Mineral County, West Virginia Genealogy

Guide to Mineral County, West Virginia ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Description
Mineral County was named for its reserves of minerals, especially coal. The county is located in the northeastern area of the state.

County Courthouse
Mineral County Courthouse 150 Armstrong Street Keyser, WV 26726-3505 Phone: 304-788-3924 Mineral County Website County Clerk has birth, marriage death, probate, and land records from 1866.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Bible Records

 * 1866-1899 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Boggs - Griggs Family Bible Records at Digital Collections
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images


 * Hesper Bible family tree at Ancestry ($)
 * Peter Umstott Bible records at Umstead org

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1843-1899 (*); County Court and Historical Records Survey at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1860-1902 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1866-1872 (*); Board of Supervisors and Historical Records Survey at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1866-1927 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * (*); Historical Records Survey at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Directories

 * 1924 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Genealogies
Compiled genealogies that treat multiple Mineral 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."

Land and Property Records

 * Mineral County Land records at WVGenWeb

Local Histories

 * Early records of Hampshire, Monongalia and Mineral counties The information is mostly extracted from land records and bible records, ca. 1757-1899.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
 * Maps of West Virginia (1617-1995)
 * Map of 1850 Virginia and West Virginia

Military Records

 * Mineral County Military Participants at WVGenWeb

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 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)

World War I

 * 1917-1918 Clerk of the County Court Record of service of officers and enlisted men in the War of 1917

World War II

 * 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1814-1991  at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Newspapers

 * "Old Newspaper articles" at WVGenWeb

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1724-1985 West Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1724-1985 at Ancestry ($) — index & images
 * 1756-1971 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1776-1971 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1800-1900 (*); Works Progress Administration of West Virginia at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1843-1899 (*); County Court and Historical Records Survey at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1858-1868 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1864-1928 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1865-1899 (*); County Court and Historical Records Survey at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1866-1899 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1866-1927 (*); Circuit Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1866-1928 (*); Clerk of the County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1866-1969 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1867-1873 (*); County Court and Historical Records Survey at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1903-1929 (*); Clerk of the County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1904-1974 (*); Clerk of the County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Tax Records
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

 * West Virginia Vital Records, 1865-1969 (varies) - Includes birth, death, and marriage.

Birth

 * 1853-1914 West Virginia Birth Index, 1853-1914 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * Mineral County, West Virginia births, 1866-1899 copied from Keyser court house records
 * 1865-1899 - Births, Mineral County : 1865-1899 at FamilySearch

Marriage

 * 1776-1971 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1780-1970 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1801-1962 West Virginia, United States Marriages at Findmypast; index $
 * Mineral County, West Virginia marriages, deaths, wills and family records (1800-1900) copied from Keyser court house records
 * Mineral County Marriage Records at WVGenWeb

Death

 * 1804-1999 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
 * 1853-1964 West Virginia Death Index & Certificates, 1853-1964 at MyHeritage - index ($)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Harpers Ferry West Virginia Charles Town FamilySearch Center

Societies
Mineral County Historical Society, Inc. P.O. Box 1325 Keyser, WV 26726 Website Mineral County Genealogical Society P.O. Box 1051 107 Orchard Street Keyser, WV 26726

Websites

 * Mineral County WVGenWeb
 * Mineral County USGenWeb Archives
 * USGenWeb Project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Cyndi's List for West Virginia
 * Mineral County, West Virginia Various records on Microfilm at the Library of Virginia
 * West Virginia Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * - The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records