Tazewell County, Virginia Genealogy
Guide to Tazewell 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]
Tazewell County lies in the southwest Appalachian area of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named in honor of Senator Henry Tazewell who made the motion to create the county.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Tazewell County Courthouse
135 Court Street, #300
Tazewell, VA 24651-1081
Phone: 276-385-1563
Tazewell County Website
Clerk Circuit Court has birth and death records 1853-1870, marriage probate and land records from 1800 and court records from 1832[3]
Tazewell 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 |
1853 | 1800 | 1853 | 1832 | 1800 | 1800 | 1810 |
General compliance year is unknown. |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
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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:[7]
Towns | ||
Unincorporated communities | ||
Census-designated places | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
The county is named after Henry Tazewell (1753-1799), a Revolutionary War Captain and Virginia politician.[8]
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]
- Brock, R.A. Virginia and Virginians: Tazewell County: Eminent Virginians, 1606-1888. Richmond, Va.: H.H. Hardesty, 1888. 1998 reprint: FHL. Online index is available.
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
- Stevenson, John J. "Notes on the Quinnimont Coal Group in Mercer Co. of West Virginia and Tazewell Co. of Virginia Notes on the Quinnimont Coal Group in Mercer Co. of West Virginia and Tazewell Co. of Virginia," Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, Vol. 19, No. 109 (Jun.-Dec. 1881):498-505. Available at JSTOR ($).
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. | %± |
1800 | 2,127 | — |
1810 | 3,007 | 41.4% |
1820 | 3,916 | 30.2% |
1830 | 5,749 | 46.8% |
1840 | 6,290 | 9.4% |
1850 | 9,942 | 58.1% |
1860 | 9,920 | −0.2% |
1870 | 10,791 | 8.8% |
1880 | 12,861 | 19.2% |
1890 | 19,899 | 54.7% |
1900 | 23,384 | 17.5% |
1910 | 24,946 | 6.7% |
1920 | 27,840 | 11.6% |
1930 | 32,477 | 16.7% |
1940 | 41,607 | 28.1% |
1950 | 47,512 | 14.2% |
1960 | 44,791 | −5.7% |
1970 | 39,816 | −11.1% |
1980 | 50,511 | 26.9% |
1990 | 45,960 | −9.0% |
2000 | 44,598 | −3.0% |
2010 | 45,078 | 1.1% |
Source: "Wikipedia.org". |
1790 Lost
1800 Lost
1810 Lost, but a substitute is available, see Taxation.
1840
- Douthat, James L. 1840 Mountain Empire of Virginia Census. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 2001. FHL Collection 975.5 X2d 1840. Free online surname index and purchase details at Mountain Press. Includes Tazewell County.
1890 Union Veterans
- "Virginia's Union Veterans: Eleventh Census of the United States 1890." Prince William County Virginia, by Ronald Ray Turner. FHL Collection.
Church Records[edit | edit source]
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Quaker
Early monthly meetings (with years of existence):
- Bluestone Monthly Meeting (1781-1783)[9]
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Online Court Indexes and Records
Chancery Court
- Indexed images to Tazewell County, Virginia Chancery Records 1800-1920 are available online through Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index. These records, which were often concerned with inheritance disputes, contain a wealth of genealogical information.
County Court
- "Tazewell County, Virginia, Order Book 1800-1810, Selected Entries," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 15, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1971):61-70; Vol. 15, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1971):121. Available at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($). [Project cancelled once it was learned that Netti Schreiner-Yantis was preparing to publish a complete transcript of this order book.]
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 American
- 1865-1872 Virginia, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1872 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 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 of Tazewell 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]
Compiled Genealogies by Surname
- See Tazewell 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
- Gose, George B. Pioneers of the Virginia Bluegrass (and Their Descendants). Radford, Va.: Commonwealth Press, n.d. Available At various libraries (WorldCat).
- Harman, John Newton. Annals of Tazewell County, Virginia, From 1800 to 1922. 2 vols. 1922-1925. Digital version at Ancestry ($); FHL Book 975.5763 H2h 1975. Includes genealogies of many early Tazewell County families: Baldwin, Bandy, Barns, Bowen, Chapman, Copenhaver, Coulling, Crockett, Gillespie, Gose, Graham, Graybeal, Greever, Hankins, Harman, Higginbotham, Holmes, Hopkins, Linkous, Litz, Lockhart, Moss, Maxwell, Martin, May, Mays, Moore, McGuire, Peery, Sparks, Stras, Thompson, Ward, Whitley, Williams, Witten, Wohlford-Mustard, Yost, Young, and others.
