Record loss
Most of this locality's early records are gone. Records were lost several times, mostly in the Civil War: the clerk's office burned on 15 December 1864, and more records burned in Richmond on 3 April 1865.
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 counties 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 Warwick 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 Book1865–1890
- Release Deed Book1952–1958
Estates and guardianships
- Fiduciary Book1865–1896
- Guardian's Account1872–1887
Marriages, births and deaths
- Register of Deaths1880–1896
- Register of Births1901
Court orders and minutes
- Order Book1713–1714
- Minute Book1748–1762
- Clerk's Order Book1881–1896
Military and pensions
- Induction and Discharge Records of World War1917–1918
County government and the poor
- Records of Overseers of the Poor1786–1860
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
- Find Warwick County's official website
We haven't checked this county's website yet, so this opens a web search. Look for an address ending in .gov, then find the circuit court clerk's office.
- 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: Warwick 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, Warwick" 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: One of the original eight shires of 1634
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1634 (original shire), 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.