Mathews County Project

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Mathews County Migration Project

About Mathews County

Mathews County, the smallest of Virginia's rural counties, was originally delineated in 1651 as Kingston Parish, a part of Gloucester County. In 1791, the two were separated, and Mathews became an independent county. It was named for a prominent American Revolutionary officer, Major Thomas Mathews of Norfolk, who supported the separation legislation as Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates. From Cricket Hill, which overlooks Gwynn's Island, Continental cannons drove the last of Virginia's Royal Governors, Lord Dunmore, from Virginia's shores in 1776. The county, whose 94 square miles are surrounded by more than 200 miles of shoreline, is the site of numerous landmarks of historical significance. The county seat is Mathews.

2007 Mathews Market Days Festival    

• September 7th and 8th
  Click link above for complete information!
  
  
• learn about Sally Tompkins, the only female Officer to serve in the Confederate Army
  • Information about Capt. Sally Tompkins, C.S.A. - click here

Mathews County Resources

• County Statistical Profile
• Locate every nook, cranny and holler in Mathews County ~ (via GNIS Online Database) ~ Fixed 8/2007
  So GNIS has wised up and no longer allows a direct link to the data. But here's how to make it work!
  After you click on the link above...
  • enter Virginia in the State box, pick Mathews from the county drop down box and click on "Send Query"
  • at the bottom left of the new screen, click on "View & Print all"
  • in the Feature Name column, click on the place you're looking for
  • on the next screen there is a box on the right. Click on the 2nd item "GNIS in Google Map"
  • really nice map, even if you can't save it!
  • there is a way to do it, but you will have to contact me with the name of the place you're looking for.
• Google Maps ~ looking for an address? Print, email or save a map! ~ NEW 8/2007
• Mathews County Homepage   ~ Link fixed 8/2007
• Visit Mathews County ~ Check this out before you go!
• Tidewater Virginia Families: A Magazine of History & Genealogy
• Tidewater Genealogical Society
• Virginia Genealogical Society ~ New 8/2007
• Virginia Historical Society ~ New 8/2007
• 1909 Confederate Pension List
• Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet
  • Over 250,000 links, categorized & cross-referenced, in over 180 categories
• Mathews County Courthouse
  • P O Box 463
  • Mathews, VA 23109-0463
  • Tele: (804) 725-2550
  • Clerk of Circuit Court has marriage, divorce, probate, civil court and land records from 1865
• Mathews County Historical Society   ~ Link fixed 8/2007
• Gloucester Genealogical Society of Virginia   ~ Link fixed 8/2007
  • While they are located in Gloucester County, their publications cover Kingston Parish and Mathews County
• Census 2000 information for Mathews County ~ NEW 8/2007
• Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc.
• Historical Markers in Mathews County - A Virtual Tour   ~ Link fixed 8/2007
• Mathews County USGenWeb Archives never know what you might find here!
• Microfilm available for Mathews County at The Library of Virginia ~ NEW 8/2007
• Mathews County related Bible Records on-line at the Library of Virginia ~ Fixed 8/2007
  The LVA has wised up and no longer allows a direct link to the data. But here's how to make it work!
  After you click on the link above...
  • enter Bible Records--Virginia--Mathews in the second search box
  • from the drop-down box beneath it, choose "Subject begins with..."
  • click on GO
  • on the next screen, click on the 1st item in the list
  • you can also scroll backwards and forwards to check other localities!
• SSDI at RootsWeb ~ Search the Social Security Death Index
• Personal Property and Land Tax Records at the Library of Virginia ~ explanations ~ Fixed 8/2007
• Virginia Vital Records Information
• Obituary Daily Times ~ a searchable index of 12.6 MILLION published obituaries
  • What you'll see....
  • Last name, First Middle (Maiden) [Other married] "Nickname"; Age at death; Birthplace > Place of death; Newspaper; Publication date; Contributor's tagname
• RootsWeb's Guide to Tracing Family Trees ~ A self-study course with helpful lessons for the beginner, intermediate and or even the advanced genealogist.

If you know of any others, please let me know!

Books of Interest

• Epitaphs of Gloucester and Mathews Counties in Tidewater Virginia through 1865 by APVA, Joseph Bryan Branch, Gloucester (Richmond, VA: Virginia State Library 1959)

• Mathews Men Who Served in the War Between the States by B. F. Little (Norfolk, VA: Teague & Little 1961)

• Mathews County, Virginia Death Register 1853 - 1896 8.5" x 11" format iv, 146 pp., fully indexed , by Jane B. Goodsell (Athens, GA; Iberian Pub. Co., 2001)
  For more complete information about this book, or to place an order, click HERE!

• Mathews County, Virginia Records includes Executors' Bonds, 1795-1825; guardian books, book B, 1806-1822; marriages, 1827-50, performed by Rev. William A. Billups; marriage, 1817-70, and death, 1807-90, announcements from Virginia papers, by Jane B. Goodsell (Athens, GA; Iberian Pub. Co., 2000)
  For more complete information about this book, or to place an order, click HERE!

