The following archives, libraries, and societies have collections or services helpful to genealogical researchers.

• Archives and History Library

Division of Culture and History
The Cultural Center
Capitol Complex
Charleston, WV 25305-0300
Telephone: 304-558-0220
Fax: 304-558-2779

• National Archives—Mid-Atlantic Region

9th and Market Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19107-4292
Telephone: 215-597-3000
Fax: 215-597-2303

• West Virginia Genealogical Society

P.O. Box 172
Elkview, WV 25071

• West Virginia Collection

West Virginia University Library
Colson Hall
P.O. Box 6069
Morgantown, WV 26506-6069
Telephone: 304-293-3640
Fax: 304-293-6923

A useful guide to this collection is James W. Hess, Guide to Manuscripts and Archives in the West Virginia Collection (Morgantown, W.Va.: West Virginia University Library, 1974; FHL book 975.4 A5h; 1959 edition by Charles Shetler, is on film 940918 item 4).

• Library of Virginia (State Library)

800 East Broad St.
Richmond, VA 23219-1905
Telephone: 804-692-3888
Fax: 804-692-3556

The Virginia State Library is an important resource for pre-1863 West Virginia research.

inventories

Historical Records Survey

The Historical Records Survey also compiled unpublished (manuscript) inventories for the records of most West Virginia counties. These are available on microfilm at the Family History Library. These are listed in the Family History Library Catalog under WEST VIRGINIA, [COUNTY] - COURT RECORDS - INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS.

Computer Networks and Bulletin Boards

Computers with modems can be useful tools for obtaining information from selected archives and libraries. In a way, computer networks themselves serve as a library. The Internet, certain computer bulletin boards, and commercial on-line services help family history researchers:

• Locate other researchers
• Post queries
• Send and receive E-mail
• Search large databases
• Search computer libraries
• Join in computer chat and lecture sessions
  

You can find computerized research tips and information about ancestors from West Virginia in a variety of sources at local, state, national, and international levels. The list of sources is growing rapidly. Most of the information is available at no cost.

Addresses on the Internet change frequently. As of April 1997, the following sites are important gateways linking you to many more network and bulletin board sites:

• USGenWeb

http://www.usgenweb.com/
A cooperative effort by many volunteers to list genealogical databases, libraries, bulletin boards, and other resources available on the Internet for each county, state, and country.

• Roots-L

http://www.rootsweb.com/roots-l/usa/
A useful list of sites and resources. Includes a large, regularly-updated research coordination list.

For further details about using computer networks, bulletin boards, and news groups for family history research, see the United States Research Outline (30972), 2nd ed., "Archives and Libraries" section.

FamilySearch™

The Family History Library and some Family History Centers have computers with FamilySearch™. FamilySearch is a collection of computer files containing several million names. FamilySearch is a good place to begin your research. Some of the records come from compiled sources; some have been automated from original sources.

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BIBLE RECORDS

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The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) collection contains many West Virginia Bible records. This collection is described in the “Genealogy” section of this outline and is partially indexed by E. Kay Kirkham, An Index to Some of the Family Records of the Southern States (Logan, Utah: Everton Publishers, 1979; FHL book 973 D22kk v. 1; fiche 6089183).

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Version of Data: 6/9/2001]