Russell County, Virginia Genealogy
Guide to Russell County Virginia ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, immigration records, and military records.
Russell County, Virginia | |
Map | |
![]() Location in the state of Virginia, United States Genealogy | |
![]() Location of Virginia in the U.S. | |
Facts | |
Founded | 1785 |
---|---|
County Seat | Lebanon |
Courthouse | |
Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Russell County, Virginia History
- 3 Russell 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 Funeral Homes
- 4.9 Genealogy
- 4.10 Land and Property
- 4.11 Local Histories
- 4.12 Maps
- 4.13 Military
- 4.14 Miscellaneous Records
- 4.15 Naturalization
- 4.16 Newspapers
- 4.17 Periodicals
- 4.18 Private Papers
- 4.19 Probate Records
- 4.20 Taxation
- 4.21 Vital Records
- 5 Russell County, Virginia Genealogy Societies and Libraries
- 6 Russell County, Virginia Genealogy Websites
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Russell County is located in the Southwest portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and it was named for Colonel William Russell who fought with Daniel Boone in 1774 when he was only 16 to protect early settlements. Lebanon is the county seat.[1]
Russell County, Virginia Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Russell County Courthouse
P O Box 435
Lebanon, Virginia 24266
Phone: 540-889-8023
Clerk Circuit Court has marriage records from 1853,
divorce and court records from 1786, probate records
from 1803 and land records from 1787[2]
Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
1853 | 1853 | 1853 | 1786 | 1787 | 1803 | 1810 |
General compliance year is unknown. |
Russell County, Virginia History[edit | edit source]
Parent County[edit | edit source]
1785--A petition to form Russell County was submitted by citizens of Washington County in Dec 1785. Russell County was formed on 2 Jan 1786. The county's first court met on 9 May 1786 at Castle's Woods, later known as Castlewood.
County seat: Lebanon [2]
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
Lee, Scott, Wise, and Buchanan Counties were formed either in whole or in part from Russell County.
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[edit | edit source]
1872 A fire in the clerk's office destroyed the county's first marriage register and many loose papers in 1872. Bound volumes of deeds, orders, and wills (except Will Book 1) still exist.[4]
- Censuses lost: 1790, 1800, 1810, 1890
For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
- Burned Counties. By Michael John Neill at 24-7 Family History Circle.
- When the Records are Gone. By Arlene Eakle at Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Blog.
- Burned Counties Research in the FamilySearch Research Wiki.
Russell County, Virginia Places/Localities[edit | edit source]
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:[5]
Towns | ||
Unincorporated communities | ||
Census-designated places | ||
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
- "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Russell County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 22, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1978):131-133. Digital version at FHL; digital version at American Ancestors ($).
African American[edit | edit source]
- 1865-1872 Freedmen's Bureau Letters or Correspondence, 1865-1872
- 1935-2009 Virginia, African-American Funeral Programs, 1935-2009, index and images, incomplete
- Kegley, Mary B. Free People of Colour: Free Negroes, Indians, Portuguese and Freed Slaves. Wytheville, Virginia: Kegley Books, 2003. Available at FHL. [Includes information from Russell County.]
- Search the Library of Virginia's Virginia Untold collection for digitized records related to African Americans of Russell County.
- Slaves and Free Blacks in Russell County, Virginia
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Images of the Virginia Historical Society's family Bible collection have been digitized:
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Tombstone Transcriptions Online | Tombstone Transcriptions in Print | List of Cemeteries in the county |
Findagrave.com | Family History Library | Findagrave.com |
VAGenWeb | WorldCat | Billion Graves |
VAGenWeb Archives | ||
Tombstone Project | ||
Virginia Gravestones | ||
Billion Graves | ||
See Virginia Cemeteries for more information. |
- 1800-1986 - Virginia, Jewish Cemetery Records Index, ca. 1800-1986 at FamilySearch — index
- Knisely, Mary Jane. "Russell County, Virginia, Family Cemeteries," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 21, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1977):111-112. Available at FHL; digital version at American Ancestors ($).
