West Virginia Archives – Access Genealogy

Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrants

This article helps you access the Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrants for free. Following two simple steps, one to search, and the other to browse the actual microfilms, you can quickly find your ancestors Revolutionary War pension record, or Bounty-Land record and download the images. During 1800-1900 the United States issued more than 80,000 pensions and bounty-land-warrants to soldiers of the Revolutionary War, their spouse, or their children. Was your ancestor one of them?

Record of the Smith family descended from John Smith

This book contains the history of the descendants of John Smith, born in Ireland in 1686, died in Uwchlan, Chester County, Pennsylvania, December 19, 1765; and his wife, Susanna, born in Ireland in 1691, died in Uwchlan, Chester County, Pennsylvania, December 24, 1767.

The Wilson Family of West Virginia

This brief history has been gleaned from old family records, correspondence with other members, and histories of Ritchie, Barbour, Harrison and Randolph Counties, West Virginia. The first known ancestor was David Wilson, who was born in Scotland about 1650; he had a son David, born about 1685, who was forced to flee from Scotland to Ireland owing to his being on the losing side in the Scotch Rebellion of 1715. His son William (b. Nov. 19, 1722; d. June 12, 1801) came to America about 1736; married Elizabeth Blackburn, also of Scotch-Irish descent, about 1746, and settled on Trout Run near Moorefield, Hardy County, W. Va. The Land Office at Richmond shows that he and his sons patented many tracts of land in what is now Hampshire, Hardy, and Grant Counties. Nothing further is known of him as to where he lived and died.

Fisher Genealogical History

This manuscript starts with Sebastian Fisher, a native of Germany, with his wife Susanna and their two small children, embarked for England at Rotterdam, Holland, on July 28, 1708. The family came with the intention of settling on land in the Schoharie Valley in New York, but found on arrival that they did not hold legal tender to the land, since the land was not first purchased from the Native Americans. Sebastian then moved with other German immigrants who had also purchased land to the Tulpehocken Valley of Pennsylvania, where he settled his family. The 76 pages of the manuscript take some of the descendants of Sebastian and Susanna Fisher into the 20th century.

Chronicling America Historical Newspapers

Chronicling America is a Website providing access to information about historic newspapers and select digitized newspaper pages, and is produced by the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP). NDNP, a partnership between the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Library of Congress (LC), is a long-term effort to develop an Internet-based, searchable database of U.S. newspapers with descriptive information and select digitization of historic pages. Supported by NEH, this rich digital resource will be developed and permanently maintained at the Library of Congress. An NEH award program will fund the contribution of content from, eventually, all U.S. states and territories.

West Virginia World War 2 Casualties – Army, Air Force

This database contains War Department casualties (Army and Army Air Force personnel) from World War II for West Virginia. Information provided includes serial number, rank and type of casualty. The birthplace or residence of the deceased is not indicated. An introduction explaining how the list was compiled, a statistical tabulation, and the descriptions of the types of casualties incurred are also included.

Small Town Newspapers

Small Town Papers gives you free access to the people, places and events recorded in real time over the decades or even centuries! Browse and search the scanned newspaper archive from 1846 up to the current edition! Their archives contain millions of names of ancestors not found anywhere else. Enhance your Ancestry research with their high resolution scanned newspaper archive. Find distant relatives and discover your ethnic heritage by reading the articles about family and friends written back in the day.

Appalachian Colonists from the Mediterranean Basin

Throughout the Southeastern United States can be found “old families” in rural areas whose appearance is not quite the same as the European or African peoples who colonized the region, but also not what a person with substantial indigenous ancestry looks like either. In earlier times they might have called themselves Cajun, Black Irish, Redbone, Black Dutch, Portughee, Old Spanish, Melungeon or Part Injun. In more recent years they are likely to say that their great-grandmother was a full blooded Choctaw, Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Catawba, Shawnee or Blackfoot. She may have been, but that is not always the case. Many … Read more

Richard Stewart’s DNA Results

Richard Stewart (Shawnee or Cherokee Descendant) My name is Richard Stewart. I have had several ethnicity DNA tests done, but I find myself less than satisfied with the results. I will attempt to find other test results in my archived mail. My first DNA test showed 8% NA but came out East Asian as is often the case. Another test showed three NA matches out of a total of 20. Below is the last test I’ve taken. This was done in part to determine a baseline for Melungeons. I do not strongly identify as a Melungeon. I was born and raised … Read more

Captivity and Escape of Mary Inglis (Ingles) – Indian Captivities

The captivity of Mary Draper Inglis (Ingles) is a third person account of her captivity and eventual escape. Mary was captured by Shawnee Indians along with her two sons, and sister-in-law from Draper’s Meadow in 1755. She eventually made her escape, along with another dutch woman, a few months later. This is her story.

