(New Kent & James City Co’s) The Vestry Book and Register of St. Peter’s Parish, 1706-1786.

By: C.G. Chamberlayne, Pub. 1937, Reprinted 2019, 866 pages, Index, ISBN #0-89308-870-6.

Considering the fact that New Kent County is a “BURNED” county prior to 1865, makes this book one of only a few sources of information about this county during this colonial period.  This BURNED County was formed from York County in 1654 and is the parent county of: Hanover, King William, and King & Queen counties.  James City County was created in 1634 and was one of the eight original shires.  It is considered the mother county of the state, and within it lie the first church & parish.  It is the parent county in whole or part to: Charles City, New Kent, Surry, & York, counties.  This county has suffered great loss of records due to the Civil War.  

     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.