Lower Norfolk County, Virginia Court Records: Books “A” and “B,” 1637-1651/2

Description

Alice Granbery Walter was a leading authority on what used to be Lower Norfolk County, Virginia, the area which once occupied the far southeastern corner of the Virginia Colony. For this work, Mrs. Walter abstracted the genealogical meat from the oldest surviving court order books for Lower Norfolk County, Virginia–Books A & B. Most of the records in the two order books, of course, pertain to the county court of Lower Norfolk; however, a number of the entries apply to cases tried before the quarter court at James City County. Many of the records deal with matters of inheritance, birth, death, or adoption, thereby establishing relationships between early settlers. Still other entries pertain to the transfer of property, hence identifying persons transported into Virginia by various grantees. Since court order records are a miscellaneous lot, numerous abstracts treat minor civil suits; however, even these entries have the virtue of placing one or more settlers in Lower Norfolk County very early in time. Each of the Order Books is followed by an index of names, places and subjects. All told some 7,500 inhabitants of Lower Norfolk County are mentioned.