Courses at the Virginia Institute of Genealogical Research

THE VIRGINIA INSTITUTE OF GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH, August 6-10, 2000

COURSE 1 COURSE 2

YORK COUNTY PROJECT
(Sunday Evening: Opening Session)
Eric Grundset
Don't Research Colonial Virginia Without It! Thanks to the work of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, all of the colonial records of York County have been indexed. Learn about this little-known resource and its importance to research for anyone with colonial Virginia ancestry.

HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY
Eric Grundset
Provides basic overviews of Virginia's history as it relates to the development of records and sources, and of the impact of Virginia's geography on settlement, migration, and historical materials.

VIRGINIA VOLCABULARY
Marty Hiatt, CGRS
The Old Dominion has some unusual terms woven into its records. Do you know alienate, escheat, half-portion, or life estate? Who was an orphan or infant? Bring your genealogical dictionary and have fun learning a new language. LAND COMPANIES & EARLY SETTLERS
Barbara Vines Little, M.Ed.
Land companies played an important role in the early settlement of the Virginia frontier. Conflicts between settlers and the land companies created records of great value to the frontier researchers.

BIRTHS & DEATHS
Wesley E. Pippenger, CG
The law, the records, and where they can be found -- This course sets the legal background for collecting vital statistics in Virginia. Records discussed include church and public registers, certificates, and mortality schedules. SURVEYORS' PLAT BOOKS
Eric Grundset
An important but little-used type of land record is the surveyors' plat book. Explore this source of vital information about land owners, their neighbors, and geographic features.

MARRIAGE & DIVORCE
Wesley E. Pippenger, CG
The course examines different types of Virginia marriage records, their use and content. Also featured are several types of divorce actions, the stipulations and concequences that are often involved, and more. MAPPING THE LAND
Barbara Vines Little, M.Ed.
Maps can be a rich source of information about individuals and communities; the types of maps available; what they can tell us, how to locate them and how to create non-existent maps from other sources are some of the topics covered.

CHANCERY CASES -- SOAP OPERAS OF YOUR ANCESTORS
Marty Hiatt, CGRS
When a dispute needed to be settled, yet a law had not been broken, it was the chancery court that heard the case. Learn about the causes, information in the files and where to find the loose papers.

THE VIRGINIA LAND OFFICE -- AN INTRODUCTION
Robert Young Clay
Provides an overview of the organization and history of the Virginia and Northern Neck land offices -- why they were created, their duties and the method of their operation.

RENT ROLLS AND LAND TAXES
Clyde Ratcliffe, MBA
Learn how these records can provide "grounds" for genealogical relationships and family histories. LORD FAIRFAX AND HIS NORTHERN NECK PROPRIETARY
Peggy Shomo Joyner, CG
Discusses the proprietor's life, politics, methods of distributing over 5-1/4 million acres of land, and some of the reasons for his numerous lawsuits.

DEEDS AND OTHER LAND TRANSFERS
Marie Martin Murphy, CGRS
Land transfer documents often contain valuable genealogical information. Courthouse research in the deed books will well repay the effort required. THE VIRGINIA LAND OFFICE (continued)
Robert Young Clay
Looks at major record groups in both land offices, how and why they were created, their location and use.

RICHMOND REPOSITORIES
Clyde Ratcliffe, MBA
Provides a survey of the genealogical and "what and where" in the Richmond area. THE VIRGINIA LAND OFFICE (concluded)
Robert Young Clay
Minor records of both land offices, little known and under-used record groups.

NORTHERN NECK LAND RECORDS
Peggy Shomo Joyner, CG
Learn about the records created by the Northern Neck Land Office and how to use them effectively.

PROBATE LAW -- ENTAIL AND PRIMOGENITURE
Marie Martin Murphy, CGRS
Significant changes were made in Virginia probate law after the Revolutionary War. Understanding the law can help solve genealogical puzzles.

DECIPHERING THE P's AND Q's OF YESTERDAY's HANDWRITING
Dorothy A. Boyd-Rush, Ph.D.
After locating information on your family, wouldn't you like to be able to understand what it says? The penmanship of early Virginia is a puzzle that can be solved with practice, patience and "insider information." BOUNTY LAND
Barbara Vines Little, M.Ed.
From the beginning of the colony through the Revolutionary War, bounty land was a tool used by the government to entice individuals to defend the frontiers. This lecture looks in depth at various bounty land records.

COUNTY COURT ORDERS
Marty Hiatt, CGRS
The actions of the county court were recorded in minute books and order books. This is where you will find information about slaves, exemptions from taxes, licenses for mills and ordinaries, appointments, naturalizations, and so much more. COUNTY LEVEL LAND RECORDS
Marie Martin Murphy, CGRS
Deeds, warranties, assignments, sheriff's sales, commissioner's sales, mortgages, road orders and other county records that deal with land are valuable resources.

