Smyth County, Virginia Genealogy

Guide to Smyth County Virginia ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, immigration records, and military records.

Description
Smyth County is in the Southwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Alexander Smyth, a general during the War of 1812.

Smyth County, Virginia Courthouse
Smyth County Courthouse 109 West Main Street, Room 144 Marion, VA 24354 Phone: 540-783-7186 Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1832

Parent County
1832--Smyth County was created 23 February 1832 from Washington and Wythe Counties. County seat: Marion

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

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.


 * Lost census: 1890

Research Guides

 * "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Smyth County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 22, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1978):213-215. Available at American Ancestors ($).

African American
See also transcription on New River Notes - free.

Freedmen's

Census
1840


 * Douthat, James L. 1840 Mountain Empire of Virginia Census. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 2001. 975.5 X2d 1840. Free online surname index and purchase details at Mountain Press website. [Includes Smyth County.]

1890 Union Veterans


 * "Virginia's Union Veterans: Eleventh Census of the United States 1890." Prince William County Virginia, by Ronald Ray Turner.

Baptist
Early Baptist churches (with years constituted):


 * St. Clair's Bottom (1791), Chilhowie, Va. Membership lists (beginning in 1791) and a history were published in the Appalachian Quarterly, Vol. 10, No. 4 (Dec. 2005). Originally fell within the bounds of Washington County, Virginia.

Genealogy
More than 25 genealogies have been published about Smyth County families. To view a list, visit Smyth County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies.

Local Histories

 * Boyd, Charles Rufus. Resources of South-west Virginia: Showing the Mineral Deposits of Iron, Coal, Zinc, Copper and Lead, also the Staples of the Various Counties, Methods of Transportation Access, Etc. New York: J. Wiley, 1881. [Includes Smyth County.]
 * Presgraves, James S. Smyth County Families and History. Wytheville, Va.: J. Presgraves, 1974.
 * Sheffey, John P. General Resources and Advantages of Smyth County: In the Most Attractive Section of Appalachian Virginia. n.p.: n.p., 1907. ; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Wilson, Goodridge. Smyth County, History and Traditions. Kingsport, Tenn.: Kingsport Press, 1932. 547258 Item 2;  975.5723 H2w 1976 reprint; Sturgill, Kenneth Lee. A Complete Researchers Index to "Smyth County History and Traditions." Marion, VA: K. L. Sturgill, 1986. Index:  975.5723 H2w index and  6103880; digital version at Ancestry ($); World Vital Records ($).

Revolutionary War

 * Kegley, Mary B. Revolutionary War Pension Applications of Southwest Virginia Soldiers. n.p.: M.B. Kegley, 1997. [Includes Smyth County pensioners.]
 * 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, Smyth 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.]

War of 1812

 * List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883; Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Why Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, the Rate of Pension Per Month, and the Date of Original Allowance... Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883. 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, Virginia, Smyth County, p. 104. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Civil War

 * - 1st Regiment, Virginia State Line (Cavalry) (Confederate), Company A.
 * - 4th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company D (Smyth Blues).
 * - 8th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company A (Smyth Dragoons)
 * - 13th Battalion, Virginia Reserves (Confederate). Companies A and D.
 * - 21st Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate)
 * - 23rd Battalion, Virginia Infantry Reserves (Confederate). Company A (The Smyth County Sharpshooters), Company E, and Company F.
 * - 45th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate)
 * - 48th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company A (Smyth Rifle Greys).
 * - 50th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company E (Smyth Grays) and Company L.
 * - 63rd Regiment, Virginia Infantry (McMahon's) (Confederate). Companies H and K.
 * - Marion Home Guard from Smyth County composed of about fifty men between the ages of 45-72 was organized in April 1861 according to information found on page 209 of the preceding reference.

Records and histories are available, including:


 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 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)

Civil War Battles
The following Civil War battles were fought in Smyth County.


 * October 2, 1864 = Saltville I
 * December 17-18, 1864 = Marion
 * December 20-21, 1864 = Saltville II


 * Maps of Civil War battles in Virginia: 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865

Miscellaneous Records

 * 1607-2007 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Naturalization
Virginia

Occupations

 * Cutten, George Barton. The Silversmiths of Virginia (together with Watchmakers and Jewelers) from 1694 to 1850. Richmond, Va.: The Dietz Press, Incorporated, 1952. . [Includes a section on Marion watchmakers.]

Probate Records

 * 1832-1844 - Smyth County, Virginia Index to Will Book A, 1832-1844 (New River Notes) - free.

Taxation
How can Virginia tax lists help me?

Bibliography


 * [1832-1850] Land Tax Books of Smyth County, Virginia, 1832-1850. Original records, Smyth County Courthouse, Marion, Va., microfilmed reproduction available at.
 * [1832-1850] Personal Property Tax Lists of Smyth County, Virginia, 1832-1850. Original records, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va., microfilmed reproduction available at.
 * [1832] Personal Property Tax List, 1832, Virginia Appalachian Notes. Roanoke VA: Nov 1985. Vol. 9 Iss. 4; online at Roanoke Public Library - free.
 * [1832-1863] Tax Digests Virginia Pioneers ($)
 * [1838] The 1838 Smyth County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List; index online at New River Notes - free.
 * [1838] The 1838 Smyth County, Virginia Free Persons of Color Personal Property Tax List; index online at New River Notes - free.

Birth

 * 1912-1913 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Beth Fridley has published abstracts of the following Smyth County birth records online at Ancestry:


 * Smyth County, Virginia Births, 1875-78 [database on-line]. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Smyth County, Virginia Births, 1879-84 [database on-line]. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Smyth County, Virginia Births, 1885-96 [database on-line]. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

The original records covering 1853-1896 and an index covering 1853-1917 are available on microfilm at the.

Marriage

 * 1660-1959 - Virginia, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1740-1850 - Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 (Ancestry) ($).


 * 1832-1850 - Smyth County Marriage Licenses 1832-1850 (New River Notes) - free. List may be arranged alphabetically by clicking on 'groom' or 'bride' column headings.


 * 1853-1861 - Smyth County Marriage Records 1853-1861 (New River Notes) - free.


 * 1936-1988 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Divorce

 * 1918-1988 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Death

 * 1857-1896 - Smyth County Death Index 1857-1896. Batch at FamilySearch - free.


 * 1853-1917 - Smyth County, Virginia Death Registers 1853-1896 and Index 1853-1917. Original records, Smyth County Courthouse, Marion, Va., microfilmed reproduction at.


 * 1912-1987 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Smyth County, Virginia Genealogy Societies and Libraries

 * Smyth County Genealogical Society Website


 * Smyth-Bland Regional Library Website

Smyth County, Virginia Genealogy Websites

 * Smyth Co., VAGenWeb. Part of the USGenWeb Project. Maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * Smyth County, VA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Familytree101)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: SW_VA-L (Topic: Southwest Virginia)
 * Cyndi's List
 * Cyndi's List