Randolph County, West Virginia

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Quick Dates

County Courthouse

Randolph County Courthouse
2 Randolph Avenue
Elkins, WV 26241
randolphcounty@wvsos.com

History

Randolph County was created from Harrison County in 1876, which is much earlier than the formation of West Virginia as a state. Today, Randolph county is the largest county in West Virginia, with 1040 square miles of land in modern times. The first white settlers of the county were Tygart and Files in 1753. The Shawnee Tribe had many trails through Randolph County, but there weren't many settlements in this mountainous region. It was mostly considered hunting grounds, and less of an agricultural settlement. There were many wild animals in the area, which supplied food and clothing for the early settlers. Sadly, the pioneers pushed the elk and the buffalo to extinction in Randolph County, while other animals, such as the black bear, still thrive in the area today. Tygart's Valley in Randolph County didn't attract much settlement because of the mountain barriers and the Indian threat. Despite all of this, Randolph County was formed by Virginia Assembly at the home of Benjamin Wilson in Tygart's Valley. The first session of court in Randolph County was held in a town now called Beverly, in the house of James Westfall. Overall, Randolph County was a very politically and legally active community, with many surviving court records, including probate cases and wills, including the first will ever written in Randolph County. ^[1][2][3][4]

Randolph County History Taken from West Virginia Hertiage Enclyclopedia, pgs. 3951 - 3952

Parent County

1786--Randolph County was created 16 October 1786 from Harrison County.  County seat: Elkins ^[5]

Boundary Changes

See an interactive map of Randolph County boundary changes.

Record Loss

Many land records can be found from 1787 and onwards. For example, land records can be found as early as 1787 in Randolph County courthouses, because Southern society put an emphasis on owning land. Probate records, marriage records and court records can also be found as early as 1787. Birth and Death records weren't recorded until around 1856, but began in earnest in 1917. Most of the birth and death records from 1917-1921 were destroyed in a fire.

Places / Localities

Populated Places

Beverly
Elkins
Harman
Huttonsville
Mill Creek
Montrose
Womelsdorf (Coalton)

Unincorporated Towns

Neighboring Counties

Resources

African American

• Heinegg, Paul. "Randolph County Personal Property Tax List, 1787-1829," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]

Cemeteries

Randolph County, WVGenWeb~ Cemeteries

Find A Grave can be searched by the name of a person or family to find where a person is buried. Usually gives birth and death dates often with a picture of the tombstone. May give obituaries, names of family members and links to their information in Find A Grave.
Find A Grave also gives a list of cemeteries in Randolph County and links to the information for the individuals buried there.

Randolph County, West Virginia cemetery pictures can be found on microfilm in the Family History Library, or available on computer in the Library.

Church

Tygart Valley Presbyterian Church[1]

Church List in Randolph County Townships

Court

Order books, 1809-1906 available on microfilm in Family History Library.

Chancery order books : 1831-1962 available on microfilm in Family History Library.

Pleas books, 1797-1837 available on microfilm in Family History Library.

Bonds, 1880-1924 available on microfilm in Family History Library.

Minute books, 1787-1877 available on microfilm in Family History Library.

Abstracts of County Court record books, Randolph County : 1787-1817 available on microfilm in Family History Library.

Power of attorney : 1787-1808 available on microfilm in Family History Library.

Family Histories

It is anticipated that this bibliography will eventually identify all known family histories published about residents of this county. Use this list to:

• Locate publications about direct ancestors
• Find the most updated accounts of an ancestor's family
• Identify publications, to quote Elizabeth Shown Mills, about an ancestor's "FAN Club" [Friends, Associates, and Neighbors]

Bibliography

• [Hart] Hammond, Cleon E. John Hart, The Biography of a Signer of the Declaration of Independence. Newfane, Vt., 1977.
• The history and genealogy of the Nathan P. Goff family of Randolph County, West Virginia, Delaware County, Indiana, and Madison County, Iowa. Joseph P Barnes. Baker and Taylor: St. Louis, Missouri. 1972.
  
• Randolph County, West Virginia, history-families  available copy at the Family History Library. Contains a brief history of the county, businesses, churches, historical buildings and monuments, etc., and a large section of family histories, which include biographies and genealogies. Includes Index.

Land

Land book, 1802-1900 available on microfilm at Family History Library. Microfilm of original records at the State Auditor's Office, Charleston.

Deeds, 1789-1900; indexes to deeds, 1789 (1776?)-1935 available on microfilm at Family History Library. Microfilm of original records at the Monongalia County Courthouse in Morgantown, West Virginia.

Surveyors book, 1787-1859 available on microfilm at Family History Library. Microfilm of original records at the Randolph County courthouse.

Entry book, 1784-1916 available on microfilm at Family History Library. Original available on microfilm at the Randolph County Courthouse.

Local Histories

History of Randolph County From its Earliest Exploration and Settlement to the Present Time. Dr. A. S. Bosworth. McClain Printing Company: Parsons, West Virginia, 1975.

The history of Randolph County, West Virginia : From its earliest settlement to the present embracing records of all lending families, reminiscences and traditions. Hu Maxwell. Acme Publishing Co.: Morgantown, West Virginia, 1898.

