Accomack County, Virginia Genealogy

United States   Virginia    Accomack County

Accomack County, Virginia is a county, established in 1634, on Virginia's Eastern Shore and southern portion of the Delmarva Peninsula.

County Courthouse
Accomack County Courthouse 23316 Courthouse Avenue Accomac, Virginia 23301 Clerk of the Circuit Court: (757) 787-5776

Clerk Circuit Court has marriage from 1784

divorce records from 1850

Probate court and land records from 1663

History
Accomac Shire was established in the Virginia Colony by the House of Burgesses in 1634 under the direction of King Charles I. It was one of the original eight shires of Virginia. The shire's name comes from the Native American word Accawmack.

In 1642, the named was changed to Northampton County by the British, to eliminate "heathen" names in the New World. ("shires" and "counties" were essentially the same in England). In 1663, Northampton County was split into two counties. The northern section assumed the original Accomac name, the southern retained Northampton.

In 1670, the Virginia Colony's Royal Governor William Berkeley abolished Accomac County, but the Virginia General Assembly re-created it in 1671. In 1940, the General Assembly officially added a "k" to the end of the county's name to arrive at its current spelling, which is Accomack County. (from Wikipedia)

Parent County
1634--Accomack county was created in 1634 from Northampton County. County seat: Accomac

Variant Spellings

 * Accomac County

Populated Places
Towns:

Communities:

Research Guides

 * "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Accawmack County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1959). ; digital version at New England Ancestors ($).
 * "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Accomack County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1959). ; digital version at New England Ancestors ($).

African American
Freedmen's Bureau Letters or Correspondence, 1865-18721

Accomac Roots is an online resource with extensive African American information about the local area.

Here are additional Accomack County African American resources:


 * 1788 Tax List - Virginia. Blacks: Accomac County, Accomac Parish and Whites: Accomac County, Accomac Parish, Islands, available online, courtesy: Accomac Roots.
 * 1799 Tax List - Virginia. Blacks: Accomac County, Accomac Parish and Whites: Accomac County, Accomac Parish, Islands, available online, courtesy: Accomac Roots.
 * Heinegg, Paul. "Accomack County Personal Property Tax List 1782-1814," Free African Americans.com, available online. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * Koger, Celestine G. The 1850 Slave Inhabitants Schedule of Accomac [sic] County, Virginia. Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, c1995. 975.516 X2k 1850

Cemeteries
Many cemetery records are available online at Eastern Shore Stuff.

For a more detailed list, including addresses and external links, see Accomack County, Virginia Cemeteries.

The following is a list of cemeteries in Accomack County:


 * Tombstone Transcription Project Accomack County - transcriptions and photographs of many cemeteries in Accomack County  -  USGenWeb

Census
1790 - Lost, but a subsitute is available, see Taxation.

1800 - Exists, but it is not included in Ancestry or Heritage Quest Online databases. The original records are held at the Library of Virginia. Microfilm copy:. Abstracts were published in The Virginia Genealogist:


 * Ewald, Annie Laurie. "Accomack County, Virginia, 1800 Census," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 1, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1957):98-108; Vol. 1, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1957):157-162; Vol. 2, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1958):13-18; Vol. 2, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1958); Vol. 2, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1958):128-133; Vol. 2, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1958):153-166. ; digital version at American Ancestors ($). [The census taker was exceptional in that he identified relationships and residences of inhabitants to distinguish between persons of the same name.]

1820 - Exists, but the National Archives microfilm copy of Accomack County, Virginia omits page 6. The missing names have been published in The Virginia Genealogist:


 * Petty, Gerald M. "Virginia 1820 Federal Census: Names Not on the Microfilm Copy," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 18, No. 2 (April-June 1974):136-139. ; digital version at American Ancestors ($).


 * The list is also available online at the Shenandoah County GenWeb Project.

