Mathews County, Virginia Genealogy

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

Description
Matthews County is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Brigadier General Thomas Mathews, then speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates.

County Courthouse
Mathews County Courthouse 10622 Buckley Hall Road PO Box 463 Mathews, VA 23109 Phone: 804-725-2242 Mathews County Website

Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1865

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 is named after Thomas Mathews (1742–1812), an American Revolutionary War general and Virginia politician, who represented Norfolk Borough in the Virginia House of Delegates, and served as that body's Speaker from 1782 until 1793. Mathews County, located on the eastern tip of Virginia’s Middle Peninsula on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, has a rich history going back to the early 17th century. A shipbuilding center during the American Revolution and the War of 1812, Mathews served as an official port of entry from 1802 to 1844. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Mathews was an important stop on the maritime highway. Initially known as Kingston Parish, one of the four parishes of Gloucester County, the citizens on November 11, 1790 petitioned the House of Delegates requesting Gloucester County to be divided. The General Assembly endorsed the recommendation and made the separation effective on May 1, 1791. They named Mathews County after then Speaker of the House of Delegates Thomas Mathews of Norfolk, Virginia, one of the sponsors of the legislation that led to the new county’s formation. The Mathews County seal was adopted on February 11, 1793 and represents the shipbuilding industry, which was of major importance to the economy of Mathews.

Bible Records

 * 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Cemeteries

 * 1800-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Tyler, Lyon G. "Old Tombstones in Mathews County," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Apr. 1895):255-256. Digital version at JSTOR - free
 * Tombstones of Mathews County, Virginia 1711-1986. Compilers: Christine L. Sheridan and Elsie W. Ernst. Mathews County Historical Society, Inc., 1988.

Census Records
1784 - First Census of the United States Heads of Families. Kingston Parish. 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 Records
Kingston Parish


 * Matheny, Emma R. and Helen K. Yates. Kingston Parish Register, Gloucester and Mathews Counties, Virginia, 1749-1827. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1979. Original is available at FHLand digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * The Vestry Book of Kingston Parish, Mathews County, Virginia (until May 1, 1791, Gloucester County), 1679-1796. Transcribed, annotated, and indexed by C.G. Chamberlayne. Originally published Richmond, Virginia, 1929. Available at FamilySearch Digital Library; FHL; digital versions at Ancestry ($).
 * Brown, Robert L. Old Kingston Parish 1652-1976. Creative Arts Advertising, 1976. Available at the Mathews County Visitor and Information Center.
 * McCartney, Martha W. Kingston Parish Register: Mathews, Gloucester and Middlesex Counties, Virginia Slaves and Slaveholders, 1746-1827. Genealogical Publishing, 2014.

Church of England Kingston Parish
 * Mason, George Carrington. Colonial Churches of Tidewater Virginia. Richmond, Virginia: Whittet and Shepperson, 1945. Available at ; digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library.

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * Library of Virginia's Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index can be used to search Mathews County chancery records for the years 1842-1904, but this is an incomplete index. The majority of chancery records remain at the Mathews County Circuit Court Clerk's office.

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
 * Heinegg, Paul. "Mathews County Personal Property Tax List, 1791-1815," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * Gwynn's Island Project. Website dedicated to African Americans whose ancestral home place is Gwynn's Island in Mathews County, Virginia.
 * Dixon, John W. The Black Americans of Gwynn's Island 1600s through 1900s. Mathews Memorial Library CREF 909.04 DIX.
 * Johnson, Martha C. Black Families of Elizabeth City Co., VA, 1800-1990: Research of Families of Callis, Davis, Simpson, Radcliff, Originating from Gloucester Co., Mathews Co., York and James Counties and Elizabeth Co., Hampton, Virginia. 1728886 Item 2.
 * Search the Library of Virginia's Virginia Untold collection for digitized records related to African Americans of Mathews County.
 * Free African Americans of North Carolina and Virginia has Paul Heinegg's Free African Americans of North Carolina and Virginia is a collection of genealogies about African American families living in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.

Funeral Homes

 * 1935-2009 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Foster-Faulkner Funeral Home
 * Knight Funeral Home Inc. · 656 Holly Point Rd. · Mathews, Virginia · (804) 725-3631

Genealogies
Compiled Genealogies by Surname
 * See Mathews County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies for a few+ published books and articles.

Compiled Genealogies for Multiple Families
 * Yurechko, John Otto. Virginians Along and Near the Lower Rapphahannock River, 1607-1799. 2 vols. Westminster, Md.: Family Line Publications, 1997-1998. . Contents: v. 1. Blake, Brooks (Brook), Churchill, Cook (Cock), Daniel, Dixon, Gore, Kidd, Lewis, Martin, Montague, Taylor and Wood -- v. 2. Brown, Clark, Elliott, Fox (Fowkes, Vaulx), Harrison, McTyre, Moore, Pate, Rawlins (Rollins), Rhodes, Sanders (Saunders) and Williams.

