Goochland County, Virginia Genealogy

United States

Virginia

Goochland County

Guide to Goochland County, Virginia ancestry, family history and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, immigration records, and military records.

Virginia Online Genealogy Records

Goochland County, Virginia
Map
Location in the state of Virginia, United States Genealogy
Location of Virginia in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	1727
County Seat	Goochland
Courthouse

County Information

Description

Goochland County is located in the central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia, just west of the state capital, Richmond. Goochland was named for Colonial Governor William Gooch..

Goochland County Virginia Courthouse

Goochland County Courthouse
2938 River Road West
P O Box 196
Goochland, Virginia 23063-3229

Clerk Circuit Court has marriage and probate records from 1730
divorce and court records from 1800 and land records records from 1862

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1853	1730	1853	1800	1862	1728	1810
Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1912. General compliance year is unknown.

Goochland County Virginia History

The county is named after Sir William Gooch, 1st Baronet, Royal Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (1681-1751), who was in office at the time of Goochland County's formation.

Many French Huguenot families lived in Goochland County during the eighteenth century.

Parent County

1727--Goochland County was created 1 February 1727 from Henrico County.
County seat: Goochland

Boundary Changes

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.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

• Lost censuses: 1790, 1800, 1890

Goochland County Virginia Places/Localities

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:

Unincorporated communities
Cedar Point Childress Crozier Fife	Hadensville Maidens Manakin-Sabot	Oilville Pemberton Sandy Hook
Census-designated places
Goochland

Goochland County Virginia Genealogy Resources

African American

Goochland County, Virginia Genealogy cohabitation records are available online.

• 1865-1872 Freedmen's Bureau Letters or Correspondence, 1865-1872
• 1935-2009 Virginia, African-American Funeral Programs, 1935-2009, index and images, incomplete
• Bolling, William and Virginia Historical Society. Mss5:5B6387:1, William Bolling Slave Register, 1752-1890, Goochland County, Virginia. Bethesda, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1996.
• Burwell, Ann Powell and Virginia Historical Society. Mss5:5B9585:1, Ann (Powell) Burwell Commonplace Book, 1746-1839, Goochland County, Virginia. Bethesda, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1996. [Includes lists of slaves owned by the Burwell family.]
• Butler, Reginald Dennin. "Evolution of a Rural Free Black Community: Goochland County, Virginia, 1728-1832," Thesis/dissertation, 1989.
• Heinegg, Paul. "Goochland County Personal Property Tax List 1782-1809," Free African Americans.com, available online. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
• Kegley, Mary B. Free People of Colour: Free Negroes, Indians, Portuguese and Freed Slaves. Wytheville, Virginia: Kegley Books, 2003. FHL.
• Maxwell, Sarah Catherine. "'The Very Bulwark of Defense': Freedmen's Navigation of the Courts of Orange, Louisa, and Goochland Counties, Virginia," Thesis/dissertation, 2002.
• Townes, A. Jane. "The Effect of Emancipation on Large Landholdings, Nelson and Goochland Counties, Virginia," The Journal of Southern History, Vol. 45, No. 3 (Aug. 1979):403-412. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
• Search the Library of Virginia's Virginia Untold collection for digitized images of African Americans of Goochland County.

Bible Records

Images of the Virginia Historical Society's family Bible collection have been digitized:

• Virginia Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007.

Cemeteries

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

Census

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	9,053	—
1800	9,696	7.1%
1810	10,203	5.2%
1820	10,007	−1.9%
1830	10,369	3.6%
1840	9,760	−5.9%
1850	10,352	6.1%
1860	10,656	2.9%
1870	10,313	−3.2%
1880	10,292	−0.2%
1890	9,958	−3.2%
1900	9,519	−4.4%
1910	9,237	−3.0%
1920	8,863	−4.0%
1930	7,953	−10.3%
1940	8,454	6.3%
1950	8,934	5.7%
1960	9,206	3.0%
1970	10,069	9.4%
1980	11,761	16.8%
1990	14,163	20.4%
2000	16,863	19.1%
2010	21,717	28.8%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

1782

• Little, Barbara Vines. "1782 State Census, Goochland County," Magazine of Virginia Genealogy,  Vol.47, No.4 (Nov. 2009):265-266.

1890 Union Veterans

• "Virginia's Union Veterans: Eleventh Census of the United States 1890." Prince William County Virginia, by Ronald Ray Turner. FHL Collection. Includes residents of this county.

