Record loss
Most of this locality's early records are gone. Union troops destroyed or damaged many records in 1865. A few deed, will and order 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 Nottoway 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 Book1789–1903
- Deeds and Satisfaction of Deeds1789–1865
- Returns of Processioners'1795–1824
- General Index to Deeds and Deeds of Trust1865–1974
Wills
- Will Book1789–1964
- General Index to Decedents1865–1926
- General Index to Will Book1865–1954
- General Index to Devisees and Heirs1866–1941
Estates and guardianships
- Bond Book1852–1920
- Accounts Current1867–1915
- General Index to Fiduciary Accounts1867–1915
- Record of Fiduciaries1900–1902
- Clerk's Fiduciary Order Book1935–1972
Marriages, births and deaths
- Rev. John Cameron's Marriage Register, Bristol, Cumberland, and1784–1815
- Marriage Register1865–1942
- Index to Marriages1969–1975
Court orders and minutes
- High Court of Chancery Judgments Returned and Executions1791–1797
- Index to Court Order Book1793–1854
- Minute Book1793–1900
- Order Book1793–1904
- Execution Book1809–1828
- Index to Order Book1809–1863
- Office Judgments1809–1848
- Rule Book1809–1837
- Chancery Rules Book1831–1860
- Chancery Issue Docket1832–1834
- Chancery Docket1835–1861
- General Index to Ended Law Cases1850–1975
- Index to Ended Criminal Law Cases1850–1975
- Memorandum Book1855–1880
- and 13 more series in the full listing
Military and pensions
- Pension Board Minutes1901–1917
Bonds and oaths
- Bond Book1866–1891
- General Index to Bond Book1866–1917
- Officials' Bond Book1891–1975
County government and the poor
- School Trustee Electoral Board Minute Book1877–1928
- School Board Minute Book1907–1927
- Minutes of the Local Board of Review1915–1916
- Finance Board Minutes1923–1945
Schools
- School District Fund Book1909–1916
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
- Nottoway 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: Nottoway 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, Nottoway" 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: Amelia County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Amelia County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1788, 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.