Grayson County, Virginia Genealogy

United States

Virginia

Grayson County

Guide to Grayson County, Virginia ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, immigration records, and military records.

Grayson County, Virginia
Map
Location in the state of Virginia
Location of Virginia in the U.S.
Facts
Founded	1792
County Seat	Independence
Courthouse

County Information

Description

Grayson County is located in the Southwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia sharing a border with North Carolina. Grayson was named for William Grayson one of Virginia’s first two senators.

Grayson County Virginia Courthouse

Grayson County Courthouse
P.O. Box 130
129 Davis Street
Independence, Virginia 24348-0130
Phone: 276-773-2231

Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, divorce, probate, court
and land records from 1793

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1853	1793	1853	1793	1793	1793	1810
Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1912. General compliance year is unknown.

Grayson County Virginia History

Parent County

1792--Grayson County was created 7 November 1792 from Wythe and Patrick Counties.
County seat: Independence

Boundary Changes

For animated maps illustrating Virginia county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Virginia County Boundary Maps" (1617-1995) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

• Lost censuses: 1800, 1810, 1890

Grayson County Virginia Places/Localities

Populated Places

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Towns
Fries	Independence	Troutdale
Unincorporated communities
Baywood Elk Creek	Mouth of Wilson Whitetop	Whitetop

Grayson County Virginia Genealogy Resources

Research Guides

• "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Grayson County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 11, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1967):157-159. Available at FHL; digital version at American Ancestors ($).

African American

• Freedmen's Bureau Letters or Correspondence, 1865-1872

• Grayson County, Virginia Slaveholders 1800-1860 (New River Notes) - free.

• Heinegg, Paul. "Grayson County Personal Property Tax List, 1805-1818," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]

Bible Records

Images of the Virginia Historical Society's family Bible collection have been digitized:

• Virginia Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007.

Cemeteries

Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Tombstone Transcriptions in Print	List of Cemeteries in the county
Findagrave.com	Family History Library	Findagrave.com
VAGenWeb	WorldCat	Billion Graves
VAGenWeb Archives
Tombstone Project
Billion Graves
See Virginia Cemeteries for more information.

• 1800-1986 - Virginia, Jewish Cemetery Records Index, ca. 1800-1986 at FamilySearch — index

Census

For tips on accessing Grayson County, Virginia Genealogy census records online, see: Virginia Census.

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1800	3,912		—
1810	4,941		26.3%
1820	5,598		13.3%
1830	7,675		37.1%
1840	9,087		18.4%
1850	6,677		−26.5%
1860	8,252		23.6%
1870	9,587		16.2%
1880	13,068		36.3%
1890	14,394		10.1%
1900	16,853		17.1%
1910	19,856		17.8%
1920	19,816		−0.2%
1930	20,017		1.0%
1940	21,916		9.5%
1950	21,379		−2.5%
1960	17,930		−16.1%
1970	15,439		−13.9%
1980	16,579		7.4%
1990	16,278		−1.8%
2000	17,917		10.1%
2010	15,533		−13.3%

1800 - Lost, but a substitute is available, see Taxation.

1810 - Lost, but a substitute is available, see Taxation.

1840

• Douthat, James L. 1840 Mountain Empire of Virginia Census. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 2001. FHL Collection 975.5 X2d 1840. Free online surname index and purchase details at Mountain Press website. [Includes Grayson County.]

1890 Union Veterans

• "Virginia's Union Veterans: Eleventh Census of the United States 1890." Prince William County Virginia, by Ronald Ray Turner. FHL Collection. Includes residents of this county.

Church Records

Baptist

Early Baptist churches (with years constituted):

1. Cedar Island or Fox Creek (1782)
2. Meadow Creek (1797). A list of new members (1840) was published in Glimpses of Grayson, Vol. 7, No. 3 (Dec. 1985).
3. N. Fork of New River (1796)

Grayson County fell within the bounds of the Holston and Mountain Associations.

Quaker

Early monthly meetings (with years of existence):

• Chestnut Creek Monthly Meeting (1785-1841)
• Fruit Hill Monthly Meeting (1790-1814)
• Mount Pleasant Monthly Meeting (1790-1825, 1980s)

Court

Genealogy

More than 25 genealogies have been published about Grayson County families. To view a list, visit Grayson County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies.

Immigration

During the War of 1812, American officials reported finding a total of 1 British alien living in Grayson County.

Land and Property

Local Histories

Maps

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Military

Revolutionary War

• Kegley, Mary B. Revolutionary War Pension Applications of Southwest Virginia Soldiers. n.p.: M.B. Kegley, 1997. Available at FHL. [Includes Grayson County pensioners.]
• A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census]. 1841. Digital versions at U.S. Census Bureau and Google Books et. al. 1967 reprint: FHL Collection 973 X2pc 1840. [See Virginia, Western District, Grayson County on page 134.]
• Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." FHL Book 973 M24ur; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes veterans from this county; Virginia section begins on page 238.]