- Russell County Cemeteries (Russell Co. GenWeb)
Census[edit | edit source]
Historical populations | ||
---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± |
1790 | 3,338 | — |
1800 | 4,808 | 44.0% |
1810 | 6,319 | 31.4% |
1820 | 5,536 | −12.4% |
1830 | 6,714 | 21.3% |
1840 | 7,878 | 17.3% |
1850 | 11,919 | 51.3% |
1860 | 10,280 | −13.8% |
1870 | 11,103 | 8.0% |
1880 | 13,906 | 25.2% |
1890 | 16,126 | 16.0% |
1900 | 18,031 | 11.8% |
1910 | 23,474 | 30.2% |
1920 | 26,786 | 14.1% |
1930 | 25,957 | −3.1% |
1940 | 26,627 | 2.6% |
1950 | 26,818 | 0.7% |
1960 | 26,290 | −2.0% |
1970 | 24,533 | −6.7% |
1980 | 31,761 | 29.5% |
1990 | 28,667 | −9.7% |
2000 | 30,308 | 5.7% |
2010 | 28,897 | −4.7% |
Source: "Wikipedia.org". |
1790 - Lost, but a subsitute is available, see Taxation.
1800 - Lost, but a subsitute is available, see Taxation.
1810 - Lost, but a subsitute is available, see Taxation.
- 1810 Russell County Virginia Slave Holders List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
1820
- Sutherland, Elihu Jasper. Russell County, Virginia, Census of 1820. Clintwood, Va.: unknown, 1940. FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($).
1840
- Douthat, James L. 1840 Mountain Empire of Virginia Census. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 2001. FHL Collection 975.5 X2d 1840. Free online surname index and purchase details at Mountain Press website. [Includes Russell County.]
1850
Census takers uncharacteristically recorded the birth town or county of residents this census year.[6]
- 1850 Annotated Census: Russell Co. Virginia (Microsoft Excel version; Russell Co. GenWeb) - download
- 1850 Annotated Census: Russell Co. Virginia (text version; Russell Co. GenWeb)
- 1850 Russell County, Virginia Federal Mortality Schedule (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- Ball, Bonnie S. and Ada Grace Catron. The Seventh Population Census of the United States for Russell County, Virginia, 1850. Haysi, Va.: B. Ball?, 1964. FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($).
1860
- Russell County, Virginia 1860 Census (Russell Co., VA Civil War Website)
- Russell County, Virginia 1860 Census, Slave Schedule (Russell Co., VA Civil War Website)
- Russell County, Virginia 1860 Federal Mortality Schedule (Russell Co. GenWeb)
1870
- Salyer, Elisabeth L.W. 1870 Census of Russell County, Virginia. West Palm Beach, Fla.: Palm Beach County Genealogical Society, 1975. FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($).
- 1870 Russell County, Virginia Federal Mortality Schedule (document scans; Russell Co. GenWeb)
1880
- 1880 Russell County, Virginia Federal Mortality Schedule (document scans; Russell Co. GenWeb)
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]
- Russell County Church Records (Russell Co. GenWeb)
Baptist[edit | edit source]
Early Baptist churches (with years constituted):
- Castlewoods (1806)[7]
- Copper Creek (1808)[7]
- Glade Hollows (1788)[7]
- Russel (1805)[7]
- Stony Creek (1802)[7]
Russell County fell within the bounds of the Holston and Mountain Associations.
Court[edit | edit source]
- Library of Virginia's Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index can be used to search digital images of Russell County chancery records for the years 1840-1933. The index can also be used to search for records up until 1960 - for entries marked "original," see online catalog or contact Archives Research Services for availabilty. Most post-1913 chancery records are unindexed and available at the Circuit Court Clerk's Office.
- Chancery records, 1948-present, housed in the courthouse
- Court records, pre-1948, held at the Library of Virginia in preparation for microfilming
- Russell County Court Records (transcriptions and document scans; Russell Co. GenWeb)
- Russell County Declarations of Intention (Russell Co. GenWeb)
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2009 Virginia, African-American Funeral Programs, 1935-2009, index and images, incomplete
Genealogy[edit | edit source]
- See Russell County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies for a list pf 100+ published books and articles, or jump to the surname using the alphabet bar.
Compiled Genealogies for Multiple Families
- Albert, Ethel Evans. Southwest Virginia in. 3 vols. Kingsport, Tenn., 1977. FHL Book 975.57 D2a. Contents: v. 1. A Genealogical and historical account of the Evans, Ferrell, Kelly, Counts, Stinson and related families -- v. 2. Genealogical and historical records of Russell County and Southwest Virginia families; Hendricks, Gibson, Garrett, Nash, Heburn, Buckles -- v. 3. Honaker, Deskins and related families.
