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Virginia Highland County
Highland County, Virginia genealogy and family history research page. Guide to Highland County (established 1847) genealogy, history, and courthouse sources including birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, wills, deeds and land records, Civil War records, Revolutionary War records, family histories, cemeteries, churches, tax records, newspapers, and obituaries.
| Highland County, Virginia | |
| Map | |
| |
 Location in the state of Virginia | |
 Location of Virginia in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded | 1847 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Monterey |
| Courthouse | |
Highland County, Virginia Courthouse
Highland County Courthouse
P.O. Box 190
Monterey, VA 24465-0190
Phone 540-468-2447
Clerk Circuit Court has birth records from 1850-1898,
marriage, divorce and land records from 1850
probate records from 1860 and court records from 1837[1]
| | |||||
| Birth | Marriage | Death | Census | Land | Probate |
| 1853 | 1847 | 1853 | 1850 | 1847 | 1859 |
Highland County, Virginia History
The county takes its name from its elevation in the Appalachian Mountains.
Parent County
1847--Highland County was created 19 March 1847 from Bath and Pendleton Counties.
County seat: Monterey [2]
Boundary Changes
Record Loss
- Lost census: 1890
Highland County, Virginia Places/Localities
Populated Places
Neighboring Counties
Highland County, Virginia Genealogy Resources
Research Guides
- Hamilton, Clay. "Genealogical Research in Highland County," The Virginia Genealogical Society Newsletter, Vol. 29, No. 3 (June 2003):1-2. FHL Collection; digital version at Virginia Genealogical Society website.
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
The Genealogy Center at Allen County Public Library (Indiana) has a number of searchable databases of Highland County cemeteries:
• Clover Creek Presbyterian Church Cemetery
• Doe Hill Cemetery
• Headwaters Community Cemetery
• McDowell Community Cemetery
• McKendree Methodist Cemetery
• Old McDowell Presbyterian Cemetery
Tombstone Transcription Project Highland County - cemetery transcriptions - USGenWeb
Census
For tips on accessing Highland County, Virginia census records online, see: Virginia Census.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 4,227 | ||
| 1860 | 4,319 | 2.2% | |
| 1870 | 4,151 | −3.9% | |
| 1880 | 5,164 | 24.4% | |
| 1890 | 5,352 | 3.6% | |
| 1900 | 5,647 | 5.5% | |
| 1910 | 5,317 | −5.8% | |
| 1920 | 4,931 | −7.3% | |
| 1930 | 4,525 | −8.2% | |
| 1940 | 4,875 | 7.7% | |
| 1950 | 4,069 | −16.5% | |
| 1960 | 3,221 | −20.8% | |
| 1970 | 2,529 | −21.5% | |
| 1980 | 2,937 | 16.1% | |
| 1990 | 2,635 | −10.3% | |
| 2000 | 2,536 | −3.8% | |
| 2010 | 2,321 | −8.5% | |
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.]
Church Records
Court
Genealogy
More than 15 genealogies have been published about Highland County families. To view a list, visit Highland County, Virginia Genealogy.
Land and Property
An early settlers map is available for Highland County. Cambelt plots the locations of pioneers' farms. The Family History Library has a copy: FHL Map 975.589 E7c (2 parts).
Local Histories
- Morton, Oren Frederic. A Handbook of Highland County and a Supplement to Pendleton and Highland History. Monterey, Va.: Highland Recorder, 1922. FHL Collection; digital version at Ancestry ($).
- Morton, Oren Frederic. A History of Highland County, Virginia. Monterey, Va.: Morton, c1911. Original edition: FHL Collection; 1979 reprint with index: FHL Collection; digital versions of original edition at Ancestry ($); and World Vital Records ($).
Maps
- 1848 - Householders in 1848, as located on the map of the County Surveyor (VAGenWeb) - free.
Military
War of 1812
- Highland County, Virginia Soldiers in the War of 1812
- List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883; Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Why Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, the Rate of Pension Per Month, and the Date of Original Allowance... Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883. FHL Book 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, Virginia, Highland County, p. 86. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]
Civil War
Regiments. Service men in Highland County, Virginia served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Highland County, Virginia:
- - 14th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company A (White's Mounted Riflemen), Company C (Valley Cavalry or Rangers).[3]
- - 18th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company G.[4]
- - 25th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Heck's) (Confederate). Company D (Highland Rangers).[5]
- - 26th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company E.[6]
- - 31st Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Future 2nd Company B (The Highlanders) and Company E (Highland County Highlanders).[7]
Civil War Battle
The following Civil War battle was fought in Highland County.
Newspapers
The Virginia Newspapers Project identifies local Highland County, Virginia newspapers.
Probate Records
Taxation
Vital Records
Indexes to Highland County, Virginia births, marriages, and deaths are available online. These collections are incomplete, but are easy to search. Courtesy: FamilySearch - free.
Birth
- Fridley, Beth, comp. Highland County Virginia Birth Records, 1853-1896 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2001. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
Marriage
- 1740-1850 - Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 (Ancestry) ($).
Vital Record Substitutes
 |
For birth, marriage, and death record substitutes, see Bible Records, Cemeteries, Church Records, Newspapers, and Probate Records. |
Highland County, Virginia Genealogy Societies and Libraries
Family History Centers
Highland County, Virginia Genealogy Websites
- Highland Co., VAGenWeb. Part of the USGenWeb Project. Maps, name indexes, history.
- Family History Library Catalog
- Cyndi's List
References
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Higland County, Virginia. Page 715 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Robert J. Driver, 14th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, c1988). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 47.
- ↑ Roger U. Delauter, 18th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1985). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 18.
- ↑ Richard L. Armstrong, 25th Virginia Infantry and 9th Battalion Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1990). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 71.
- ↑ Richard L. Armstrong, 26th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1994). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 110.
- ↑ John M. Ashcraft, 31st Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1988). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 48.
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 2 August 2012).
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