sketches of Colonial Days. 1888. By Powhatan Bouldin. Richmond, VA : Andrews, Baptist & Clemmitt, Steam Printers. Online at: Internet Archive, Second Edition 1896 Hathitrust, Google Books.

Historic Residences
 * Distinguished Descendants of Colonel Clement Read and Bushy Forest and Other Charlotte County Homes of the Early Reads: Two Addresses. 1932. By J.D. Eggleston. n.p. : n.p. Collection with index and images at Ancestry ($).

Maps and Gazetteers
Detail View of Charlotte County The Library of Congress, American Memory website contains two beautifully detailed maps of Charlotte County from the 1860's. Both show rivers, creeks, and some landowners names. Viewable online or downloadable in jpeg2000 format.
 * Hotchkiss map collection No. 289: Map of Charlotte County, Virginia / by Jed. Hotchkiss, Top. Eng.
 * Gilmer map collection: Map of Charlotte County, Va. Made under the direction of Maj. A.H. Campbell Chief Topl. Departm't. by Lieut. C.E. Cassell C.S. Engineers. Sept. 15, 1864.
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration

 * Emigration to Other States from Southside Virginia. 1966. By Katherine B. Elliott. South Hill, Virginia : K.B. Elliott. 2 Vols.  contains Vol. 1 of original edition,  contains 1983 reprint,  contains 1990-1992 reprints. This book includes individuals who migrated out of Charlotte County to other parts of the country.
 * 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 ($), . These records identify migrants who left the county and often their intended destinations. Charlotte County's 1787-1788 Delinquent Lists appear on 20:31-34; the 1789 Delinquent List appears on 21:118.

Military Records
French and Indian War
 * Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. By Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck. 1988. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co. . Online at: Ancestry ($).

Revolutionary War Regiments. Service men in Charlotte County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Charlotte County supplied soldiers for the:
 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshals 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 ($). . See Virginia, Eastern District, Charlotte County on page 129.
 * Charlotte County, Virginia : Revolutionary Officers and Soldiers. 1921. The William and Mary Quarterly. Online at: JSTOR.
 * Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." ; digital version at Ancestry ($). 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, Google Books;.
 * - 4th Virginia Regiment
 * - 14th Virginia Regiment (10th Company)

Colonial Militia
 * Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. By Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck. 1988. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co. . Online at: Ancestry ($). Identifies some Charlotte County militia officers 1767-1774; see place name index.

War of 1812 Charlotte County men served in the 26th Regiment.
 * 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, Charlotte County, p. 67.]
 * Roster of War of 1812, Southside, Virginia. By James L. Douthat. 2007. Signal Mountain, Tenn : Mountain Press. Mountain Press provides online surname list..

Civil War Regiments. Charlotte County men most often served in regiments (and companies) from their home county. At times, however, individuals and small groups can be found serving in regiment from neighboring counties. Later in the war, Confederate units often reorganized. Men from Charlotte County can be found in the following regiments:
 * 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)
 * - 1st Regiment, Virginia Infantry Reserves (Confederate). Company B (Home Guard)
 * - 2nd Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company K (Albemarle Light Horse)
 * - 14th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company B (Charlotte Cavalry).
 * - 18th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company K (Charlotte Rifles).
 * - 21st Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company A (Red House Volunteers).
 * - 22nd Battalion, Virginia Infantry (Confederate)
 * - 23rd Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company K (Keysville Guards).
 * - 44th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company G (Randolph Guard) - Page 227 of  only casually mentions this regiment. Therefore, it is possible that only its commander was from Charlotte County.
 * - 56th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Companies G (Charlotte Defenders) and I (Charlotte Grays).
 * - Staunton Hill, Virginia Artillery (Confederate), was formed, equipped and initially commanded by Captain Charles Bruce and later commanded by Captain A. B. Paris. This company is reported as having been composed of three sections, 1st, 2nd, 3rd with the 3rd section serving in North Carolina while the other two served in Savannah, Georgia. Further into the war, possibly became Co. B, 2nd Regiment, Virginia Artillery and much later possibly Company B, 22nd Battalion Virginia Infantry.
 * - 1st Regiment, North Carolina Artillery 10th Regiment Volunteers-1st Artillery, Company C