The Blackwater chronicle: a narrative of an expedition into the land of Canaan in Randolph County, Virginia. Philip Pendleton Kennedy; Timothy Sweet. West Virginia University Press: Morgantown, West Virginia. 1853.

Elkins, West Virginia : its past, present, and future. Charles J Holmes; Justin M Kunkle. McClain Printing: Parsons, West Virginia. 1975.

Pioneer index of Randolph County, West Virginia. Lauren d'Ablemont Ragland. Seneca Publishers: Bowden, West Virginia. 2007.

Historick Beverly, official guidebook : containing a brief history of the city and descriptions of twenty-seven shops, dwelling houses, publick and historick sites, illustrated : also a guide-map : Randolph County, West Virginia. Glenn H Phillips. Randolph County Historical Society: Beverly, West Virginia. 1975.

Maps

David Rumsey Map Collection can be searched to find maps for locality.

Map of Historic West Virginia: can search each county.

Military

• 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, Randolph 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.]
• Record book : 1844-1866 available on microfilm at the Family History Library. Microfilm of original at the county courthouse, Elkins.
  
• Discharge, 1917-1918 available on microfilm at the Family History Library. Microfilm of original records at the Randolph County courthouse.
  
• The Soldiery of West Virginia. Virgil A Lewis. Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1978. Gives available lists of rosters from French and Indian War, Mexican War, Civil War, Indian Wars, Lord Dunmore's War, Revolutionary War, and War of 1812.

Newspapers

The Inter Mountain

Probate

Copy of index to wills in relation to appraisments, sale bills, and settlements, Randolph County : 1787-1872 available on microfilm at Family History Library. Microfilm copy of material in the W. Guy Tetrick collection, Clarksburg, West Virginia, prepared by the Historical Records Survey.

Wills, 1787-1969 available on microfilm at Family History Library. Microfilm of original records at the Randolph County courthouse.

Taxation

How can Virginia tax lists help me?

• [1787] Schreiner-Yantis, Netti and Florene Speakman Love. The 1787 Census of Virginia: An Accounting of the Name of Every White Male Tithable Over 21 Years, the Number of White Males Between 16 & 21 Years, the Number of Slaves over 16 & Those Under 16 Years, Together with a Listing of Their Horses, Cattle & Carriages, and Also the Names of All Persons to Whom Ordinary Licenses and Physician's Licenses Were Issued. 3 vols. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1987. Available at FHL. [The source of this publication is the 1787 personal property tax list. Randolph County is included in Vol. 2.]
• [1787-1829] Heinegg, Paul. "Randolph County Personal Property Tax List, 1787-1829," Free African Americans.com. [Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.]
• [1790, 1800] Images of the 1790 and 1800 Personal Property Tax Lists of Randolph County, Virginia  (now West Virginia) are available to browse online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
• [1815] Ward, Roger D. 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer). 6 vols. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997-2000. Available at FHL. [The source for this publication is the 1815 land tax. Randolph County is included in Vol. 6.]
• Land records, 1805-1813 available on microfilm at Family History Library. Microfilm of original at the county courthouse, Elkins.
  
• Personal property tax lists, 1787-1850 available on microfilm at Family History Library. Microfilm of original records at the Virginia State Library and Archives in Richmond, Virginia.
  

Vital Records

Birth

Birth records, 1853-1969 on Family Search Catalog. Microfilm of original records at the Randolph County Courthouse.

Births, Randolph County : 1853-1859, 1861, 1865-1899 on Family Search Catalog. Microfilm of material at the West Virginia University Library, Morgantown, prepared by the Historical Records Survey.

Births, Randolph County : 1853-1899 on Family Search Catalog. Microfilm copy of material in the W. Guy Tetrick collection, Clarksburg, West Virginia, prepared by the Historical Records Survey.

Marriage

Marriages, 1787-1969; index to marriages, 1787-1969 on Family Search Catalog. Microfilm of original records at the Randolph County Courthouse.

Marriage bonds, Randolph County : 1787-1879 on Family Search Catalog. Microfilm of material at the West Virginia University Library, Morgantown, prepared by the Historical Records Survey.

Death

Death records, 1853-1969 on Family Search Catalog. Microfilm of original records at the Randolph County Courthouse.

Societies and Libraries

Family History Centers

Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Elkins West Virginia Family History Center

Randolph County History Societies

Web Sites

• Family History Library Catalog
• Randolph County Genealogy Project
  
• Randolph County, WV Genealogy Forum
  
• Randolph County WVGenWeb
  
• Randolph County Modern Homepage
• Randolph County, West Virginia Wikipedia
• Beverly, West Virginia Historical Homepage

References

1. ↑ Ancestry's Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources. Edited by Alice Eichholz, Ph.D C.G. Ancestry Incorporated: Salt Lake City, Utah, 1989.
2. ↑ Handy Book for Genealogists: United States. George B. Everton. Everton Publishers: Logan, Utah, 1991.
3. ↑ The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy (3rd Edition). Val D. Greenwood. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.: Baltimore, Maryland, 2000.
4. ↑ History of Randolph County From its Earliest Exploration and Settlement to the Present Time. Dr. A. S. Bosworth. McClain Printing Company: Parsons, West Virginia, 1975.
5. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
6. ↑ http://www.wvgenweb.org/randolph/