If you are interested in tracing your family history, or have any questions, please contact the museum at (434) 572-9200 or email questions to gen@sbhcmuseum.org.

Introduction

English settlers began moving into the territory of the future Halifax County in the early 1730s and the area was part of Brunswick County until 1746. From that date until 1752, the area was part of Lunenburg County.

In 1752, Halifax County was established and comprised the lands as far west as the Blue Ridge Mountains, including the future Pittyslvania, Henry, Patrick, and part of Franklin Counties. In 1767, that western area was split off and the boundaries of Halifax County of the 21st century were established.

Our holdings include publications covering the following:

Wills

Brunswick County, 1739 to 1795

Lunenburg County, 1746 to 1762

Halifax County, 1752 to 1797

Index of Virginia wills and administrations 1632 to 1800.

Deeds

Brunswick County, 1732 to 1764

Lunenburg County, 1746 to 1752

Halifax County, 1752 to 1796

Land documents for Halifax, Pittsylvania, Henry, Franklin, and Patrick, 1737 to 1770

Halifax County property location based on the first recorded deeds in the 1700s

Marriages

Halifax County, 1753 to 1831

Mecklenburg, 1765 to 1810

Taxes

Halifax County colonial tithables and poll lists

Halifax County personal property taxes 1782 to 1791

Records of Court Proceedings

Lunenburg County, 1746-1752

Halifax County, 1752 to 1755

Census Data

1720 reconstructed from legal documents for Virginia

1790 reconstructed from 1780s tax records for Virginia

1850 Halifax County - indexed

General History

Nugent’s Cavaliers and Pioneers Volume I to VII 163 to 1776 and Northern Neck Supplement

Works by Dr. W. B. Barbour, Wirt Carrington, Pocahontas Edmunds, and Alfred Morrison

Compilations of articles on various historical structures and their owners/occupants

Inventory of public, private, and church cemeteries through the late 1970s - white only

Various works on aspects of Virginia history, including publications by the state legislature

Works regarding the Staunton (Roanoke) and Dan Rivers and their historical importance

Histories of Mecklenburg, Prince Edward, Charlotte, Franklin and Pittsylvania Counties

Faye Tuck’s columns and book on various families, structures, and incidents in county history

Pres Young’s reminiscences from early and mid 20th century

James Sheppard’s newspaper columns on local history and genealogy

Family Histories

We have extensive information on the following families and allied families: Adams, Allen, Bailey, Barksdale, Beale, Carr, Carlton, Coleman, Craddock, Crutchfield, Dunn, DuVal, Easley, Elliott, Farmer, Francisco, Garner, Gosney, Granger, Green, Hendricks, Hubbard, Hudson, Hunt, Ingram, Lacy, Lanier, Lawson, Madison, Meeler, Moffett, Moorefield, Powell, Ragland, Russell, Scott, Short, Snead, Traynham, Tuck, Tucker, Wadill, Watkins, Weatherford, Whitlow, Williams, Wimbish, Wooding, Worsham

Religious

Record of Antrim Parish, 1752-1817

Individual church histories from all areas of the county

Educational

Halifax County High School yearbooks 1954 to present

School of Nursing yearbooks 1966 to 1978

Volens and Halifax High School yearbooks in the early 1950s

Cluster Springs Academy yearbook - 1909

C. H. Friend High School literary magazines from the 1920s and yearbooks from the 1920s to the 1950s - with gaps

Histories of some of the schools

Pictures of various school groups from the early 1900s through the 1950s

Local Authors

Works of poetry, fiction, drama, and non-fiction by Murrell Edmunds, Laura McPhail, Pocahontas Edmunds, Jim Seymour, George Waldrep, Craddock Edmunds, Elizabeth Penick, Laurietta Faulkner

Military

General Nathaniel Greene’s Revolutionary War activities in this area

Reminiscences by World War I and World War II soldiers

Account of his experiences by World War I POW from Halifax

Accounts of Revolutionary War action in Halifax County area

Civil War

Crews and Parrish, 14th Virginia Infantry, including information on three companies from Halifax

Nanzig, 3rd Virginia Cavalry with information on two Halifax County companies

Works by James Robertson, Anthony Gage, Greg Eanes and Carroll Headspeth

Collection of letters from soldiers

Service Records of soldiers in the 1st Artillery, 14th Virginia Infantry (A-Ch), 1st Light Artillery, Halifax Light Artillery, Halifax Heavy Artillery - microfilm