Land and Property Records

 * 1782, 1784, 1787-E, 1788-E, 1789-E, 1790-E Land tax assessments, Kingston Parish
 * 1791-1800 Mathews County Virginia Land and Personal Tax Lists abstracted by Dr. Stephen E. Bradley, Jr., 1992. Available at the Mathews County Visitor and Information Center.
 * 1801-1814 Land tax records, Mathews County, Virginia

Local Histories
Historic Sites & Properties
 * McCartney, Martha W. Mathews County Virginia: Lost Landscapes, Untold Stories. Dietz Press, 2015.
 * History and Progress Mathews County, Virginia, Mathews County Historical Society, 1982.
 * Mathews County Panorama, A Pictorial History of Mathews County, Virginia, 1791-1941, Mathews County Historical Society, 1983.
 * Clifford, Mary Louise. New Point Comfort Lighthouse: Its History and Preservation. Dietz Press, 2013.
 * Ryan, David D. Gwynn's Island Virginia: A History and Pictorial Essay. Whittet & Shepperson, printers, 1986. Mathews Memorial Library CREF 975.531 RYA.
 * Ryan, David D. Gwynn's Island Virginia: Stories of a New World Settlement from the first families to the present. Dietz Press, 2000. Mathews Memorial Library CREF 975.531 RYA.


 * Historic Homes and Properties of Mathews County, Virginia, Vol. 1 by MCHS (2009). First in a series of five highlighting ten pre-Civil War home in Mathews County, Virginia: Carobian (Sibley Farm), Fountain Green, Magnolia, Milford II (William Penn Hudgins House), Old Pine (John Warner Borum House), Palace Green (Francis Armistead House), R-R Retreat Acres (Archibald Taylor Hudgins House), Seth Foster House, Whitfield Landing (Jesse Hudgins House) and Williamsdale (Riverlawn).
 * Historic Homes and Properties of Mathews County, Virginia, Vol. 2 by MCHS (2013). Second in a series of five highlighting ten pre-Civil War home in Mathews County, Virginia: Bellevue, Brunson’s Landing (Jesse Thomas House), Edwards Hall (Bohannon Place/Hurricane Hall II) Pleasant View (Tynant), Poplar Grove, Ransone House (Rebel Yell), Springdale, Sutherland (Shadecliff), Watcombe Manor and White Dog Bistro (Lane Hotel/Bailey Hudgins’ House/Bullfrogs & Butterflies/White Dog Inn).
 * Historic Homes and Properties of Mathews County, Virginia, Vol. 3 by MCHS (2018). Third in a series of five highlighting ten pre-Civil War home in Mathews County, Virginia: Alexander James House, Bayview (Batavia), Belmont, Eastover (Sandberg House/East End), Folly Farm, Miles-Gamble House, Milford (Billups House), Oakland, Tompkins Cottage and Willow Grove.
 * Historic Homes and Properties of Mathews County, Virginia, Vol. 4 by MCHS (2020). Fourth in a series of five highlighting ten pre-Civil War home in Mathews County, Virginia: Auburn, Augustine Diggs House (Pear Tree Hall), Augustine F. Hudgins House, Cedar Grove (Cedar Croft/Williams House), Gwynnville, Henry Sibley House, Hyco (Haiku House), Isleham, Lilly House and Seaford.
 * New Point Comfort Lighthouse, Its History and Preservation by Mary Louise Clifford and J. Candace Clifford (2013). ​A lone tower reinforced by riprap, surrounded by Chesapeake Bay waters and off the southern tip of Mathews County, Virginia, the

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1917 Edition Mathews, Virginia Historical Topographic Map; surveyed 1916.
 * David Rumsey Historical Map Collection includes 18th and 19th century historical North and South American atlases, globes, school geographies, maritime charts, etc.
 * Library of Congress has a searchable collection of digitized maps in the public domain from North America, 1544-1996.

Military Records
Revolutionary War War of 1812
 * Revolutionary War Records (1775-1783), Rosters, Pensions and Bounty Land Warrants. This list is for men from Kingston Parish/Mathews County who fought for the colonies in the American 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 version at Google Books et. al. 1967 reprint: 973 X2pc 1840. [See Virginia, Eastern District, Matthews County on pages 131-132.]
 * 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, Matthews County [sic], p. 90. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Regiments. Mathews County men served in the 61st Regiment. Civil War
 * 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)

Regiments. Civil War service men in Mathews 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 Cavalry (Confederate).
 * - 26th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company D.

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
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.

