Records that survive
These are the record series the Library of Virginia has on microfilm for Powhatan 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 Book1777–1906
- General Index to Deeds1777–1947
- Plats1820–1981
- General Index to Plats1870–1955
- Release Deed Book1884–1966
- Plat Book1886–1939
- Supplements to General Index to Deeds1921–1948
Wills
- General Index to Wills1777–1947
- Will Book1777–1909
Estates and guardianships
- Fiduciary Bond Book1887–1932
- Record of Fiduciaries1887–1901
Marriages, births and deaths
- Index of Marriage Register1777–1853
- Marriage Bonds1777–1868
- Marriage Register1777–1969
- Ministers' Returns1780–1854
- Marriage Records1786–1819
- General Index to Marriages1853–1935
- Index to Births, Marriages and Deaths1853–1871
- Register of Births1853–1871
- Register of Deaths1853–1871
- Death Certificates1912–1917
- Marriage Licenses1968–1981
Court orders and minutes
- Order Book1777–1904
- Minute Book1787–1871
- Clerk's Receipts1798–1800
- Index to Minute Book1807–1814
- Chancery Order Book1812–1919
- Court of Quarterly Sessions Minute Book1812–1843
- Court of Monthly Sessions Minute Book1820–1873
- Common Law Order Book1831–1926
- Register of Convicts1872–1916
Records of free Black and enslaved people
- Register of Free Negroes1800–1865
Military and pensions
- Muster Roll1861–1930
Bonds and oaths
- Officials' Bond Book1923–1954
County government and the poor
- Overseers of the Poor Yearly Allowances1826–1832
- Overseers of the Poor Minute Book1852–1870
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
- Powhatan 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: Powhatan 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, Powhatan" 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: Cumberland County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Cumberland County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1777, 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.