- Smith, Gregg A. Genealogical Notes Concerning the Smith Family of Russell County, Va. Donated 1987. Available at Virginia Historical Society. Includes Arington, Artrip, Barks, Booth, Combs, Edwards, Finney, Glover, Grizzle, Hopkins, Johnson, Jones, Kiser, Larson, Lockhart, Martin, Mayfield, Musick, Nash, Pigman, Powers, Rasnake, Stinson, Sutherland, Sykes, Wallace, and Woolfe families.[8]
- The Heritage of Russell County, Virginia. 2 vols. Russell County Heritage Book Committee, c1985, c1989. FHL Large Q Books 975.5755 D3h v. 1-v. 2.
- Russell County Pedigree Charts and Family Group Sheets (Russell Co., VA GenWeb)
- Russell County, Virginia Biographies (Russell Co., VA GenWeb)
- Russell County, Virginia Families (links to information regarding a number of specific families; Russell Co. GenWeb)
Land and Property[edit | edit source]
Grants and Patents[edit | edit source]
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.]
- Russell County Land Grants & Surveys (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- Sims, Edgar Barr. Sims Index to Land Grants in West Virginia. [Springfield, Virginia]: Genealogical Books in Print, c1992. Available at FHL. [Includes Russell County, Virginia.]
Deeds[edit | edit source]
- Deeds beginning 1787 are available at the courthouse
- Russell County Deeds (Russell Co. GenWeb)
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Russell County Lookups (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- Albert, Ethel Evans. Southwest Virginia Kin, Vol. 1.
- Chafin, Andrew. Russell County (Images of America series). Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2008. Google Books page | WorldCat page
- The Heritage of Russell County, Virginia 1786-1986, 2 vols. Russell County Heritage Book Committee, 1989. Google Books page | WorldCat page
- Sutherland, Elihu J. Pioneer Recollections of Southwest Virginia.
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
Tom Rudder produced a map of the "First Land Owners in Castles Woods (Russel County, Virginia)," which as published in The Appalachian Quarterly, Vol. 11, No. 1 (Mar. 2006):59-62. FHL Book 975.5743 D25a v. 12. Rudder's map includes supporting documentation.
- Libre Map Project (includes detailed topographic maps of Russell Co.)
- MyTopo Historical Maps (includes older topographic maps of Russell Co.)
Military[edit | edit source]
Pre-Revolutionary War[edit | edit source]
- The First Militia Roster of the Clinch River Area of Russell County (Russell Co. GenWeb)
Revolutionary War[edit | edit source]
- Kegley, Mary B. Revolutionary War Pension Applications of Southwest Virginia Soldiers. n.p.: M.B. Kegley, 1997. Available at FHL. [Includes Russell 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. 1967 reprint: FHL Collection 973 X2pc 1840. [See Virginia, Western District, Russell 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 from this county; Virginia section begins on page 238.]
- Crouse, Randy F. McNew, "Michael Sword Ancestry and Historical Narrative, A Revolutionary War Veteran and Resident of Russell County, Virginia."($), 2012. 87 pages.FHL Film 1035668 Item 10 ISBN: 9781105710063. Avaialable at FHL and Lulu($). The purpose of this book is to prove the ancestry of Michael Sword and to document his Revolutionary War record. Michael Sword is the descendant of German immigrants who first arrived in Philadelphia in 1737. He served in the Revolution in the Army and was in battles at Brandywine, Germantown, and Charleston,SC. Includes a tabulated summary of all the muster and pay roll records found for him at NARA, data is extracted and listed in chronological order to reconstruct his military experience. This includes several battles and two periods when he was held prisoner.This book will be of interest to genealogists interested in the Sword family of Russell County, Virginia and especially of interest to those researching military history. Indexed. IMPORTANT, be sure to check the companion book, The Revolutionary War Diary of Major William Croghan($) FHL. Michael Sword was under the command Maj. Croghan and was with him on the 800 mile epic march to Charleston. Maj. Croghan records the minute and fascinating details of their daily activities during this march and during the battle for Charleston. This Revolutionary War itinerant diary is a must have, first-person, contemporaneous account that provides amazing insights into the military service of the Virginia Continental soldiery.
War of 1812[edit | edit source]
Russell County men served in the 72nd Regiment.[9]
- 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, Russell County, p. 102. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Regiments. Service men in Russell 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 Russell County, Virginia Genealogy:
- - 2nd Regiment, Virginia State Line (Cavalry) (Confederate). Companies A, E, and H.