1850 Agriculture Census


 * Green, Linda L. Virginia 1850 Agriculture Census. 3+ vols. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Southern Cross Publications, 2004 and Westminster, Maryland: Willow Bend Books, 2006-2007. 975.5 X2g 1850 v. 1 [Volume one includes Accomack County.]

1870


 * Surname index to The Accomack County 1870 Census, courtesy: Petersrow Publishers.

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
Church of England

See also Accomac Parish See also Accomack Parish  See also St. George's Parish


 * "A Parsonage House for Accomack, 1635," Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, Vol. 22, No. 1 (Mar., 1963), p. 36. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * "Early Episcopacy in Accomack," The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 5, No. 2 (Oct., 1897), pp. 128-132. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Mason, George Carrington. Colonial Churches of Tidewater Virginia. Richmond, Virginia: Whittet &amp; Shepperson, 1945. 973026 Item 2; digital version at BYU Family History Archives. [Includes Accomack County.]
 * Surname index to St. George's Parish Accomack County Vestry Book 1763-1787, courtesy: Petersrow Publishers.
 * Surname index to Meetings of the Overseers of the Poor for Accomack &amp; St. George's Parish September 1787-1819, courtesy: Petersrow Publishers.

Methodist


 * Stevenson, Arthur Linwood. Native Methodist Preachers of the Eastern Shore of Virginia: With Supplements Concerning Methodist Preachers and Methodist Preachers' Children Who Have Married on the Shore and a Few Others. [Va.?]: A.L. Stevenson, 1970. 975.51 K2s and  874182 Item 15
 * Surname index to A Record of Baptisms on the Accomack Circuit (Cokesbury Methodist Episcopal Church of Onancock, Virginia, 1859-1888), courtesy: Petersrow Publishers.

Court
Chancery Court


 * Surname index to Accomack County Chancery Orders 1831-1845, courtesy: Petersrow Publishers.

County Court


 * Curtis, George B. "The Colonial County Court, Social Forum and Legislative Precedent: Accomack County, Virginia, 1633-1639," The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 85, No. 3 (Jul., 1977), pp. 274-288. 975.5 B2v; digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * Houston, William Robert Montgomery and Jean M. Mihalyka. Colonial Residents of Virginia's Eastern Shore: Whose Ages Were Proved Before Court Officials of Accomack and Northampton Counties. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1985. 975.51 D2h [Ages taken from court, land, and probate records.]
 * Wawrzyczek, Irmina. "The Women of Accomack versus Henry Smith: Gender, Legal Recourse, and the Social Order in Seventeenth-Century Virginia," The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 105, No. 1 (Winter, 1997), pp. 5-26. 975.5 B2v; digital version at JSTOR ($).

Eastern Shore District Court


 * Surname index to Eastern Shore District Court 1789-1816, courtesy: Petersrow Publishers.

Orphan's Court


 * Surname index to Accomack County Orphan's Court Accounts 1741-1805, courtesy: Petersrow Publishers.