War of 1812

Grayson County, Virginia in the War of 1812

Grayson County men served in the 78th Regiment.

• List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883; Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Why Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, the Rate of Pension Per Month, and the Date of Original Allowance... Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883. FHL Collection 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, Virginia, Grayson County, p. 82. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Civil War

Regiments. Service men in Grayson County, Virginia Genealogy served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Grayson County, Virginia Genealogy:

- 4th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company F (Grayson Dare Devils).

- 4th Regiment, Virginia State Line (Cavalry and Infantry) (Confederate). Companies B and D.

- 8th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company C (Grayson Cavalry)

- 22nd Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Bowen's Virginia Mounted Riflemen) (Confederate). Company G.

- 37th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Dunn's Battalion, Partisan Rangers) (Confederate). Company D and Company I.

- 45th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company C (Grayson Rifles).

- 50th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company D (Wilson Rifles) (Grayson Hornets).

- 51st Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Companies A and D.

- 63rd Regiment, Virginia Infantry (McMahon's) (Confederate). Companies C and G.

Records and histories are available, including:

• 1861-1865 - Virginia, Civil War, Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865
• 1861-1865 - Virginia, Civil War, Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865
• 1861-1865 - U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
• 1861-1865 - U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)

Miscellaneous Records

• 1607-2007 - Virginia, Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — index and images

Naturalization

• Virginia Naturalization Petitions, 1906-1929

Newspapers

The Virginia Newspapers Project identifies local Grayson County, Virginia Genealogy newspapers.

Professor Tom Costa and The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia have created a database of all runaway advertisements for slaves, indentured servants, transported convicts, and ship deserters listed in the Virginia Gazette and other Virginia newspapers (1736-1803), see: The Geography of Slavery in Virginia.

Probate Records

A free index to Grayson County, Virginia Genealogy wills and administrations (1796-1800) is available at the Library of Virginia.

• 1793-1849 - Grayson County, Virginia Wills 1793-1849 (New River Notes) - free.

Online Probate Records

• Images of Wills and Estates 1796-1839;1839-1849. Virginia Pioneers ($)

Taxation

Online Grayson County, Virginia Tax Lists
Type	Index			Images
	Free	FHC	Fee	Free	FHC	Fee
Personal Property	1794, 1794	-	-	-	1794	1794
Personal Property	-	-	-	-	1795	1795
Personal Property	1796	-	-	-	1796	1796
Land	1796	-	-	-	-	-
Personal Property	-	-	-	-	1797	1797
Personal Property	-	-	-	-	1798	1798
Personal Property	1799	-	-	-	1799	1799
Land	1799	-	-	-	-	-
Personal Property	1800, 1800	-	1800	1800	1800	1800
Personal Property	-	-	-	-	1801	1801
Personal Property	-	-	-	-	1802	1802
Personal Property	-	-	-	-	1803	1803
Personal Property	-	-	-	-	1804	1804
Personal Property	1805	-	-	-	1805	1805
Land	1805	-	-	-	-	-
Personal Property	-	-	-	-	1806	1806
Personal Property	-	-	-	-	1807	1807
Personal Property	-	-	-	-	1809	1809
Personal Property	1810	-	-	-	1810	1810
Personal Property	-	-	-	-	1811	1811
Personal Property	-	-	-	-	1812	1812
Personal Property	1813	-	-	-	1813	1813
Personal Property	-	-	-	-	1814	1814
Personal Property	-	-	-	-	1815-1816	-
Personal Property	1817	-	-	-	1817	-
Personal Property	-	-	-	-	1818-1823	-
Personal Property	1824	-	-	-	1824	-
Personal Property	1825	-	-	-	1825	-
Personal Property	-	-	-	-	1826-1827	-
Personal Property	1828	-	-	-	1828	-
Personal Property	-	-	-	-	1829-1834	-
Personal Property	1835	-	-	-	1835	-
Personal Property	-	-	-	-	1836-1850	-
Personal Property	1863	-	-	-	-	-
Personal Property	1890	-	-	-	-	-

How can Virginia tax lists help me?

