…anymore than loss of records in a Virginia county can stop your genealogy! So here I am at work finding newly-published sources for counties where record loss has slowed our research progress down.
Let me introduce a collection of Bible Records of Caroline County Virginia Families by Herbert Ridgeway Collins (Heritage Books, 100 Railroad Ave #104, Westminster MD 21157.) 2008. Collins transcribed 257 Bibles–mostly 19th century, a few 18th century. And, as he points out, many later Bibles record family members who were born well before 1800.
Some families had more than one Bible, and they are published together, one after another so you can see the comparison of data. One of great interest to me was the Bible of Col. Abram Penn (p. 214), Pendleton (209), and the related three Taylor family Bibles designated as Taylor Family Bible 1, 2, and 3 (pp. 267-73) with Penn data included because of the intermarriages between the two families.
Keep in mind that even if there is no Bible for a specific family of interest to you, there often is mention of your family among the entries in the Bible of someone else. Of the 257 Bibles printed, over 45 are of particular interest to me for families I am currently researching or for families I have researched in the past.
Check the book out for Virginia surnames of interest to your family tree. Your favorite Virginia genealogist, Arlene Eakle http://arleneeakle.com
PS Herbert Ridgeway Collins has also published state and county death records, cemetery listings, and newspaper extracts for Caroline County.