Church Records

The Goochland County Historical Society prepared a list of Historic Churches in Goochland County, Virginia (free PDF file). It identifies pre-1900 churches by name, address, and year established.

Baptist

Early Baptist churches (with years constituted):

1. Dover (1773)
2. Goochland (1771). Edwards published a membership list dated 1771 in Materials Towards a History of the Baptists... (1772), 85.
3. Licking Hole (1776)
4. Williams's

• 1776 Petition of Baptists (10,000 names!) and sympathizers from all over Virginia, dated 16 October 1776, asking for an end to persecution of Baptists by the established church. After locating your ancestor, view the digital copies.
  – Digital copies at Library of Congress; also at Library of Virginia using the code word "000606093"
  – Hall, Jean Pickett. "Legislative Petitions: the 10,000 name petition" transcription in the Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vols. 35-38, with annotations in Vol. 39, (Richmond, Virginia: Virginia Genealogical Society, 1983-) online at Ancestry ($) and in book form at various libraries.
  Goochland County fell within the bounds of the Goshen Association and the Dover Association.

• Baptist Association in the District of Goshen (Va.). Minutes of the Baptist Association in the District of Goshen: Held at Licking-Hole Meeting-House, Goochland, Beginning the Third Saturday in October, 1803. Fredericksburg, Virginia: Printed by James Walker, 1803.
• Baptist Association in the District of Goshen (Va.). Minutes of the Baptist Association in the District of Goshen: Held at Williams's Meeting-House, Goochland, Beginning Third Saturday in October, 1808. Fredericksburg, Virginia: n.p., 1808.
• Goshen Baptist Association. Minutes of the Goshen Baptist Association: Held at Liberty M.H., Goochland County, Va., on the 6th, 7th, and 8th Days of September, 1843. Richmond: Printed at the Office of the Religious Herald, 1843.
• Dover Baptist Association (Va.). Minutes of the LXXXVII Annual Session of the Dover Baptist Association ... Goochland Church ... July 19-21, 1870. Richmond, Virginia: Dispatch Steam Power Presses, 1870.
• History of Goochland Baptist Church, 1771-1971, 200th Anniversary. 1971.
• Richardson, Hazel Martin. Mount Gilead Baptist Church, Goochland County, Virginia, 1831-1981. Charlottesville, Virginia: King Lindsay Print. Corp., 1981?.

Church of England

See also King William Parish
See also St. James Northam Parish
See also St. James Southam Parish
See also St. James's Parish

• Carrington, William T. A History of St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Dover Parish, Goochland County, Virginia, 1877-1977. Richmond, Virginia: William Byrd Press, 1978.
• Hopkins, William Lindsay. St. James Northam Parish Vestry Book, 1744-1850, Goochland County, Virginia. Richmond, VA: Self-published, 1987. (Note: "Abstracted from a photocopy in the Virginia State Library.")
• "Beaver Dam Episcopal Church: New Research Reveals its True Location ...Whereon the Church Stood," Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vol. 39 (2007):10-77.
• Price, Douglas. "A Sequel to the History of Beaver Dam Church," Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vol.40 (2008):32-34.

Methodist

• Duke, Isabelle B. A History of Bethel United Methodist Church: Oilville, Virginia--Goochland County, 1834-1934. Oilville, Virginia: n.p., 1984.
• Salmon, M. Carol. Corinth United Methodist Church, Goochland County, Virginia: A Brief History Commemorating 130 Years of Service. 2008.

Quaker

Early monthly meetings (with years of existence):

• Genito Monthly Meeting (1723-1833) first known as Dover

In the 1700s and 1800s, Friends from Goochland County, Virginia Genealogy also attended the Cedar Creek Meeting House in Hanover County, Virginia.

Court

General

• Street, Elwood. Wellsprings of Democracy in Virginia: Goochland County Courthouse. Richmond, Virginia: Richmond Times-Dispatch, 1941.

Chancery Court

• Library of Virginia's Chancery Record Index can be used to search digital images of Goochland County chancery records for the years 1731-1912. Indexed and original records are available through 1924 - see online catalog or contact Archives Research Services for availability. Additional post-1912 records may be available via the Circuit Court Clerk's Office.

