(Powhatan County) Vestry Book of Ling William Parish, VA., 1707-1850

Even though this book begins before Powhatan County was created, it does reflect the portion of Powhatan County that was carved out of Henrico County, VA. in 1777. This parish is very unique in that it is one of a few areas that the Huguenots settled in Virginia. This Huguenot District is filled with wonderful history. Professor Fife has transcribed the vestry book from French to English so that it might provide some useful help to those tracing their Huguenot ancestors. When the parishes were created by the General Assembly of Virginia, the Vestries were assigned some of the civil administrative functions and all of such functions were official in nature and the records of actions taken were recorded in the vestry book. This book serves as a unique as well as double purpose in that it contains two different sets of records: the minutes of the vestry (civil functions) and also the order for Processing. The later was the surveying of land to attempt to eliminate lawsuits over boundary lines. This book is filled with hundreds of early inhabitants.