In an effort to get this moving again, I would like to suggest that the Personal Property Tax Lists is an excellent resource that a lot of people ignore thinking that it is mundane.  If you search each year for surnames of interest and then look at the data in collectively a lot can be gleaned.
As an example, in Fauquier Co where excellent records can be found at the Public Library in Warrenton you will find the Personal Property Tax List Records from 1782 through 1850. These, plus records after 1850 can also, be found at the LVA. I believe some may be obtainable through Inter-Library Loan.
In Fauquier Co. there were three tax lists: "A", "B", & "C". They were not always microfilmed in the same order every year so it is important to record or rearrange your data so that you know which list it came from. List "A" was fro Southern Fauquier Co. below Warrenton; "B" was for Northwest Fauquier Co. above Warrenton, and "C" was for Northeast Fauquier Co. above Warrenton.
I found my John Hefferlin, Revolutionary War Soldier, first listed in 1787 on list "A" and also listed in various years up to his death in 1837. His sons were identified in the lists when they became of age (16-21) when they were "tithed" and tax had to be paid. Women were only listed if they were responsible for paying the tax (a widow with horses or tithable males for example).
Please don't short change yourself by ignoring these lists. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Phyllis

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