West Virginia Will Books - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection includes the index and images for will books, for the years 1756 to 1971, from all 55 counties of West Virginia.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: Probate records include petitions, inventories, accounts, decrees, oaths of executors, forms about guardians and other court documents. • 2

Sample Images
Probate records are usually created on a county level and most counties began recording them as soon as the county was created. They fall into two general categories: wills and estate papers.

Probate records are used to legally dispose of a person’s estate after his or her death. The probate process transfers the legal responsibility for payment of taxes, care and custody of dependent family members, liquidation of debts, and transfer of property title. The transfer is to an executor or executrix if the deceased had made a will, to an administrator or administratrix if the deceased had not made a will, or to a guardian or conservator if the deceased had heirs under the age of twenty-one or if heirs were incompetent due to disease or disability.

The death date, residence, and other facts that were current at the time of the probate proceeding are quite reliable, though there is still a chance of misinformation. The records may omit the names of deceased family members and those who have previously received an inheritance, or the spouse mentioned may not be the parent of the children mentioned.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the deceased
 * The place of residence
 * The approximate death or probate date

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use probate records to identify heirs and relatives
 * You may be able to use the probate record to learn about adoptions or guardianship of any minor children and dependents
 * Use the document (such as the will) or the recording dates to approximate a death date
 * Use the information in the probate record to substitute for civil birth and death records since the probates exist for an earlier time period
 * You may be able to use the probate record to learn about land transactions
 * Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of birth of the deceased to locate census, church, and land records
 * Use the occupations listed to find other types of records such as employment or military records
 * Compiling a list of the entries for every person who has the same surname as the deceased is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have died in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * Wills are more likely to be found in rural communities than in larger cities and industrial areas
 * The information in the records is usually reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the deceased or the testator
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after 1900
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of West Virginia.
 * West Virginia Guided Research
 * West Virginia Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step West Virginia Research, 1880-Present

Family History Library Holdings

 * K. T. H. McFarland, comp. Early West Virginia wills. Apollo, Pennsylvania : Closson Press, c1993 FHL 975.4 P28m
 * Wesley E. Pippenger, comp. Index to West Virginia estates : before 1866. Richmond, Virginia : Virginia Genealogical Society, c2013. FHL 975.4 P22p 2 volumes
 * Historical Historical Record Survey, Probate records, Berkeley County (West Virginia), 1772-1823

Related FamilySearch Historical Record Collections

 * West Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1854-1932
 * West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.