West Virginia Naturalization Records

Naturalization to become a U.S. citizen was a two-part process: the Declaration of Intent to Naturalize, or First Papers, and the Naturalization Record (including the Naturalization Petition), or Final Papers. The First Papers were normally filed five years before the Final Papers because of the five-year residency requirement to become a citizen. No centralized files existed before 1906. In 1906 federal forms replaced the various formats that had been used by the various courts. Copies were sent to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), creating a central file for naturalization papers. The INS is now known as the U.S. Citizenship … Read more

Lord Dunmore’s War

The war in 1774 with the Indians, known as “Dunmore’s War” had its origin from the murders committed upon Indians by the Virginians in the region of the upper Ohio.

Cresap’s War – Indian Wars

Cresap’s War – A series of battles between tribes of the Cayuga, Shawnee and Delaware against the encroachments of white settlers upon their land.

1910 West Virginia Census Map

Burial Customs of Southern Ohio

The origin and age of the earthworks of southern Ohio and the adjoining sections of Kentucky and West Virginia have remained unsolved questions. The works are remarkable for three reasons, namely, their size, number and forms. By their size and number it is quite evident they were erected by a sedentary people, a numerous people who occupied the country for a long period, and by their forms it is shown these same people possessed certain recognized customs and beliefs which caused them to erect the great circles and squares, octagons and other figures, so accurately and skillfully constructed. And so … Read more

West Virginia Genealogy at Ancestry

Ancestry is the largest provider of genealogy data online. The billions of records they provide have advanced genealogy online beyond imagination just a decade ago. The following is but a small sample of what they provide for West Virginia genealogy at Ancestry. While some of these databases are free, many require a subscription. You can try a 14 day free trial and see if you can find any of your West Virginia genealogy at Ancestry! West Virginia Genealogy Databases Subscription May be Required Ancestry Free Trial West Virginia Statewide Genealogy at Ancestry A history of the valley of Virginia Annual report of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Rev. William N. Nickell

William N. Nickell is a native of Monroe county, West Virginia, was born December 27, 1838, and is the son of John A. and Mary J. Nickell, both natives of West Virginia. The subject of this sketch received his early education in the common schools of Virginia, and completed it by an additional course of two and a half years at the Washington College, now Washington and Lee University, of Rockbridge county, Virginia. In May 1861, he enlisted in Company D, Twenty-seventh Regiment Virginia Confederate Infantry as a private, was soon promoted to sergeant, and sergeant-major of his regiment. He … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John M. Miller

John M. Miller was born in Greenbrier county, West Virginia, May 31, 1834. His parents, Robert and Rachel Miller, both natives of Virginia, when he was six years old moved to this county, where he was reared and educated in the common schools. In 1859 he crossed the plains to California, came back the same year and crossed again in 1860 and returned in time to serve one year in the Enrolled State Militia during the war. He is a farmer by profession. Mr. Miller was united in marriage, in October, 1863, to Miss Elizabeth C. Foster, who was born … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Frank M. Harris

Frank M. Harris was born in Marshall county, West Virginia, January 7, 1843, and is a son, of John and Drusilla Harris, both natives of Virginia. Our subject received a common school education in his native State, and learned the carpenter’s trade with his father, but has given his attention, almost entirely to farming. He came to this county in 1877. Mr. Harris was united in marriage, November 30, 1865, to Miss Eliza A. Wilson, who was born May 29, 1844. By this union they have had four children: John A., born October 30, 1866-is dead; Hanson, born May 5, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Allen Conner

Was born in Greene county, West Virginia, July 10, 1824. His parents, William and Mary Conner, were both natives of Virginia. Our subject was educated in the common schools of his native county, and when young learned millwright work, which he followed for five years, then learned carpentering and cabinet-making, which he followed until 1851, when he migrated to this county, and now owns a farm of 200 acres, well equipped with necessary implements. Mr. Conner was united in marriage October 9, 1850, to Miss Margaret Warren, the date of whose birth was January 4, 1830. They were blessed with … Read more