Lunenburg County, VA

County Formation and Boundary History

Lunenburg County was formed in 1746 from a large part of western Brunswick Co., which had been formed in 1732 from the western parts of Isle of Wight and Surry counties. The northern border between Lunenburg and Albemarle was then the divide between the James and Roanoke River watersheds. From its formation, the county seat was New London, within a few miles of the earliest settlement on Flat Creek, established ca 1734. I searched many of the available Brunswick Co. records at LVA, and found no Goodmans there, which does not however rule out the possibility that some were.

In 1754, Bedford Co., was formed from the north west part of Lunenburg and a small part of Albemarle, and New London was its county seat. In 1764, Lunenburg was further divided, the northwestern part becoming Charlotte, and the southern part, to the NC border, becoming Mecklenburg.

Some records of Lunenburg County lands and residents may be found in earlier Brunswick, Isle of Wight and Surry, and later Bedford, Campbell, Charlotte and Mecklenburg Counties.

The following records establish the presence of Goodman and other Hanover / Louisa / Albemarle men of interest to Goodman family researchers in Lunenburg Co. in the period soon after its formation, and for some time after Bedford was split off. I have also included the few Mecklenburg records of note on this page.

Abstracted from Library of VA records by Ron Goodman, Nov 2000:

Some Lunenburg Transactions of Interest:

	1 Mar 1753, Bill of sale from Jasper Cock of Lunenburg, to Joseph Richardson, 21 head of horn cattle, 14 head of horse kine - 3 of them working horses (details of each brand), Wit: Benjamin Richardson, Mary Richardson, rec 2 Oct 1753 (DB 3:306-308)
	21 Jul 1753, Thomas T. Duggins of Lunenburg to John Richardson of Cumberland Co., for £20, 875 ac, Lunenburg Co, on both sides of middle fork of Cub Creek, wit: Charles Anderson, Thos. Williams, Isham Richardson, rec. 6 Feb 1754 (DB 3:422-425)
	7 Aug 1753, Israel Brown of Lunenburg, to George Green of same Co., for £50, 26 ac Lunenburg Co., on N. side of the little creek of Flat Rock Creek, granted to Brown, wit: John Williams, Wm. White, John Tabor (Turner?), rec. 7 Aug 1753 (DB 3:326-328).
	3 Jun 1755, various to Wm. Richardson (DB 4:81).
	27 May 1755, Robert Allen of Amelia Co., to Joseph Pulliam of Lunenburg, for 11£.11s.7p, 150 ac Lunenburg Co, on forks of Fucking (now Modest) Creek, part of grant to sd. Allen on 10 Sep 1755, Wit: Henry Williams, William Brown, rec 5 Dec 1758 (DB 5:350-351)
	1 Nov 1757, Daniel Williams, planter, of Granville Co., NC to son Henry Williams, planter, of Lunenburg Co., for love and affection, 420 ac where sd. Henry now lives, Lunenburg Co., ... along Miller's line from Meherrin River, ... back to River, ... down river to start. Wit: Jos. Williams, Sig. Daniel Williams, rec. 1 Nov 1757. Joseph Williams was present at court on this date. (DB 5:52-54). Henry's younger brother Joseph, b. 1742, was too young to witness, so this was probably their uncle, Joseph Williams b. 1 Jan 1721. Births of Henry & Elizabeth Williams children from 1760 to 1762 being recorded as in Lunenburg, and after 1765 being recorded as in Mecklenburg, indicates that this land was in the SE part of Lunenburg that was in 1765 divided to form Mecklenburg. After 1770, their children are recorded as being b. in Orange Co., NC and then Caswell Co., NC, indicating that they removed between 1768 and 1770, to the northern part of Orange Co. that was later Caswell Co., NC, adjacent and just west of Granville Co., NC, home of Henry's parents and siblings.
	Mar 1758, Benjamin Goodman oath as witness. (CO 5:34A). This Benjamin was probably the husband of Marya Williams. See also Daniel Williams and Henry Williams deeds in Lunenburg about this same time.
	Mar 1758, Benjamin Goodman oath as witness, also witnessing: Robert Liverett, whose lands later bordered those of Robert Goodman, brother or uncle of this Benjamin. (CO 5:35A)
	6 Jun 1758, Daniel Williams to Thomas Tate, 340 ac, Lunenburg Co., Ursula, wife of Williams, relinquishes her dower rights, Rec 6 Jan 1758 (DB 5:239:242)
	7 Jun 1759, George Green of Halifax Co, to Robert Goodman of Hanover Co., for 40£, 500 ac, Lunenburg Co., on branches of Flat Rock Creek, ... along Brown's (Israel) and William's (John) lines,... to Leveret's. (DB 5:383-385, CO 6:11B).
	1759, various, Robert Blackwell mentioned in court orders and deeds. See wills, below.
	1759, Deed, Joseph Gentry to Dowsing. Wit: Nicholas Gentry, Robert Brooks, Henry Williams. (DB 5:530-532)
	5 Feb 1760, David Genry to Wm. Cross. (DB 5:554)
	Aug 1760, Will of Israel Brown produced by widow, Anne Brown, Executrix, and recorded. John Jennings, John Williams, John Rogers to do appraisal. (CO 6:153)
	Aug 1760, Will of Israel Brown: Wife Anne executrix, moveable est. and 300 ac. Son Isaac, plantation and 300 ac. on mouth of Flat Rock Creek. Son Jacob, 300 ac s. side of n. fork of Moody's branch... Jackson's line. Dau. Lucy Crolle, 200 ac on Flat Rock Creek, Moore's branch. Son Robert, 300 ac, Jacob's line, on Moore's branch. Son Sherwin, 200 ac, Flat Rock Creek. Son, Abraham (Raba/Arabia), land upon River Pen (Beaver Pen?) Creek, another 400 ac upon her death (Anne's), s. side of Flat Rock Creek. To be sold: Survey between John Williams & I, 366 ac, 1/2 is mine. Son Stephen?, daughters Sarah Jane, Anne, Amy, 20£ apiece. (WB 2:21-25)
	Jun 1762, Wm Martin against Benjamin Goodman & Augustine Davis, indebt.; dismissed (CO 8:41)

