Record loss
Most of this locality's early records are gone. Most county court records, especially deeds, wills and marriages, burned in Richmond on 3 April 1865. Circuit court records stayed home, so common law and chancery papers survive well from 1831 on.
Before you give up, try these:
- The Library of Virginia's Lost Records Localities Digital Collection: copies of deeds, wills and other records from this place that turned up as evidence in other courts' files.
- Land tax and personal property tax books, which begin in 1782. Copies went to the state, so they often survived when the courthouse records didn't.
- The records of the parent county and neighboring counties, where families often bought land, went to court or married.
- Chancery suits, church records, newspapers, Bible records and military pension files. See Burned Counties.
Records that survive
These are the record series the Library of Virginia has on microfilm for Hanover 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
- Plat Book1801–1953
- Deed Book1865–1902
- General Index to Deeds1865–1924
- Processioners' Book1867–1868
- Release Deed Book1884–1901
Wills
- Miscellaneous Will Book1785–1904
- Old Wills1785–1893
- Will Book1827–1920
Estates and guardianships
- Orphans' Book1861–1886
- Fiduciary Accounts1885–1908
Marriages, births and deaths
- Register of Births1853–1879
- Register of Deaths1853–1871
- Index to Marriage Registers1863–1974
- Marriage Register1863–1924
- Marriage Register of Freedmen1866
Court orders and minutes
- Court Records1733–1792
- Order Book1809–1852
- Common Law Order Book1827–1952
- Chancery Order Book1838–1903
- Minute Book1859–1873
- Judgment Lien Docket1963–1968
Military and pensions
- WWI Muster Roll1917–1918
Elections
- Voter Registration Book1902–1920
See every volume and reel number at the Library of Virginia
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
- Hanover 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: Hanover 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, Hanover" 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: New Kent County
Check the parent county for earlier records: New Kent County
Later formed partly from Hanover County: Louisa County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1720, 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.