Author’s book aims at closing genealogy gap in New Kent

A local history enthusiast’s recently published book could be the answer researchers are looking for when it comes to tracing the history and lineage of families with roots in New Kent County.

Sandston resident Dallas Oslin’s 178-page work, “New Kent County in 1863: Land Geography, Landowners, Estate Names, Plantations, Acreage, and Others” is now on sale. The retired Richmond city planner said last week that he has 545 copies ready and waiting in his living room.

“There is beaucoup data here if anybody is interested in doing genealogical work on anybody in New Kent County,” he said. “New Kent, being a burnt county, is a stumbling block for anyone doing genealogical work.”

Oslin points to the year 1863 in his book’s title as being the key barrier.

“That is the year much of New Kent County’s early records were supposedly destroyed,” he said. “All we know is there’s a considerable amount missing, and we don’t know why.”

Two possibilities exist, he said. First, there is testimony by a records clerk who claimed to have boxed the records in 1863 and moved the boxes to Richmond where they supposedly were burned during the Union army’s siege of the city. Then, there is an account by a Union army cartographer, who composed drawings of the New Kent Courthouse area, saying he witnessed records being tossed into a courtyard by Union soldiers.

“All we know is the records are missing, and anyone doing genealogical work will not go back further than 1863 in researching documents,” the self-proclaimed “history nut” said.

Now enters his book, which is Oslin’s attempt to help bridge the gap. To complete his work, he said he embarked on a “regressionary analysis” of property lines in the county, working backward from the present to 1863. Then he employed seven different sources to trace county marriage records from colonial times up to 1863. Twenty years of research have gone into his published work.

“Just about every Monday, I was at New Kent Courthouse writing information on 3×5 cards and I would convert that information when I got back home,” he said.

Actually, Oslin’s interest in genealogy dates back about 40 years when he first began to trace his family’s origin for two of his aunts who were seeking to join the Daughters of the American Revolution.

“I found my family originated in New Kent in the 1680s and were probably charter members of St. Peter’s Church,” he said.

His interest piqued, he delved deeper into the task, eventually tracing eight generations of his family. Then came the work to bridge the 1863 gap. But being retired, he felt no hurry to publish his findings until one day his wife reminded him of his mortality.

“She said my research may end up in the trash if I demised, and that sort of lit a fire under me,” said Oslin, now 76.

His book sports a $30 per copy price tag (plus $1.50 for tax and $4 for mailing). Anyone interested in his work can write to Oslin at 4801 Atwood Road, Sandston, Va. 23150.