Funeral Homes

• 1935-2009 Virginia, African-American Funeral Programs, 1935-2009, index and images, incomplete

Genealogy

Compiled Genealogies by Surname

• See Goochland County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies for a list of 250+ Published books and articles, or jump to the surname using the alphabet bar.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Compiled Genealogies for Multiple Families

• Foley, Louise Pledge Heath. Early Virginia Families Along the James River, Their Deep Roots and Tangled Branches. 3 vols. Richmond, Va.: L.P.H. Foley, 1974-1990. FHL Book 975.5 R2f v. 1-v. 3. Volume 1 includes Goochland County.
  
• Pritchett, John W. Southside Virginia Genealogies. CD-ROM. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. Free online index, courtesy: Virginians - The Family History of John W. Pritchett. [Includes a great deal of information about residents of Goochland County, see discussion of cited sources.] FHL US/CAN CD-ROM no. 3887. Purchase at Virginians.com.

Historic Residences

• Thompson, Jessie. "Tuckahoe Plantation, Goochland County, Virginia," Thesis/Dissertation, Wellesley College, 1971.

Immigration

• Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of Goochland County proved in London. One of the testators built Waller Mines. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]

• List of imported servants and transported convicts from Europe who served labor terms in Colonial Virginia are online at: Immigrant Servants Database.
  During the War of 1812, American officials reported finding a total of 2 British aliens, some of whom had families, living in Goochland County.

Land and Property

Deeds

• [Tandy and Ann Holman] to David Ross, for Four Hundred and Ten Acres of Land, Goochland County, Deed and Plat 1783 November 9. Available at the Library of Virginia.

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.*Grundset, Eric and Paula Hollis Grundset. Central Virginia Land Patents from the County Abstracts for Goochland, Albemarle, Cumberland, Buckingham, and Amherst Counties in the Virginia Land Office 1735-1774. Fairfax, Virginia: E.G. Grundset, 1999.

• Bannister et al. 410 patents dated 1689-1816 in what is now Goochland County, Virginia placed on a map. DeedMapper, 2002. [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.]

Land Processioning

• Blomquist, Ann Kicker. Southam Parish Land Processioning, 1747-1784: Goochland, Cumberland, and Powhatan Counties, Virginia. Maryland: Willow Bend Books, 2004.

Local Histories

Maps

County and state maps, historical and more current, are valuable research tools. For map collections, online and in libraries, see Virginia Maps.

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Fontaine, Peter and Thomas Jefferson. An Exact Plan of a Tract of 7732 Acres of Land in Goochland and Albemarle Counties in Virginia... (ca. 1790). Available at the University of Michigan, William Clements Library.
• Weeks, Elie, Robert J. Foley, Goochland County Bicentennial Commission, Goochland County Historical Society. Historical Map of Goochland County, Virginia: From Goochland's Formation (1727) to America's Independence (1783). Goochland, Virginia: Goochland County Bicentennial Commission, 1977.
• Gilmer, Jeremy Francis, Confederate States of America. Army. Dept. of Northern Virginia. Chief Engineer's Office, Virginia Historical Society (Va.) Gilmer Civil War Map Collection. Map of the Counties of Charles City, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, King William, New Kent, and Part of the Counties of Caroline and Louisa, Virginia. n.p.: Chief engineer's Office D.N.V.: Virginia Historical Society, 1998, 1863.
• Historical Boundary Atlas of Central Virginia: Covering Albemarle, Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Goochland, Louisa, Nelson, and Powhatan Counties. Fairfax, Virginia: Grundset, 1999.
• Wight, Richard C. The Story of Goochland. Richmond, Va.: Richmond Press, 1935. Available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($).

Migration

• Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 21, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1977):287-292. Available at FHL; digital version at American Ancestors ($). [These records often identify migrants who left the county and their intended destinations. Goochland County's 1789 Delinquent List appears on pp. 287-288.]

Military

French and Indian War

• Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. Available at FHL. [Identifies some Goochland 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. Available at FHL; digital version at Google Books (full-view). [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 Goochland County, see pp. 82-83.]
• Crozier, William Armstrong. Virginia Colonial Militia 1651-1776. Baltimore: Southern Book Co., 1954. Available at FHL US/CAN Book 975.5 M2c; digital book at Ancestry ($). [Identifies some Goochland County militia officers; see place name index.]