Other Records
 Voting Records 
 * 1902-1970 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * Lustenberger, Anita A., Heirs and Estates: Mathews County, Virginia Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery Process Book 1831-1861. 2012. Mathews Memorial Library CREF 975.531 LUS
 * 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. [Includes Mathews County.]

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 How can Virginia tax lists help me?
 * 1774-1775 Billups, John R. Tithables, 1774-1775, of Kingston Parish, also Billups' Accounts, 1787-1842. MSS., Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia; also available at . [Kingston Parish was located in Gloucester County at the time, but later fell within the bounds of Mathews County.]
 * 1774-1791 Mason, Polly Cary. Records of Colonial Gloucester County Virginia. 2 vols. 1946-1948; reprint, Baltimore: Clearfield, 2003. and available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($); and World Vital Records ($). [Includes land patent abstracts, 1704/05 rent roll, Gloucester County tax lists 1770-1782, Mathews County tax lists 1774-1791, burgesses, council, and court, county officials, etc.]
 * 1791 1791 Mathews County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List; index online at New River Notes - free.
 * 1791-1820 Ward, Roger G. "Burned County Gleanings: Mathews County Land Tax Lists, 1791-1820," Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 35, No. 4 (Fall 1997):317-323. Available at ; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Abstracts of some taxpayers that include "genealogical tidbits," such as relationships, land transfers, etc.]
 * 1791-1815 Heinegg, Paul. "Mathews County Personal Property Tax List, 1791-1815," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * 1803 Indexed images of the 1803 Personal Property Tax List of Mathews County, Virginia are available online, courtesy:Binns Genealogy.
 * 1803 Indexed images of the 1803 Land Tax List of Mathews County, Virginia are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
 * 1809-1816, 1822-1831] Mathews County Personal Property Tax Lists 1809-1816, 1822-1831 (images); digital version in Tax List Club at Binns Genealogy ($).

Birth

 * 1853-1866 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 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 ($)
 * 1660-1959 Virginia, United States Marriages at at FindMyPast — index, ($) — index $
 * 1740-1850 Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1785-1940 Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1853-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1854-1858 - Mathews County, Virginia marriage records — transcriptions
 * 1936-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1785-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * Markie, Carolyn Winn. Marriages in Mathews County, Virginia: 1861-1900. Infinity Publishing, 2006.

Death

 * 1853-1896 Mathews County Virginia Death Register 1853-1896. Compiled by Jane B. Goodsell. Iberian Publishing Co., 2001.
 * 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

Family History Centers
To locate the closest family history center or affiliate library, use the link listed above.

Libraries

 * Tidewater Genealogical Society
 * Middle Peninsula African-American Genealogical &amp; Historical SocietyWebsite
 * Mathews County Historical Society, Inc.
 * Mathews Memorial Library
 * Middle Peninsula African-American Genealogical &amp; Historical Society

Museums

 * Gwynn's Island Museum originally established as a Community Project in 1991, the Gwynn’s Island Museum is dedicated to preserving the history of Gwynn’s Island and Mathews County, Virginia.
 * Mathews Historical Museum will have a permanent museum in Mathews County within five years, that will collect, preserve and exhibit cultural artifacts that represent the history of the county.
 * Mathews Maritime Foundation Museum & Boat Shop is owned and operated by the Mathews Maritime Foundation. Established in 1998, the Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting Mathews County’s maritime and cultural heritage through research, conservation, documentation and education.
 * Thomas James Store, owned by the Mathews County Historical Society, is a rare and excellent example of an early nineteenth-century rural commercial building. Although it has undergone some alterations and was almost certainly moved from its original location, the store retains much of its original fabric and is remarkably well preserved for its age. It dates to c. 1820, and appears to be one of the oldest buildings in the downtown commercial district of Mathews County. It is a registered National Historic Building.
 * Tompkins Cottage Museum, which is headquarters for the Mathews County Historical Society, is named for Christopher Tompkins, a local sea captain, planter, local merchant and member of the state legislature. He bought the cottage property in 1837 and is the first known owner. Exhibits include a room dedicated to the history of Mathews County and serves as a gift shop, two rooms representing a home from the 1840s to the 1920s, and a room dedicated to Sally Louisa Tompkins who was the first woman commissioned in an American military unit. It is a registered National Historic Building.

Websites

 * http://vagenweb.org/ Mathews Co., VAGenWeb]. Part of the USGenWeb Project. Maps, name indexes, history.


 * – 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

 * Davis, Virginia Lee Hutcheson. "Records of Tidewater Virginia Counties," Tidewater Virginia Families: A Magazine of History and Genealogy, Vol. 1, No. 2 (May-June 1992):53-66. 975.51 D25t [For Mathews County, see p. 61]