- - 13th Battalion, Virginia Reserves (Confederate). Company G.[10]
- - 16th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company A and Company B.[11]
- - 21st Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company E 1st.[12]
- - 22nd Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Bowen's Virginia Mounted Riflemen) (Confederate). Company A, Company D, Company E, Company I, and Company K.
- - 29th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company A.[13]
- - 37th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Dunn's Battalion, Partisan Rangers) (Confederate). Company K.[14]
- - 37th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company C, Company G, and Company I (New Garden Fearnots).[15]
- - 48th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company C (Russell Guards).[16]
Records and histories are available, including:
- 1860-1865 - Russell County, Virginia 1860-1865
- 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)
- 1888 - Russell County Pension Applications, 1888
- 1900 - Russell County Civil War Pension Applications 1900
- Russell County, Virginia Civil War Website
World War I[edit | edit source]
- Military discharge records from World War I and later are housed in the courthouse
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]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
The Virginia Newspapers Project identifies local Russell County, Virginia Genealogy newspapers.
- The Geography of Slavery in Virginia: 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.
- Obituaries and Death Notices of Russell County (Russell Co., VA Civil War Website)
- Lebanon News mentions of Civil War veterans, 1900-1933 (Russell Co., VA Civil War Website)
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin
Genealogical articles with abstracts of Russell County, Virginia records have been published in the Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin (39+ vols., 1972-present), the journal of the Watauga Association of Genealogists. The organization has posted tables of contents for most volumes on their website. Back issues are available for purchase. The Family History Library has a complete collection FHL US/CAN Books 976.897 B2w, including Margaret W. Hougland and Betty Jane Hylton's Bulletin Subject Index: The First Thirty Years, 1972-2001 (Johnson City, Tenn.: Watauga Association of Genealogists, 2002) FHL US/CAN Book 976.897 B2w index 1972-2001.
Private Papers[edit | edit source]
- Knisely, Mary Jane. "An Old Account Book of Russell County, Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 21, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1977):310. Available at FHL; digital version at American Ancestors ($).
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
- Russell County Probate Records (Russell Co. GenWeb)
Taxation[edit | edit source]
Online Russell County, Virginia Tax Lists | |||||||||||
Type | Index | Images | |||||||||
Free | FHC | Fee | Free | FHC | Fee | ||||||
Personal Property | 1787, 1787 part | - | - | - | 1787 | 1787 | |||||
Land | 1787 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1788 | - | - | - | 1788 | 1788 | |||||
Land | 1788, 1788 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1789, 1789 | - | - | 1789 | 1789 | 1789 | |||||
Land | 1789 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1790, 1790 | - | - | 1790 | 1790 | 1790 | |||||
Land | 1790, 1790 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1791 | - | - | - | 1791 | 1791 | |||||
Land | 1791, 1791 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1792 | - | - | - | 1792 | 1792 | |||||
Land | 1792, 1792 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1793 | - | - | - | 1793 | 1793 | |||||
Land | 1793, 1793 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1794 | 1794 | |||||
Land | 1794, 1794 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1795 | - | - | - | 1795 | 1795 | |||||
Land | 1795, 1795 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1796 | - | - | - | 1796 | 1796 | |||||
Land | 1796, 1796 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1797 | - | - | - | 1797 | 1797 | |||||
Land | 1797 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1798 | - | - | - | 1798 | 1798 | |||||
Land | 1798 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1799 | - | - | - | 1799 | 1799 | |||||
Land | 1799 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1800 | - | - | - | 1800 | 1800 | |||||
Land | 1800 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1801, 1801 | - | - | 1801 | 1801 | 1801 | |||||
Land | 1801 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1802 | - | - | - | 1802 | 1802 | |||||
Land | 1802 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1803 | - | - | - | 1803 | 1803 | |||||
Land | 1803 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1804 | 1804 | |||||
Land | 1804 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1805 | 1805 | |||||
Land | 1805 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1806 | 1806 | |||||
Land | 1806 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1807 | 1807 | |||||
Land | 1807 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1809 | - | - | - | 1809 | 1809 | |||||
Land | 1809 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1810 | - | - | - | 1810 | 1810 | |||||
Land | 1810 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1811 | 1811 | |||||
Land | 1811 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1812 | 1812 | |||||
Land | 1812 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1813 | 1813 | |||||
Land | 1813 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1814 | 1814 | |||||
Land | 1814, 1814 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1815 | 1815 | |||||
Land | 1815 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1816 | 1816 | |||||
Land | 1816 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1817 | 1817 | |||||
Land | 1817 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1818 | 1818 | |||||
Land | 1818 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1819 | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1820 | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1821 | - | - | - | 1821 | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1822 | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1823 | - | |||||
Personal Property | 1824 | - | - | - | 1824 | - | |||||
Personal Property | - | - | - | - | 1825-1850 | - |
How can Virginia tax lists help me?
