Records that survive
These are the record series the Library of Virginia has on microfilm for Montgomery 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 Book1773–1902
- Deeds and Wills1773–1797
- General Index to Deeds1773–1933
- General Index to Plats1773–1890
- Land Entry Book1773–1882
- Record of Plats1773–1919
- Unrecorded Deeds1812–1901
- Caveat Book1820–1859
- Record of Releases1884–1891
- Land Grant1898
- Trust Deed Book1904–1906
- List of Deeds1935–1941
Wills
- General Index to Wills1773–1952
- Will Book1797–1903
Estates and guardianships
- Fiduciary Register1850–1965
- Fiduciary Bond Book1874–1924
- Fiduciary Settlements1888–1908
Marriages, births and deaths
- Fincastle County Marriage Bonds1773–1775
- Index to Marriage Register1777–1853
- Marriage Bonds1777–1865
- Marriage Register1777–1902
- Ministers' Returns1780–1853
- Marriage Records1785–1861
- Marriage Certificates1811–1841
- Pulaski County Marriage Bonds1844–1857
- Register of Births1853–1868
- Register of Deaths1853–1868
Court orders and minutes
- General Index to County Court Order Book1773–1855
- Order Book1773–1904
- Chancery Order Book1831–1910
- Common Law Order Book1831–1908
- General Index to Ended Chancery Causes1831–1986
- Minute Book1831–1902
- General Index to Ended Common Law1832–1949
- Common Law Minute Book1876–1917
- Record of Forfeited Forthcoming Bonds1893–1934
- General Index to Ended Law Cases1950–1986
Records of free Black and enslaved people
- Register of Free Negroes1824–1863
Military and pensions
- Soldiers' Record1818–1839
- Order Book1889–1890
Bonds and oaths
- Bond Book1874–1909
Elections
- Congressional Poll1815
- Loose Records1865
County government and the poor
- Road Order Book1867–1889
- School Board Minutes1870–1946
- Finance Board Minute Book1932–1964
- Blacksburg1973–1986
- Christiansburg1973–1987
- Long Shop-McCoy1973–1987
- Riner1973–1986
- Elliston1974–1983
Schools
- Board of School Commissioners' Order Book1818–1850
See every volume and reel number at the Library of Virginia
Library of Virginia note: Reels 54-59 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
- Montgomery 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: Montgomery 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, Montgomery" 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: Fincastle County (extinct)
Check the parent county for earlier records: Fincastle County
Later formed partly from Montgomery County: Floyd County, Giles County, Pulaski County, Wythe County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1775, 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.