Pendleton County, West Virginia Genealogy

Guide to Pendleton 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 by white hunters and prospectors. The County has Franklin as its seat and the County was created 1788. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Pendleton County Courthouse Main Street Franklin, WV 26807 Phone: 304-358-2505 Pendleton County Website County Clerk has birth and death records from 1853, marriage records from 1800, probate and land records from 1780.

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:

Census Records

 * 1810 Census of Pendleton County, Virginia
 * 1850 Pendleton County Census
 * Search 1850 Pendleton County Census
 * 1910 Pendleton County Census
 * 1930 Pendleton County Census Information
 * Pendleton County Districts

Court Records

 * Historical Records of Pendleton County, West Virginia CDs by Marsha L. Fuller, 8 CDs (19th Century Marriage Records 1826-1857, County Court Record Book 1788, Court Record Indexes 1788-1911, Letters and Photographs).
 * Fuller, Marsha Lynne, CGRS. Family Bible Records in the Washington County Free Library, Hagerstown, Maryland. Westminster, MD: Willow Bend Books, Heritage Books, 2003.
 * Fuller, Marsha Lynne. African American Manumissions of Washington County, Maryland. Westminster, MD: Willow Bend Books, Heritage Books, 1998.
 * Fuller, Marsha Lynne. Naturalizations of Washington County, Maryland, Prior to 1880. Westminster, MD: Willow Bend Books, Heritage Books, 1998.
 * Fuller, Marsha Lynne, CGRS. St. Mary’s Catholic Church Records: 1818-1900, Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland. Westminster, MD: Willow Bend Books, Heritage Books, 2001.

Genealogies

 * Butcher - Brown, Nancy Clark. "Are You Related To...Loretta Webb Lynn," The Appalachian Quarterly, Vol. 12, No. 4 (Dec. 2007):4-22..
 * Coberly - Harter, Mary. "James Cunningham of Western Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 29, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1985):9-16; Vol. 29, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1985):109-116. Digital version at American Ancestors ($)..
 * Cunningham - Harter, Mary. "James Cunningham of Western Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 29, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1985):9-16; Vol. 29, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1985):109-116. Digital version at American Ancestors ($)..
 * Harman - Harman, John Newton. Harman Genealogy (Southern Branch): With Biographical Sketches, 1700-1924. Richmond, Va.: W.C. Hill Print. Co., 1925. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Harper - Rutherford, William Kenneth and Anna Clay Rutherford. Genealogical History of Our Ancestors. Revised Edition. 2 vols. Lexington, Mo., 1977..
 * McCoy - Forbes, Amanda C. "Oliver Family Records, Augusta County," Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 20, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1982):145-148. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Skidmore - Skidmore, Warren. Thomas Skidmore (Scudamore), 1605-1684, of Westerleigh, Gloucestershire, and Fairfield, Connecticut; His Ancestors and His Descendants to the Ninth Generation. 1980. ; 1985 edition: ; 1998 edition:.
 * Van Deventer - Vandevander, Paul J. and Ida Christobelle Van Deventer. The Van Deventer Family, 1550-1977. Parsons, W.Va.: McClain Print. Co., 1978..
 * Van Deventer - Arthaud, John Bradley and Catherine DeEtte Arthaud. The Mary Coberly and William Van Deventer Family of Pendleton and Randolph Counties, West Virginia, An Annotated Index to Paul J. Vandevander's The Van Deventer Family 1550-1977. Columbia, Mo., 1988..

Local Histories

 * A history of Pendleton County, West Virginia. Google Books
 * West Virginia Archives and History - Pendleton County
 * West Virginia Books

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Military Records

 * The Dyer settlement, the Fort Seybert massacre Fort Seybert, West Virginia at Ancestry ($)

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. 1967 reprint: . See Virginia, Western District, Pendleton County on page 135.
 * 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." ; digital version at Ancestry ($). Includes veterans from this county; Virginia section begins on page 238.

War of 1812
Pendleton County men served in the 46th Regiment.

Civil War

 * - 18th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company E.
 * - 25th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Heck's) (Confederate). Company E (Pendleton Rifles), Company F (Franklin Guards), and Company K (South Branch Riflemen).
 * - 62nd Regiment, Virginia Mounted Infantry (Confederate). Companies C, D, F (Franklin Guards), I (Pendleton Rifles), and K.

Records, histories, and societies exist:


 * Civil War Links
 * 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)
 * Blue and Gray Trail Pendleton County, WV

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1814-1991  at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Online Newspapers from Surrounding Areas
 * Pendleton Times P.O. Box 906 Franklin, WV 26807-0906

Obituaries

 * Obituary Search Engline, Pendleton County, West Virginia
 * Obituaries from Pendleton Times
 * Contributed Obituaries

Probate Records
Online Probate Records


 * 1724-1978 West Virginia Wills and Probate Records 1724-1978 at Ancestry — index and images $
 * 1756-1971 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1788-19701788-1970 Pendleton County, West Virginia Will Books
 * West Virginia Will Books

Tax Records
How can West Virginia tax lists help me?


 * 1792, 1802 - Images of the 1792 and 1802 Personal Property Tax Lists of Pendleton 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, Ga.: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997-2000. . [The source for this publication is the 1815 land tax. Pendleton County is included in Vols. 5 and 6.]

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.
 * 1865 Pendleton County Birth and Death Register 1865 by Eric Hedrick - free.

Marriage

 * 1780-1970 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1791-1820 - Pendleton County Marriage Bonds by Eric Hedrick. 4 CDs. Online bookstore ($).
 * 1801-1962 - West Virginia, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1866-1925 - Pendleton County Offical Bonds (including Bastardy Bonds) 1866-1925 by Eric Hedrick. CD. Online bookstore ($).

Death

 * 1804-1999 - at FamilySearch — index

Libraries

 * Pendleton County Library

Societies

 * Pendleton County Historical Society P O Box 293 Franklin, WV 26807
 * Sons of Confederate Veterans Brig. Gen. James Boggs' Camp # 1706 Dewayne Borror, Commander Phone: 304-358-2746 Email: [mailto:borror@corlink.com borror@corlink.com]
 * Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War 7th WV Infantry Camp #7 P O Box 622 Franklin, WV 26807 Phone: 304-358-3261 Email: [mailto:pendhist@mountain.net pendhist@mountain.net]

Websites

 * Pendleton County, WV History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * West Virginia Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * West Virginia Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Cyndi's List
 * Family Links
 * Fort Seybert Heritage Education Association
 * Pendleton County, West Virginia Microfilms at the Library of Virginia
 * Pendleton County Links
 * Pendleton County, West Virginia Wikipedia
 * History and Genealogy History and Genealogy
 * West Virginia Mountain Highlands
 * Eric Hedrick WV Research
 * - 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

Research Guides

 * "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Pendleton County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 20, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1976):119-123. ; digital version at American Ancestors ($).