CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VA HISTORY AND LOOKUP
Table of Contents
- In-Print County History Books
- Free Public Domain County History Books
- Concise County History
- Comments & Suggestion
In-Print County History Books
These titles are currently in print and selected for their relevance to local and county history. Click anywhere on the book listing below, each listing links directly to the book’s purchase page.
Book Title TBD
This book is still being located or processed. Details will be added once available.
Free County History Books
This section features a curated collection of county history books sourced from public domain archives. Each book provides valuable insights into local history and heritage. Click anywhere on the book listing below, each listing links directly to the book’s public domain resource.
Chesterfield County, Virginia, Its History and Present Condition by John B. Watkins, (1907) – 50 Pages
An official historical and descriptive account of the county. It details the region’s geography, economy, and social institutions from its 1749 establishment, providing a snapshot of the area in the early 20th century.
Chesterfield County, Virginia: A Genealogical Overview
Located immediately south of Richmond and situated between the James and Appomattox Rivers, Chesterfield County is an area of immense colonial, Revolutionary, and Civil War significance. For genealogists, its past is defined by its origins as the second English settlement in the New World, its early industrial history in coal and iron, and its critical role as a battlefield defending both Richmond and Petersburg during the Civil War.
I. County Formation and Evolution
Chesterfield County’s relationship with its parent county and the independent cities that grew from its territory is a critical piece of information for researchers tracing family lines in the region.
- Year of Creation: 1749.
- Parent County: It was formed entirely from the southern portion of Henrico County. Researchers seeking records that pre-date 1749 must consult the records of Henrico County, which date to 1611.
- Original Territory & Daughter Counties: Chesterfield County has not created any daughter counties. Instead, its territory has been significantly reduced through multiple annexations by the growing cities of Richmond and Petersburg. Most significantly, the independent City of Colonial Heights was formed entirely from Chesterfield County land in 1948.The cities of Richmond, Petersburg, and Colonial Heights are the primary “daughter” entities. Their growth and status as independent cities mean that researchers with ancestors in these urban areas may need to consult records in Chesterfield County as well as the respective city, depending on the time period and exact location.
- Boundary Changes: Aside from the land lost to city annexations, the county’s boundaries have remained largely stable since its formation.
- Bordering Counties & Independent Cities:
- Henrico County (north)
- Goochland County (northwest)
- Powhatan County (west)
- Amelia County (southwest)
- Dinwiddie County (south)
- Prince George County (southeast)
- Charles City County (east, across the James River)
- City of Richmond (north)
- City of Colonial Heights (south)
- City of Petersburg (south)
- City of Hopewell (southeast)
II. Settlement and Early History
- Early Inhabitants: Before European colonization, the area was the territory of the Appamattoc people, an Algonquian-speaking tribe within the powerful Powhatan Confederacy.
- First Pioneers and Settlement: The area holds some of the deepest history in North America. In 1611, Sir Thomas Dale established the “Citie of Henricus,” the second permanent English settlement in Virginia, within the county’s modern-day boundaries. The first commercial coal mines in North America were established near modern-day Midlothian in the 1700s. The county was named for Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, a prominent British statesman. During the Revolution, its ironworks were a key source of arms for the Continental Army.
- Civil War Significance: Chesterfield County was a major theater of operations during the Civil War. Its strategic location made it essential for the defense of Richmond and Petersburg. In 1864, the county was the primary setting for the Bermuda Hundred Campaign. Drewry’s Bluff (also known as Fort Darling), a massive Confederate fortress on the James River, was located in Chesterfield and was crucial in repelling the Union Navy’s advance on Richmond in 1862. Numerous battles and skirmishes were fought across the county from 1862 to 1865.
III. Genealogical Records and Resources
This section provides the practical information needed to locate ancestral records.
- County Seat: Chesterfield Court House, Virginia.
- Record Loss & Preservation: Chesterfield is a “burned” county and presents extreme difficulty for genealogists. The courthouse was burned by British forces under Benedict Arnold in 1781. Many of the surviving records were later taken to Richmond for safekeeping during the Civil War and were destroyed in the evacuation fire of April 1865. Record loss is severe, especially for the colonial and early national periods.
- Location of Records:
- Chesterfield County Courthouse: Located at 9500 Courthouse Rd, Chesterfield, VA 23832. This is the central repository for the county’s surviving historical records, which are most complete after 1865.
- Vital Records:
- Birth and Death Records: Statewide registration began in 1853. However, records from 1853 until 1865 were largely destroyed in the Richmond fire. Inquiries for modern records are directed to the Virginia Department of Health, Division of Vital Records in Richmond.
- Marriage Records: Most marriage bonds and licenses prior to 1865 were destroyed. The surviving collections at the courthouse are most reliable from the post-Civil War era onward.
- Libraries with Genealogy Collections:
- Chesterfield County Public Library: The Central Library branch, located at 7051 Lucy Corr Blvd, Chesterfield, VA 23832, has a dedicated genealogy and local history room with significant resources to help overcome the county’s record loss.
- The Library of Virginia: Located in Richmond, this is the primary state archive and an absolutely essential resource for any Chesterfield researcher. Due to the severe record loss at the county level, the Library of Virginia’s collection of state tax lists, land patents, legislative petitions, and other substitute records is often the only source of information available.
This county history was generated by AI and may be inaccurate or incomplete; please verify important information independently.