Bibliography
Russell County's original personal property tax books are held at the Library of Virginia. The years 1787 through 1850 were microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah in 1993: FHL US/CAN Films 1905718-1905720.
Digitized images for select years are available online and abstracts of many of these records have appeared in print:
- Personal property & land tax list (no date), Southwest Virginian, Vol. 7 (Mar. 1984). FHL US/CAN Book 975.57 D25s v. 7 (1984).
- Tax list [date?], Southwest Virginian, Vol. 2, No. 9 (Jun. 1979). FHL US/CAN Book 975.57 D25s v. 2 (1979).
- [1786-1818] Land Tax Books, 1786-1818, Virginia Appalachian Notes, Vol. 25, No. 1 (Winter 2001); online at Roanoke Public Library - free. Surnames: Boyd, Carter, Castle, Cox, Hensley, Jones, Penix, Ramey, Ratliff, Sword, Syck.
- [1787] 1787 Russell County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List; index online at New River Notes - free.
- [1787-1819] Russell County Personal Property Tax Lists 1787-1819 (images); digital version in Tax List Club at Binns Genealogy ($).
- [1787] 1787 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List, Samuel Ritchies List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [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 US/CAN Book 975.5 R4sn v. 1. [The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Russell County is included in Vol. 1.]
- [1787] Tax list, 1787, Southwest Virginian, Vol. 2, No. 7 (1979). FHL US/CAN Book 975.57 D25s v. 2 (1979).
- [1787-1800] Tax list, 1787 through 1800, Southwest Virginian, Vol. 2, No. 9 (Apr. 1979). FHL US/CAN Book 975.57 D25s v. 2 (1979).
- [1788] 1788 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1788] Tax list, 1788, Southwest Virginian, Vol. 2, No. 10 (Aug. 1979). FHL US/CAN Book 975.57 D25s v. 2 (1979).
- [1788] 1788 Russell County Virginia Land Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1789] 1789 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1790] 1790 Russell County Virginia Land Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1790] 1790 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1789] Tax list, 1789, Southwest Virginian, Vol. 2, No. 11 (Oct. 1979). FHL US/CAN Book 975.57 D25s v. 2 (1979).
- [1790] Tax list, 1790, Southwest Virginian, Vol. 2, No. 12 (1979). FHL US/CAN Book 975.57 D25s v. 2 (1979).
- [1790] Personal property and land tax, 1790, Southwest Virginian, Vol. 3, No. 14 (Apr. 1980); Vol. 3, No. 15 (Jun. 1980). FHL US/CAN Book 975.57 D25s v. 3 (1980).
- [1790, 1801] Images of the 1790 and 1801 Personal Property Tax Lists of Russell County, Virginia are available to browse online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
- [1791] 1791 Russell County Virginia Land Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1791] 1791 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1791] Personal property & land tax list, 1791, Southwest Virginian, Vol. 3, No. 16 (Aug. 1980); Vol. 3, No. 17 (Oct. 1980). FHL US/CAN Book 975.57 D25s v. 3 (1980).
- [1792] 1792 Russell County Virginia Land Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1792] 1792 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1792] Personal property & land tax list, 1792, Southwest Virginian, Vol. 3, No. 18 (Dec. 1980); Vol. 4, No. 19 (Feb. 1981); Vol. 4, No. 20 (Apr. 1981); Vol. 4, No. 21 (Jun. 1981). FHL US/CAN Book 975.57 D25s v. 3 (1980) ff.
