Brunswick County, Virginia Genealogy

United States   Virginia    Brunswick County





History


The county was named after the Duchy of Brunswick-Lunenburg in modern-day Germany.

Parent County
1720--Brunswick County was created 2 November 1720 from Prince George, Isle of Wight and Surry Counties. County seat: Lawrenceville

Record Loss

 * Lost census: 1890

African American

 * Heinegg, Paul. "Brunswick County Personal Property Tax List 1782-1815," Free African Americans.com, available online. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * Wynne, Frances Holloway. Register of Free Negroes and Also of Dower Slaves, Brunswick County, Virginia, 1803-1850. Fairfax, Virginia: Self-published, 1983.

Cemeteries
For a detailed list, including addresses, phone numbers, and external links, see Brunswick County, Virginia Cemeteries.

The following is a list of cemeteries in Brunswick County:


 * Tombstone Transcription Project Brunswick County - Cemetery transcriptions - USGenWeb
 * Wilkes, Charles Fred. "Wilkes Burial Ground, 'Charlie's Hope,' Brunswick County, Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 15, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1971):135-136. Available at ; digital version at New England Ancestors($).

Census
1830


 * Simmons, Don. Brunswick Co., Va. Census of 1830. Melber, Kentucky: Self-published, 1976.

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.]

Church

 * Hopkins, William Lindsay. Bath Parish Register (Births, Deaths, &amp; Marriages), 1827-1897, of Dinwiddie County, Virginia and St. Andrews Parish Vestry Book, 1732-1797, of Brunswick County, Virginia. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Publishing Company, 1993.

Court

 * Pawlett, Nathaniel Mason. Brunswick County Road Orders, 1732-1746. Charlottesville, Virginia: Virginia Transportation Research Council, 1988.

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


 * [Fletcher] Descendant of James Fletcher, b. c1680s, resident of Prince George County, Virginia, d. 1733 Brunswick County, Virginia. Y-DNA 37 Marker Test, FTDNA. Genetic signature available online (labelled William Fletcher of Accomac County, Virginia/James Fletcher of Brunswick County, Virginia), courtesy: The Fletcher DNA Project.
 * [Harrison] Descendant of Benjamin Harrison, b. c1720, d. 1790 Brunswick County, Virginia. Y-DNA 67 Marker Test, FTDNA (labelled H-18, Lineage 2). Genetic signature available online, courtesy: The Harrison DNA Project, World Families Network.
 * [Harrison] Descendant of John Harrison, b. 1760 of Brunswick County, Virginia, d. 1822. Y-DNA 67 Marker Test, FTDNA (labelled H-101, Lineage 2). Genetic signature available online, courtesy: The Harrison DNA Project, World Families Network.

Genealogy
More than 30 genealogies have been published about Brunswick County families. To view a list, visit Brunswick County, Virginia Genealogy.

Immigration

 * 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 ($). [Brunswick Co., VA surname: Godwyn.]
 * [http://www.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=Brunswick&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 Brunswick County, Virginia (work in progress), courtesy: Immigrant Servants Database.

Land
Deeds


 * Brunswick County, Virginia Deeds. Miami Beach, Florida: T.L.C. Genealogy, 1991.
 * "Brunswick County, Virginia, Deeds, Wills, Etc., No. 1, 1732-1740," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1957):73-79; Vol. 1, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1957):124-131; Vol. 1, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1957):163-168; Vol. 2, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1958):33-37; Vol. 2, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1958):87-90; Vol. 2, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1958):124-127; Vol. 2, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1958):172-176; Vol. 3, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1959):27-33; Vol. 3, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1959):65-70; Vol. 3, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1959):103-112; Vol. 3, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1959):153-161. Available at ; digital version at New England Ancestors($).

Grants and Patents


 * Hudgins. 520 patents dated 1717-1801 in what is now Brunswick County, Virginia placed on a map. DeedMapper, 2002. [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.]

Migration

 * Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 19, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1975):248-254. Available at ; digital version at New England Ancestors ($). [These records identify migrants who left the county and often their intended destinations. Brunswick County's 1787 Delinquent List appears on p. 254]
 * 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 Brunswick County to other parts of the country.]

Bell published records of Brunswick County residents who migrated to South Carolina:


 * Bell, Mary McCampbell. "Some Migrations from Virginia to South Carolina," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 11, No. 2 (Spring 1983):97-102; Vol. 12, No. 2 (Spring 1984):94-99.

French and Indian War

 * Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. Available at . [Identifies some Brunswick 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 Brunswick County, see p. 68-69.]
 * Bracey, Mrs. Carstairs. "Soldiers From Brunswick County, Virginia, in the French and Indian War," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 23, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1979):193-194.
 * Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. Available at ; digital version at New England Ancestors($).; digital book at Ancestry ($). [Identifies some Brunswick County militia officers and soldiers; see place name index.]