Revolutionary War

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

- 9th Virginia Regiment

- 14th Virginia Regiment

Additional resources:

• Maass, John R. "The Greatest Terror Imaginable: Cornwallis Brings His Campaign to Goochland, June 1781," Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vol.41 (2009):12-101.
• Agee, Helene Barret. "Goochland County Revolutionary War Soldiers," Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vol.41 (2009):102-103.
• 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, Goochland County on page 130.]
• 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 from this county; Virginia section begins on page 238.]
• Virginia Militia in the Revolutionary War. By J.T. McAllister. 1913. Hot Springs, Va.: McAllister Pub. Co. Online at: Internet Archive

War of 1812

Goochland County men served in the 38th Regiment.

• Douthat, James L. Roster of War of 1812, Southside, Virginia. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 2007. Free online surname index and purchase details at Mountain Press website. FHL Collection 975.5 M2djL. [Includes Goochland County.]
• 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, Goochland County, p. 82. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Civil War

Regiments. Service men in Goochland 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 Goochland County, Virginia Genealogy:

- 4th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate)

- 23rd Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company F (Goochland Grays).

- 44th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company B (Byrd Rifles) and Company D (Ambler Grays).

Records and histories are available, including:

• 1861-1865 - Virginia, Civil War, Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865
• 1861-1865 - Virginia, Civil War, Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865
• 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)
• Coski, John M. "Four Goochland Soldiers in the Civil War: Highlights from the Museum of the Confederacy's Library Collection," Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vol.41 (2009):148-225.
•  "Goochland County Civil War Dead: Goochland Soldiers Killed in Action or Died as a Result of Their Wounds in Battle," Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vol.41 (2009):226-227.

Miscellaneous Records

• 1607-2007 - Virginia, Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

The Virginia Newspapers Project identifies local Goochland County, Virginia Genealogy newspapers.
Indexed images of the Virginia Gazette (1736-1780) are available online through the Colonial Williamsburg website. 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

• Randolph, Isham. "Brick-Making in Goochland," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 5, No. 2 (Oct. 1896):109-110. Available at FHL; digital version at JSTOR - free.
• Randolph, Isham. "Shoemaking in Goochland," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 5, No. 2 (Oct. 1896):109-110. Available at FHL; digital version at JSTOR - free.

Private Papers

• [Ballinger] Letter Concerning Joseph Ballinger of Goochland County, Virginia. [Incomplete WorldCat citation.]
• [Bolling] Bolling, William and Duke University, Library, Manuscript Department. William Bolling Papers, 1724 (1776-1859)-1883, Goochland County, Virginia: Also Kentucky. Frederick, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1987.
• [Bolling] Bolling, William and Virginia Historical Society. Mss5:1B6386:1, William Bolling Diary, 1794-1795, Chesterfield, Goochland, and Prince George Counties, Virginia. Bethesda, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1996.
• [Bolling] Bolling, William and Virginia Historical Society. Mss5:1B6386:2, William Bolling Diary, 1827-1828, Goochland County, Virginia. Bethesda, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1996.
• [Bolling] Bolling, William and Virginia Historical Society. Mss5:1B6386:3, William Bolling Diary, 1840-1842, Goochland County, Virginia. Bethesda, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1996.
• [Bolling] Bolling, William and Virginia Historical Society. Mss5:1B6386:4, William Bolling Diary, 1809, Goochland County, Virginia. Bethesda, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1996.
• [Bolling] Bolling, William and Virginia Historical Society. Mss5:1B6386:5, William Bolling Diary, 1836-1839, Goochland County, Virginia. Bethesda, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1996.
• [Bolling] Bolling, William and Virginia Historical Society. Mss5:5B6387:1, William Bolling Slave Register, 1752-1890, Goochland County, Virginia. Bethesda, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1996.
• [Burwell] Burwell, Ann Powell and Virginia Historical Society. Mss5:5B9585:1, Ann (Powell) Burwell Commonplace Book, 1746-1839, Goochland County, Virginia. Bethesda, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1996.
• [Harrison] Virginia Historical Society. Mss1H2485c, Harrison Family Papers, 1725-1907, Buckingham, Cumberland, and Goochland Counties. Bethesda, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1996.
• [Harrison] Virginia Historical Society. Mss1H2485d, Harrison Family Papers, 1756-1893, Cumberland, Goochland, and Hanover Counties, Virginia. Bethesda, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1996.
• [Payne] Daughters of the American Revolution. James River Chapter (Lynchburg, Virginia). "Bible Records of Charles Scott Carrington, Halifax County; Willie Hunter Crutchfield, Lynchburg; James Davis and Macyah Pendleton, Amherst County, Lynchburg; Philip Matthews Payne, Campbell County; Philip Matthews Payne, Sr., Goochland [and] Campbell Counties, Virginia," MSS., available at FHL.
• [Rutherford] Rutherfoord, John C. and Virginia Historical Society. Mss5:1R9335, John Coles Rutherfoord diary, 1847, Goochland County, Virginia. Bethesda, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1996.
• [Seddon] Seddon Family, James A. Seddon and Sarah Bruce Seddon. Papers, 1831-1882, of the Seddon Family of Richmond and Goochland County, Va. MSS., available at the Virginia Historical Society Library.
• [Trice] Trice Family. Papers Regarding Land in Goochland County, [Virginia], 1780-1969. MSS., available at Library of Virginia.
• [Wight] Wight, Hezekiah Lord and Virginia Historical Society. Mss1W6393a, Hezekiah Lord Wight Papers, 1794-1854, Goochland County, Virginia. Bethesda, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1996.
• [Wight] Wight, Hezekiah Lord and Virginia Historical Society. Mss1W6393b, Hezekiah Lord Wight Papers, 1794-1854, Goochland County, Virginia. Bethesda, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1996.
• [Wight] Wight, Hezekiah Lord and Virginia Historical Society. Mss2W6396b, Hezekiah Lord Wight Papers, 1820-1836, Goochland County, Virginia. Bethesda, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1996.