Bibliography

• Tax Laws, Local, Glimpses of Grayson, Vol. 9, Nos. 1-2 (Jun. 1988).
• [1794-1814] Grayson County Personal Property Tax Lists 1794-1814 (images); digital version in Tax List Club at Binns Genealogy ($).
• [1794] Grayson County, Virginia Tax List - 1794 (New River Notes) - free.
• [1794] 1794 Grayson County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List (New River Notes) - free.
• [1796] The 1796 Grayson County, Virginia Land Tax List (New River Notes) - free.
• [1799] The 1799 Grayson County, Virginia Land Tax List (New River Notes) - free.
• [1800] The 1800 Grayson County, Virginia Tax List (New River Notes) - free.
• [1800] "Grayson County, Virginia, 1800 Tax List," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 25, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1981):204-210. Available at FHL; digital version at American Ancestors ($).
• [1805] The 1805 Grayson County, Virginia Land Tax List (New River Notes) - free.
• [1805] The 1805 Grayson County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List (New River Notes) - free.
• [1805-1818] Heinegg, Paul. "Grayson County Personal Property Tax List, 1805-1818," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
• [1810] The 1810 Grayson County, Virginia Tax List (New River Notes) - free.
• [1810] Schreiner-Yates, Netti. A Supplement to the 1810 Census of Virginia: Tax Lists of the Counties for which the Census is Missing. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1971. Available at FHL. [The source for this publication is the 1810 personal property tax list. Grayson County is included because the 1810 Census for that county has been destroyed.]
• [1810] Tax List, 1810, Southwest Virginian, Vol. 5, No. 27 (Dec. 1982).
• [1810] Tax List, 1810, Southwest Virginia Ancestors, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Spring 1995); Vol. 9, No. 2 (Summer 1995).
• [1813] The 1813 Grayson County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists (New River Notes) - free.
• [1815] Ward, Roger D. 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). 6 vols. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997-2000. Available at FHL. [The source for this publication is the 1815 land tax. Grayson County is included in Vol. 5.]
• [1815] Kegley, Mary B. Southwest Virginia Tax Assessments, 1815: Grayson, Lee, Scott, Russell, Washington, and Wythe Counties. Wytheville, Va.: Kegley Books, 1991. Original edition and 1992 supplement available at FHL. [The source for this publication is a private collection of 1815 tax assessment tickets for the First District of Virginia. The tickets includes landowners' names, number of acres or lots, number of buildings along with descriptions, and number of slaves. N.B. These are not the 1815 land tax books.]
• [1817] The 1817 Grayson County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List (New River Notes) - free.
• [1824] The 1824 Grayson County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List (New River Notes) - free.
• [1825] The 1825 Grayson County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List (New River Notes) - free.
• [1828] The 1828 Grayson County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List (New River Notes) - free.
• [1835] The 1835 Grayson County Virginia Personal Property Tax List (New River Notes) - free.
• [1863] The 1863 Grayson County, Virginia Land Tax List (New River Notes) - free.
• [1890] The 1890 Grayson County, Virginia Land Tax List (New River Notes) - free.

Vital Records

Indexes to Grayson County, Virginia Genealogy births, marriages, and deaths are available online. These collections are incomplete, but are easy to search. Most records can also be ordered electronically online as well. Courtesy: FamilySearch. See also How to order Virginia Vital Records

Birth

• 1853-1879, 1884-1888 - Grayson County, Virginia Birth Records 1853-1879, 1884-1888, under Vital Statistics. (New River Notes).
• 1853-1870 - Grayson County Birth Index 1853-1870. Batch C868753 at FamilySearch - free.
• 1853-1866 - Virginia, Slave Birth Index, 1853-1866 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1912-1913 - Virginia, Birth Certificates, 1912-1913 at FamilySearch — index and images

Marriage

• 1660-1800 - Virginia Marriages 1660-1800 (Ancestry) ($).

• 1660-1959 - Virginia, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
• 1740-1850 - Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 (Ancestry) ($).

• 1793-1836 - Grayson County, Virginia Marriages 1796-1836 (New River Notes) - free.

• 1793-1906 - Grayson County Marriage Index 1793-1906. Batch M868753 at FamilySearch - free.

• 1853-1935 - Virginia, Bureau of Vital Statistics, County Marriage Registers, 1853-1935 at FamilySearch — index and images

• 1853-1931 - Grayson County, VA Marriages 1853-1931 (New River Notes) - free.

• 1936-1988 - Virginia, Marriage Certificates, 1936-1988 at FamilySearch — index and images

Divorce

• 1918-1988 - Virginia, Divorce Records, 1918-1988 at FamilySearch — index and images

Death

• 1853-1896 - Grayson County, Virginia Death Register 1853-1870 and Records 1870-1896 (New River Notes) - free.

• 1853-1870 - Grayson County Death Index 1853-1870. Batch B868753 at FamilySearch - free.

• 1912-1987 - Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987 at FamilySearch — index and images

Vital Record Substitutes

Grayson County Virginia Genealogy Societies and Libraries

Family History Centers

Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes.

• For current information about a center near you, go to the Family History Center Map

Grayson County Virginia Genealogy Websites

• Grayson Co., VAGenWeb. Part of the USGenWeb Project. Maps, name indexes, history.
• FamilySearch Catalog
• Grayson County, VA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Familytree101)
• RootsWeb Mailing List: SW_VA-L (Topic: Southwest Virginia)
• Cyndi's List

Grayson County Virginia Genealogy References