Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restricitons.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Caroline County (Va.) Deeds, 1861-1963 (bulk 1868-1948 and 1958-1963). Local Government records collection, Caroline County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in multiple shipments of court papers from Caroline County.

Historical Information

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, and/or destroyed by Union troops who ransacked the courthouse in May 1864. A near-complete run of order books exists.

Scope and Content

Caroline County (Va.) Deeds, 1861-1963 (bulk 1868-1948 and 1958-1963) consist of deeds of bargain and sale, deeds of gift, mortgages, and deeds of trust. 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.

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 Caroline County can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm

Additional Caroline 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

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 .

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Caroline County (Va.) Circuit Court

Subjects:

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

Geographical Names:

• Caroline County (Va.) -- History

Genre and Form Terms:

• Deeds -- Virginia -- Caroline County
• Land records -- Virginia -- Caroline County
• Local government records -- Virginia -- Caroline County
• Mortgage deeds -- Virginia -- Caroline County

Adjunct Descriptive Data