Mathews County, Virginia Genealogy
Guide to Mathews County Virginia ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, immigration records, and military records.
Mathews County, Virginia | |
Map | |
![]() Location in the state of Virginia | |
![]() Location of Virginia in the U.S. | |
Facts | |
Founded | 1790 |
---|---|
County Seat | Mathews |
Courthouse | |
Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Mathews County, Virginia History
- 3 Mathews County, Virginia Places/Localities
- 4 Resources
- 4.1 Research Guides
- 4.2 African American
- 4.3 Bible Records
- 4.4 Cemeteries
- 4.5 Census
- 4.6 Church Records
- 4.7 Court
- 4.8 Genealogy
- 4.9 Land and Property
- 4.10 Local Histories
- 4.11 Maps
- 4.12 Military
- 4.13 Miscellaneous Records
- 4.14 Naturalization
- 4.15 Newspapers
- 4.16 Papers Private
- 4.17 Probate Records
- 4.18 Taxation
- 4.19 Vital Records
- 5 Mathews County, Virginia Genealogy Societies and Libraries
- 6 Mathews County, Virginia Genealogy Websites
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
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[1].
Mathews County, Virginia Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Matthews County Courthouse
P.O. Box 463
10622 Buckley Hall Road
Mathews, Virginia 23109
Phone: 804-725-2550
Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, divorce,
probate, court and land records from 1865[2]
Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
1865 | 1827 | 1865 | 1795 | 1817 | 1795 | 1810 |
General compliance year is unknown. |
Mathews County, Virginia History[edit | edit source]
The county is named after Admiral Thomas Mathews (1676-1751) of the British Navy.
Parent County[edit | edit source]
1790--Mathews County was created 16 December 1790 from Gloucester County.
County seat: Mathews [4]
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating Virginia county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Virginia County Boundary Maps" (1617-1995) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Variant Spellings[edit | edit source]
- Matthews[5]
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
1865 Most of the Mathews County Courthouse records were moved to Richmond for safekeeping during the American Civil War, but were destroyed there in the fire of 3 April 1865.[6]- Lost censuses: 1800, 1890
Visit the Library of Virginia's website to determine exactly what records have been lost and their Lost Records Localities Database to find additional resources.
For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
- Burned Counties. By Michael John Neill. Online at: Family History Circle.
- When the Records are Gone. By Arlene Eakle. Online at: Tennessee Genealogy Blog.
- Burned Counties Research in the FamilySearch Research Wiki.
Mathews County, Virginia Places/Localities[edit | edit source]
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
- 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. FHL Collection 975.51 D25t [For Mathews County, see p. 61]
African American[edit | edit source]
- Freedmen's Bureau Letters or Correspondence, 1865-1872
- Heinegg, Paul. "Mathews County Personal Property Tax List, 1791-1815," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
- 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. FHL Collection 1728886 Item 2.
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Images of the Virginia Historical Society's family Bible collection have been digitized:
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Tombstone Transcriptions Online | Tombstone Transcriptions in Print | List of Cemeteries in the county |
Findagrave.com | Family History Library | Findagrave.com |
VAGenWeb | WorldCat | Billion Graves |
VAGenWeb Archives | ||
Tombstone Project | ||
Virginia Gravestones | ||
Billion Graves | ||
See Virginia Cemeteries for more information. |
- 1800-1986 - Virginia, Jewish Cemetery Records Index, ca. 1800-1986 at FamilySearch — index
- 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
Census[edit | edit source]
For tips on accessing Mathews County, Virginia Genealogy census records online, see: Virginia Census.
Historical populations | ||
---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± |
1800 | 5,806 | — |
1810 | 4,227 | −27.2% |
1820 | 6,920 | 63.7% |
1830 | 7,664 | 10.8% |
1840 | 7,442 | −2.9% |
1850 | 6,714 | −9.8% |
1860 | 7,091 | 5.6% |
1870 | 6,200 | −12.6% |
1880 | 7,501 | 21.0% |
1890 | 7,584 | 1.1% |
1900 | 8,239 | 8.6% |
1910 | 8,922 | 8.3% |
1920 | 8,447 | −5.3% |
1930 | 7,884 | −6.7% |
1940 | 7,149 | −9.3% |
1950 | 7,148 | −0.0% |
1960 | 7,121 | −0.4% |
1970 | 7,168 | 0.7% |
1980 | 7,995 | 11.5% |
1990 | 8,348 | 4.4% |
2000 | 9,207 | 10.3% |
Source: “American Factfinder”. United States Census Bureau. |
1890 Union Veterans[edit | edit source]
- 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[edit | edit source]
Church of England[edit | edit source]
- Mason, George Carrington. Colonial Churches of Tidewater Virginia. Richmond, Virginia: Whittet and Shepperson, 1945. Available at FHL; digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library . [Includes Mathews County.]