Mecklenburg Transactions of Interest:

11 May 1767, William Goodman, joiner, of Surry Co., sold joiner’s tools to Henry Williams for 18 pounds, 9s, 10p, witnessed by Joseph Williams and Joseph Williams, Jr. This transaction may be mere coincidence, but it may also serve to connect the Surry / Isle of Wight Co., VA line of William / Henry Goodmans, later of Gates Co., NC, to the Goodmans of Hanover Co., VA, as this Henry Williams was the brother of Maria/Marya Williams, husband of Benjamin Goodman, b ca 1732, of Hanover / Louisa Co., VA.

1 Sept 1774: Debts due Dinwiddie, Crawford & Co., Upper Mecklenburg store, incl. Wm. Goodman, L1.11.1, due 1 Sept 1774, insolvent, and again in 1783.

Lunenburg Wills of Interest

These wills establish a connection with Benjamin Goodman and his wife Lucy Blackwell, of earlier Hanover Co., VA.

LUNENBURG COUNTY VIRGINIA WILLS 1746-1825, by Landon C. Bell

39. Blackwell, Robert 2-29-1787; 10-8-1789; W.B. 3/349
Mentions: Wife: Elizabeth Blackwell
            Sons: Robert Blackwell, John Blackwell, Thomas Blackwell, Joel Blackwell, Chapman Neal Blackwell
            Daughters: Christian [sic] Blackwell, Elizabeth Blackwell, Anne Blackwell
Executors: Elizabeth Blackwell (wife), Robert Blackwell (son)
Witnesses: William (his X mark) Ramsey, Mary (her X mark) Ramsey

40. Blackwell, Robert 11-15-1812; 5-12-1823; W.B. 8/234
Mentions: Wife: Jincey Blackwell
            Sons: Thomas Blackwell, Stephen Blackwell, Jones Blackwell, James Goodwyn Blackwell, John Blackwell, Robert Blackwell
            Daughters: Christianna Jeffress, Elizabeth G. Blackwell, Ann Jones Smith, Jane Jones, Mary Reper
Executor: John Blackwell (brother)
Witnesses: Thos. Marshall, Hartwell Freeman

41. Blackwell, Thomas 2-16-1819; 7-10-1820; W.B. 8/105
Mentions: Wife: Susannah Blackwell
              Sons: Robert Blackwell, John Blackwell, Joel Blackwell; James Goodman Blackwell, Lewis Blackwell, William Henry Blackwell
              Daughters: Mariah Blackwell, Nanny Blackwell, Martha Elizabeth Blackwell, Jincey Blackwell
Executors: Brothers: John Blackwell, Robert Blackwell, Joel Blackwell
Witness: Handwriting proved by: David Street, Jones Allen, Wm. H. Taylor.

218. Goodwyn, John 10-12-1812; 11-12-1812; W.B. 7/43
Mentions: Sons: Joseph Goodwyn, John Goodwyn, Matthew Goodwyn, Leonard Goodwyn, James Goodwyn
Daughters: Nancy Knott, Katherine Hardy, Rebecca Goodwyn, Polly Goodwyn
Executors: James Goodwyn, Thomas Adams
Witnesses: William Peace, Henry Buford, Leroy (his X mark) Burnett, Lew Jones.
(The original of this will needs to be re-examined for possible transcription and name spelling errors)