Records that survive
These are the record series the Library of Virginia has on microfilm for Bedford County, with the earliest and latest years filmed. A span can include gaps; it doesn't mean every year in between survives.
Land and deeds
- Deed Book1754–1902
- General Index to Deeds, Grantees1754–1930
- General Index to Deeds, Grantors1754–1930
- Surveyor's Record1754–1881
- Processioners' Book1796–1812
- Plats Drawn by S. S. Lynn, Surveyor1800–1965
- Processioners' Returns1812–1844
- Plats Drawn by S. S. Lynn1852–1865
- Release Deed Book1885–1909
- Plat Book1976–1977
Wills
- General Index to Will Book1754–1976
- Will Book1763–1916
Marriages, births and deaths
- Index to Marriage Bonds1754–1870
- Marriage Bonds1755–1879
- Marriage Returns1785–1852
- Marriage Licenses1852–1899
- Index to Births1853–1897
- Index to Deaths1853–1917
- Register of Births1853–1897
- Register of Deaths1853–1897
- Gen. Index to Marriage Registers1854–1949
- Marriage Register1854–1976
Tax lists
- Land Tax Book1888–1901
Court orders and minutes
- General Index to County Court Order Book1754–1904
- Order Book1754–1904
- Common Law Order Book1809–1906
- General Index to Common Law Order Book1809–1976
- General Index to Commonwealth Cases in Common Law Order Book1809–1976
- Chancery Order Book1831–1977
- General Index to Ended Chancery Cases, Plantiffs1831–1976
- Minute Book1871–1873
- General Index to Judgments, Defendants1909–1977
- Clerk's Order Book1974–1976
Records of free Black and enslaved people
- Register of Free Negroes1803–1860
- Free Negro Register1861–1864
Bonds and oaths
- Bond Book1850–1918
- Chancery Bond Book1870–1914
County government and the poor
- Overseers of the Poor Minute Book1816–1830
See every volume and reel number at the Library of Virginia
Library of Virginia note: Reels 176-231 are not available through interlibrary loan
Source: Library of Virginia, County and City Records on Microfilm. Reels marked for interlibrary loan can be borrowed through your local library.
Where to find the records
- Bedford County official website
Hours, addresses and phone numbers for the circuit court clerk's office, and any online record search the county offers.
- The circuit court clerk's office
Virginia's deed, will and marriage books are usually kept by the clerk of the circuit court for the county or city, though many older records have been moved to the Library of Virginia. Call before you visit; hours and access to older volumes vary.
- Library of Virginia: Bedford County records on microfilmfree
Every filmed volume with its years and reel number. Use the reels in Richmond; many can be borrowed through interlibrary loan.
- Library of Virginia: Chancery Records Indexfree
Search equity court suits by name. They're rich in family detail: estate divisions, heirs and land disputes. Many localities' suits are scanned and free to view.
- FamilySearch Catalogfree
Search by place for "Virginia, Bedford" to find filmed and digitized records, many viewable free online with a FamilySearch account.
Offices change their hours and access rules; call before you visit.
Boundaries and parent counties
Formed from: Lunenburg County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Lunenburg County
Later formed partly from Bedford County: Campbell County, Franklin County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1753, search the parent county. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries shows each boundary change.
Research tip
Start with the deed and will books: they name relatives, neighbors and land. Then try the court order books, which mention almost everyone in the county sooner or later, as witnesses, jurors, road workers or parties to a suit.