Smyth County, VirginiaEdit This Page
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Virginia Smyth County
Guide to Smyth County Virginia genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, immigration records, and military records.
| Smyth County, Virginia | |
| Map | |
| |
 Location in the state of Virginia | |
 Location of Virginia in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded | 1832 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Marion |
| Courthouse | |
Smyth County, Virginia Courthouse
Smyth County Courthouse
109 West Main Street, Room 144
Marion, VA 24354
Phone: 540-783-7186
Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, divorce,
probate, court and land records from 1832[1]
| | |||||
| Birth | Marriage | Death | Census | Land | Probate |
| 1853 | 1832 | 1853 | 1840 | 1832 | 1832 |
Smyth County, Virginia History
Parent County
1832--Smyth County was created 23 February 1832 from Washington and Wythe Counties.
County seat: Marion [1]
Boundary Changes
Record Loss
- Lost census: 1890
Smyth County, Virginia Places/Localities
Populated Places
Neighboring Counties
Smyth County, Virginia Genealogy Resources
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 American Ancestors ($).
African American
Smyth County, Virginia cohabitation records are available online. See also transcription on New River Notes - free.
Freedmen's Bureau Letters or Correspondence, 1865-1872
Bible Records
Images of the Virginia Historical Society's family Bible collection have been digitized:
- Virginia Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007 - browse collection at FamilySearch; free.
Additional Bible records include:
Cemeteries
Census
For tips on accessing Smyth County, Virginia census records online, see: Virginia Census.
1840
- Douthat, James L. 1840 Mountain Empire of Virginia Census. Signal Mountain, Tenn.: Mountain Press, 2001. FHL Collection 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.]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 6,522 | ||
| 1850 | 8,162 | 25.1% | |
| 1860 | 8,952 | 9.7% | |
| 1870 | 8,898 | −0.6% | |
| 1880 | 12,160 | 36.7% | |
| 1890 | 13,360 | 9.9% | |
| 1900 | 17,121 | 28.2% | |
| 1910 | 20,326 | 18.7% | |
| 1920 | 22,125 | 8.9% | |
| 1930 | 25,125 | 13.6% | |
| 1940 | 28,861 | 14.9% | |
| 1950 | 30,187 | 4.6% | |
| 1960 | 31,066 | 2.9% | |
| 1970 | 31,349 | 0.9% | |
| 1980 | 33,366 | 6.4% | |
| 1990 | 32,370 | −3.0% | |
| 2000 | 33,081 | 2.2% | |
| 2010 | 32,208 | −2.6% | |
Church Records
Baptist
Early Baptist churches (with years constituted):
- St. Clair's Bottom (1791), Chilhowie, Va. Membership lists (beginning in 1791) and a history were published in the Appalachian Quarterly, Vol. 10, No. 4 (Dec. 2005). Originally fell within the bounds of Washington County, Virginia.
Court
Genealogy
More than 25 genealogies have been published about Smyth County families. To view a list, visit Smyth County, Virginia Genealogy.
Land and Property
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. FHL Collection [Includes Smyth County.]
- Presgraves, James S. Smyth County Families and History. Wytheville, Va.: J. Presgraves, 1974. FHL Collection
- Sheffey, John P. General Resources and Advantages of Smyth County: In the Most Attractive Section of Appalachian Virginia. n.p.: n.p., 1907. FHL Collection; digital version at Ancestry ($).
- Wilson, Goodridge. Smyth County, History and Traditions. Kingsport, Tenn.: Kingsport Press, 1932. FHL Collection 547258 Item 2; FHL Collection 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: FHL Collection 975.5723 H2w index and FHL Collection 6103880; digital version at Ancestry ($); World Vital Records ($).
Maps
Military
Revolutionary War
- Kegley, Mary B. Revolutionary War Pension Applications of Southwest Virginia Soldiers. n.p.: M.B. Kegley, 1997. FHL Collection [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: FHL Collection 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." FHL Collection 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. FHL Collection 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
Regiments. Service men in Smyth County, Virginia served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Smyth County, Virginia:[2] [3]
- - 4th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company D (Smyth Blues).[4]
- - 8th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company A (Smyth Dragoons)[5]
- - 13th Battalion, Virginia Reserves (Confederate). Companies A and D.[6]
- - 21st Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate)
- - 23rd Battalion, Virginia Infantry Reserves (Confederate). Company A (The Smyth County Sharpshooters), Company E, and Company F.[7]
- - 45th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate)
- - 48th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company A (Smyth Rifle Greys).[8]
- - 50th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company E (Smyth Grays) and Company L.[9]
- - 63rd Regiment, Virginia Infantry (McMahon's) (Confederate). Companies H and K.[10]
- - 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.