- Schreiner-Yantis, Netti. Archives of the Pioneers of Tazewell County, Virginia. Springfield, Va.: N. Schreiner-Yantis, 1973. FHL Book 975.576 N2s; Free Lookups Available!
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.
Online Land Indexes and Records
Grants and Patents
Land patents (pre-1779), land grants (after 1779) and surveys are available online at the Library of Virginia website. For step-by-step instructions on retrieving these records, read the Virginia Land and Property article.*Anderson. 699 patents dated 1782-1912 in what is now Russell and Tazewell Counties, Virginia placed on a map. DeedMapper. 2007. 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.
- Sims, Edgar Barr. Sims Index to Land Grants in West Virginia. [Springfield, Virginia]: Genealogical Books in Print, c1992. Available at FHL. Includes Tazewell County, Virginia.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
- Bickley, George W.L. and J. Allen Neal. History of the Settlement and Indian Wars of Tazewell County, Virginia. Parsons, West Virginia: McClain Print. Co., 1974. Available at FHL.
- Bundy, Nellie White. Sketches of Tazewell County, Virginia's Early History. Virginia?: Historic Crab Orchard Museum, 1976. Available at FHL.
- Harman, John Newton. Annals of Tazewell County, Virginia from 1800 to 1922 in Two Volumes. Richmond: W.C. Hill Print. Co., 1922-1925. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
- Pendleton, William C. History of Tazewell County and Southwest Virginia, 1748-1920. 4 parts. Richmond, Va.: W.C. Hill Printing Co., 1920. FHL; digital versions at Ancestry ($), Google Books, FamilySearch Digital Library.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
County and state maps, historical and more current, are valuable research tools. For map collections, online and in libraries, see Virginia Maps.
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places: Cities and Towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Revolutionary War
- Kegley, Mary B. Revolutionary War Pension Applications of Southwest Virginia Soldiers. n.p.: M.B. Kegley, 1997. FHL Collection Includes Tazewell County pensioners.
- A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. 1841. Digital version at Google Books et. al. 1967 reprint: FHL Collection 973 X2pc 1840. See Virginia, Western District, Tazewell County on page 136.
- Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." FHL Book 973 M24ur; digital version at Ancestry ($). Includes veterans. Virginia section begins on page 238.
War of 1812
- Tazewell County, Virginia Soldiers who served in the 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.: Government Printing Office, 1883. FHL Collection 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. See Vol. 5, Virginia, Tazewell County, p. 106. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.
Regiments. Tazewell County men served in the 112th Regiment.[10]
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)
Regiments. Civil War service men in Tazewell 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:
- - 5th Regiment, Virginia State Line (Cavalry, Artillery, and Infantry) (Confederate). Company G probably recruited in Tazewell County.[11]
- - 8th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company H (Tazewell Troop)[12]
- - 13th Battalion, Virginia Reserves (Confederate). Company B.[13]
- - 14th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Confederate). Company K
- - 16th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Companies C, F, and I.[14]
- - 22nd Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Bowen's Virginia Mounted Riflemen) (Confederate). Company F, Company H, and Company I.
- - 23rd Battalion, Virginia Infantry Reserves (Confederate). Company C and Company D.[15]
- - 34th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Witcher's Battalion, Virginia Mounted Rifles) (Confederate). Company C (McDowell Partisan Rangers) and Company E.[16]
- - 37th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Dunn's Battalion, Partisan Rangers) (Confederate). Company K.[17]
- - 45th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company A (Floyd Guard), Company G (West Augusta Rifles), Company H (Tazewell Rangers), and Company K (Tazewell Boys).[18]
- - 50th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company C.[19]
- - 51st Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company L.[20]
World War I
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.
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 the Virginia Gazette and other Virginia newspapers (1736-1803), see: The Geography of Slavery in Virginia.
- 1887-1922 Clinch Valley News at Chronicling America - free.
- 2010-present Richlands News-Press at Genealogy Bank ($).
