Wythe County, Virginia Genealogy

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

Description
Wythe County is located in the Southwest portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for George Wythe, a noted lawyer of Eastern Virginia, who was among the first Virginians to sign the Declaration of Independence; he also designed the Virginia Seal.

Wythe County, Virginia Courthouse
Wythe County Courthouse 225 S. Fourth Street Room 105 Wytheville, VA 24382

Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1790

Wythe County, Virginia History


The county was named after George Wythe (1726-1806), Virginia signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Parent County
1789--Wythe County was created 1 December 1789 from Montgomery County. County seat: Wytheville

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 censuses: 1790, 1800, 1890

Populated Places

 * Rural Retreat (Wikipedia link)
 * Wytheville (Wikipedia link)

African American

 * Freedmen's
 * Heinegg, Paul. "Wythe County Personal Property Tax List 1802-1820," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
 * Kegley, Mary B. Free People of Colour: Free Negroes, Indians, Portuguese and Freed Slaves. Wytheville, Virginia: Kegley Books, 2003. Available at ; digital version at

Bible Records

 * [Carter] Family Records of James Turner Walker and Mourning Carter [ca. 1795-1922]. MSS., microfilmed reproduction available at.
 * [Graham] Graham Family Bible Records, 1800-1894. Original records, microfilmed reproduction available at.
 * [Raper] Raper Family Bible Records, 1796-1813. Original records, microfilmed reproduction available at.
 * [Shepperd] Prosser--Sheppard Family Bible Records, 1795-1901. MSS., microfilmed reproduction available at.

Cemeteries

 * 1800-1986 - at FamilySearch — index

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 Wythe County.]

1890 Union Veterans


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

Lutheran

 * 1804-1875 - St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church Christenings 1804-1875. Batch at FamilySearch - free.

Quaker
Early monthly meetings (with years of existence):


 * Pine Creek Monthly Meeting (1882-1889) aka Broadway

Court Records

 * Kegley, Mary B. Abstracts of Court Orders of Wythe County, Virginia [1790-1850]. 5 vols. Wytheville, Virginia: Kegley Books, 1996-2000. Available at.

Genealogy
More than 150 genealogies have been published about Wythe County families. To view a list, visit Wythe County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies.

Immigration
During the War of 1812, American officials reported finding a total of 7 British aliens, many of whom had families, living in Wythe County.

Land and Property
An early settlers map is available for Wythe County. The cartographer plots the locations of pioneers from 1745-1858. The Family History Library has a copy:.

Deeds


 * Dillon, Janie, and Mary B. Kegley. Wythe County, Virginia Deed Abstracts. Wytheville, VA: Wythe County Genealogical &amp; Historical Association, 2009. WorldCat page.
 * Schreiner-Yantis, Netti. 1800 Tax Lists &amp; Abstracts of Deeds (1796-1800) of Wythe County, Virginia. [Springfield, Virginia: N. Schreiner-Yantis], 1971.

Grants and Patents


 * Hudgins. 976 patents dated 1750-1883 in what is now Wythe County, Virginia placed on a map. DeedMapper. 2009. [Names of those who received land patents, dates, land descriptions, and references may be viewed free of charge (click "Index" next to the county listing); however, in order to view the maps, it is necessary to purchase Direct Line Software's DeedMapper product.]
 * Sims, Edgar Barr. Sims Index to Land Grants in West Virginia. [Springfield, Virginia]: Genealogical Books in Print, c1992. Available at . [Includes Wythe County, Virginia.]

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. Available at.
 * Hall, Karen Lynn Jones. Wythe County (Images of America series). Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2004. WorldCat page.
 * Hauser, H.M., comp. A Short Historical and Physical Description of Wythe County, Virginia. 1907. (online text in New River Notes)
 * Kegley, Mary B. The Lost Children of Wythe County, Virginia, 1790-1878: Poor School Children, Orphans and Apprentices from County Records.
 * Kegley, Mary B. Wythe County, Virginia: A Bicentennial History.
 * Kegley, Mary B. and F.B. Kegley. Early Adventurers on the Western Waters. 5 vols. Orange, Va.: Green Publishers, 1980, 1982 and Wytheville, Va.: Kegley Books, 1995, 1998. Available at.

