Fayette County, West Virginia Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
County Clerk has birth and death from 1866 Marriage, Probate and Land 1831 Clk Cir Court has divorce and county records

History


The county is named after Revolutionary War hero, the Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834).

Fayette County History

Fayette County West Virginia Historic Fayetteville

History of Fayette County, West Virginia

History of Fayette County, West Virginia at Ancestry.com ($)

Parent County
1831--Fayette County was created 28 February 1831 from Greenbrier, Kanawha, Nicholas and Logan Counties. County seat: Fayetteville

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating West Virginia county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation West Virginia County Boundary Maps" (1617-1995) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There are undocumented gaps in several sets of records throughout the 1800’s, and particularly between roughly 1890 and 1915.

Neighboring Counties

 * Clay
 * Greenbrier
 * Kanawha
 * Nicholas
 * Raleigh
 * Summers

Cemeteries

 * Random Acts WV Cemetery Records Research Guide

Local Histories

 * Donnelly, Shirley. History of Oak Hill, West Virginia: a series of historical notes on the Fayette County metropolis from the time of its early settlement up to the year 1953..

Maps



 * Maps of West Virginia (1617-1995)
 * Map of 1850 Virginia and West Virginia
 * Fayette County, West Virginia Map Fayette County West Virginia 1895

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, Fayette County on page 134.]
 * 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.]

Civil War
Confederate


 * - 8th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company I (Kanawha Rangers).
 * - 22nd Regiment, Virginia Infantry (1st Kanawha Regiment). Company B (Mountain Cove Guards) and Company C (Fayetteville Rifles).
 * - 59th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company F1 (Jackson Avengers, Dixie Rifles).
 * - 60th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (3rd Regiment, Wise Legion) (Confederate). Company C (The Dixie Rifles).

Union


 * - 8th Regiment, West Virginia Infantry.

Records and histories are available, including:


 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 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)

Naturalization Records

 * 1814 - 1991 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
Fayette Tribune


 * Fayette Journal (Fayetteville, West Virginia) at Ancestry.com ($)

Probate
Online Probate Records


 * 1724 - 1978 West Virginia Wills and Probate Records 1724-1978 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1756 - 1971 at FamilySearch — index and images

West Virginia Will Books

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

Personal Property Taxes 1831 and 1833


 * Fayette County, West Virginia : marriages for 1903 through 1931 : personal property tax records for 1831 and 1833

Vital Records

 * Birth Records:Fayette County, West Virginia births, 1866-1893 : copied from Fayetteville court house records
 * Fayette County Births, 1866-80 at Ancestry.com ($)
 * Fayette County Births,1881-87 at Ancestry.com ($)
 * Fayette County Births, 1888-93 at Ancestry.com ($)


 * . Includes marriages 1830-1854, 1857, 1861, 1864-1968 - free.

Death

 * Death Records of Fayette County
 * Fayette County, West Virginia, deaths, wills, inventories (1832-1899) : copied from Fayetteville court house records
 * Fayette County, West Virginia, death records, 1866-1899

Marriage

 * Marriage Records of Fayette County Brides List
 * Marriage Records of Fayette County Grooms List
 * Fayette County, West Virginia, marriages, 1853-1899 : copied from Fayetteville court house records
 * Fayette County, West Virginia : marriages for 1903 through 1931 : personal property tax records for 1831 and 1833

Societies and Libraries
See also a List of West Virginia Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Genealogical Society of Fayette and Raleigh Counties, Inc. P O Box 68 Oak Hill, WV 25901-0068

Fayette County Public Libraries

Family History Centers
The closest family history centers is in Charleston Family History Center

Websites

 * Fayette County, WV History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * West Virginia Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * West Virginia Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Cyndi's List for West Virginia
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Fayette County, WV
 * Elkridge, Fayette County, West Virginia
 * Fayette County, West Virginia History and Genealogy
 * Pinterest

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