Probate Records

A free index to Goochland County, Virginia Genealogy wills and administrations (1728-1800) is available at the Library of Virginia.

Digital images of Wills 1741-1745 and 1745-1749.  See names of testators Virginia Pioneers

• Jones, W. Mac. "Index to Wills in Goochland County Court House," The William and Mary Quarterly, Second Series, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Jan. 1927):48-56; Vol. 7, No. 3 (Jul. 1927):193-203. Available at FHL; digital version at JSTOR ($).
• Will of Walter Leak, Goochland County, Virginia, 1757, MSS., available at FHL.
• Abstracts of Goochland County Wills (only) between 1736 and 1742.  Virginia Pioneers ($)

London Courts

• Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London 1611-1857. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2007. [Includes wills of residents of Goochland County proved in London. One of the testators built Waller Mines. These records often help establish an immigrant's place of origin.]

Online Probate Indexes and Records

• Images of Wills 1741-1745; 1745-1749. Virginia Pioneers ($)
• Online Images of Deeds, Wills, Inventories: Book 1, 1728-1734; Book 2, 1734-1736; Book 3, 1737-1742; Book 6, 1748-1755; Book 7, 1755-1759; Book 8, 1757-1765; Book 9, 1765-1769; Book 10, 1769-1775; Book 11, 1775-1777; Book 12, 1777-1779; Book 13, 1779-1784; Book 14, 1784-1788; Book 15, 1788-1791; Book 16, 1791-1795; Book 17, 1796-1800; Book 18, 1800-1803 Virginia Pioneers ($)

Research Guides

• "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Goochland County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 11, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1967):132-134. Available at FHL; digital version at American Ancestors ($).
• "Genealogical Research in Goochland County," The Virginia Genealogical Society Newsletter, Vol. 35, No. 5 (2009). Available at FHL.

Taxation

How can Virginia tax lists help me?

The original King William Parish Vestry Book is kept at the Virginia Historical Society.

The original Goochland County personal property tax lists are kept at the Library of Virginia. Microfilm copies (1782-1850): FHL Collection 2024552-2024554

The following Goochland tax records have been abstracted:

