Grant County, West Virginia Genealogy

Guide to Grant County, West Virginia ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named for Ulysses S. Grant. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Grant County Courthouse 5 Highland Ave Petersburg, WV 26351 Phone: 304-257-4550 Grant County Website County Clerk has birth, marriage, divorce, probate, court, and land records since 1866.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Genealogies

 * O'Dell, Cecil. Pioneers of Old Frederick County, Virginia. Marceline, Mo.: Walsworth Pub. Co., 1995. . One of the most impressively researched one-place studies in the United States. In a review, Dorman stated "Comprehensive studies such as this appear only rarely. This volume should be in every Virginia genealogical collection."


 * [Hyres] Swisher, Robert Edward. The Hyres of West Virginia. Richmond, Va.: Whittet and Shepperson, 1977..

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Maps of West Virginia (1617-1995)
 * Map of 1850 Virginia and West Virginia

Civil War

 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)

World War II

 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1814-1991  at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1724-1978 West Virginia Wills and Probate Records 1724-1978 at Ancestry — index and images $
 * 1756-1971 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Tax Records
Online West Virginia Tax site West Virginia real and personal property tax records are managed by the County Assessor in each county. Land and land improvements are considered real property while mobile property is classified as personal property.

Many County Assessors offer an online searchable database, where assessment record searches can be performed by name, account number, year, or mp/parcel number. Where online records are not available, requests for records can be made to the Assessment Office in person, by phone, or in writing.

The search for tax information can start here

Vital Records

 * West Virginia Vital Records, 1865-1969 (varies) - Includes birth, death, and marriage.
 * Grant County, West Virginia births, marriages, deaths, wills, inventories and church records. Contains list of births 1733-1899; marriages 1866-1899 (includes "colored persons" 1867-1899); deaths 1865-1899; wills, inventories, etc. 1866-1899; copied from old North Mill Creek Lutheran Church were deaths 1792-1805, church membership 1791-1889 (includes communicants and confirmations), baptisms 1798-1889; and burials from various cemeteries ca. 1800-1935

Birth

 * 1853-1914 West Virginia Birth Index, 1853-1914 at MyHeritage - index ($)

Marriage

 * 1776-1971 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1780-1970 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1801-1962 West Virginia, United States Marriages at FindMyPast; index $

Death

 * 1804-1999 - at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1853-1964 West Virginia Death Index & Certificates, 1853-1964 at MyHeritage - index ($)

Family History Centers

 * Petersburg West Virginia Family History Center

Societies
Grant County Historical Society 105 North Main St Petersburg, WV 26847 Phone: 304-668-5001 Grant County Historical Society

Grant County West Virginia Historical/Genealogy Society, Inc. Grant County Historical Society HC 72 Box 7006 Scherr, WV 26726 Grant County West Virginia Historical/Genealogy Society, Inc.

Websites

 * Grant County, WV History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * West Virginia Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Cyndi's List for West Virginia
 * - The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records