Court[edit | edit source]
Genealogy[edit | edit source]
Several genealogies have been published about Mathews County families. To view a list, visit Mathews County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies.
Land and Property[edit | edit source]
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
Military[edit | edit source]
Revolutionary War[edit | edit source]
- 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: FHL Collection 973 X2pc 1840. [See Virginia, Eastern District, Matthews County on pages 131-132.]
War of 1812[edit | edit source]
Mathews County men served in the 61st Regiment.[7]
- 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, Matthews County [sic], p. 90. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Regiments. Service men in Mathews County, Virginia Genealogy 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 in Mathews County, Virginia Genealogy:
- - 5th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate).
- - 26th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company D.[8]
Records and histories are available, including:
- 1861-1865 - Virginia, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
- 1861-1865 - Virginia, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
- 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)
World War II[edit | edit source]
- 1940-1945 - Virginia, World War II Draft Registration Cards,1940-1945 at FamilySearch — index and images
Miscellaneous Records[edit | edit source]
- 1607-2007 - Virginia, Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — index and images
Naturalization[edit | edit source]
- Virginia Naturalization Petitions, 1906-1929
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
The Virginia Newspapers Project identifies local Mathews County, Virginia Genealogy 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.
Papers Private[edit | edit source]
- Virginia, Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
- 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. FHL Collection [Includes Mathews County.]
Taxation[edit | edit source]
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 FHL. [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. Original edition and 1965 reprintavailable 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 FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Abstracts of some taxpayers that include "genealogical tidbits," such as relationships, land transfers, etc.]
- [1791-1815] Heinegg, Paul. "Mathews County Personal Property Tax List, 1791-1815," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
- [1803] Indexed images of the 1803 Personal Property Tax List of Mathews County, Virginia are available online, courtesy:Binns Genealogy.
- [1803] Indexed images of the 1803 Land Tax List of Mathews County, Virginia are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
- [1809-1816, 1822-1831] Mathews County Personal Property Tax Lists 1809-1816, 1822-1831 (images); digital version in Tax List Club at Binns Genealogy ($).
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Indexes to Mathews County, Virginia Genealogy births, marriages, and deaths are available online. These collections are incomplete, but are easy to search. Most records can also be ordered electronically online as well. Courtesy: FamilySearch. See also How to order Virginia Vital Records
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1853-1866 - Virginia, Slave Birth Index, 1853-1866 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1912-1913 - Virginia, Birth Certificates, 1912-1913 at FamilySearch — index and images
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1660-1800 - Virginia Marriages 1660-1800 (Ancestry) ($).
- 1660-1959 - Virginia, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 1740-1850 - Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 (Ancestry) ($).
- 1936-1988 - Virginia, Marriage Certificates, 1936-1988 at FamilySearch — index and images
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1918-1988 - Virginia, Divorce Records, 1918-1988 at FamilySearch — index and images
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1912-1987 - Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987 at FamilySearch — index and images
Vital Record Substitutes[edit | edit source]
The Virginia Historical Society's Marriage and Obituary Index, 1736-1820 (newspaper abstracts) is available at FamilySearch. Images of the original index cards are browseable, arranged alphabetically by surname.
For birth, marriage, and death record substitutes, see Bible Records, Cemeteries, Church Records, Newspapers, and Probate Records. |
Mathews County, Virginia Genealogy Societies and Libraries[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes.
- For current information about a center near you, go to the Family History Center Map
Mathews County, Virginia Genealogy Websites[edit | edit source]
- Mathews Co., VAGenWeb. Part of the USGenWeb Project. Maps, name indexes, history.
- Mathews County, VA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Familytree101)
- FamilySearch Catalog
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathews_County,_Virginia
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Mathews County, Virginia. Page 717 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Mathews County, Virginia . Page 710-723 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 715-720.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ 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), 90. FHL Book 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive.
- ↑ Lost Records Localities: Counties and Cities with Missing Records, 3, in Library of Virginia (accessed 4 April 2014).
- ↑ Stuart Lee Butler, A Guide to Virginia Militia Units in the War of 1812 (Athens, Ga.: Iberian Pub. Co., 1988), 135. FHL Book 975.5 M2bs.
- ↑ Alexander Lloyd Wiatt, 26th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1984). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 13.
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