Jefferson County, West Virginia Genealogy

United States  West Virginia   Jefferson County

Guide to Jefferson County West Virginia genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records. Located in the Shenandoah Valley region.

County Courthouse
County Clerk has birth, death from 1853 Military records from 1918 (except Civil War years) Marriage, Probate and Land Records 1801

Parent County
1801--Jefferson County was created 8 January 1801 from Berkeley County. County seat: Charles Town

Boundary Changes
See an interactive map of Jefferson County boundary changes.

Research Guides

 * Good, Rebecca H. and Rebecca A. Ebert. Finding Your People in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1998. 4th ed.

African American

 * Heinegg, Paul. "Jefferson County Personal Property Tax List, 1802-1820," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]

Census
Jefferson County, West Virginia GenWeb Census

Baptist
Early Baptist churches (with years constituted):


 * 1) Zoar (1799)

Jefferson County fell within the bounds of the Ketocton Association.

Quaker
Early monthly meetings (with years of existence):


 * Berkeley Monthly Meeting (1778-1832) formerly Bullskin

Genealogy
It is anticipated that this bibliography will eventually identify all known family histories published about residents of this county. Use this list to:


 * Locate publications about direct ancestors
 * Find the most updated accounts of an ancestor's family
 * Identify publications, to quote Elizabeth Shown Mills, about an ancestor's "FAN Club" [Friends, Associates, and Neighbors]

General
Compiled genealogies that treat multiple Jefferson County families include:


 * O'Dell, Cecil. Pioneers of Old Frederick County, Virginia. Marceline, Mo.: Walsworth Pub. Co., 1995. . One of the most impressively researched one-place studies in the United States. In a review, Dorman stated "Comprehensive studies such as this appear only rarely. This volume should be in every Virginia genealogical collection."


 * Cartmell, T. K. Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants: A History of Frederick County, Virginia (Illustrated) from Its Formation in 1738 to 1908, Compiled Mainly from Original Records of Old Frederick County, Now Hampshire, Berkeley, Shenandoah, Jefferson, Hardy, Clarke, Warren, Morgan and Frederick. n.p.: n.p., c1909. Available at ; ; digital version at Ancestry ($); Digital view and World Vital Records ($). [3 copies at FHL.]

Local Histories

 * Cartmell, T. K. Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants: A History of Frederick County, Virginia (Illustrated) from Its Formation in 1738 to 1908, Compiled Mainly from Original Records of Old Frederick County, Now Hampshire, Berkeley, Shenandoah, Jefferson, Hardy, Clarke, Warren, Morgan and Frederick. n.p.: n.p., c1909. Available at ; ; digital version at Ancestry ($); Digital view and World Vital Records ($). [3 copies at FHL.]
 * Norris, J. E.. History of the Lower Shenandoah Valley Counties of Frederick, Berkeley, Jefferson and Clarke: Their Early Settlement and Progress to the Present Time, Geological Features, a Description of Their Historic and Interesting Localities, Cities, Towns and Villages, Portraits of Some of the Prominent Men, and Biographies of Many of the Representative Citizens. Chicago: A. Warner, 1890. Original edition available at ; 1972 reprint available at ; digital version of original edition at Ancestry ($); and World Vital Records ($).

Maps
Map of 1850 Virginia and West Virginia

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 et. al. 1967 reprint: . [See Virginia, Western District, Jefferson County on page 134.]
 * 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
Jefferson County men served in the 55th Regiment.

Civil War

 * - 1st Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate).
 * - 2nd Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company A (Jefferson Guards), Company B (Hamtramck Guards), Company G (Botts Greys), Company H (Letcher Riflemen), and Company K (Floyd Guards).
 * - 11th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry. Company A (The Wildcat Company).
 * - 12th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company B (Baylor Light Horse) and Company D.

Records and histories are available, including:


 * West Virginia, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865

Civil War Battle
The following Civil War battles were fought in Jefferson County.


 * September 12 - 15, 1862 = Harpers Ferry
 * September 19 - 20, 1862 = Shepherdstown
 * August 21, 1864 = Summit Point, also known as Flowing Springs and/or Cameron's Depot
 * August 25 - 29, 1864 = Smithfield Crossing


 * Map showing Civil War battles in West Virginia.

Naturalization
West Virginia, Naturalization Records, 1814-1991

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 sections on Charles Town, Harper's Ferry, and Shepherdstown silversmiths.]

Probate
Jefferson County, West Virginia Will Books 1832-1970

West Virginia Will Books

Taxation
How can Virginia tax lists help me?


 * [1802-1820] Heinegg, Paul. "Jefferson County Personal Property Tax List, 1802-1820," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * [1815] Ward, Roger D. 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). 6 vols. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997-2000. Available at . [The source for this publication is the 1815 land tax. Jefferson County is included in Vol. 6.]

Online West Virginia Tax site
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

 * . Includes marriages 1802-1970 - free.

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Jefferson County, West Virginia Bible Records
 * Cyndi's List for West Virginia
 * Cyndi's List for West Virginia

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