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


 * [Burton] Descendant of William Burton, b. c1630, d. 1695 Accomack County, Virginia. Y-DNA 67 Marker Test, FTDNA. Genetic signature available online (labelled B-7), courtesy: Burton Project, World Families Network.
 * [Calvert] Descendant of Christopher Calvert, b. c1600, d. Accomack County, Virginia. Y-DNA 67 Market Test, FTDNA (Kit 130958). Genetic signature available online, courtesy: Family Tree DNA. Website includes discussion of a DNA match to Christopher's descendant.
 * [Fletcher] Descendant of William Fletcher, b. c1650, d. c1710 Accomack 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.
 * [Merrill] Descendant of William Merrill, b. c1645, d. 1710 Somerset County, Maryland. Y-DNA 67 Market Test, FTDNA. Genetic signature available online, courtesy: Merrill Project, World Families Network. [Some of his descendants settled in Accomack County, according to: "Descendants of William Merrill' by David W. Merrell.]
 * [Pitts] Descendant of Andrew Pitts, b. c1674, d. c1715 Accomack/Northampton County, Virginia. Y-DNA 67 Marker Test, FTDNA (Kit 102508). Genetic signature available online (labelled P-40), courtesy: Pitts Project, World Families Network. [A DNA match has been found with a Pitts family from the county of Devon, England (compare Kit 142197, labelled P-51).]
 * [Polk] Descendant of Captain William Polk, b. c1744, d. 1805 Accomack County, Virginia. Y-DNA 37 Marker Test, FTDNA (Kit 153609). Genetic signature available online (labelled P-59), courtesy: Polk Project, World Families Network.
 * [Savage] Descendant of Thomas Savage, b. c1594, d. 1620s or 1630s Virginia. Y-DNA 43 Marker Test, SMGF. Genetic signature available online (labelled S-22, see also "Savage History"), courtesy: Savage Project, World Families Network.
 * [Sneed] Descendant of Edward Sneed, 1836, Accomac Co., VA. Y-DNA 12 Market Test, FTDNA (Kit 91990). Genetic signature available online (labelled S-9), courtesy: Sneed Project, World Families Network.
 * [Townsend] Multiple descendants of John Townsend, b. c1640 of Accomack County, Virginia, d. 1698 Snow Hill, Somerset County, Maryland. Y-DNA 12 and 37 Marker Tests, FTDNA (Kits 5896, 13580, 22260, 35672, 37063). Genetic signatures available online (labelled "Snow Hill, Maryland"), courtesy: Townsend Project, World Families Network.

Genealogy
More than 100 genealogies have been published about Accomack County families. To view a list, visit Accomack County, Virginia Genealogy.

Immigration

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


 * Wawrzyczek, Irmina. "The Women of Accomack versus Henry Smith: Gender, Legal Recourse, and the Social Order in Seventeenth-Century Virginia," The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 105, No. 1 (Winter, 1997), pp. 5-26. 975.5 B2v; digital version at JSTOR ($). [Some of the individuals involved in this case were imported servants.]

During the War of 1812, American officials reported finding a total of 1 British alien living in Accomack County.

Land
Deeds

Grants and Patents


 * Nugent, Nell Marion. Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants 1623-1666. Vol. I (1934; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1991) 8 volumes. 975.5 R2n; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes Accomack County. N.B. If Ancestry's search engine fails, try checking the printed index at the end of the book.]

Headrights


 * Nottingham, Stratton. Certificates and Rights, Accomack County, Virginia, 1663-1709. Onancock, Virginia: S. Nottingham, 1929. 850108 Item 7; 1977 reprint:  975.516 R2na

Processioner's Returns


 * Surname index to Accomack and St. George's Parishes Processioner's Returns 1723-1792, 1796-1816, courtesy: Petersrow Publishers.
 * Surname index to genealogical analysis of landowners appearing in Processioner's Returns of St. George Parish 1795-1796, courtesy: Petersrow Publishers.

Local Histories

 * Wise, Jennings Cropper. Ye Kingdome of Accawmacke or the Eastern Shore of Virginia in the Seventeenth Century. Richmond, Va.: Bell Book and Stationery Co., 1911. ; 1990 reprint: ; digital versions at Google Books - free; Internet Archive - free.

Colonial Militia

 * Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. 975.5 M2bL. [Identifies some Accomack County militia officers and/or soldiers; see place name index.]
 * Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. 975.5 M2c; digital book at Ancestry ($). [Identifies some Accomack County militia officers; see place name index.]

French and Indian War

 * Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. 975.5 M2bL [Identifies some Accomack 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. 975.5 H2bw 1965; 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 Accomack County, see p. 25.]
 * Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. 975.5 M2c and  6048997; digital book at Ancestry ($). [Identifies some Accomack County militia officers; see place name index.]