Maps

 * Hildebrand, John R., F.B. Kegley, Mary B. Kegley and Roanoke Valley Historical Society (Roanoke, Va.) A Settlement Map of Wythe County, Virginia: Giving the Names and Locations of Many of the Early Adventurers in the Territory - From 1745 to 1858. [Roanoke, Virginia]: Roanoke Valley Historical Society, 1974. Available at ; available online.

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." ; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes veterans from this county; Virginia section begins on page 238.]

War of 1812
Wythe County men served in the 35th Regiment.


 * 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, Wythe County, p. 107. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Civil War

 * - 4th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company A (Wythe Grays).
 * - 5th Regiment, Virginia State Line (Cavalry, Artillery, and Infantry) (Confederate). Company I.
 * - 22nd Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Bowen's Virginia Mounted Riflemen) (Confederate). Company G.
 * - 29th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company B.
 * - 45th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company B (Mount Airy Rough and Readys) and Company D (Minute Men).
 * - 51st Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company E (Wythe Rifles).
 * - 63rd Regiment, Virginia Infantry (McMahon's) (Confederate). Company H.

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)
 * Douthat, James L. Wythe County, VA, Civil War Records, 1861-1865. 1986. Available at.

Civil War Battle
The following Civil War battle was fought in Wythe County.


 * May 10, 1864 = Cove Mountain


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

Miscellaneous Records

 * 1607-2007 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Naturalization
Virginia

Newspapers

 * Chronicling America at the Library of Congress: Wythe County, Virginia Newspapers
 * The Geography of Slavery in Virginia: Professor Tom Costa and The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia have created a database of all runaway advertisements for slaves, indentured servants, transported convicts, and ship deserters listed in the Virginia Gazette and other Virginia newspapers (1736-1803), see: The Geography of Slavery in Virginia.
 * Obituaries (Wythe Co., VA GenWeb Project)
 * Wytheville Enterprise, Wytheville, VA
 * 2011-present - Wytheville Enterprise at Genealogy Bank ($).

Occupations

 * Kegley, Mary B. The Lost Children of Wythe County, Virginia, 1790-1878: Poor School Children, Orphans and Apprentices from County Records. Wytheville, Virginia: Kegley Books, 1995. Available at.

Periodicals
Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin

Genealogical articles with abstracts of Wythe County, Virginia records have been published in the Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin (39+ vols., 1972-present), the journal of the Watauga Association of Genealogists. The organization has posted tables of contents for most volumes on their website. Back issues are available for purchase. The Family History Library has a complete collection, including Margaret W. Hougland and Betty Jane Hylton's Bulletin Subject Index: The First Thirty Years, 1972-2001 (Johnson City, Tenn.: Watauga Association of Genealogists, 2002).

Poor

 * Kegley, Mary B. The Lost Children of Wythe County, Virginia, 1790-1878: Poor School Children, Orphans and Apprentices from County Records. Wytheville, Virginia: Kegley Books, 1995. Available at.

Probate Records

 * Douthat, James L. Wythe County, Virginia Will Books 1-2, 1790-1822.

Research Guides

 * "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Wythe County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 25, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1981):49-51. Available at American Ancestors ($).

Taxation
How can Virginia tax lists help me?


 * [1770-1773] Kegley, Mary B. New River Tithables, 1770-1773. Wytheville, Virginia: M.B. Kegley, 1972. Available at.
 * [1793-1830] Wythe County Personal Property Tax Lists 1793-1830 (images); digital version in Tax List Club at Binns Genealogy ($).
 * [1793-1850] Wythe County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1793-1850. Original records, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va.; microfilmed reproduction available at.
 * [1793] Personal property tax list, 1793, Watauga Association of Genealogists Bulletin. Johnson City TN: 1977. Vol. 6 Iss. 2.
 * [1793] Weaver, Jeffrey C. The 1793 Wythe County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List, available online, courtesy: New River Notes.
 * [1793] Images of the 1793 Personal Property Tax List of Wythe County, Virginia are available to browse online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
 * [1793] Weaver, Jeffrey C. 1793 Wythe County, Virginia Land Tax List, available online, courtesy: New River Notes.
 * [1793-1800] Murphy, Malita Warden and James L. Douthat. Wythe County, Va. Tax List, 1793-1800. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 1985. Available at . Free online surname index.
 * [1800] Indexed images of the 1800 Personal Property Tax List of Wythe County, Virginia are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
 * [1800] Schreiner-Yantis, Netti. 1800 Tax Lists &amp; Abstracts of Deeds (1796-1800) of Wythe County, Virginia. [Springfield, Virginia: N. Schreiner-Yantis], 1971. Available at.
 * [1802-1820] Heinegg, Paul. "Wythe 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. Wythe County is included in Vol. 5.]
 * [1815] Kegley, Mary B. Southwest Virginia Tax Assessments, 1815: Grayson, Lee, Scott, Russell, Washington, and Wythe Counties. Wytheville, Va.: Kegley Books, 1991. Original edition and 1992 supplement available at . [The source for this publication is a private collection of 1815 tax assessment tickets for the First District of Virginia. The tickets include landowners' names, number of acres or lots, number of buildings along with descriptions, and number of slaves. N.B. These are not the 1815 land tax books.]

