Lancaster County (Va.) Deeds, Wills and Records, 1652-1793

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888

Summary

Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Lancaster County (Va.) Deeds, Wills and Records, Book numbers 1-2,4, 6-7, 9, 11-19 and 21, 1652-1793, record deeds (deeds of bargain and sale, lease and release and deeds of gift); wills(including the name of testator, list of heirs and year will was proven in court) and records (such as inventories and appraisements, lists of sales of estates, estate accounts, settlements of estates and settlements of administration and guardians' accounts) for Lancaster County. Volumes 13 and 17 contain order books. These volumes also include other record categories, usually found in county court order or minute books, such as apprentice indentures, powers of attorney, sheriffs' bonds, allotments of dower rights, election polls, road orders, selling of property, and orphans'accounts. Unless noted otherwise, volumes contain unnumbered, alphabetical indices.

Biographical / historical:

Lancaster County was formed from Northumberland and York Counties in 1651. It was probably named for the English county.

The deed was signed by the grantor, and possibly his wife or anyone else having a claim to the property, and by at least two witnesses. On presentation to the court, deeds were proved and recorded. If the deed was not witnessed, the grantor acknowledged the deed in open court.

Individuals dying with a written will died testate. Individuals dying without a will died intestate. After the Revolutionary War, when Virginia's general inheritance law took effect, all heirs of intestate estates inherited equally.

Acquisition information:

The original manuscript volumes came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Lancaster County.

The negative photostatic copies were compiled and created by the Virginia State Library's (now the Library of Virginia) Archives Division, under the accession numbers 20158-20160, 20165, 20169, 20172, 20174, 20175, 20196, 20198, 20199, 20200, 20203-20204 and 20223-20224 from the original court records found in the Lancaster County Circuit Court Clerk's Office.

Microfilm reels 1, 3-5 and 7 were generated by The Genealogical Society of Utah. Microfilm reels 2 and 6 were generated by the Virginia State Library's Microfilm Section.

Arrangement:

Chronological with the exception of Deeds, Wills, Records, Parts 1 and 2, Number 2, 1653-1702.

Physical description:
37 vol. (9394 p.) Volumes are negative photostatic copies and originals.