 * Information about the history of the companies from Charlotte County can be found in:
 * -Charlotte County, Rich Indeed, pp. 222-249 and muster rolls on pp. 476-484
 * - Muster roll for Charlotte County on microfilm
 * -A Guide to Virginia Military Organizations 1861-1865,

Civil War Battle The following Civil War battle was fought in Charlotte County.
 * June 25, 1864 Staunton River Bridge, also known as Blacks and Whites or Old Men and Young Boys
 * Maps of Civil War battles in Virginia: 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865

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
 * 1633-1800 Wills and Estate Records Index at Library of Virginia.*Digital Images of Charlotte county Wills 1765-1791; 1791-1805. See names of testators. Virginia Pioneers
 * 1652-1900 Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1900 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)

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
 * 1782-1813 Charlotte County Personal Property Tax Lists 1782-1813 (images); digital version in Tax List Club at Binns Genealogy ($).
 * 1782-1813 Charlotte County Personal Property Tax List 1782-1813. By Paul Heinegg. Online at: Free African Americans.
 * 1782 Charlotte County, Virginia 1782 Tax List; index online at Rays Place.
 * 1782 Charlotte County, Virginia 1782 Tax List online at Genealogy Trails.
 * 1783 Personal Property (or Land) Tax List, 1783; index online at Revolutionary War Service website.
 * 1790, 1800 Indexed images of the 1790 and 1800 Personal Property Tax Lists of Charlotte County, Virginia are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
 * 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). By Roger D. Ward. c1997. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co. . . The source for this publication is the 1815 land tax. Charlotte County is included in Vol. 2.
 * Charlotte County, Virginia, 1800 Tax List. The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 15, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1971):110-116; Vol. 15, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1971):166-173. Available at ; online at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).
 * Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790. By Robert Y. Clay. The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 19, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1975):190-194. ; CD available at: New England Ancestors ($). These records identify migrants who left the county and often their intended destinations. Charlotte County's 1787-1788 Delinquent Lists appear on 20:31-34; the 1789 Delinquent List appears on 21:118.
 * 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. By Netti Schreiner-Yantis and Florene Speakman Love. c1987. Springfield, Virginia : Genealogical Books in Print. . The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Charlotte County is included in Vol. 1.

Birth
Beth Fridley has published birth records through the following Ancestry index collections ($):
 * 1853-1866 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1860-1874 Charlotte County, Virginia Births, 1860-74
 * 1875-1878 Charlotte County, Virginia Births, 1875-78
 * 1879-1882 Charlotte County, Virginia Births, 1879-82
 * 1883-1896 Charlotte County, Virginia Births, 1883-96
 * 1912-1913 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1584-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Marriage

 * 1660-1800 Virginia Marriages 1660-1800 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1660-1959 Virginia, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($).
 * 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


 * Beware of the Charlotte County, Virginia, Marriage Bonds: The Featherston Family. By Margaret T. Macdonald. The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 23, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1979):3-7. Available at ; online at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).

Death

 * 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

 * Buckingham Virginia Family History Center
 * Danville Virginia Family History Center
 * Lynchburg Virginia Family History Center
 * Roanoke Virginia Family History Center


 * Greenwood Library - Longwood University - an affiliate library
 * Roanoke Public Libraries - an affiliate library

Websites

 * Charlotte Co., VAGenWeb. Part of the USGenWeb Project. Maps, name indexes, history.
 * Cyndi's List
 * Virginia Pioneers 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: Charlotte County. The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 7, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1963):115-117. Available at, online at: American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).