Smyth County, Virginia Genealogy

United States   Virginia    Smyth County Southwest Virginia county.

County Courthouse
109 West Main Street, Room 144 Marion, VA 24354

Parent County
1832--Smyth County was created 23 February 1832 from Washington and Wythe Counties. County seat: Marion

Record Loss

 * Lost census: 1890

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 Smyth County.]

1890 Union Veterans


 * Turner, Ronald Ray. Virginia's Union Veterans: Eleventh Census of the United States 1890. Available online, courtesy: Prince William County Virginia website. [Includes residents of this county.]

Genealogy
More than 25 genealogies have been published about Smyth County families. To view a list, visit Smyth County, Virginia Genealogy.

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. [Includes Smyth County.]
 * Presgraves, James S. Smyth County Families and History. Wytheville, Va.: J. Presgraves, 1974.
 * Sheffey, John P. General Resources and Advantages of Smyth County: In the Most Attractive Section of Appalachian Virginia. n.p.: n.p., 1907. ; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Wilson, Goodridge. Smyth County, History and Traditions. Kingsport, Tenn.: Kingsport Press, 1932. 547258 Item 2;  975.5723 H2w 1976 reprint; Sturgill, Kenneth Lee. A Complete Researchers Index to "Smyth County History and Traditions." Marion, VA: K. L. Sturgill, 1986. Index:  975.5723 H2w index and  6103880; digital version at Ancestry ($); World Vital Records ($).

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." 973 M24ur; digital version at Ancestry ($). [Includes veterans from this county; Virginia section begins on page 238.]

War of 1812

 * 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, Smyth County, p. 104. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]

Civil War
Civil War service men from Albemarle County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Albemarle County.


 * Information about the companies from Smyth County is found:

(1)  Smyth County History and Traditions, pages 237-239

(2) titled A Guide to Virginia Military Organizations 1861-1865

- 4th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate)

- 45th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate)

- 48th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate)

- 50th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate)

- 8th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate)

- 21st Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate)

- 23rd Battalion, Virginia Infantry Reserves (Confederate)

- Marion Home Guard from Smyth County composed of about fifty men between the ages of 45-72 was organized in April 1861 according to information found on page 209 of the preceding reference (2).

Occupations

 * Cutten, George Barton. The Silversmiths of Virginia (together with Watchmakers and Jewelers) from 1694 to 1850. Richmond, Va.: The Dietz Press, Incorporated, 1952. Available at . [Includes a section on Marion watchmakers.]

Research Guides

 * "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Smyth County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 22, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1978):213-215. Available at New England Ancestors ($).

Taxation
How can Virginia tax lists help me?


 * [1832-1850] Land Tax Books of Smyth County, Virginia, 1832-1850. Original records, Smyth County Courthouse, Marion, Va., microfilmed reproduction available at.
 * [1832-1850] Personal Property Tax Lists of Smyth County, Virginia, 1832-1850. Original records, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va., microfilmed reproduction available at.
 * [1832] Personal Property Tax List, 1832, Virginia Appalachian Notes. Roanoke VA: Nov 1985. Vol. 9 Iss. 4.

Vital Records
Birth

Beth Fridley has published abstracts of the following Smyth County birth records online at Ancestry:


 * Smyth County, Virginia Births, 1875-78 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).
 * Smyth County, Virginia Births, 1879-84 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).
 * Smyth County, Virginia Births, 1885-96 [database on-line]. Available at Ancestry ($).

The original records covering 1853-1896 and an index covering 1853-1917 are available on microfilm at the.

Death


 * Smyth County, Virginia Death Registers 1853-1896 and Index 1853-1917. Original records, Smyth County Courthouse, Marion, Va., microfilmed reproduction at.

Societies and Libraries
Smyth County Genealogical Society: www.smythcountygs.org

Smyth-Bland Regional Library: www.sbrl.org

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.
 * RootsWeb Mailing List: SW_VA-L (Topic: Southwest Virginia)
 * Cyndi's List
 * Cyndi's List