Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Virginia Beach (Va.) Deeds, 1718-1974 (bulk 1768-1937). Local government records collection, Virginia Beach (City)/Princess Anne County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court papers from the city of Virginia Beach.

Historical Information

The City of Virginia Beach was located in Princess Anne County, which is now extinct. The oceanside resort was incorporated as a town in 1906 and as a city by an act of the General Assembly in 1952. It was greatly enlarged in 1963 by consolidation with Princess Anne County, which thereby became extinct.

Princess Anne County was named for Anne, daughter of James II, who became queen of England in 1702. The county was formed from Lower Norfolk County in 1691 and became extinct in 1963. The county seat was Princess Anne.

Scope and Content

Virginia Beach (Va.) Deeds, 1718-1974 (bulk 1768-1937) consist of deeds of bargain and sale, deeds of gift, mortgages, and deeds of trust recorded in Princess Anne County and Virginia Beach. On presentation to the court, deeds were proved and recorded. If the deed was not witnessed, the grantor acknowledged the deed in open court. A few of the deeds include plats. Except for a few years early in the eighteenth century, slaves in Virginia were considered personal property and consequently were not usually sold by deed. However, they were often transferred in deeds of gift or were the property listed in mortgages and deeds of trust.

Deeds of bargain and sale are the most commonly recorded deed in which one individual sells property, usually land, but occasionally personal property, to another individual. Such deeds show the names of the grantor and grantee, the residence of both parties, a description of what is being sold, the consideration (or price), the location of the tract of land, the tract's boundaries, and any limitations on the property being sold. 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. Appended to the deed may be a memorandum of livery of seisin, stating that the property has changed hands and that peaceful possession has taken place.

Deeds of gift are often found transferring property, either real or personal, from one individual to another "for love and affection." The degree of kinship, if any, between the grantor and grantee is sometimes stated.

Mortgages and deeds of trust were deeds where one party is indebted to another and transfers or mortgages property to a third party to secure the debt.

The collection may include additional record types that were recorded in deed books such as officials' bonds, fiduciary records, marriage records, road and bridge records, and bills of sale of property including slaves.

Arrangement

Chronological

Related Material

Deed Books and Indices to Deeds for Princess Anne County can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm

Additional Princess Anne County Land Records can be found on microfilm at The Library of Virginia web site. Consult A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Virginia Beach (Va.) Circuit Court

Subjects:

• African Americans -- History
• Land subdivision -- Virginia -- Princess Anne County
• Slaveholders -- Virginia -- Princess Anne County
• Slavery -- Virginia -- Princess Anne County
• Slaves -- Virginia -- Princess Anne County

Geographical Names:

• Princess Anne County (Va.) -- History
• Virginia Beach (Va.) -- History

Genre and Form Terms:

• Deeds -- Virginia -- Princess Anne County
• Deeds -- Virginia -- Virginia Beach
• Land records -- Virginia -- Princess Anne County
• Land records -- Virginia -- Virginia Beach
• Local government records -- Virginia -- Princess Anne County
• Local government records -- Virginia -- Virginia Beach
• Mortgage deeds -- Virginia -- Princess Anne County
• Mortgage deeds -- Virginia -- Virginia Beach

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

• Princess Anne County (Va.) Circuit Court

Adjunct Descriptive Data