The vestry book and register of Bristol Parish, Virginia, 1720-1789

The Vestry Book of Petsworth Parish, Gloucester County, starts in 1677, only a decade or so after the establishment of Petsworth in 1665. The book's Introduction pieces together the formation of the parish and important milestones in its history from published and original sources. The transcription itself relates to the following issues growing out of the business affairs of the parish; namely, payments to persons for services rendered to the parish, oaths and lists of oath-takers, news of the arrival of ministers, the appointment of church wardens, issues related to indentured servants, lists of tithables, payment of salaries and other obligations, the formation of parish precincts with the names of the families apportioned therein, the warding of children, and so on. While not intended to be a rich source of colonial relationships (as would be the case with a parish register, for example), the volume nonetheless establishes the existence of thousands of residents of Petsworth (Gloucester County, Virginia), each of whom is easily found in the index or indexes at the back of the book.