West Virginia Church Records

Introduction
The Church of England (now Protestant Episcopal) was the established church in Virginia (including West Virginia) from 1624 to 1786. Other major religious groups in West Virginia were the Baptist, Methodist Episcopal, Roman Catholic, and United Brethren churches.

Church records from various denominations are available at the West Virginia University Library and the Archives and History Library. The Family History Library has a few original church records from West Virginia and some published histories.

Baptismal Records of St. Francis Xavier Parish, located in Parkersburg, West Virginia for the years of 1856 to 1865.

Many church records are also available at the Library of Virginia. To learn about this collection, see:


 * Jewell T. Clark, and Elizabeth Terry Long. A Guide to Church Records in the Archives Branch of the Virginia State Library. Richmond, Va.: Virginia State Library, 1981. 975.5 K23c

Many denominations have collected their records into central repositories. You can write to the following addresses to learn where their records are located.

Church Archives Inventory
The Depression-Era Historical Records Survey produced detailed inventories of existing church records for the Presbyterian, Protestant Episcopal, Baptist, Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Protestant, and Episcopal churches. These records are helpful when trying to determine the location and existence of church records before 1940.

The Family History library has copies of these surveys available on microfilm which you can order from a local FamilySearch Center. Access these records in the. Choose the denomination of interest.

W. Guy Tetrick also surveyed and described the records of many West Virginia churches.

Baptist
West Virginia Baptist Historical Society Route #2 Box 304 Ripley WV 25271 Telephone 304-372-3675

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
Early church records, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for West Virginia Wards and Branches can be found on film and are located at the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City. The film numbers, for each ward, can be locate through the FamilySearch Catalog. Or by refering to Jaussi, Laureen R., and Gloria D. Chaston. Register of Genealogical Society Call Numbers. 2 vols. Provo, Utah: Genealogy Tree, 1982. (FHL book 979.2258 A3j; fiche 6031507). These volumes contain the film numbers for many (but not all) membership and temple record films.

Methodist
Methodist Historical Society West Virginia Wesleyan College Annie M. Pfeiffer Library 59 College Avenue Buckhannon, WV 26201 Telephone: 304-473-8013 Fax: 304-473-8888 Email: [mailto:librarian@wvwc.edu librarian@wvwc.edu]

Episcopal
Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia 1608 Virginia Street East P.O. Box 5400 Charleston, WV 25361 Ph: 304-344-3597 Fax: 304-343-3295

Most of the early parish registers are incomplete or missing, but those still existing are at the Virginia State Library. An excellent published history is:

Peterkin, George W. A History and Record of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of West Virginia: and Before the Formation of the Diocese in 1878, in the Territory Now Known as the State of West Virginia. Charleston, West Virginia: Tribune Company, 1902. Digital version at Google Books; 975.4 K2p

Roman Catholic
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston serves West Virginia:

Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston 1300 Byron Street P.O. Box 230 Wheeling, WV 26003 Telephone: 304-233-0880 or 1- 888-434-6237 Fax: 304-233-0890

United Brethren
Historical Library Church of the Brethren 1451 Dundee Avenue Elgin, IL 60120 Telephone: 847-742-5100 Fax: 847-742-6103

Web Sites

 * West Virginia Christian Church Directory (Church Angel.com)
 * West Virginia Church Records Research Guide