Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Albemarle County (Va.) Wills, 1778-1908. Local Government Records Collection, Albemarle County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfer of court papers from Albemarle County.

Historical Information

Albemarle County was named for William Anne Keppel, second earl of Albemarle and governor of the Virginia colony from 1737 to 1754. It was formed from Goochland County in 1744, and part of Louisa County and certain islands in the Fluvanna River, now called the James, were added in 1761 and 1838.

Individuals dying with a written will died testate. After the death of an individual, his or her will was brought into court, where two of the subscribing witnesses swore that the document was genuine. After the will was proved, the executor was bonded to carry out his or her duties to settle the estate. The court then ordered the will to be recorded.

Scope and Content

Albemarle County (Va.) Wills, 1778-1908, record the deceased's plan for how his or her estate was to be divided among his or her heirs following his or her death. Information commonly recorded in wills include the name of the deceased, also referred as the testator; names of heirs; a listing of real and personal property (including slaves) and how it was to be divided among the heirs; names of individuals who were to be the will's executors; the date will was written; and the date will was recorded at the court house. Additional record types may be found in this collection such as fiduciary records (inventories and accounts.)

Arrangement

Chronological

Related Material

Albemarle County Will Books can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia web site. Consult A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm

Albemarle County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Albemarle County Court Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the Lost Records Localities Database found at the Library of Virginia web site.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Albemarle County (Va.) Circuit Court

Subjects:

• Slaves -- Virginia -- Albemarle County
• African Americans -- History
• Estates (Law) -- Virginia -- Albemarle County
• Land subdivision -- Virginia -- Albemarle County
• Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Albemarle County

Geographical Names:

• Albemarle County -- History

Genre and Form Terms:

• Local government records -- Virginia -- Albemarle County
• Wills -- Virginia -- Albemarle County

Adjunct Descriptive Data