| Sorted by West Virginia census & voter lists | Sort by Count |
|---|---|
| West Virginia, U.S., Compiled Census Index, 1860-1890 | 111,809 |
| View other census & voter lists collections related to West Virginia (23) |
| Sorted by West Virginia birth, marriage & death | Sort by Count |
|---|---|
| West Virginia, U.S., Births Index, 1804-1938 | 3,629,627 |
| West Virginia, U.S., Marriages Index, 1785-1971 | 2,887,473 |
| West Virginia, U.S., Deaths Index, 1853-1973 | 2,446,976 |
| West Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1724-1985 | 1,272,117 |
| West Virginia, U.S., Compiled Marriage Records, 1863-1900 | 178,740 |
| View all West Virginia birth, marriage & death (17) |
| Sorted by West Virginia military | Sort by Count |
|---|---|
| U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 | 54,144,553 |
| U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 | 14,501,913 |
| U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 | 837,569 |
| West Virginia 5th Cavalry Roster | 1,100 |
| Annual report of the Adjutant General of the State of West Virginia for the year ending, 1864-1865 | 371 |
| View all West Virginia military (10) |
| Sorted by West Virginia immigration & emigration | Sort by Count |
|---|---|
| West Virginia, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1844-1943 | 67,055 |
| West Virginia, U.S., Naturalization Records, 1814-1991 | 64,939 |
| View other immigration & emigration collections related to West Virginia (44) |
| Sorted by West Virginia newspapers & periodicals | Sort by Count |
|---|---|
| West Virginia, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-current | 53,783,293 |
| Post-Herald And Register (Beckley, West Virginia) | 51,997 |
| View other newspapers & periodicals collections related to West Virginia (31) |
| Sorted by West Virginia pictures | Sort by Count |
|---|---|
| There are no pictures collections unique to West Virginia | |
| View other pictures collections related to West Virginia (15) |
| Sorted by West Virginia directories & member lists | Sort by Count |
|---|---|
| West Virginia, U.S., Order Sons of Italy in America, Lodge Records, 1921-1969 | 3,642 |
| Extracts from the minutes of the proceedings of the Associate Reformed Synod of the West, held at Chillicothe (O.) | 36 |
| View other directories & member lists collections related to West Virginia (87) |
| Sorted by West Virginia court, land, wills & financial | Sort by Count |
|---|---|
| West Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1724-1985 | 1,272,117 |
| Sims index to land grants in West Virginia | 867 |
| West Virginia Estate Settlements | 179 |
| View other court, land, wills & financial collections related to West Virginia (86) |
| Sorted by West Virginia dictionaries, encyclopedias & reference | Sort by Count |
|---|---|
| U.S., Select Family History and Bible Records Index | 14,871 |
| The Shenandoah | 375 |
| Letters from the Alleghany Mountains | 211 |
| Documents relating to the French settlements on the Wabash | 38 |
| View other dictionaries, encyclopedias & reference collections related to West Virginia (88) |
| Sorted by West Virginia maps, atlases & gazetteers | Sort by Count |
|---|---|
| There are no maps, atlases & gazetteers collections unique to West Virginia | |
| View other maps, atlases & gazetteers collections related to West Virginia (7) |
| Sorted by West Virginia stories, memories & histories | Sort by Count |
|---|---|
| West Virginia Prominent Men | 2,779 |
| The winning of the West | 1,736 |
| Who's who on the Ohio River and its tributaries | 970 |
| A winter in the West | 676 |
| Voyages des Français sur les Grands Lacs et découverte de l'Ohio et du Mississippi (1614-1684) (in French) | 597 |
| View all West Virginia stories, memories & histories (76) |
A genealogical history
Statehood: 19 June 1863
Capital: Charleston
Largest City: Charleston
Counties: 55
State motto: Montani Semper Liberi (Mountaineers Always Free)
State nickname: The Mountain State
Neighboring states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky
Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, c. 1874
Interesting facts
- According to the Virginia Constitution of 1776, only white males who owned at least 25 acres of improved land, or 50 acres of unimproved land were allowed to vote. This disenfranchised many small land owners in western Virginia until another constitutional convention in 1850-51 gave all white males over the age of 21 the right to vote.
- When Virginia seceded from the Union in 1861 at the start of the Civil War, the majority of those in western parts of the state opposed secession. A series of conventions were held, beginning in 1861, to determine western Virginia's fate. In order to become a new state, approval was required by the states concerned and Congress. The Virginia State government was reorganized on the grounds that the Secession Convention, convened without the consent of the people was invalid and secessionists were no longer entitled to office. The reorganized government approved the creation of the new state, a constitution was agreed upon and overwhelmingly approved by West Virginia voters in 1862 and in 1863 West Virginia became the 35th state.
- In 1877, the first national labor strike began in Martinsburg, West Virginia when the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad cut the wages of its workers for the second time in eight months. The work stoppage quickly spread throughout the industry and beyond as canal boatmen, miners, and others struck with them in a display of solidarity. Federal troops were called in to restore order, but by then strikes were taking place all across the country. Despite its widespread support the strike was unsuccessful and ended by August 1st, just over two weeks after it began.
Featured West Virginia collections
Famous people
Help and advice
Resources
West Virginia Census Research
Federal censuses for West Virginia begin in 1870 and continue every ten years thereafter. Transcripts of the 1870 census have been published for Barbour, Boone, Braxton, Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Lewis, Lincoln, McDowell, Mason, Monongalia, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Tyler, Upshur, Wetzel, Wirt, and Wood counties.
There are no state sponsored censuses for West Virginia. For enumerations prior to 1863, see Virginia.
West Virginia Research Resources
The organizations listed below provide information about West Virginia history and genealogy. In addition to these state-level resources, many counties and towns maintain important genealogical collections in local libraries, genealogical societies, or historical societies, so check for a local resource when researching.
West Virginia Vital Records
All but five of West Virginia's counties were formed before statehood on 20 June 1863, and governed by the same laws as other Virginia counties, including the requirement to register births and marriages beginning in 1853. State registration began 1 January 1917, although fire destroyed many 1917–21 records.
- West Virginia State Archives – Vital Records searchable indexes of birth, marriage, and death records for selected counties and years.
- West Virginia Heath Statistics – Vital Registration: Holds records of births and deaths from 1 January 1920; marriage indexes from 1924 and marriage records from 1964; and divorce indexes from 1967. Although the office is the official source for certified copies of records, their Genealogy page suggests that the West Virginia State Archives is the best starting point for genealogists seeking vital records.
Statewide Research Resources
- West Virginia Archives and History
- West Virginia GenWeb: Links to county genealogy pages, historical background, and research helps.
- West Virginia and Regional History Collection: Holds books, photographs, maps, and newspapers covering West Virginia and the Appalachian area.
- National Archives at Philadelphia: This facility maintains records from Federal agencies and courts in West Virginia, including census, military, court, naturalization, and immigration records.
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM) General Land Office Records: The BLM administers Federal Land for public land states including West Virginia, and maintains records of land patents which granted land from the Federal Government to individuals. Use the Land Patent Search to locate land grants by name. Many record images are available on the web site. See the FAQ for more information on how to locate and use land patents.
Specialty and Regional Research
- KYOWA Genealogical Society: Serves the tri-state area of northeastern Kentucky, southern Ohio, and western West Virginia. The Society holds regular meetings, sponsors events, and maintains a research library.
- Chronicling America: Online newspapers: Provides searchable online versions of selected West Virginia newspapers.