Randolph County, West Virginia Genealogy

United States &gt; West Virginia &gt; Randolph County

County Courthouse
Randolph County Courthouse 2 Randolph Avenue Elkins, WV 26241 randolphcounty@wvsos.com

History
Randolph County was created from Harrison County in 1876, which is much earlier than the formation of West Virginia as a state. Today, Randolph county is the largest county in West Virginia, with 1040 square miles of land in modern times. The first white settlers of the county were Tygart and Files in 1753. The Shawnee Tribe had many trails through Randolph County, but there weren't many settlements in this mountainous region. It was mostly considered hunting grounds, and less of an agricultural settlement. There were many wild animals in the area, which supplied food and clothing for the early settlers. Sadly, the pioneers pushed the elk and the buffalo to extinction in Randolph County, while other animals, such as the black bear, still thrive in the area today. Tygart's Valley in Randolph County didn't attract much settlement because of the mountain barriers and the Indian threat. Despite all of this, Randolph County was formed by Virginia Assembly at the home of Benjamin Wilson in Tygart's Valley. The first session of court in Randolph County was held in a town now called Beverly, in the house of James Westfall. Overall, Randolph County was a very politically and legally active community, with many surviving court records, including probate cases and wills, including the first will ever written in Randolph County.

Parent County
1786--Randolph County was created 16 October 1786 from Harrison County. County seat: Elkins

Boundary Changes
See an interactive map of Randolph County boundary changes.

Record Loss
Many land records can be found from 1787 and onwards. For example, land records can be found as early as 1787 in Randolph County courthouses, because Southern society put an emphasis on owning land. Probate records, marriage records and court records can also be found as early as 1787. Birth and Death records weren't recorded until around 1856, but began in earnest in 1917. Most of the birth and death records from 1917-1921 were destroyed in a fire.

Populated Places
Beverly Elkins Harman Huttonsville Mill Creek Montrose Womelsdorf (Coalton)

African American

 * Heinegg, Paul. "Randolph County Personal Property Tax List, 1787-1829," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]

Family Histories
It is anticipated that this bibliography will eventually identify all known family histories published about residents of this county. Use this list to:


 * Locate publications about direct ancestors
 * Find the most updated accounts of an ancestor's family
 * Identify publications, to quote Elizabeth Shown Mills, about an ancestor's "FAN Club" [Friends, Associates, and Neighbors]

Revolutionary War

 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census]. 1841. Digital versions at U.S. Census Bureau and Google Books et. al. 1967 reprint: 973 X2pc 1840. [See Virginia, Western District, Randolph County on page 136.]
 * Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." 973 M24ur; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes veterans from this county; Virginia section begins on page 238.]

Taxation
How can Virginia tax lists help me?


 * [1787] Schreiner-Yantis, Netti and Florene Speakman Love. The 1787 Census of Virginia: An Accounting of the Name of Every White Male Tithable Over 21 Years, the Number of White Males Between 16 &amp; 21 Years, the Number of Slaves over 16 &amp; Those Under 16 Years, Together with a Listing of Their Horses, Cattle &amp; Carriages, and Also the Names of All Persons to Whom Ordinary Licenses and Physician's Licenses Were Issued. 3 vols. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1987. Available at . [The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Randolph County is included in Vol. 2.]
 * [1787-1829] Heinegg, Paul. "Randolph County Personal Property Tax List, 1787-1829," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * [1790, 1800] Images of the 1790 and 1800 Personal Property Tax Lists of Randolph County, Virginia (now West Virginia) are available to browse online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
 * [1815] Ward, Roger D. 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). 6 vols. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997-2000. Available at . [The source for this publication is the 1815 land tax. Randolph County is included in Vol. 6.]

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Elkins West Virginia Family History Center