This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/HBC.2ACI/1218.1 Message Board Post: The 1790, 1800, & 1890 census records for Virginia were destroyed. For 1790 & 1800 there are subsitute books available. 1. Heads of Families at the First census 1790 – Virginia. [Does not include Campbell County.] 2. Virginia Tax Payers, 1782-1787; other Than Those Published by the Unither States Census Bureau. 3. The 1787 Census of Virginia. Check your local library for those titles. Rootsweb has some transcribed files by county, so you can check there. The 1785 Campbell County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List is at http://www.newrivernotes.com//va/camp1785.htm . Check the USGenWeb project for each county you are interested in for possible transcribed records. Also http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~ysbinns/vataxlists/index.htm has some information for this period.

Having investigated these sources several times over many years, I feel qualified to pass on some specific information that might be helpful to some folks. Just my own view point! I think it's a good tool to have a blank 1790 Census format to ponder, making sure you have the column headings. Note: some of these included data entered for Poll Tax use. These sources were taken from extant tax lists. The first Census of the United States was in 1790 and ordered by President Washington. "Heads of Families - at first Census", taken mostly from Personal Property Taxes of 1782 and 1785. It is not a list of heads of families who were listed in the first Census. Anyone living to pay tax in 1782-1785 might have died in or before 1790. Children might have been born to families after 1782-5 & before 1790. On the other hand, many of these people (mostly males were listed) might still have been living in 1790. "Virginia Taxpayers" is a compilation of additional tax lists of 1782-1787, previously not found and published, plus some for 1787. "The 1787 Census for Virginia" is not a Census for Virginia (there was none), but a massive compilation of Personal Property Taxes in 1787 for existing counties. The word "Census" in the sub-title of the publication refers to the probability that people listed on these tax lists represented the population of the counties to a high degree of accuracy..... thus allowing self-permission for the use of the word "Census". If anyone has information to the contrary I'll be glad to know. If anyone wants to know more about these sources individually I'll be glad to try and help.... no guarantees! Good Hunting! Bill H. ----- Original Message ----- From: <trenthistory@yahoo.com> To: <VACAMPBE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 2:12 PM Subject: [VACAMPBELL] Re: census for 1790 > > http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/HBC.2ACI/1218.1 > > Message Board Post: > > The 1790, 1800, & 1890 census records for Virginia were destroyed. For > 1790 & 1800 there are subsitute books available. > > 1. Heads of Families at the First census 1790 – Virginia. [Does not > include Campbell County.] > 2. Virginia Tax Payers, 1782-1787; other Than Those Published by the > Unither States Census Bureau. > 3. The 1787 Census of Virginia.