- [1793] 1793 Russell County Virginia Land Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1793] 1793 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1793] Personal property & land tax list, Southwest Virginian, Vol. 4, No. 22 (Sep. 1981); Vol. 4, No. 23 (Dec. 1981); Vol. 5, No. 25 (Jun. 1982); Vol. 5, No. 26 (Sep. 1982). FHL US/CAN Book 975.57 D25s v. 4 (1981) ff. [perhaps 1792]
- [1794] 1794 Russell County Virginia Land Tax List
- [1794] [ 1794 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List]
- [1794] Personal property & land tax list, 1794, Southwest Virginian, Vol. 5, No. 27 (Dec. 1982); Vol. 6, No. 28 (Jun. 1983); Vol. 6, No. 29 (Jun. 1983). FHL US/CAN Book 975.57 D25s v. 5 (1982) ff.
- [1795] 1795 Russell County Virginia Land Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1795] 1795 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1795] Personal property & land tax list, 1795, Southwest Virginian, Vol. 6, No. 30 (Sep. 1983); Vol. 6, No. 31 (Dec. 1983). FHL US/CAN Book 975.57 D25s v. 6 (1983).
- [1796] 1796 Russell County Virginia Land Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1796] 1796 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1796] Personal property and tax list, 1796, Southwest Virginian, Vol. 7, No. 32 (Mar. 1984). FHL US/CAN Book 975.57 D25s v. 7 (1984).
- [1797] 1797 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1798] 1798 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1799] 1799 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1800] 1800 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1800, 1802, 1810] Tax list, 1800, 1802, 1810, Southwest Virginian, Vol. 1, No. 5 (1978). FHL US/CAN Book 975.57 D25s v. 1 (1978).
- [1801] 1801 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1802] 1802 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1803] 1803 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (document scans; Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1809] 1809 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1810] 1810 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1810] Schreiner-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 US/CAN Book 975.5 R4s. [The source for this publication is the 1810 personal property tax list. Russell County is included because the 1810 Census for that county has been destroyed.]
- [1810] Douthat, James L. 1810 Russell County, Virginia Tax List. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, n.d. Free online surname index at publisher's website.
- [1814] 1814 Russell County Virginia Land Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1815] Ward, Roger D. 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). 6 vols. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997-2000. Available at FHL US/CAN Book 975E4w v. 5. [The source for this publication is the 1815 land tax. Russell County is included in Vol. 5.]
- [1815] Kegley, Mary B. Southwest Virginia Tax Assessments, 1815: Grayson, Lee, Scott, Russell, Washington, and Wythe Counties. Wytheville, Va.: Kegley Books, 1991. Original edition and 1992 supplement available at FHL US/CAN Book 975.57 R4k. [The source for this publication is a private collection of 1815 tax assessment tickets for the First District of Virginia. The tickets includes landowners' names, number of acres or lots, number of buildings along with descriptions, and number of slaves. N.B. These are not the 1815 land tax books.]
- [1816] Kincaid, Bathsheba. "Russell County, Virginia Tax Book for 1816," The Mountain Empire Genealogical Quarterly, Vol. 4, No. 3 (Fall 1985):177-179. FHL US/CAN Book 975 D25m v. 4 (1985).
- [1821] 1821 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1824] 1824 Russell County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [1841] Personal property tax list, 1841, A-D, Researcher. Chillicothe MO: Jul 1967. Vol. - Iss. 9.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Indexes to Russell 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*Russell County Vital Records (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- Some Naturalizations, Births & Deaths of Russell County, Virginia (Russell Co. GenWeb)
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1853-1866 Birth Index, Batch C868666 at FamilySearch - free.[17]
- 1853-1889 Birth registers, Russell County Public Library
- 1853-1896 Births, Russell Co. GenWeb
- 1853-1866 Virginia, Slave Birth Index, 1853-1866 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1889-1896 Birth records, Library of Virginia
- 1912-1913 Virginia, Birth Certificates, 1912-1913 at FamilySearch — index and images
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1660-1959 Virginia, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 1740-1850 Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 (Ancestry) ($).
