The Vestry Book of the Upper Parish, Nansemond County, Virginia, 1743-1793

By: Wilmer L. Hall, Pub. 1949, Reprinted 2019, 400 pages, Index, ISBN #0-89308-824-2.

Nansemond County was created in 1646 from Upper Norfolk.  And prior to that was part of Elizabeth City County.  Even though the county is extinct now, it was originally a large source of early migration into the Colony of Virginia.  When the parishes were formed by the General Assembly of Virginia, the Vestries were assigned some of the civil administrative functions and all such civil functions were official in nature and the records of actions taken were recorded in the vestry books.  Such records contained in the Vestry book contained among other things such things as: upkeep of bastard children; payment for the upkeep of the ferry; prosecution of fornicators; appointment of road work crews; apprentice young people to others in the parish for training in crafts or other livelihoods; providing clothing, food and shelter for the poor and elderly; burial of the dead and many, many other similar duties.