Residents who died in Mathews County, Virginia between 1866 and 1874 are transcribed along with the name of the decedent, date of death and the name of the Slave Owner, when applicable. There are a few missing years in the beginning of the death records and also during the years of the Civil War. The years 1866-1874 are missing from the Mathews County Death Records, Virginia State Library microfil reel from which this book was transcribed. Unfortunately, there were no instances where parents were listed. This is why the "parents category" is omitted until 1864. However, all individuals are listed together as either (white) or (colored) to indicate race. The book also contains an index of causes of deaths, and their definitions from these early death records. The names have been copied just as the county clerk wrote them to the best of the transcriber's ability. In some cases, the transcriber referred to the Mathews County Census Records, 1850-1860. Other times she referred to the book, Tombstones of Mathews County, Virginia, published by the Mathews County Historical Society in 1988. Slave names and their owners are listed together at the start of each new year. Be sure to try variant spellings when searching the book and the index. The book contains a complete every-name index. A researcher who is seeking out earlier death records should see Ms. Goodsell's first Mathews County book, Mathews County, Virginia Records, 1795-1890 where one will find, Executors Bonds, 1795-1825; Guardians Bonds, 1806-1822; Marriages 1827-1850 performed by Reverend William A. Billups; Mathews County Marriages 1817-1870; and Mathews County Death Announcements from Virginia Newspapers 1807-1890. Jane B. Goodsell 2001107-MTDR