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
For probate records, indexes, and databases, see Virginia Probate Records.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1800-1832 Images of Wills and Estates. Virginia Pioneers ($)
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
Online Tazewell County, Virginia Tax Lists | |||||||||||
Type | Index | Images | |||||||||
Free | FHC | Fee | Free | FHC | Fee | ||||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1801 | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1802 | - | - | - | 1802 | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1803-1850 | - |
Bibliography
- 1801-1820 Schreiner-Yantis, Netti. Archives of the Pioneers of Tazewell County, Virginia. Springfield, Va.: N. Schreiner-Yantis, c1973. FHL Book 975.576 N2s.
- 1802 Weaver, Jeffrey C. The 1802 Tazewell County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List, available online, courtesy: New River Notes.
- 1810Schreiner-Yates, Netti. A Supplement to the 1810 Census of Virginia: Tax Lists of the Counties for which the Census is Missing. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1971. Available at FHL. The source for this publication is the 1810 personal property tax lists. Tazewell County is included because the 1810 Census for that county has been destroyed.
- 1810 Tazewell County, Virginia, 1810 [Personal Property] Tax List. [Signal Mountain, Tennessee?: Mountain Press?, n.d.] Available at FHL.
- 1810 Tax list, 1810, Southwest Virginian. Norton VA: Feb 1981. Vol. 4 Iss. 19.
- 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. Tazewell County is included in Vol. 5.
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
- 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
- Compiled Tazewell Co. Birth Index at VAGenWeb
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1660-1800 Virginia Marriages 1660-1800 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1660-1959 Virginia, United States Marriages at at Findmypast — index, ($) — index $
- 1740-1850 Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1785-1940 Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
- 1785-1940 Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1800-1949 Compiled Tazewell County Marriage Index at VAGenWeb
- 1853-1935 Virginia, Bureau of Vital Statistics, County Marriage Registers, 1853-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1936-1988 Virginia, Marriage Certificates, 1936-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- Marriages - Bonds 1801-1845;1845-1853. Virginia Pioneers ($)
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 — index & images
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Tazewell 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
- Bristol Virginia Family History Center
- Pembroke Virginia Family History Center
- Roanoke Virginia Family History Center
- Washington County Public Library - Glade Spring Branch - an affiliate library
- F.B. Kegley Library - an affiliate library
- Smyth County Public Library - an affiliate library
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Tazewell County. For state-wide library facilities, see Virginia Archives and Libraries.
Tazewell County Public Library
310 East Main Street
PO Box 929
Tazewell, VA 24651
Phone: (276) 988-2541
Fax: (276) 988-5980
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Tazewell County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Virginia Societies.
Websites[edit | edit source]
- 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: Tazewell County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 23, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1979):218-220. Digital version at American Ancestors by NEHGS ($).
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Newberry
- ↑ http://visittazewellcounty.org/history/l
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Newberry
- ↑ 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, "Tazewell County,_Virginia," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tazewell_County,_Virginia#Communities accessed 4 March 2020.
- ↑ Wikipedia Contributors, "Henry Tazewell," in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Tazewell, accessed 13 January 2012.
- ↑ Jay Worrall, The Friendly Virginians: America's First Quakers (Athens, Ga.: Iberian Publishing Company, 1994), 537-539. FHL Book 975.5 K2wj.
- ↑ Stuart Lee Butler, A Guide to Virginia Militia Units in the War of 1812 (Athens, Ga.: Iberian Pub. Co., 1988), 206. FHL Book 975.5 M2bs.
- ↑ The Virginia State Line: Organizational Structure of the Virginia State Line, Ranger95.com, accessed 23 February 2022.
- ↑ Jack L. Dickinson, 8th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1986). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 25.
- ↑ William C. Pendleton, History of Tazewell County and Southwest Virginia, 1748-1920 (Richmond, Va.: W.C. Hill Printing Company, 1920), 629-630. Digital version at Google Books.
- ↑ Jack L. Dickinson, 16th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1989). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 60.
- ↑ J.L. Scott, 23rd Battalion Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, c1991). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 79.
- ↑ Scott C. Cole, 34th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1993). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 94.
- ↑ J.L. Scott, 36th and 37th Battalions Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1986). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 24.
- ↑ J.L. Scott, 45th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1989). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 58.
- ↑ John C. Chapla, 50th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1997). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 129.
- ↑ James A. Davis, 51st Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1984). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 9.