Records and histories are available, including:
- Virginia, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers 1861-1865
- Virginia, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers 1861-1865
Civil War Battles
The following Civil War battles were fought in Smyth County.
- October 2, 1864 = Saltville I[11]
- December 17-18, 1864 = Marion[12]
- December 20-21, 1864 = Saltville II[13]
Naturalization
Virginia Naturalization Petitions, 1906-1929
Newspapers
The Virginia Newspapers Project identifies local Smyth County, Virginia newspapers.
Occupations
- Cutten, George Barton. The Silversmiths of Virginia (together with Watchmakers and Jewelers) from 1694 to 1850. Richmond, Va.: The Dietz Press, Incorporated, 1952. FHL. [Includes a section on Marion watchmakers.]
Probate Records
- 1832-1844 - Smyth County, Virginia Index to Will Book A, 1832-1844 (New River Notes) - free.
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 FHL.
- [1832-1850] Personal Property Tax Lists of Smyth County, Virginia, 1832-1850. Original records, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va., microfilmed reproduction available at FHL.
- [1832] Personal Property Tax List, 1832, Virginia Appalachian Notes. Roanoke VA: Nov 1985. Vol. 9 Iss. 4.
Vital Records
Indexes to Smyth County, Virginia births, marriages, and deaths are available online. These collections are incomplete, but are easy to search. Courtesy: FamilySearch - free.
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]. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
- Smyth County, Virginia Births, 1879-84 [database on-line]. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
- Smyth County, Virginia Births, 1885-96 [database on-line]. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
The original records covering 1853-1896 and an index covering 1853-1917 are available on microfilm at the Family History Library.
Marriage
- 1740-1850 - Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 (Ancestry) ($).
- 1832-1850 - Smyth County Marriage Licenses 1832-1850 (New River Notes) - free. Arranged by groom and bride.
- 1853-1861 - Smyth County Marriage Records 1853-1861 (New River Notes) - free.
Death
- 1857-1896 - Smyth County Death Index 1857-1896. Batch B868673 at FamilySearch - free.
- Smyth County, Virginia Death Registers 1853-1896 and Index 1853-1917. Original records, Smyth County Courthouse, Marion, Va., microfilmed reproduction at FHL.
Vital Record Substitutes
 |
For birth, marriage, and death record substitutes, see Bible Records, Cemeteries, Church Records, Newspapers, and Probate Records. |
Smyth County, Virginia Genealogy Societies and Libraries
Smyth County Genealogical Society: www.smythcountygs.org
Smyth-Bland Regional Library: www.sbrl.org
Family History Centers
Smyth County, Virginia Genealogy Websites
- Smyth Co., VAGenWeb. Part of the USGenWeb Project. Maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
- Family History Library Catalog
- RootsWeb Mailing List: SW_VA-L (Topic: Southwest Virginia)
- Cyndi's List
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Smyth County, Virginia. Page 721 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ FHL book 975.5723 H2w Smyth County History and Traditions, pages 237-239.
- ↑ FHL book 975.5 M2vr v. 29 titled A Guide to Virginia Military Organizations 1861-1865
- ↑ James I. Robertson, 4th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.F. Howard, 1982). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 1.
- ↑ Jack L. Dickinson, 8th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1986). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 25.
- ↑ William C. Pendleton, History of Tazewell County and Southwest Virginia, 1748-1920 (Richmond, Va.: W.C. Hill Printing Company, 1920), 629-630. Digital version at Google Books.
- ↑ J.L. Scott, 23rd Battalion Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, c1991). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 79.
- ↑ John D. Chapla, 48th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1989). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 54.
- ↑ John C. Chapla, 50th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1997). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 129.
- ↑ Jeffrey C. Weaver, 63rd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1991). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 76.
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 7 August 2012).
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 2 August 2012).
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 7 August 2012).
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/images/3/37/Igivirginia.pdf.
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- This page was last modified on 12 June 2013, at 18:51.
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