- 1785-1940 Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 at Ancestry.com ($) — index
- 1849-1911 Licenses or permissions, Russell County Public Library
- 1853-1908 Russell County Marriages, 1853-1908 (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- 1848-1853 Lost Marriage Records of Russell County, Virginia 1848-1853 (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- 1853-1908 Russell County Marriage Index 1853-1908. Batch M868666 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
- Marriage Register of Rev. Alexander Little (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- Some Early Divorces of Russell County, Virginia (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- [http://sites.rootsweb.com/~varussel/vitals/marclues.html
Some Early Russell County, Virginia Marriage Clues] (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- 1900-1935 Crouse, Randy F. McNew "Russell County, Virginia Marriages, Vol. 1, 1900-1923; vol. 2 1923-1935, 2012-2015. 248 pages. Available at Lulu ($) and FHL. Family History Library Call Number: 975.5755 V22. A transcription of the Russell County, Virginia marriage register, two volumes, covering the years from 1900-1923 and 1923-1935. A total of 7,846 marriages are included in the two volumes with separate indices sorted by groom surname and by bride surname. The register also contains the names of the parents, ages, birthplaces, marital condition, the groom’s occupation and residences of the parties. Marriage and Proportional Occupational Statistics are compiled for each year and there is a summary table and graphs. This will be a valuable aid to genealogical researchers trying to trace family history in Russell County in the early 20th century and also to those interested in social dynamics, demographics, and population statistics of the era. Full color front and back covers. Figures and graphs printed in full color (Hardcover version only, gray-scale in softcover) with black and white text. Available in Full color print version with a handsome Casewrap-hardcover binding and also in a black-and-white, economy softcover, “Perfect Bound” edition. ISBN volume 1: 9781105658839; ISBN volume 2: 9781312934078.
- 2000-present All marriage licenses after May 2000 are electronic with no paper records at the courthouse
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1918-1988 - Virginia, Divorce Records, 1918-1988 at FamilySearch — index and images
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1853-1866 Death Index, Batch B868666 at FamilySearch - free.</ref>
- 1853-1896 Death register, Russell County Public Library
- 1853-1896, 1912-1919 Russell County Deaths (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- 1912-1987 - Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987 at FamilySearch — index and images
- From 1961 Death records, available from the Russell County Health Department (released only to immediate family); earlier records are at the Virginia Department of Vital Records in Richmond
- Russell Countians Found in the Wise County, Virginia Death Register (Russell Co. GenWeb)
- Some Early 1900s Russell, Scott, and Washington Co., VA Deaths (Russell Co. GenWeb)
Vital Record Substitutes[edit | edit source]
For birth, marriage, and death record substitutes, see Bible Records, Cemeteries, Church History and Records, Newspapers, and Probate Records. |
Russell County, Virginia Genealogy Societies and Libraries[edit | edit source]
- General William Campbell Chapter SAR
19770 McCray Drive
Abingdon, VA 24211
Phone: 540-623-2442
- Branches located in Lebanon and Honaker. Visit website for details.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
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
Russell County, Virginia Genealogy Websites[edit | edit source]
- FamilySearch Catalog
- Russell County, VA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Genealogy Inc)
- References for Southwest Virginia (Southwest Virginia Project)
- Russell County Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Russell County Genealogy and History (Genealogy Trails)
- Russell County, Virginia (Wikipedia)
- Russell County, Virginia 1860-1865
- Virginia Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
- Russell County, Virginia Genealogy Links (GenealogyLinks.net)
- Russell County, Virginia GenWeb (VA GenWeb)
- Russell County, Virginia U.S. GenWeb Archives (U.S. GenWeb)
- Cyndi's List
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, in Russell County, Virginia, accessed 16 March 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Russell County, Virginia. Page 721 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Russell 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.
- ↑ Lost Records Localities: Counties and Cities with Missing Records, 6, in Library of Virginia (accessed 4 April 2014).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Russell County,_Virginia," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_County,_Virginia#Communities accessed 25 February 2020.
- ↑ Alycon Trubey Pierce, "In Praise of Errors Made by Census Enumerators," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 81, No. 1 (March 1993):51-55. FHL Book 973 B2ng
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Robert Baylor Semple and George William Beale, A History of the Rise and Progress of the Baptists in Virginia (Pitt and Dickinson, 1894), 358-359. Digital version at Google Books.
- ↑ Online Catalog, Virginia Historical Society, accessed 15 November 2011, https://www.virginiahistory.org/.
- ↑ Stuart Lee Butler, A Guide to Virginia Militia Units in the War of 1812 (Athens, Ga.: Iberian Pub. Co., 1988), 192. FHL Book 975.5 M2bs.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ John E. Olson, 21st Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, c1989). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 57.
- ↑ John Perry Alderman, 29th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1989). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 53.
- ↑ J.L. Scott, 36th and 37th Battalions Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1986). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 24.
- ↑ Thomas M. Rankin, 37th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1987). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 37.
- ↑ John D. Chapla, 48th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1989). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 54.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/3/37/Igivirginia.pdf.