WELCOME TO GENEALOGY FACTS

“Where It Is More Important to Have the Right Facts than to Be Right.”

UNIVERSITY OF GENEALOGY RESEARCH

Home ● Surnames ● Brick Walls ● University ● Resources ● FAQ ● Subscribe ● Submitting Research ● Donate

Gen 205 TAX DIGESTS

1.Tax digests can be very useful, especially if you have a year after year series.

2.Typically, taxes are paid on males (poll tax or tithe), slaves and land.

3.Land taxes generally list the acres and sometimes the watercourse. Sometimes, especially in Georgia, they list adjacent owners and the original grantee.

4.Land taxes in Virginia from 1782 to 1850 are particularly valuable as there is a series for Personal Taxes (poll tax and slave) and a series for Land Taxes. Sometimes the identity of the person is made, i.e. son of Peter. Sometimes slaves are named. Sometimes you can identify how an estate has been divided.

5.Especially Helpful to Distinguish Between Two People With the Same Name

Vaughan

1810

1811

1812

1813

1814

1815

1816

1817

1818

1819

1820

1821

1822

1823

Peter

Mecklenburg

163

Peter

Mecklenburg

97 ½

This sample is rather easy to see which Peter is which based upon the number of acres each owned. Sometimes you have to compare numbers of slaves, horses, cattle, etc.

Mission Statement ● Copyright ● Genealogy Standards ● Comment on Slavery ● Site Map ● Privacy ● Contact Us