Step-by-Step West Virginia Research, 1880-Present

West Virginia Step-by-step research 1880--present

Step 1. Find out everything possible from living relatives and their family records.
Every good genealogy project starts with finding all the clues that can be gathered from living relatives — both from their memories and from documents or memorabilia in their homes.

What are the best questions to ask?
In order to extend research, ask for names, dates, and places. Everything about who a relative was and when and where they lived is a clue to a new record search. For ideas, see :
 * 50 Questions to Ask Relatives About Family History


 * Creating Oral Histories

What documents should be collected or copied?
Because these records cover names, dates, places, and relationships, they are a valuable source of clues. Look for them in your home, your parents' home, and ask living grandparents to check for them.

Step 2. Find ancestors in every possible census record, 1850-1950, online.

 * A census is a count and description of the population for a given date. A census took a "snapshot" of a family on a certain day.
 * For each person living in a household (depending on the year), their name, age, birthplace, relationship to head of household, place of birth for father and mother, citizenship status, year of immigration, mother of how many children and number of children living, native language, and whether they were a veteran of the military can be listed.
 * Searching for a family in census records every ten years can identify all the children in a family.
 * Searching in earlier census records to find someone as a child can identify parents.

Using clues to lead to census record searches.
{| - In addition to William L. (Lorenzo), in his parents' home, his grandmother, Mary A. Metz, and her son, Harry, are listed. Here are the two families ten years earlier in the 1930 census.
 * Rosa Sirna's mother, Mary Ridolfo lives with them, identifying Rosa's maiden name.
 * Notice that Sam's name here is Salvatore. He is from Italy, so Sam has Anglicized his name, a common practice.
 * Notice that the first four children are listed as step-children.

In 1920, the Detricks have not yet moved to West Virginia.''' But here is a really interesting census record for the Sirnas. Rosa here is married to Charles, who is father of the children listed as Salvatore's step-children ten years later. Salvatore is his brother living with them. Apparently, Rosa first married Charles Sirna and second his brother, Salvatore (Sam) Sirna.'''



Look for ancestors in as many censuses as possible. Use the clues from each census for hints where to find families in both earlier and later census records.
- For more information, see Utah Census and United States Census.

Step 3: Find birth, marriage, and death certificates for ancestors and their children.
States, counties, or (even towns in some states) recorded births, marriages, and deaths.
 * In addition to the child's name, birth date, and place of birth, a birth certificate may give the birthplaces of the parents, their ages, and occupations.
 * A marriage certificate might list the parents of the bride and groom.
 * A death certificate may give the person's birth date and place, parents' names and birthplaces, and spouse's name.

Using census clues to lead to a birth certificate.
Census information gives approximate birth years and probable birth places, and that information leads to finding important birth records. In addition to basic birth date and place, a birth certificate can give age, birthplace, occupation, etc. about the parents.



Using census clues to lead to a marriage certificate.
Finding marriage records can:
 * establish the full identity of the wife, with her maiden name and possible birth details.
 * find the names of the parents of the bride and groom.

Using the census clues to lead to a death certificate.
Moving forward in time, older generations stop showing up in the census. That is a clue that they probably died in the last 10 years. The death certificate is important because of all the possible secondary data beyond just the date and place of death:
 * birth date and place of the deceased
 * maiden name of the wife
 * names of the deceased's parents
 * birth places of the deceased's parents.

The examples shown above are index entries. That means for each of them an actual, original, full certificate exists. It is highly advisable to order the original certificate. It will contain many details not given in the index. In some cases, the image of the original is found online. Instructions are given below on obtaining the original certificate in other cases.



How to Find the Records
There are basically three ways to find these indexes or full original certificates:
 * online databases
 * writing to a county courthouse (prior to the beginning of state civil registration)
 * purchasing them through the mail

Online databases, usually indexes, with some images

 * This chart gives links to some West Virginia online databases for these records:

Records at the County Courthouse.
These records were originally created by county clerks, and then copies were sent to the state. County clerks can be willing to help find all the birth records for one family or perform other searches that the state would not do. To contact county clerks by e-mail or telephone, go to the Wiki article for each county. Links to the county Wiki articles are found at the end of this page or by clicking here: West Virginia Counties.

Order Certificates from West Virginia Vital Records Department.
Almost always the full original certificate will contain information not contained in the index. Although it costs money, consider sending for the full original certificates, particularly for direct line ancestors (grandparents, great-grandparents, etc).