• [1700s] Roll of the 18th Century, Virginia Tidewater Genealogy, Vol. 24, No. 2 (Jun. 1993). FHL Collection 975.5 D25vt v. 24 (1993)
• [1710-1740s] Fife, R.H. and R.L. Maury. "The Vestry Book of King William Parish, Va., 1707-1750," Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 11 (1903-1904):289-304, 425-440; Vol. 12 (1904-1905):17-32, 241-256, 369-384; Vol. 13 (1905-1906):65-80, 175-190, 265-280. FHL Collection 975.5 B2v v. 11 (1903-1904) etc.; digital version at JSTOR ($); reprinted in Vestry Book of King William Parish, Virginia 1707-1750. Midlothian, Va.: Manakin Episcopal Church, 1966. FHL Collection 975.5455/M1 K2v with an index prepared in 1974: FHL Collection 975.5455/M1 K2v index; reprinted in Virginia Tax Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983, Free Online Name Search, Purchase at Genealogical.com; FHL Collection 975.5 R4v. [French Huguenot parish; includes tithe lists dated 1710, 1711, 1712, 1713, 1714, 1715, 1717, 1719, 1720, 1723, 1724, 1725, 1726, 1729, 1730, 1731, 1732, 1733, 1734, 1735, 1736, 1737, 1738, various entries identifying residents in 1740s, c1722 list of landowners, and 1727/1728 list of landowners.]
• [1730s] Tithable List, 1730s, Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 33, No. 2 (May 1995). FHL Collection v. 33 (1995); digital version at Ancestry ($). 
• [1735-1749] Lurvey, A. Jean. Goochland Co., Virginia Tithe Lists. [1735-1749] 2 vols. Springfield, Missouri: A.J. Lurvey, 1979. FHL Collection 975.5455 R4L v. 1-2 
• [1735] "Goochland County Tithables, c1735,"  Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 46, No. 3 (Aug. 2008):235-236. FHL Collection v. 46 (2008)
• [1735] Le Seur, David. "Tithables in King William Parish, Goochland County," [1735] The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Jul. 1899):31-32. Digital version at JSTOR ($).
• [1744] Tithables, 1744, Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 44, No. 1 (Feb. 2006). FHL Collection v. 44 (2006)
• [1747, 1751] Sweeny, Mrs. William Montgomery. "Goochland County Tithables, 1747, 1751," The Virginia Genealogist , Vol. 6, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1962):28-31. FHL Collection 975.5 B2vg v. 6 (1962); digital version at American Ancestors ($).
• [1747] Tithables, 1747, Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 40, No. 2 (May 2002). FHL Collection v. 40 (2002); digital version at Ancestry ($). 
• [1759] List of Tithables for Year 1759, The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 47, No. 1 (Jan. 2003). FHL Collection 975.5 B2vg v. 47 (2003)
• [1776] Tithe List, 1776, Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 1 (Spring 1973).
• [1782-1809] Goochland County Personal Property Tax Lists 1782-1809 (images); digital version in Tax List Club at Binns Genealogy ($).
• [1782] 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. Online at FamilySearch - free; FHL Collection 975.5 R4f 1978 [1782 personal property tax list of Goochland County.]
• [1782-1794] Sparacio, Ruth Trickey and Sam Sparacio. Goochland County, Virginia, Land Tax Books. 2 vols. [1782-1794] McLean, Va.: Antient Press, 1997. FHL Collection 975.5455 R4s
• [1782-1804] Free in County, 1782-1802, Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vol. 20 (1988); Vol. 21 (1989); Vol. 22 (1990); Vol. 23 (1991); Vol. 24 (1992).
• [1783] - Personal Property (or Land) Tax List, 1783; index online at Revolutionary War Service website - free.
• [1783] Tax Rolls and Land Transfers, 1783, Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vol. 35 (2003).
• [1784] Tax Rolls and Land Transfers, 1784, Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vol. 35 (2003).
• [1785] Land Tax, 1785, Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Spring 1970).
• [1785] Tax Rolls and Land Transfers, 1785, Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vol. 35 (2003).
• [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 & 21 Years, the Number of Slaves over 16 & Those Under 16 Years, Together with a Listing of Their Horses, Cattle & 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. FHL Collection 975.5 R4sn v. 2. [The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Goochland County is included in Vol. 2.]
• [1789] Clay, Robert Y. "Some Delinquent Taxpayers 1787-1790," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 21, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1977):287-292. FHL Collection 975.5 B2vg v. 21 (1977); digital version at American Ancestors ($). [These records often identify migrants who left the county and their intended destinations. Goochland County's 1789 Delinquent List appears on pp. 287-288.]
• [1789, 1801/1802] Indexed images of the 1789 and 1801/1802 Personal Property Tax Lists of Goochland County, Virginia are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
• [1790] Tax List, 1790, Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 2 (Autumn 1971).
• [1795] Land Tax List, 1795, Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vol. 36 (2004).
• [1800] "Goochland County, Virginia, 1800 Tax List," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 25, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1981):7-11; Vol. 25, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1981):103-111. FHL Collection 975.5 B2vg v. 25 (1981); digital version at American Ancestors ($).
• [1815] Ward, Roger D. 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). 6 vols. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997-2000. FHL Collection 975 E4w v. 1 [The source for this publication is the 1815 land tax. Goochland County is included in Vol. 1.]
• [1815] Landowners Tax List, 1815, Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vols. 37-38 (2005).
• [1831-1834] Personal Property Tax, 1831-34, Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vol. 27 (1995).
• [1835-1840] Property Tax List, 1835-40, Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vol. 29 (1997).
• [1866] Chappel Lot, New Description of Old Beaver Dam Church First Appears in Records, 1866, Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vol. 39 (2007).
• [1871] Return of Grain, 1871, Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine, Vol. 82, No. 11 (Nov. 1948). FHL Collection 973 B2dar v. 82 (1948)

