Bland County, Virginia Genealogy
Guide to Bland County, Virginia ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Bland County is located in the Southwest portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia sharing a border with West Virginia. Bland County was named after Richard Bland, a leader of Colonial Virginia[1].
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Bland County Courthouse
612 Main Street, Suite 104
Bland, VA 24315
Phone: 540-688-4562
Bland County Website
Clerk Circuit court has marriage, probate and land records 1861, and divorce records from 1900.[2]
Bland County, Virginia Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
Birth | Marriage | Death | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
1861 | 1861 | 1861 | 1861 | 1861 | 1861 | 1810 |
General compliance year is unknown. |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[6]
Unincorporated communities | ||
Census-designated places | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
The county was named after Richard Bland (1710-1776), Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress in 1774 and 1775.[7]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
For databases and indexes, see Virginia Bible Records.
- 1607-2007 Virginia, Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
- 1800-1986 Virginia, Jewish Cemetery Records Index, ca. 1800-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Census Records[edit | edit source]
For databases, indexes, and information online, see Virginia Census.
Historical populations | ||
---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± |
1870 | 4,000 | — |
1880 | 5,004 | 25.1% |
1890 | 5,129 | 2.5% |
1900 | 5,497 | 7.2% |
1910 | 5,154 | −6.2% |
1920 | 5,593 | 8.5% |
1930 | 6,031 | 7.8% |
1940 | 6,731 | 11.6% |
1950 | 6,436 | −4.4% |
1960 | 5,982 | −7.1% |
1970 | 5,423 | −9.3% |
1980 | 6,349 | 17.1% |
1990 | 6,514 | 2.6% |
2000 | 6,871 | 5.5% |
2010 | 6,824 | −0.7% |
Source: "Wikipedia.org". United States Census Bureau. |
Church Records[edit | edit source]
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Chancery Court
- Indexed images of Bland County, Virginia Chancery Records 1874-1928 are available online through Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index. The online indexes continues from 1928 through 1938, but at present does not include images. These records, often concerned with inheritance disputes, contain a wealth of genealogical information.[8]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
For databases and immigrant groups, see Virginia Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
African Americans
- 1935-2009 Virginia, African-American Funeral Programs, 1935-2009 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- Search the Library of Virginia's Virginia Untold collection for digitized records related to African Americans in Bland County.
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2009 Virginia, African-American Funeral Programs, 1935-2009 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
- See Bland County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies, for a few published books and articles.
See also: Virginia Compiled Genealogies
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
For land indexes, records, and databases, see Virginia Land and Property, including Colonial and State Land Grants.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
- History of Bland County, Virginia. c1961. By Bland County Centennial Corporation. Radford, Virginia : Bland County Centennial Corporation. At various libraries (WorldCat).
- Little Walkers Creek : A History of the Land and Its People. c2005. By Rebecca Cox Sowers. Franklin, Tennessee : American History Imprints. At various libraries (WorldCat).
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
County and state maps, historical and more current, are valuable research tools. For map collections, online and in libraries, see Virginia Maps.
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns in this couinty - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
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... 1883. Washington, DC : Government Printing Office. Online at: Internet Archive, Google Books. See Vol. 5, Virginia, Bland County, p. 64.
Civil War
- 1861-1865 Virginia, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1861-1865 Virginia, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 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)
- History of Bland County, Virginia. c1961. By Bland County Centennial Corporation. Radford, Virginia : Bland County Centennial Corporation. At various libraries (WorldCat). Includes names of units from this county and a roster of the men who served in these units on pages 259-277.
Regiments: Civil War service men in Bland County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed here:
- - 8th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company F (Bland Rangers)[9]
- - 36th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate).
- - 45th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company F (Sharpshooters).[10]
- - 47th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company B.[11]
- - 51st Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company F (or K).[12]
World War II
- 1940-1945 Virginia, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
For online newspaper resources, see the Virginia Newspapers page.
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
For probate records, indexes, and databases, see Virginia Probate Records.
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index 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[edit | edit source]
For additional online collections and the value and use of Virginia's tax lists in your research, see Virginia Taxation.
Online Tax Indexes and Records
- 1890 Bland County, Virginia Property Tax Records. 2004. By Denise A. Smith. Signal Mountain, TN : Mountain Press. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
For additional indexes, databases, and details, see Virginia Vital Records.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1853-1866 Virginia, Slave Birth Index, 1853-1866 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1861-1896 Bland County, Virginia Births: 1861-96. 2000. By Beth Fridley. Provo, UT : The Generations Network, Inc. Online at: Ancestry ($).
- 1912-1913 Virginia, Birth Certificates, 1912-1913 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1584-1917 Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1660-1959 Virginia, United States Marriages Online at: Findmypast ($)
- 1785-1940 Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1785-1940 Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index ; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
- 1853-1935 Virginia, Bureau of Vital Statistics, County Marriage Registers, 1853-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1936-1988 Virginia, Marriage Certificates, 1936-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1912-1987 Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1853-1912 Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1912 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1918-1988 Virginia, Divorce Records, 1918-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Bland County. For state-wide facilities, see Virginia Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- FB Kegley Library, Wytheville - an affiliate library
- Smyth County Public Library, Marion - an affiliate library
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Bland County. For state-wide library facilities, see Virginia Archives and Libraries.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Bland County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Virginia Societies.
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Bland Co., VAGenWeb. Part of the USGenWeb Project. Maps, name indexes, history.
- Cyndi's List
- FamilySearch Catalog – 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[edit | edit source]
- A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Bland County. By John Frederick Dorman. The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 5, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1961):77-78. CD available at: New England Ancestors ($).
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ County
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Iowa.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Iowa.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Lost Records Localities: Counties and Cities with Missing Records, 4, in Library of Virginia (accessed 4 April 2014).
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Iowa.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Bland_ County,_Virginia," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, wikipedia accessed 16 Decamber 2019.
- ↑ Wikipedia Contributors, "Bland County, Virginia," in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bland_County, accessed 13 January 2012.
- ↑ "Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index Availability," Library of Virginia (accessed 26 January 2010).
- ↑ Jack L. Dickinson, 8th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1986). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 25.
- ↑ J.L. Scott, 45th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1989). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 58.
- ↑ Richard L. Armstrong, 26th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1994). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 110.
- ↑ James A. Davis, 51st Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1984). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 9; A Guide to Virginia Military Organization 1861-1865, 287.