 * Where to Write for West Virginia Birth, Marriage, Death and Divorce Records

For more information on birth, marriage, and death records in West Virginia, see How to Find West Virginia Birth Records, How to Find West Virginia Marriage Records, and How to Find West Virginia Death Records.

Step 4: Try to find additional details about ancestors in obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records online.
There are additional record collections available, based upon a person's death: obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records. These are a great source for more details about a person. Here are some examples; notice the level of details.

Obituaries

 * Genealogybank ($)
 * Obituary Links
 * ObitsArchive.com - West Virginia
 * 1980-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * West Virginia Newspapers ($)
 * West Virgina Online Historical Newspapers
 * WV Archives and History Vertical Files
 * NewspaperArchive ($)

Cemeteries

 * Find-A-Grave
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
 * U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current at Ancestry
 * Billion Graves
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
 * BillionGraves Index at Findmypast ($)
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
 * West Virginia Cemetery Readings, 1941 at Ancestry ($)
 * West Virginia Cemetery Records at AccessGenealogy
 * West Virginia Cemetery Records at Interment
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
 * West Virginia Tombstone Transcription Project at USGenWeb Transcription Project
 * Online West Virginia Obituary and Cemetery Indexes at DeathIndexes

U.S. Social Security Death Index and Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

 * The U.S. Social Security program began in 1935 but most deaths recorded in the index happened after 1962.
 * The Social Security Death index includes those who had a Social Security number and/or applied for benefits.
 * You can search these records online at
 * Also at Ancestry.com, ($), index.
 * The Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 picks up where the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) leaves off, by providing information filed in the application or claims process.
 * The Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 picks up where the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) leaves off, by providing information filed in the application or claims process.


 * If you find an ancestor in the SSDI index, you can order a copy of their original Social Security application (SS-5). If you can prove the individual has died (by sending an obituary or copy of their cemetery headstone), the application will also give the deceased's parents' names, if listed.

For more information, see West Virginia Obituaries and West Virginia Cemeteries.

Step 5: Search military records: World War I and World War II draft cards.
There are many different types of military records: draft records, enlistment records, service records, pension records, etc. Information in military records can vary from a simple lists of name, age, and residence, to more detailed records including name, residence, age, occupation, marital status, birthplace, physical description, number of dependents, pensions received, disabled veterans, needy veterans, widows or orphans of veterans, and other information. - Example of a World War I draft card. - Example of a World War II draft card.



'''Search the World War I and World War II Draft Collections for male relatives.
- For more information and additional collections, see West Virginia Military Records.
 * , index and images.
 * , index and images.

Step 6: If any ancestor was an immigrant, search immigration and naturalization records online.
The census records may show that your ancestor was born in another country. It will be necessary to try to find the town or city they were born in to continue research in the country of origin. Searches of immigration records (usually passenger lists) and naturalization (citizenship) records are the next goal. Immigration refers to people coming into a country, such as the United States, and emigration refers to people leaving a country to go to another. Usually these records are passenger lists of the ships they sailed on. A typical record will show name, age, and country of origin, but in ship lists after 1906 you can find the actual town of birth, the next of kin still living in the old country and their residence, and the names of relatives in the place they are traveling to.

Immigration records
Passenger lists and border crossing lists are the most common immigration records. There are many immigration records available. Click here to see a complete list of available immigration records online. Notice that they are listed by state, but under the letter "U" there is a long list of records that cover all of the United States. Unless family information tells you the port where family arrived, you will need to search all of the United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records for the time period when your ancestors arrived. '''Notice that this shipping record for Salvatore Sirna gives his birth place. In the blow-up of the original record you see the column where passengers listed their next-of-kin in Italy. Here Salvatore names his father, Vincenza Sirna.''' Original record Blow up of father's name

Naturalization (Citizenship) Records
Naturalization is the process of becoming a citizen. Records can include the immigrant's declaration of intent to become a citizen, petitions for citizenship, and final certificate of naturalization. Naturalization records after 1906 can show birth date and place, spouse's name, marriage date and place, and lists of children with their birth dates.

West Virginia naturalization records could be recorded at the county court or the Federal District or Circuit Court. You must look for them in both locations. Try searching first in any county where the person lived, unless the census tells you the year they were naturalized, and you have evidence of where they lived that year. If you cannot locate them in the county records, try searching for them in the Federal courts.