Vital Records

Indexes to Goochland 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

• 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

• 1660-1800 - Virginia Marriages 1660-1800 (Ancestry) ($).
• 1660-1959 - Virginia, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
• 1730-1853 - Goochland County Marriage Index 1730-1853. Batch M868752 at FamilySearch - free.</ref>
• 1730s-1780s - "Marriage Bonds in Goochland County," [1730s-1780s] The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 7, No. 2 (Oct. 1898):98-106; Vol. 7, No. 3 (Jan. 1899):197-200; Vol. 8, No. 2 (Oct. 1899):91-96. Available at JSTOR ($).
• Abercrombie, Janice L. Cohabitation Lists of Former Slaves, in Goochland, Hanover & Louisa Counties Virginia as Recorded in the Freedmen's Bureau. New Papyrus Co., 2002.
• 1730-1799 - "Index to Goochland County Marriage Records 1730-1799," Goochland County Historical Society Magazine, Vol.41 (2009):104-147.
• 1730-1854 - Ricks, Joel. Goochland County, Virginia Marriage Bonds, 1730-1854. 1936. Available at FHL.
• 1730-1854 - Smith, Macksene. Goochland County, Virginia, Marriage Bonds, 1730 - 1854. Genealogical Society of Utah 1936. Digital version available at World Vital Records ($)
• 1733-1815 - Williams, Kathleen Booth. Marriages of Goochland County, 1733-1815. Alexandria, Va.: K.B. Williams, 1960. Available at FHL; digital version at World Vital Records ($).
• 1740-1850 - Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 (Ancestry) ($).
• 1750-1754 - Goochland County Marriages 1750 to 1854 Virginia Pioneers ($).
• 1781-1789 - Turner, Lee B. "Some Recently Uncovered Goochland County Marriage Bonds, 1781-1789," Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 25, No. 3 (Aug. 1987):3-6. Digital version at Ancestry ($); FHL Book 975.5 B2vs.
• 1785-1940 Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 at Ancestry.com ($) — index
• 1800-1859 - Price, Douglas and James Richmond. "Index to Goochland County Marriage Records, 1800 to 1859," Goochland County Historical Society Magazine,  Vol.40 (2008) 58-155.
• 1852-1901 - Goochland County Marriage Index 1852-1901. Batch M868751 at FamilySearch - free.
• 1853-1935 - Virginia, Bureau of Vital Statistics, County Marriage Registers, 1853-1935 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1936-1988 - Virginia, Marriage Certificates, 1936-1988 at FamilySearch — index and images

Divorce

• 1918-1988 - Virginia, Divorce Records, 1918-1988 at FamilySearch — index and images

Death

Goochland County, Virginia Genealogy deaths are online in the Library of Virginia's Death Index of Virginia, 1853-1896, sponsored by Virginia Genealogical Society.

• 1912-1987 - Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987 at FamilySearch — index and images

Vital Record Substitutes

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.

Goochland County Virginia Genealogy Societies and Libraries

• Central Virginia Genealogical Association
• The Huguenot Society of the Founders of Manakin in the Colony of Virginia

Family History Centers

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

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

Goochland County Virginia Genealogy Websites

• Goochland County, Virginia VAGenWeb
• FamilySearch Catalog
• Goochland County, VA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Familytree101)
• Cyndi's List
  
• Virginia Pioneers ($)
  

Goochland County Virginia Genealogy References

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