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Local History and Genealogical Research in the University Libraries: D. Virginia Counties & Record Keeping

This guide includes resources available in Special Collections, Newman Library, and online that can aid in local genealogy research.

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Information on Virginia Counties

This section contains information on the evolution of counties, their dates, changes in boundaries, place-name information and some understanding of the records kept by the counties, is necessary background for genealogical searching.

  • Andriot, Township Atlas of the United States Call No.: G1201 F7 A5 1979 Newman 3rd floor
  • Bruce, Institutional History of Virginia in the Seventeenth Century 2 vol. Call No.: F229 B9 Newman 3rd floor and Remote Storage (requires notice for retrieval)
  • Crumrine, Virginia Court Records in Southwestern Pennsylvania: Records of the District of West Augusta and Ohio and Yohogania Counties, West Virginia, 1775-1780 Call No.: KFV2915 A72 1775 Newman 3rd floor
  • Everton, Handy Book for Genealogist Call No.: CS47 E9 1981 Newman 2nd floor
  • Filby, A Bibliography of American County Histories Call No.: E180 F54 1985 Newman 3rd floor
  • "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia” in issues 1973/74 of Virginia Genealogist (Montgomery Co.-v.18 (1974) pp.298-) Call No.: F221 V79 Newman 3rd floor
  • Hiden, How Justice Grew: Virginia Counties, An Abstract of Their Formation Call No.: F226 H5 Special Collections
  • Hiden, “Seventeenth Century Virginia Parochial and County Court Records,” pp.125-141 of Virginia
    Magazine of History and Biography
    v. 56, no. 2 (April, 1948) Call No.: F221 V91 Special Collections and Special Collections Storage (requires notice for retrieval)
  • Hiden, “Virginia County Court Records; Their Background and Scope,” pp.1-6 of Virginia Magazine of History and Biography v. 56, no. 1 (Jan. 1946) Call No.: F221 V91 Special Collections and Special Collections Storage (requires notice for retrieval)
  • Jackson, Encyclopedia of Local History and Genealogy Ser. 1, v. 1: U.S. Counties Call No.: CS49 J32 1977 Newman 2nd floor
  • Jones, Local Government Records Chap. 8 “A Brief Subject Analysis of Local Records” Call No.: CD3024 J66 Newman 2nd floor
  • Leary, North Carolina Research, Genealogy, and Local History County Records Call No.: CS49 L4 Newman 2nd floor
  • McCombs, Southwest Virginia Counties: A Checklist of Research Materials in the Virginia Tech
    University Libraries
    Call No.: F226 V58 Special Collection and Newman 3rd floor
  • Robinson, “Virginia Counties; Those Resulting from Virginia Legislation,” in Virginia State Library Bulletin, v. 9, 1916. pp. 1-283 Call No.: Z881 V81B Remote Storage (requires notice for retrieval)
  • Virginia State Chamber of Commerce. Virginia’s Government: The Structure and Functions of the State and Local Governments of the People of Virginia: State, Municipal, County Call No.: JK3925 1980 J46 Newman 3rd floor
  • Virginia State Library, Report of the State Archivist on the Study of Record-Keeping Procedures of
    Courts of Record in Virginia, December 1, 1971
    Call No.: CD3566 V5 Remote Storage (requires notice for retrieval)