GRAVEYARDS AND CEMETERIES
Clyde Ratcliffe, MBA
Discusses how to search cemeteries and ways to "unearth" graveyard information. UNDERSTANDING DEED TERMINOLOGY
Mary McCampbell Bell, CALS, CGL
Not understanding the terminology used in various land records can prevent us from using the records correctly. We will look at various types of records: fee simple deed, mortgage, deed of trust, quit claim, and colonial land patents.

SELDOM USED SOURCES AT THE LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA
Minor T. Weisiger
"Have you ever looked at...?" Solving genealogical puzzles requires a thorough review of all available sources. Here are six sources that contain much 'hidden' information about Virginians and the time in which they lived.

THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH AND DIVERSITY: THE CHURCHES OF 18TH CENTURY VIRGINIA
Dorothy A. Boyd-Rush, Ph.D.
Since many early Virginians did not have English roots, religious diversity abounded -- despite the proclaimed existence of an Established Church. FOR LANDS SAKE! INTRODUCTION TO THE FUN OF LAND PLATTING
Mary McCampbell Bell, CALS, CGL
More and more people are discovering the value of learning the skills necessary to place their ancestor's property on a USGS topographical map in order to resolve genealogical research problems.
This workshop is designed to acquaint participants with the udimentary skills needed to understand how to read deeds and plat the metes and bounds. By the end of the workshop, students will have platted at least three deeds, learned techniques to overcome obstacles such as water, and put together a neighborhood on a USGS map.
Students are supplied with all necessary equipment but are encouraged to bring calculators for they will be doing exercises that require math.

PROBATE PROCESS AND RECORDS
Marty Hiatt, CGRS
Court documents generated at a person's death often name heirs, describe land, indicate church affiliation, or list personal property. However, not all deaths created the same documents.

VIRGINIA'S 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY NEWSPAPERS
Dorothy A. Boyd-Rush, Ph.D.
The social fabric of the day is often revealed more accurately in the pages of a newspaper than anywhere else. Examine the advertisements, puzzles, recipes, politics, litigation, obituaries and find out more about your own family in the process.

TITHES & PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES
Barbara Vines LIttle, M.Ed.
Tax records are more than substitute censuses. They can be used to create family groups, prove links between generations, identify individuals in a given neighborhood and substitute for non-existent county records.

(Closing Session)

