American Revolution
The Fairfax Circuit Court Historic Records Center holds some references to those men who served in the American Revolution from Fairfax County in its court order books and chancery records. A crucial series of records – the Fairfax Court Order Books from late 1775 until early 1783 – are unfortunately missing from our collection. We suspect that these order books would have recorded muster rolls, militia, or references to patriotic service, such as providing food, horses, clothing, etc., for the troops, but these records were most likely burned or stolen during the Civil War.
As pension laws changed during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Fairfax County Revolutionary War veterans appeared in Fairfax County Court to apply for pensions from the United States government. Therefore, we do have references to Revolutionary War soldiers in our post-1783 court order books, which can be searched using our surname index card catalog in the Historic Records Center.
The Historic Records Center has compiled records of Fairfax County Revolutionary War veterans from outside repositories such as the National Archives, the Smithsonian, and the Library of Virginia.
We have indexed these abstracts and transcripts below; please keep in mind that the originals of these records are held at the aforementioned repositories.
Participants in American Revolution, Fairfax County
This collection of records provides pension and militia information for those Fairfax County men who were born, enlisted, or lived in Fairfax County after the war. These records also contain recollections of soldiers who moved through Fairfax County during the war, but otherwise have no connection to Fairfax County. This source were compiled in the early 1990s.
Participants in American Revolution, Supplemental Indexes
This collection of records supplements the index above, and includes information such as regiment and militia lists, changes in pension laws, Fairfax County troop participation in various battles, and an index to Revolutionary War veterans who are buried in Fairfax, Arlington, and Alexandria counties (being that at the time of the Revolution, all of these counties made up Fairfax County). This source was compiled in the 1990s.
American Revolution Pension Applications, Fairfax County
This source contains transcripts of pension applications held at the Library of Virginia. These pension applications are for men and women who were either born, married, or died in Fairfax County, or had lived in Fairfax County at some point in their lives. This source was compiled in 2017. Learn more about Virginia Revolutionary War Records from the Library of Virginia.
The Civil War
Ordinance of Secession, 23 May 1861
On May 23, 1861, the Commonwealth of Virginia held a statewide referendum to determine whether its citizens would support ratifying the Ordinance of Secession, which had been drafted after representatives of the Virginia Secession Convention recommended secession on April 17. Unlike today, the polling process was not anonymous, so citizens turned out to watch eligible voters publicly declare their position. The polling lists are held at the Fairfax Circuit Court Historic Records Center and are unique in that they list voters individually by name, either for ratification or rejection of the Ordinance of Secession.
Ordinance of Secession, 23 May 1861
Civil War Pension Applications
The Fairfax Circuit Court Historic Records Center holds pension applications from veterans and/or their widows to the state government in Richmond, Virginia (if a Confederate veteran) or the United States government in Washington, D. C. (if a Union veteran).
Civil War Pensions – Fairfax County–1876-1943