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, Brunswick County on page 129.]
 * 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

 * Douthat, James L. Roster of War of 1812, Southside, Virginia. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 2007. Free online surname index and purchase details at Mountain Press website. 975.5 M2djL. [Includes Brunswick 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, Brunswick County, p. 64.]

Civil War

 * Pritchett, W.M. Civil War Soldiers from Brunswick County, Virginia. Baltimore: Gateway Press, 2000.

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.

Probate
SamPubCo has created a free online resource that serves as a good starting place to search for Colonial Brunswick County wills:


 * Brunswick County, Virginia Will Testators Index, Books 1-3 (1732-1769)

Other Brunswick County probate resources include:


 * "Brunswick County, Virginia, Deeds, Wills, Etc., No. 1, 1732-1740," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1957):73-79; Vol. 1, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1957):124-131; Vol. 1, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1957):163-168; Vol. 2, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1958):33-37; Vol. 2, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1958):87-90; Vol. 2, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1958):124-127; Vol. 2, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1958):172-176; Vol. 3, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1959):27-33; Vol. 3, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1959):65-70; Vol. 3, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1959):103-112; Vol. 3, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1959):153-161. Available at ; digital version at New England Ancestors($).
 * Brunswick County, Virginia Wills, 1739-1750. Miami Beach. Florida: T.L.C. Genealogy, 1991.
 * Hopkins, William Lindsay. Some Wills from the Burned Counties of Virginia and Other Wills Not Listed in Virginia Wills and Administrations 1632-1800. Richmond, Virginia: W.L. Hopkins, 1987. Available at . [Includes Brunswick County.]

Research Guides

 * "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Brunswick County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 6, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1962):34-38. Available at ; digital version at New England Ancestors($).
 * Pritchett, John W. "Genealogical Research in Brunswick County," The Virginia Genealogical Society Newsletter, Vol. 32, No. 3 (2006). Available at.

Taxation
How can Virginia tax lists help me?


 * [1748] "Brunswick County, Va., Poll List, 1748," William and Mary College Quarterly, 1st Series, Vol. 26 (1917):59-64. Available at ; reprinted in Virginia Tax Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983, which is also available at ; digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * [1782] Fothergill, Augusta B. and John Mark Naugle. Virginia Tax Payers, 1782-87, Other Than Those Published by the United States Census Bureau. 1940; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1978. Available at . [1782 personal property tax list of Brunswick County.]
 * [1782-1815] Heinegg, Paul. "Brunswick County Personal Property Tax List 1782-1815," Free African Americans.com, available online. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * [1787] Schreiner-Yantis, Netti and Florene Speakman Love. The 1787 Census of Virginia: An Accounting of the Name of Every White Male Tithable Over 21 Years, the Number of White Males Between 16 &amp; 21 Years, the Number of Slaves over 16 &amp; Those Under 16 Years, Together with a Listing of Their Horses, Cattle &amp; Carriages, and Also the Names of All Persons to Whom Ordinary Licenses and Physician's Licenses Were Issued. 3 vols. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1987. Available at . [The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Brunswick County is included in Vol. 1.]
 * [1787] Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 19, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1975):248-254. Available at ; digital version at New England Ancestors ($). [These records identify migrants who left the county and often their intended destinations. Brunswick County's 1787 Delinquent List appears on p. 254]
 * [1788, 1798] Indexed images of the 1788 and 1798 Personal Property Tax Lists of Brunswick County, Virginia are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
 * [1800] "Brunswick County, Virginia, 1800 Tax List," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 11, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1967):35-38; Vol. 11, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1967):67-70; Vol. 11, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1967):116-120; Vol. 11, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1967):175-178. Available at ; digital version at New England Ancestors($).
 * [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. Brunswick County is included in Vol. 2.]

Vital Records
Birth

Beth Fridley has published abstracts of Brunswick County births from 1853 through 1896 online at Ancestry:


 * Brunswick County, Virginia Births, 1853-62 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).
 * Brunswick County, Virginia Births, 1865-73 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).
 * Brunswick County, Virginia Births, 1874-79 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).
 * Brunswick County, Virginia Births, 1880-96 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).

Marriage


 * Fothergill, Augusta B. Marriage Records of Brunswick County, Virginia, 1730 - 1852. [S.l.]: A.B. Fothergill, 1953. Available at ; digital version at World Vital Records ($).
 * Knorr, Catherine Lindsay. Marriage Bonds and Ministers' Returns of Brunswick County, Virginia, 1750-1810. Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1953, 1982.
 * Ricks, Joel. Brunswick County, Virginia Marriage Bonds, 1750-1861. Salem, Massachusetts: Higginson Book Company, 1997.

Websites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Brunswick County, Virginia GenWeb (VAGenWeb)