Putnam County, West Virginia Genealogy

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

County Courthouse

 * County Clerk has birth records from 1848, death records from 1853
 * Marriage and probate records from 1853
 * Land records from 1841
 * Circuit Court Clerk has divorce and court records

History


The county is named after Revolutionary War Major General Israel Putnam (1718-1790).

History of Putnam County, West Virginia

History and Genealogy Putnam County, West Virginia

Parent County
1848--Putnam County was created 11 March 1848 from Kanawha, Mason and Cabell Counties.County seat:Winfield

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating West Virginia county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation West 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.

Neighboring Counties

 * Cabell
 * Jackson
 * Kanawha
 * Lincoln
 * Mason

Cemeteries

 * West Virginia Cemetery Preservation Association Inc.
 * Random Acts WV Cemetery Records Research Guide

Genealogy

 * Rust - Rust, Ellsworth Marshall. Rust of Virginia: Genealogical and Biographical Sketches of the Descendants of William Rust, 1654-1940. Washington, D.C.: Rust, 1940..

Local Histories

 * Centennial Celebration, Hurricane, West Virginia, 1888-1988: Program. s. l., n. p., 1988. 975.435 H966c Pam.
 * Comstock, Jim. Hardesty's Historical and Genealogical Encyclopedia. Richwood, West Virginia, Jim Comstock, 1973. 975.4003 H259 1973 v.1.
 * Hanson, Lee H. The Buffalo Site: A Late 17th Century Indian Village Site (46 PU 31) in Putnam County, West Virginia. Morgantown, West Virginia, West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, 1975. Geo 3. R4 no.5.
 * Harper, Charles Ray. History of Red House, West Virginia. Red House, West Virginia, Charles Harper, 1983. 975.435 H293 Pam.
 * _________________. A Short History of Putnam County, in Two Parts. Red House, West Virginia, Charles Harper, Putnam Democrat and Hurricane Breeze, 1983. 975.435 H293s Pam.
 * Historical Records Survey, West Virginia. Inventory of the County Archives of West Virginia: No. 40 Putnam County (Winfield). Division of Professional and Service Projects, Work Projects Administration, Charleston, West Virginia, West Virginia Historical Records Survey, 1941. 016.9754 P899.
 * History of Buffalo, Putnam County, West Virginia. Pt. Pleasant, West Virginia, Mattox Printing Service, 1976. 975.435 B929.
 * History of Hurricane, 100 Years, 1888-1988. Salem, West Virginia, Walsworth Press, Inc., 1988. 975.435 H966.
 * Upper Vandalia Historical Society. The Paradise Journals, 1884-1905, Putnam County, West Virginia. s. l., Upper Vandalia Historical Society, 1981. 975.435 P222 Pam.
 * ____________________________. The Vandalia Journal. s. l., Upper Vandalia Historical Society, 1964-. Per.
 * Wintz, William D. and Hunter, Ivan N. The History of Putnam County. Charleston, West Virginia, Upper Vandalia Historical Society, Quick Copy Service Company, 1967. 975.435 H673.

Maps

 * Maps of West Virginia (1617-1995)
 * Map of 1850 Virginia and West Virginia
 * Putnam County, West Virginia map
 * Map West-Virginia

Civil War
Confederate


 * - 8th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company G (Mountain Rangers).
 * - 16th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company D.
 * - 22nd Regiment, Virginia Infantry (1st Kanawha Regiment). Company A (Border Rifles).
 * - 34th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Witcher's Battalion, Virginia Mounted Rifles) (Confederate). Company B.
 * - 36th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company B.
 * - 36th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (2nd Kanawha Infantry) (Confederate). Company A (Buffalo Guards).

Union


 * - 8th Regiment, West Virginia Infantry.

Records and histories are available, including:


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

 * Putnam County, West Virginia World War II Casualties Army and Air Force

Naturalization

 * 1814 - 1991 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
Charleston Gazette

Probate
Online Probate Records

Putnam County, West Virginia Will Books 1847 - 1968
 * 1724 - 1978 West Virginia Wills and Probate Records 1724-1978 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1756 - 1971 at [https:/familysearch.org/ FamilySearch] — index and images

West Virginia Will Books

Putnam County, West Virginia Wills

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 1848-1969 - free.

Societies and Libraries
See also a List of West Virginia Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Putnam County Library Directory Putnam County Library

Family History Centers
The closest family history centers are in the Huntingon Family History Center and in the Charleston Family History Center



Websites
Learning How to Edit our Wiki Sites
 * Putnam County, WV History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * West Virginia Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * West Virginia Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * CYNDI'S List West Virginia
 * Putnam County, West Virginia Various Microfilm Records at the Library of Virginia
 * Putnam County, West Virginia
 * Putnam County, West Virginia Families
 * Putnam County, West Virginia Families