The following books are available from the MCHS, P O Box 855, Mathews, VA 23109
Virginia residents, please add 4.5% sales tax.

• Mathews County Panorama: A Pictorial History of Mathews County 1791-1941 by MCHS (1983; reprint 2000)
  • Has a good map showing 47 creeks and rivers in the county and gives a good history of the county with many pictures of notable citizens, homes, churches, etc.
  • Hardcover, 124pp., index
  • $27.95 + $5.00 p&h

• History and Progress, Mathews County, Virginia by MCHS (1982; reprint 1988)
  • History articles compiled from special editions of the GAZETTE-JOURNAL
  • Hardcover, 176pp., index
  • $24.95 + $5.00 p&h

• Tombstones of Mathews County, Virginia, 1711-1986 compiled by Christine L. Sheridan and Elsie W. Ernst (1988; reprint 1992)
  • Softcover, 268 pp.; includes 10 pp. addenda; indexes
  • $24.95 + $5.00 p&h

• Addenda, Tombstones of Mathews County, Virginia compiled by Elsie W. Ernst (1992)
  • Photocopy, 10 pp., index
  • $2.00 + $5.00 p&h

• The Vestry Book of Kingston Parish, 1679-1796 edited by C. G. Chamberlayne (1929)
  • Hardcover, numbered, autographed, 161 pp., index
  • $30.00 + $5.00 p&h

• Mathews County, Virginia, Land and Personal Tax Lists, 1791-1800 abstracted by Stephen E. Bradley, Jr. (1992)
  • Softcover, 127 pp., index
  • $25.00 + $5.00 p&h

• Mathews County, Virginia [Federal] Censuses 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840 abstracted by Stephen E. Bradley, Jr. (1992)
  • Softcover, 93 pp., index
  • $20.00 + $5.00 p&h

• Mathews County, Virginia Federal Census 1850 abstracted by Stephen E. Bradley, Jr. (1990)
  • includes all schedules
  • Softcover, 65 pp., indexes
  • $15.00 + $5.00 p&h

• The 1850 Land Records [Tax List] and Index of The 1850 Federal Census of Mathews County, Virginia compiled by Elsie W. Ernst (1990)
  • Softcover, 25 pp.
  • $5.00 + $5.00 p&h

• Mathews County, Virginia Federal Census 1860 abstracted by Stephen E. Bradley, Jr. (1998)
  • includes all schedules
  • Softcover, 150 pp., indexes
  • $25.00 + $5.00 p&h

If you know of any others, please let me know!

Online Bookstores
Check out this site if you're having trouble finding that particular book.
Some of these BookSellers have searchable databases online.

Lookup Volunteers

If you have reference materials pertaining to Mathews County and its people, I invite you to visit the Mathews County Message Board often and help others by posting a response to their queries. By posting a RESPONSE, you could possibly be helping more than one person. If you send an email to the query poster, you're only helping that one person. I've received requests from many of you wanting to be listed as lookup volunteers and I feel this may be the best solution. You won't be bombarded with requests and you can better control the amount of time you spend helping others. Won't you lend a helping hand?
Guidelines for Lookup Volunteers Please Read This!

Researchers For Hire

These links are included for your convenience only. There is NO warranty, written or implied, as to their usefullness or reliability, and as far as I know, their services have NOT been endorsed by the VAGenWeb Project, the USGenWeb Project or the WorldGenWeb Project. Please contact the individual sites for information concerning their services and fees. You might also contact the county Historical / Genealogical Society or Court House for recommendations.

• Association of Professional Genealogists, National Capital Area Chapter
  A List of Professional Genealogists.
• Board for Certification of Genealogists
  Another List of Professional Genealogists.

If you would like to be listed here, write to jimw@mindless.com for my requirements.

Links to Surrounding Counties

Middlesex Co - - - - - - - - - - Chesapeake Bay

Gloucester Co - - - - - MATHEWS CO - - - - - Chesapeake Bay

Links to Ancestor Counties

Charles River =======> York =======> Gloucester =======> Mathews
1634-1642              1642/3       		 1651           	     1791

Confederate Units Enlisted Here

• The Mathews Light Artillery
• Co. F3, 5th VA Cav. ~ Mathews Light Dragoons
• Co. D, 26th VA Inf., Capt. Alexander James' Co.

Check out The Virginia Regimental Histories Series for more information on these units and the men who fought for the cause.

On A Lighter Note

My thanks to the unknown author of this little bit of humor!

Found a YANKEE in my family tree...will trade for horse thief or other black sheep!

VAGenWeb Project USGenWeb Project WORLDGenWeb Project

Your comments or suggestions about this site are always welcome

You are my 55808 visitor since I moved to Rootsweb.

Last Updated Thursday, 08-Nov-2007 17:54:45 MST
jimw@mindless.com
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