Rev. 3/15/00.
W. Pippenger

COURSE 1	COURSE 2
YORK COUNTY PROJECT (Sunday Evening: Opening Session) Eric Grundset Don't Research Colonial Virginia Without It! Thanks to the work of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, all of the colonial records of York County have been indexed. Learn about this little-known resource and its importance to research for anyone with colonial Virginia ancestry.
HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY Eric Grundset Provides basic overviews of Virginia's history as it relates to the development of records and sources, and of the impact of Virginia's geography on settlement, migration, and historical materials.
VIRGINIA VOLCABULARY Marty Hiatt, CGRS The Old Dominion has some unusual terms woven into its records. Do you know alienate, escheat, half-portion, or life estate? Who was an orphan or infant? Bring your genealogical dictionary and have fun learning a new language.	LAND COMPANIES & EARLY SETTLERS Barbara Vines Little, M.Ed. Land companies played an important role in the early settlement of the Virginia frontier. Conflicts between settlers and the land companies created records of great value to the frontier researchers.
BIRTHS & DEATHS Wesley E. Pippenger, CG The law, the records, and where they can be found -- This course sets the legal background for collecting vital statistics in Virginia. Records discussed include church and public registers, certificates, and mortality schedules.	SURVEYORS' PLAT BOOKS Eric Grundset An important but little-used type of land record is the surveyors' plat book. Explore this source of vital information about land owners, their neighbors, and geographic features.
MARRIAGE & DIVORCE Wesley E. Pippenger, CG The course examines different types of Virginia marriage records, their use and content. Also featured are several types of divorce actions, the stipulations and concequences that are often involved, and more.	MAPPING THE LAND Barbara Vines Little, M.Ed. Maps can be a rich source of information about individuals and communities; the types of maps available; what they can tell us, how to locate them and how to create non-existent maps from other sources are some of the topics covered.
CHANCERY CASES -- SOAP OPERAS OF YOUR ANCESTORS Marty Hiatt, CGRS When a dispute needed to be settled, yet a law had not been broken, it was the chancery court that heard the case. Learn about the causes, information in the files and where to find the loose papers.
THE VIRGINIA LAND OFFICE -- AN INTRODUCTION Robert Young Clay Provides an overview of the organization and history of the Virginia and Northern Neck land offices -- why they were created, their duties and the method of their operation.
RENT ROLLS AND LAND TAXES Clyde Ratcliffe, MBA Learn how these records can provide "grounds" for genealogical relationships and family histories.	LORD FAIRFAX AND HIS NORTHERN NECK PROPRIETARY Peggy Shomo Joyner, CG Discusses the proprietor's life, politics, methods of distributing over 5-1/4 million acres of land, and some of the reasons for his numerous lawsuits.
DEEDS AND OTHER LAND TRANSFERS Marie Martin Murphy, CGRS Land transfer documents often contain valuable genealogical information. Courthouse research in the deed books will well repay the effort required.	THE VIRGINIA LAND OFFICE (continued) Robert Young Clay Looks at major record groups in both land offices, how and why they were created, their location and use.
RICHMOND REPOSITORIES Clyde Ratcliffe, MBA Provides a survey of the genealogical and "what and where" in the Richmond area.	THE VIRGINIA LAND OFFICE (concluded) Robert Young Clay Minor records of both land offices, little known and under-used record groups.
NORTHERN NECK LAND RECORDS Peggy Shomo Joyner, CG Learn about the records created by the Northern Neck Land Office and how to use them effectively.
PROBATE LAW -- ENTAIL AND PRIMOGENITURE Marie Martin Murphy, CGRS Significant changes were made in Virginia probate law after the Revolutionary War. Understanding the law can help solve genealogical puzzles.
DECIPHERING THE P's AND Q's OF YESTERDAY's HANDWRITING Dorothy A. Boyd-Rush, Ph.D. After locating information on your family, wouldn't you like to be able to understand what it says? The penmanship of early Virginia is a puzzle that can be solved with practice, patience and "insider information."	BOUNTY LAND Barbara Vines Little, M.Ed. From the beginning of the colony through the Revolutionary War, bounty land was a tool used by the government to entice individuals to defend the frontiers. This lecture looks in depth at various bounty land records.
COUNTY COURT ORDERS Marty Hiatt, CGRS The actions of the county court were recorded in minute books and order books. This is where you will find information about slaves, exemptions from taxes, licenses for mills and ordinaries, appointments, naturalizations, and so much more.	COUNTY LEVEL LAND RECORDS Marie Martin Murphy, CGRS Deeds, warranties, assignments, sheriff's sales, commissioner's sales, mortgages, road orders and other county records that deal with land are valuable resources.
GRAVEYARDS AND CEMETERIES Clyde Ratcliffe, MBA Discusses how to search cemeteries and ways to "unearth" graveyard information.	UNDERSTANDING DEED TERMINOLOGY Mary McCampbell Bell, CALS, CGL Not understanding the terminology used in various land records can prevent us from using the records correctly. We will look at various types of records: fee simple deed, mortgage, deed of trust, quit claim, and colonial land patents.
SELDOM USED SOURCES AT THE LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA Minor T. Weisiger "Have you ever looked at...?" Solving genealogical puzzles requires a thorough review of all available sources. Here are six sources that contain much 'hidden' information about Virginians and the time in which they lived.
THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH AND DIVERSITY: THE CHURCHES OF 18TH CENTURY VIRGINIA Dorothy A. Boyd-Rush, Ph.D. Since many early Virginians did not have English roots, religious diversity abounded -- despite the proclaimed existence of an Established Church.	FOR LANDS SAKE! INTRODUCTION TO THE FUN OF LAND PLATTING Mary McCampbell Bell, CALS, CGL More and more people are discovering the value of learning the skills necessary to place their ancestor's property on a USGS topographical map in order to resolve genealogical research problems. This workshop is designed to acquaint participants with the udimentary skills needed to understand how to read deeds and plat the metes and bounds. By the end of the workshop, students will have platted at least three deeds, learned techniques to overcome obstacles such as water, and put together a neighborhood on a USGS map. Students are supplied with all necessary equipment but are encouraged to bring calculators for they will be doing exercises that require math.
PROBATE PROCESS AND RECORDS Marty Hiatt, CGRS Court documents generated at a person's death often name heirs, describe land, indicate church affiliation, or list personal property. However, not all deaths created the same documents.
VIRGINIA'S 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY NEWSPAPERS Dorothy A. Boyd-Rush, Ph.D. The social fabric of the day is often revealed more accurately in the pages of a newspaper than anywhere else. Examine the advertisements, puzzles, recipes, politics, litigation, obituaries and find out more about your own family in the process.
TITHES & PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES Barbara Vines LIttle, M.Ed. Tax records are more than substitute censuses. They can be used to create family groups, prove links between generations, identify individuals in a given neighborhood and substitute for non-existent county records.
(Closing Session)