Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are not restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Chesterfield County (Va.) Wills, 1740-1903. Local Government Records Collection Chesterfield County, (Va.) Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

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

Historical Information

Chesterfield County was named for Philip Dormer Stanhope, fourth earl of Chesterfield, British statesman and diplomat, and was formed from Henrico County in 1749. The county seat is Chesterfield Court House. Part of Henrico County was added to Chesterfield in 1922.

Individuals dying with a written will died testate. After the death of an individual, his or her will was brought into court, where two of the subscribing witnesses swore that the document was genuine. After the will was proved, the executor was bonded to carry out his or her duties to settle the estate. The court then ordered the will to be recorded.

Scope and Content

Chesterfield County (Va.) Wills, 1740-1903, 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 enslaved people) 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.

Chesterfield Courthouse Chapter of the Daughters of American Revolution adopted for conservation Peter Rowlett's will through the Adopt Virginia's History program. Conserved in 2020, LVA conservation lab.

Related Material

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

Adjunct Descriptive Data