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Library of Congress Research Guides

West Virginia: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide

Courthouse Records

County level research is essential in the pursuit of family and local history. The list below highlights the most common county courthouse records used by genealogists, but there are many more record sets available. Use the guides below and explore the specific resources for the counties of interest to assure that you locate all pertinent documents.

When requesting courthouse records, inquire about both docket books and paper files. Often both types of material exist for each record. While the two formats may merely repeat the data, one may be easier to read than the other. And, in many cases, there are further details, unique notations, over-sized pages such as maps, and so on, that are filed in only the docket book or in only the paper file. Seeing both will provide a more complete review of the record.

Timeline for County Courthouse Records

Birth Records
  • Courthouse Records: 1853 to present
    Generally maintained by: County Clerk
    (Also see the Vital Records section of this guide.)

Note: West Virginia also has "Delayed birth certificates" maintained at both the county and state levels. These were generally issued to people for whom a birth record was not recorded, who lived long enough to be eligible for Social Security or other benefits that required proof of birth.
Civil Lawsuits
  • Generally maintained by: Circuit Court
Coroner's Inquests
  • Generally maintained by: Chief Medical Examiner

Note: If the cause of death is suspicious or unknown, the Coroner's office is responsible for conducting an inquest.
Death Records
  • Courthouse Records: 1853 to present
    Generally maintained by: County Clerk
    (Also see the Vital Records section of this guide.)
Deeds
  • Generally maintained by: County Clerk
Divorce Records
  • Inception of county to present
    Generally maintained by: Circuit Court
    (Also see the Vital Records section of this guide.)
Marriage Records
  • Inception of county to present
    Generally maintained by: County Clerk
    (Also see the Vital Records section of this guide.)
Naturalizations
  • Generally maintained by: Circuit Court
Taxes
  • Generally maintained by: Tax Office
Will and Probate
  • Generally maintained by: County Clerk

Online Resources for Courthouse Records

Using FamilySearch for West Virginia

FamilySearch provides useful state and county wikis that make excellent starting points for research. The West Virginia Wiki External includes links to each of its 55 counties.

FamilySearch has digitized many of its microfilms containing county courthouse records. Not all records have been indexed yet, so search engine results will NOT show you the full range of FamilySearch data. You must browse the FamilySearch catalog External listings for each county to view the full set of records available. The vast amount of accessible original records is well worth your time to explore.

Courthouse documents that have been digitized and indexed include:

  • West Virginia Naturalization Records 1814-1891 External - The collection consists of a variety of naturalization records for 32 of 55 West Virginia Counties. Records include declarations of intention, petitions, oaths of allegiance, certificates of naturalization (stubs), registers of naturalizations granted and/or denied, card files of naturalization, naturalization orders, lists of naturalized citizens, naturalization dockets, etc.
  • West Virginia Will books, 1756-1971 External - The collection includes the index and images for Will books, for the years 1756 to 1971, from all 55 counties of West Virginia.

Published Courthouse Records

Below are selected print publications for statewide courthouse records. The following titles link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to additional online content are included when available.

To locate additional published materials, go to the Print Resources section of this guide for search tips on locating published county courthouse records, abstracts, and indexes that may aide you in locating original records at the county level.

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