West Virginia Naturalization and Citizenship Online Records

 * - index and images
 * West Virginia, Naturalization Records, 1814-1991 ($), also at Findmypast, index, and at My Heritage, index
 * U.S., Naturalization Records - Original Documents, (World Archives Project) for West Virginia, 1856-1867 - Northern District, Wheeling, U.S. District Court ($)
 * West Virginia, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1844-1943 at Ancestry - index & images ($)

Local histories

 * Published histories of towns, counties, and states usually contain biographies and accounts of early or prominent families.
 * Here are several websites that feature online copies of printed county histories:
 * Hathi Trust Digital Library. Don't use the keywords West Virginia; that will bring up too many hits. Just use the name of the county and "county": for example, "Hyde County"
 * Google Books. Use keywords "West Virginia" and the county name. Hits will list online readable books, lists of libraries that carry the book, and purchasing opportunities.
 * Family History Books
 * Internet Archive.Use keywords "West Virginia" and the county name.
 * Genealogy Book Links, West Virginia. Browse list; county histories are interspersed.
 * Ancestry.com, ($). In the Card Catalog search box, use West Virginia and the name of the county.


 * Local histories are extensively collected by the FamilySearch Library, public and university libraries, and state and local historical societies. If you have access to the FamilySearch Library or a FamilySearch center, you can find out about local histories the library has by checking the FamilySearch Catalog. In the "place" field, type the name of your county and select it from the drop down list, then click "Search". A list of subheadings for the county will appear. Local histories containing genealogies and biographies will be found under Biography, Genealogy, History, and History - Indexes.

Biographies
These collections of biographies can be searched online. Most have a table of contents and an index. Or use the "Find" function on a computer.
 * County and Town Histories with biographies
 * Men of West Virginia ... v. 1, Vol. 2, e-book
 * 1915 hand-book of West Virginia : the state's wonderful development, its natural resources and industrial advantages, biographies of prominent citizens and stories of leading business institutions, e-book
 * An inside view of the formation of the state of West Virginia. With character sketches of the pioneers in that movement, e-book

Step 7: Search for online wills and probate packets.
For more information, see U.S. Probate Records Class Handout.

County probate records

 * County probate records include probate proceedings, petitions, affidavits, orders for sales, reports of sales, administrators' and executors' bonds, guardianship papers, wills, and letters of administration. In a will book, usually just a transcription of the will is recorded. But all of these other records are kept in a probate packet. Administrations are probate proceedings that handled an estate if no known will existed.


 * Currently, these records are microfilmed and digitized:
 * West Virginia, Wills and Probate Records, 1724-1978, ($), index and images, incomplete.
 * Index and images.


 * Eventually more of these records may become available online.


 * In the meantime, this online directory by Genealogy Inc. will enable you to arrange to have them searched for a fee: Click on the map to select a county, then scroll down to the Courthouse and Government Records to find the address and phone number of the County Clerk of Court. Ask them about the years covered by their probate records and their procedure and fees for ordering copies probate packets. When you write, always ask for the full probate packet, not just the will or administration.

Step 10: Contact a county historical or genealogical society.
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 * Historical societies have collections that are frequently little known and often overlooked.
 * Many have a surname file, where they have collected genealogies, newspaper clippings, old photographs, etc.
 * Many have a sort of "pioneer ancestor" program, where people can submit pedigrees to prove they are the descendants of an early resident of the area.
 * Most keep track of queries about families that once lived in the area from other distant relatives who may actually have more family memorabilia.
 * Most keep track of queries about families that once lived in the area from other distant relatives who may actually have more family memorabilia.


 * Find the society on the internet, and they may list their holdings. Or call them on the phone, find out what they have, and find out what arrangements can be made to search their collection. Frequently, one of their members can be hired to search the collection for you.

This online directory by GenealogyInc. lists historical and genealogical societies by county: Click on the map to select a county, then scroll down to the historical or genealogical society listings. Here is an example of an internet website for a local genealogical society.

Step 11: After online research, search the collection at the FamilySearch Library or a FamilySearch Center.

 * Search the catalog of the FamilySearch collection. Here you will find many records that have not been digitized or placed online. Microfilmed copies of the records may be available for use at FamilySearch Centers throughout the world.


 * Records are catalogued by location. Do these three searches for each place: West Virginia; the county (or counties) where your ancestors lived; and the town (or towns) where they lived.

Although FamilySearch is actively working to microfilm and preserve records throughout the world, this huge job is nowhere near complete. We have tried in the Wiki to provide information about collections, books, and records held in government and ecclesiastical archives beyond the FamilySearch Library records. In West Virginia, United States Genealogy, you can find links to these records and how to access them. Also here you will find information on records from your particular West Virginia county of interest.