Record loss
Most of this locality's early records are gone. A courthouse fire on 17 January 1885 destroyed most records. Only a few order and deed books survive.
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 King William 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 Book1702–1901
- Processioners' Book1885–1886
- Release Deed Book1887–1977
- Plat Book1977–1981
Wills
- Will Book1885–1974
Estates and guardianships
- Fiduciary Account Book1885–1909
- Guardians' Account Book1885–1934
- Guardians' Accounts1914–1923
- Guardians' Bond Book1917–1922
Marriages, births and deaths
- Marriage Register1884–1981
Tax lists
- Tax Book1809–1816
- Certificates Showing Inheritance Tax Paid1970–1981
Court orders and minutes
- General Index to Records1701–1885
- Records1702–1884
- Sheriff's1782–1786
- Sheriff''s1819–1830
- Chancery Order Book1885–1916
- Common Law Order Book1885–1906
- Common Law Rule Book1885–1923
- Index to Ended Chancery Causes1885–1907
- Order Book1889–1904
- List of Chancery Causes1894–1923
- Clerk's Order Book1904–1925
- Declarations of Intent to Become Citizens1909–1913
- Index to General District Court Papers - Civil Cases1974–1981
Military and pensions
- Rosters of Civil War Service1861–1865
- World War I Memorial Records1917–1919
- World War I Muster Roll1917–1918
- World War II Induction and Discharge Record1945–1946
Bonds and oaths
- Special Commissioner's Bond Book1922–1925
County government and the poor
- Sheriff's1782–1830
- Road Book1885–1893
- Local Board of Review Minute Book1915–1922
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
- King William 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: King William 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, King William" 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: King and Queen County
Check the parent county for earlier records: King and Queen County
Later formed partly from King William County: Caroline County, Spotsylvania County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1701, 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.