Records that survive
These are the record series the Library of Virginia has on microfilm for Prince Edward 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 Book1754–1902
- General Index to Deeds - Grantees - A1754–1916
- General Index to Deeds - Grantees - L1754–1916
- General Index to Deeds - Grantors - A1754–1916
- General Index to Deeds - Grantors - L1754–1916
- District Court Deed Book1789–1816
Wills
- Will Book1753–1917
- General Index to Wills1754–1915
- Loose Wills1754–1906
- District Court Will Book1791–1799
- District1793–1829
- General Index to Devisees and Wills1974–1984
Estates and guardianships
- Fiduciary Bond Book1754–1783
- Guardians' Accounts1764–1920
- Settlements, Accounts, Inventories, Appraisements1772–1903
- Record of Fiduciaries1850–1975
- Fiduciary Record1923–1927
Marriages, births and deaths
- Index to Marriage Bonds1754–1850
- Marriage Bonds1754–1853
- List of Ministers' Returns1781–1854
- Ministers' Returns1795
- General Index to Marriage Register1850–1984
- General Index to Marriages1850–1949
- Marriage Register1850–1859
- Index to Births1853–1896
- Register of Births1853–1896
- Register of Deaths1853–1868
- Marriage Licenses1854–1903
- Register of Marriages1854–1919
Court orders and minutes
- County Court Orders1754–1869
- General Index to County Court Orders1754–1904
- Index to County Court Orders1754–1758
- Index to Order Book1771–1781
- Records at Large1784–1798
- Common Law Order Book1786–1917
- District Court Order Book1789–1831
- Witness Attendance Book1791–1802
- Order Book1831–1904
- Index to Ended Law1856–1932
- Index to Ended Suits1856–1984
- Chancery Order Book1859–1904
- General Index to Judgment Lien Docket1875–1984
- General Index to Judgment Lien Dockets1875–1934
- and 2 more series in the full listing
Military and pensions
- Muster Roll1861–1865
- List of Confederate Dead1862–1865
- World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing1946
Bonds and oaths
- Register of Bonds Issued Under Orders of the County Court of Prince Edward1861–1864
County government and the poor
- School Trustees' Minute Book1870–1921
- School Trustees' Account Book1871–1909
- School Board Minute Book1894–1922
- School Board Minutes1922–1939
Schools
- School Accounts1871–1920
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
- Prince Edward 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: Prince Edward 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, Prince Edward" 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
Later formed partly from Prince Edward County: Appomattox County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1753, 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.