First Records of Settlers of Bedford County, Virginia

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Earliest Records of Bedford County Virginia Settlers

In 1652, Surry County, adjoining the Isle of Wight, was formed, and from portions of these two, the County of Brunswick was set apart in 1720. Lunenburg County was formed from Brunswick in 1746, and seven years later, Bedford County was formed out of Lunenburg. Bedford County was named in honor of John Russell, the fourth Duke of Bedford, who was Secretary of State of Great Britain from February 13th, 1748, to June 26th, 1757. Bedford County was formed from Lunenburg County by an act of the House of Burgesses on November 1753, to take effect on the 10th of May 1754. To pursue the landed relationship of Bedford in connection. Campbell County was formed from Bedford, Franklin from Bedford and a part of Henry in 1784. In October 1782, the General Assembly of Virginia passed an act establishing the town of Liberty, which in 1890 was changed to Bedford City. Bedford, like her mother, gave her territory to adjoining counties (embracing thousands of acres), her county seat, New London, and a location for Lynchburg, now one of the wealthiest cities in the Union. A site of one hundred acres, to be called “Liberty,’” was donated to form the county seat of Bedford :

Reading the county's history when searching for ancestors is always worthwhile. In this instance, The Historical Sketch of Bedford County provides informative data on the early times for historians and genealogists! This old edition is available to read online to members of georgiapioneers.com. After login, click “Genealogy-Books” to read the old editions.  

At the first order of Court on July 22, 1754, the following events occurred:

The Sheriff ordered an application to be made to the Governor for a writ of adjournment to adjourn this Court from the House of Mathew Talbot to the House of William Callaway on the main road on Buffalo Run near his mill.

Ordered that the liquor rates for the ensuing year for the County be established as follows and observed by the several ordinary Keepers, viz. Rum by the gallon, ten shillings, if good Barbados; Punch by the quart made with loaf sugar New England rum pr. gallon; Whiskie pr. the gallon; Bristol Strong Beer pr. the bottle; Peach Brandy pr. the gallon; Maderia wine pr. the gallon; Claret by the quart; French Brandy pr. the gallon; Arrack by the gallon; Virginia cider pr. gallon; English cider pr. the quart; A cold diet; a hot diet with small beer; Diet for a servant; Corn or oats pr. the gallon; Pasturage for a horse; 6 Stableage and fodder pr. night; lodging with clean sheets. 

[Note: The liquor rates were fixed by the Court from year to year for many years and finally abolished.] 

At a Court held August 26th, 1754. William Callaway agrees with this Court to build a Prison immediately on his land near the main road twenty feet by twelve, with square timbers the sides and upper and under floors, and with a partition, seven feet and a half pitch upon his proper costs, if the Court of this County should after being held at that place be removed and part of Albemarle on the south side of James River be added to this County and in case the said Courthouse should be established on the said Callaway’s Land he shall be paid by the County for building the said prison, and ordered that the Courthouse be established on the said Callaway’s Land, if that part of Albermarle be added to this County and the said Callaway agrees to give the County one hundred acres of land at the forks of the roads whereon the prison and Courthouse are to be built, fifty acres of which the said Callaway agrees to make a fee simple to the Court .when required, and the other fifty when he shall obtain a patent for the same and the said Callaway doth agree to find a rough house to hold Court in until the same be established. Ordered that the next Court for this County be held at the home of William Callaway on the road below his Mill Creek. [Note: The houses of Messrs. Talbot and Callaway were in or near London Town.]

The earliest surviving will book is dated 1763 to 1787, and, for your convenience, the names of the testators are listed below:

Testators: Allen, Reynolds | Allen, Robert | Allford, Silvator | Banister, William | Bates, John | Beard, Adam | Beard, Elizabeth | Beard, John | Birdwell, George | Board, John Sr. | Bodiker, William | Bowyer, Frederick | Bramlett, William | Brander, John | Brown, John | Bryan, William | Buford, Thomas | Burgess, William| Bush, John | Callaway, George | Campbell, William | Candler, Daniel | Cantrell, Sarah | Carson, John | Cook, Andris | Credell, Humphrey | Dalton, Timothy| Dixon, Thomas| Dooly, Thomas| Downing, John | Early, Jeremiah | Eger, George | English, Stephen | Ewing, Charles | Ewing, Robert | Ferguson, John | Fuqua, Ralph | Gaddey, George | Gibson, James | Gilbert, Samuel | Goad, John | Goode, John | Gouldman, Edward | Gower, Standly | Gray, John | Green, John | Greer, Joseph | Hailes, Francis | Hail, Richard | Hamilton, Thomas | Hancock, George | Hardwick, Robert | Hatcher, Edward | Hayth, William | Haynes, William | Hoard, William | Hollogain, John | Huddleston, Abraham | Hunter, Alexander | Irvine, Christopher | Irvine, William | Itheny, Thomas | Johnson, Benjamin | Jones, Michael | Jones, William | Kennedy, John | Lawson, Jonas | Lainhart, John Christopher | Linn, Adam| Loving, William | Martin, Robert | McCormack, William | Milam, Benjamin | Milam, Thomas| Miller, Simon | Mitchell, Daniel | Moon, Jacob Jr. | Moorman, Silas | Moreman, Thomas | Morgan, Thomas | Morris, Daniel | Murphy, Thomas | McMurtree, James | Pate, Edward | Pate, John | Phelps, John | Pollard, Francis | Prather, Jonathan | Rawlins, Benjamin | Ray, Joseph | Redd, John | Rentfroe, Joseph | Roberts, David | Roberts, Thomas | Robinson, James | Roland, Henry | Rust, George | Shaw, John | Smelser, Paulser | Smith, Bowker | Smith, Guy | Snow, Thomas | Steward, James | Stemon, Martin | Stump, John| Tanner, Nathaniel | Taylor, Henry | Thompson, William | Trigg, William | Turner, Richard | Wade, Jeremiah | Walker, Robert | Watkins, Thomas | Welch, Nicholas | Willson, John | Wilson, Mathew | Womack, Jesse | Worley, William | Worlly, Francis | Wright, Thomas |Young, James

Click the link below to learn more names in the wills and other documents. (this will give you time to discern whether or not your ancestors were in the region).

Bedford
Tax Digests Bedford County Tax Digests of 1782, 1784 to 1816 Digital Images of Wills 1763 to 1787 Testators: Allen…virginiapioneers.net

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