Lewis County, West Virginia Genealogy

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

Description
Lewis County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Lewis County Courthouse 110 Center Avenue Weston, WV 26452 Phone: 304-269-8215 Lewis County Website County Clerk has birth and death records from 1853, marriage, probate and land records from 1816. Clerk of the Circuit Court has divorce records.

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

 * Lewis County Census, 1850 at Ancestry ($)

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1817-1854 (*); Circuit and County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1817-1875 (*); Circuit and County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1817-1932 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1817-1932 (*); Superior Court of Law, Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery, and Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1818-1846 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1818-1853 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1821-1871 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1824-1869 (*); County and Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1825-1853 (*); County and Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1825-1880 (*); County and Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1828-1846 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1831-1885 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1837-1869 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1841-1842 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1843-1864 (*); Circuit and County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1845-1866 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1846-1882 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1849-1860 (*); Circuit and County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1881-1901 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * (*); Historical Records Survey at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Genealogies

 * 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 by NEHGS ($)..
 * Swisher - Swisher, Robert Edward. The Swisher Family of Harrison and Lewis Counties, West Virginia. Richmond, Va.: Whittet &amp; Shepperson, 1974..

Land and Property Records
Lewis County land records at USGenWeb Archives

Local Histories

 * Lewis County, WV - This is Stonewall Country

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
 * Lewis County, West Virginia Map

Revolutionary War

 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. 1841. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). 1967 reprint: 973 X2pc 1840. See Virginia, Western District, Lewis County on page 135.
 * Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." 973 M24ur; digital version at Ancestry ($). Includes veterans from this county; Virginia section begins on page 238.

Civil War

 * - 3rd Regiment, Virginia State Line (Cavalry and Infantry) (Confederate). Company I.
 * - 18th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company I.
 * - 26th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company B.
 * - 31st Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company I (Lewis County Rangers).
 * - 36th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company D.

Records and histories are available, including:


 * 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)

Spanish - American War

 * Roy Bird Cook, Lewis County in the Spanish-American War. Charleston, W. Va. : Jarrett Printing Co., 1925.

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

Newspapers

 * The Weston Democrat

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1724-1985 West Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1724-1985 at Ancestry ($) — index & images
 * 1756-1971 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1776-1971 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1784-1865 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1817-1835 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1817-1899 (*); County Clerk at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1817-1970 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1820-1970 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1828-1903 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1843-1864 (*); Circuit and County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images

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
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.
 * Lewis County birth records : births recorded in the Lewis County Courthouse, Weston, West Virginia v. 1. 1853-1868 -- v. 2. 1869-1877 -- v. 3. 1878-1892 -- v. 4. 1893-1903 -- 1904-1916.
 * Lewis County, W. Va., death records : deaths recorded in Lewis County Courthouse, Weston, West Virginia v. 1. 1853-1886 -- v. 2. 1887-1905 -- v. 3. 1906-1929 -- v. 4. 1930-1940.
 * Lewis County Courthouse death records

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 ($)

Archives
West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture & History The Culture Center 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, E. Charleston, WV 25305-0300 Website

FamilySearch Centers

 * Buckhannon West Virginia FamilySearch Center

Libraries
Louis Bennet Public Library 148 Court Ave Weston, WV 26452 Phone: 304-269-5151 Website

Societies
Hacker's Creek Pioneer Descendants, Inc.  Hacker's Creek Pioneer Descendants, Inc. Website Publication: Hacker's Creek Journal Lewis County Historical Society 252 Main Avenue Weston, WV 26452 Phone: 315-376-8957 Email: [mailto:lewiscountyhistoricalsociety@gmail.com lewiscountyhistoricalsociety@gmail.com] Website

Websites

 * Lewis County WVGenWeb
 * Lewis County USGenWeb Archives
 * 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
 * Lewis County, West Virginia various records on Microfilm at the Library of Virginia
 * Hacker's Creek Pioneer Descendants, Inc
 * West Virginia Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * - 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