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Caroline County (Va.) Wills, 1733-1841. Local government records collection, Caroline County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Caroline County under the accession number 26675.
The wills in this collection were separated from Caroline County chancery causes and judgments at the courthouse at some point prior to transfer to the Library of Virginia. Following the transfer, many of the wills in this collection have been interfiled with the suit they were separated from. The wills were microfilmed prior to interfiling and are available on Caroline County (Va.) microfilm reel 7.
Caroline County was named for Caroline of Anspach, consort of George II. It was formed from Essex, King and Queen, and King William Counties in 1728, and additional parts of King and Queen were added in 1742 and 1762.
Most loose records and deed books prior to 1836 and will books prior to 1853 were stolen, mutilated, or destroyed by Union troops who ransacked the courthouse in May 1864. A near-complete run of order books exists.
Caroline County (Va.) Wills, 1733-1841, 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. The wills were exhibits in Caroline County chancery causes and judgments.
Will Books and Indices to Wills for Caroline County can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm found on the Library of Virginia web site.
See the Lost Records Localities Digital Collection available at Virginia Memory.
For more information and a listing of lost records localities see Lost Records research note .
Digital images of the Caroline County chancery causes are available on the Library of Virginia's Chancery Records Index.