Birth

 * 1853-1872 - Wythe County Birth Index 1853-1872. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1853-1859 - Fowler, Deborah Thompson. Wythe County, Virginia, Vital Records: Births 1853-1859. Wytheville, Virginia: Wythe County Genealogical and Historical Association, 2004. Available at.
 * 1865-1872 - Kegley, Mary B. and Jean Porter Desmarais. Birth Records of Wythe County, Virginia, 1865-1872. Wytheville, Virginia: Kegley Books, 2005. Available at.
 * 1873-1879 - Desmarais, Jean Porter. Wythe County, Virginia, Vital Records, Births, 1873-1879. Wytheville, Virginia: Wythe County Genealogical and Historical Association, 2004. Available at.
 * 1882-1884 - Moore, Jeraldyne A. Wythe County, Virginia, Vital Records, Births, 1882-1884, Deaths, 1881-1884, 1886, 1888. Wytheville, Virginia: Wythe County Genealogical and Historical Association, 2004. Available at.
 * 1891-1895 - Wythe County Genealogical and Historical Association. Wythe County, Virginia, Vital Records, Births 1891-1895. Wytheville, Virginia: Wythe County Genealogical and Historical Association, 2005. Available at.
 * 1912-1913 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Marriage

 * 1660-1800 - Virginia Marriages 1660-1800 (Ancestry) ($).
 * 1660-1959 - Virginia, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $


 * 1740-1850 - Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 (Ancestry) ($).


 * 1790-1880 - Hoch, Beverly Repass, Mary B. Kegley, and Janie Dillon. Wythe County, Virginia, Marriages: 1790-1880. 3 vols. Wytheville, Virginia: Wythe County Genealogical and Historical Association, 2006-2007. Available at . WorldCat page 1 | 2 | 3.


 * Wythe County Marriage Index. Batch M01013-6


 * 1817-1822 - Wythe County, Virginia Marriage Register 1817-1822 (New River Notes)


 * 1936-1988 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Divorce

 * 1816-1886 - Kegley, Mary B. Divorces of Wythe County, Virginia, 1816-1886. Wytheville, Va.: Kegley Books, 2004. Available at.


 * 1918-1988 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Death

 * 1853-1871 - Wythe County Death Index 1853-1871. Batch at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1853-1894 - Moore, Jeraldyne A. and Mary B. Kegley. Wythe County, Virginia, Vital Records, Deaths. [1853-1894] 2 vols. Wytheville, Virginia: Wythe County Genealogical and Historical Association, 2004. Available at.
 * 1881-1888 - Moore, Jeraldyne A. Wythe County, Virginia, Vital Records, Births, 1882-1884, Deaths, 1881-1884, 1886, 1888. Wytheville, Virginia: Wythe County Genealogical and Historical Association, 2004. Available at.
 * 1912-1987 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Luck, Joyce Shelton. Wythe County, Virginia Annotated Death Records. Chester, Virginia: J.S. Luck, 2008. Available at . WorldCat page.

Wythe County, Virginia Genealogy Societies and Libraries

 * Wythe County Genealogical and Historical Association
 * Wythe-Grayson Regional Library

Wythe County, Virginia Genealogy Websites

 * References for Southwest Virginia (Southwest Virginia Project)
 * Wythe County, VA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Genealogy Inc)
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: SW_VA-L (Topic: Southwest Virginia) Wythe County Genealogy and Ancestry Records and Information (House of Cameron)
 * Wythe County Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Wythe County, VA (New River Notes)
 * Wythe County, VA (RootsWeb)
 * VA Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
 * Wythe County, VA GenWeb
 * Wythe County, Virginia Genealogical Links (GenealogyLinks.net)
 * Cyndi's List
 * Cyndi's List