Accomack County (Va.) Will Books, 1673-1761

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888
Restrictions:

There are no restrictions.

Terms of access:

Use microfilm copy, Accomack County (Va.) Reel 52.

Preferred citation:

Accomack County (Va.) Will Books, 1673-1761. Local government records collection, Accomack County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Summary

Creator:
Accomack County (Va.) Circuit Court.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Accomack County (Va.) Will Books, 1673-1761. Local government records collection, Accomack County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Background

Scope and content:

Will books, 1673-1761, of Accomack County Court. They include the name of testator, list of heirs, and the year the will was proven in court. They also include probate records such as inventories and appraisements.

Does not have a microfilm copy.

Biographical / historical:

Accomack County was named for the Accomac Indians, who lived on the Eastern Shore at the time of the first English settlement in Virginia. The word means "on-the-other-side-of-water place" or "across the water." It was one of the original eight shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634 and spelled Accomac without the k. The county's name was changed to Northampton County in 1643. The present county was formed from Northampton about 1663. In October 1670, the General Assembly temporarily reunited Accomack and Northampton Counties as Northampton County. In November 1673, Accomack County was again separated from Northampton. In early records, the county's name was spelled many ways. In 1940 the General Assembly adopted the present spelling, Accomack. The county gained a small part of the southern end of Smith's Island from Somerset County, Maryland, in 1879, after the United States had approved boundary changes between Virginia and Maryland that had been agreed to in 1877. The county seat is Accomac.

A significant number of loose records from the 1700s suffered extreme water and pest damage. Volumes that record deeds, court orders, and wills exist.

Acquisition information:
This item came to the Library of Virginia in shipments of court papers from Accomack County.
Arrangement:

Chronological

Physical location:
Library of Virginia
Physical description:
2 vol. (883 p.)