Revolutionary War
Regiments. Service men in Accomack County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Accomack County supplied soldiers for the:


 * - 9th Virginia Regiment

Additional resources:


 * Nottingham, Stratton. Soldiers and Sailors of the Eastern Shore of Virginia in the Revolutionary War. Westminster, Maryland: Family Line Publications, 1995. 975.51 M2n
 * "Rev. John Lyon Tried by a Court Martial in Accomack County, August 8, 1781," The William and Mary Quarterly, Second Series, Vol. 2, No. 4 (Oct., 1922), pp. 285-288. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census]. 1841. Digital versions at U.S. Census Bureau and Google Books et. al. 1967 reprint: 973 X2pc 1840. [See Virginia, Eastern District, Accomack County on page 128.]
 * Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." 973 M24ur; digital version at Ancestry ($). [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.: Governnment Printing Office, 1883. 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, Virginia, Accomack County, p. 58]

Civil War

 * Virginia, Civil War Service


 * Virginia, Civil War

Civil War service men from Accomack County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Accomack County.


 * Surname index to The Eleventh Census of the United States 1890 - Special Schedule - Union Veterans and Widows Bundle 180, courtesy: Petersrow Publishers.

World War I

 * Barnes, Alton Brooks Parker. Young No More. [Onancock, Virginia]: P. Barnes, c1994. 975.51 M2bp [Gives a history of World War I from the viewpoint of men from Accomack and Northampton counties who fought in the war.]

Naturalization
Virginia

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

 * Surname index to Accomack Indentures 1798-1835, courtesy: Petersrow Publishers.

Philip Alexander Bruce's book Economic History of Virginia in the Seventeenth Century (Vol. II, 1896, p. 334 footnote 1) includes a list of early English merchants in Accomac(k) County.

Officials

 * Hansford, Thelma. Tax Lists York County 1782, 1783, 1784; Rent Roll York County 1704, Gloucester 1704, Warwick 1704; James City County Taxes 1768. [Va.?: T.I. Hansford?, 1950.] 1728880 Item 1 [Includes Accomack County Officials 1699-1729.]

Petitions

 * Eckenrode, H.J. Virginia State Library: A Calendar of Legislative Petitions Arranged by Counties Accomac - Bedford. Richmond, Va.: Davis Bottom, Superintendent of Public Printing, 1908. Digital version at Google Books. [Accomac(k) County petitions are described on pp. 6-23.]

Private Papers
Virginia, Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007

[Joynes] Joynes Family Bible Records, 1812-1891. Original records; microfilmed reproduction: 850402 Item 2


 * [Mapp] Mapp Family Bible Records, 1733-1918. Original records; microfilmed reproduction: 850402 Item 2
 * [Parker] Lewis, James F. "Bible of John R. Parker, Accomack County, Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 15, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1971):133-134. 975.5 B2vg; digital version at New England Ancestors ($).
 * [Scott] Scott Family Bible Records, 1817-1825. Original records; microfilmed reproduction: 850402 Item 2
 * [Taylor] Edwards, Conley L. "Family Records from the Ledger of Edward Taylor, Accomack County, 1741-1780," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 22, No. 2 (Jul-Sep. 1978):179-180. 975.5 B2vg; digital version at New England Ancestors ($).

Probate
Local Court

1729-1737 wills, inventories, appraisements, divisions (digital images) Virginia Pioneers ($).

District Court


 * Surname index to Eastern Shore District Court Wills and Deeds 1800-1806, courtesy: Petersrow Publishers.

Guardian Bonds


 * Surname index to Accomack County Guardian Bonds 1819-1827, courtesy: Petersrow Publishers.

London Courts


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

Taxation
How can Virginia tax lists help me?

Original versions
The original Accomack County personal property tax lists are kept at the Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. and the Accomack County Courthouse, Accomac, Va. Microfilm copies: (years: 1782-1850).

Published versions

 * [1663-1695] Nottingham, Stratton. Accomack Tithables 1663-1695. Onancock, Virginia: S. Nottingham, 1931. ; 1987 reprint:.
 * [1666] Wise, Jennings Cropper. Ye Kingdome of Accawmacke or the Eastern Shore of Virginia in the Seventeenth Century. 1911; reprint, Baltimore, 1990. Digital versions at Ancestry ($) and Internet Archive; 1990 reprint: . [1666 tithables list for Northampton County, pp. 373-378.]
 * [1679] Lu, Mrs. J.L. and Mrs. W.A. Neumann. "A List of Tithables Accomack Co., Virginia 1679," The Quarterly (Dallas County Genealogical Society), Vol. 24, No. 4 (Dec. 1978):222-224.
 * [1683] Quit Rent Roll for 1683, Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 23, No. 3 (Aug. 1985). ; digital version at New England Ancestors ($).
 * [1704] "Virginia Quit Rent Rolls, 1704," Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 28 (1920):207-218, 328-339; Vol. 29 (1921):18-28, 337-343, 402-412; Vol. 30 (1922):21-30, 280-285, 341-347; Vol. 31 (1923):70-75, 153-163, 215-231, 314-318; Vol. 32 (1924):69-75, 144-158, 281-287, 338-343; Vol. 33 (1925):47-50, 359-370; Vol. 34 (1926):113-119, 252-258, 313, 321. ; reprinted in Virginia Tax Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983, which is also available at FHL ; digital version of VMHB at JSTOR ($). [Accomack County appears in 34:113-119, 252-258.]
 * [1782-1814] Heinegg, Paul. "Accomack County Personal Property Tax List 1782-1814," Free African Americans.com, available online. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * [1782-1787] 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. . [1787 personal property tax list of Accomack County.]
 * [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.
 * [1788, 1799] Indexed images of the 1788 and 1799 Personal Property Tax Lists of Accomack County, Virginia are available online at Binns Genealogy.
 * [1788] 1788 Tax List - Virginia. Blacks: Accomac County, Accomac Parish and Whites: Accomac County, Accomac Parish, Islands, available online, courtesy: Accomac Roots.
 * [1799] 1799 Tax List - Virginia. Blacks: Accomac County, Accomac Parish and Whites: Accomac County, Accomac Parish, Islands, available online, courtesy: Accomac Roots.
 * [1815] Ward, Roger D. 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). 6 vols. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997-2000. . [The source for this publication is the 1815 land tax. Accomack County is included in Vol. 3.]

Birth
The birth registers of Accomack County, Virginia (1853-1896) have been indexed twice. Petersrow Publishers offers a free surname search of published abstracts on their website. Ancestry's fee-based databases include abstracts.


 * Surname index to The Accomack County Birth Register 1853-1896, courtesy: Petersrow Publishers.
 * Surname index to The Accomack County Birth Register 1853-1896: African American Births, courtesy: Petersrow Publishers.

Beth Fridley's birth abstracts are on Ancestry ($)

Death

 * Surname index to The Accomack County Death Register 1853-1896, courtesy: Petersrow Publishers.
 * Surname index to Accomack County Death Register 1853-1896: African American Deaths, courtesy: Petersrow Publishers.

Vital Record Substitutes

 * Houston, William Robert Montgomery and Jean M. Mihalyka. Colonial Residents of Virginia's Eastern Shore: Whose Ages Were Proved Before Court Officials of Accomack and Northampton Counties. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1985. . [Ages taken from court, land, and probate records.]

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Eastern Shore Virginia Family History Center

Websites

 * Accomac Roots (Extensive African-American History in Accomac County Virginia)
 * Accomack County, VAGenWeb. Part of the USGenWeb Project. Cemetery, census, church, marriage, military records; maps; message boards; surname interests.
 * Cyndi's List
 * Accomack County, Virginia Genealogy and Facts
 * Virginia Pioneers

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