Buchanan County, Virginia Genealogy
Guide to Buchanan County, Virginia ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Buchanan County is located in the southwestern area of the Commonwealth of Virginia and is the only county to border West Virginia and Kentucky. The county was named after the 15th U.S. President, James Buchanan.[1]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Buchanan County Courthouse
1012 Walnut Street
P.O. Box 929
Grundy, VA 24614
Phone: 276-935-6567
Buchanan County Website
Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, divorce, probate, court and land records from 1885. [2]
Buchanan County, Virginia Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth | Marriage | Death | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1853 | 1885 | 1853 | 1885 | 1885 | 1885 | 1810 |
General compliance year is unknown. | ||||||
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[6]
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Census-designated places | ||
| Historic communities | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
The county was named after President James Buchanan (1791-1868), who was in office at the time of the county's formation.
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
For databases and indexes, see Virginia Bible Records.
- 1607-2007 Virginia, Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
- 1800-1986 Virginia, Jewish Cemetery Records Index, ca. 1800-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Census Records[edit | edit source]
For databases, indexes, and information online, see Virginia Census.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 2,793 | — |
| 1870 | 3,777 | 35.2% |
| 1880 | 5,694 | 50.8% |
| 1890 | 5,867 | 3.0% |
| 1900 | 9,692 | 65.2% |
| 1910 | 12,334 | 27.3% |
| 1920 | 15,441 | 25.2% |
| 1930 | 16,740 | 8.4% |
| 1940 | 31,477 | 88.0% |
| 1950 | 35,748 | 13.6% |
| 1960 | 36,724 | 2.7% |
| 1970 | 32,071 | −12.7% |
| 1980 | 37,989 | 18.5% |
| 1990 | 31,333 | −17.5% |
| 2000 | 26,978 | −13.9% |
| 2010 | 24,098 | −10.7% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". United States Census Bureau. | ||
1860 Agricultural Census
- The 1860 Agriculture Ceneus [sic] of Buchanan County, Virginia. 1992. By Jeffrey C. Weaver. Clintwood, Virginia : Mullins Printing. Available at FHL.
1890 Union Veterans
- Virginia's Union Veterans: Eleventh Census of the United States 1890. By Ronald Ray Turner. Online at: Prince William County Virginia, FHL Collection.
Church Records[edit | edit source]
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
For databases and immigrant groups, see Virginia Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
African Americans
- 1935-2009 Virginia, African-American Funeral Programs, 1935-2009 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1865-1872 Virginia, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1872 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2009 Virginia, African-American Funeral Programs, 1935-2009 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Compiled Genealogies by Surname
- See Buchanan County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies for a few published books and Articles.
Compiled genealogies for multiple families
- Atkins, Oscar T. Buchanan County, Virginia, Families 1860. Williamson, West Virginia: East Kentucky/Southern W.Va. Family Records, 1997. FHL Collection ["Taken in part from the federal census of Buchanan County, Virginia, for 1860, ... and from tax lists, from other census records, marriage records, and from the library and files of the compiler."--T.p.]
- Sutherland, Elihu Jasper. Some Sandy Basin Characters. 1962; reprint, Clintwood, Va.: Hettie Sutherland, 1985. FHL Collection
- Early Southwest Virginia Families: Families of Kelly, Smyth, Buchanan, Clark and Related Families of Edmondson, Keys, Beattie, Ryburn, McDonald. 1960. By Elizabeth Kelly Allison. Ann Arbor, MI : Edwards Brothers, Inc. Online at: Hathitrust.
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
For land indexes, records, and databases, see Virginia Land and Property, including Colonial and State Land Grants.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
- Looking Back One Hundred Years, a Brief Story of Buchanan County and Its People. 1979. By Hannibal Albert Compton. Knightstown, Indiana : Bookmark. At various libraries (WorldCat).
- The Forests of Buchanan County, Virginia. 1918. By W. G. Schwab. Charlottesville, Virginia : Office of State Forester, University of Virginia. Online at: Hathitrust, Google Books.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
County and state maps, historical and more current, are valuable research tools. For map collections, online and in libraries, see Virginia Maps.
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
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... 1883. Washington, D.C : Government Printing Office. Online at: Internet Archive, Google Books. See Vol. 5, Virginia, Buchanan County, p. 65.
Civil War
- 1861-1865 Virginia, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1861-1865 Virginia, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 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)
Civil War service men in Buchanan County 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 here:
- - 2nd Regiment, Virginia Infantry (State Line) (Confederate)
- - 2nd Regiment, Virginia State Line (Cavalry) (Confederate). Company D, likely Company I.
- - 4th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (State Line) (Confederate)
- - 7th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate)
- - 10th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Confederate)
- - 14th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Confederate). Companies C, F, G, H, and I
- - 21st Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate)
- - 22nd Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Bowen's Virginia Mounted Riflemen) (Confederate). Company B.
- - 29th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company F.[7]
- - 34th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Witcher's Battalion, Virginia Mounted Rifles) (Confederate). Company C and Company E.[8]
- - 50th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate)
- - 51st Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate)
- - 64th Regiment, Virginia Mounted Infantry (Confederate). Company F2.[9]
- - French's Battalion, Virginia Infantry (Confederate)
World War II
- 1940-1945 Virginia, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1906-1929 Virginia Naturalization Petitions, 1906-1929 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
For online newspaper resources, see the Virginia Newspapers page.
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
For probate records, indexes, and databases, see Virginia Probate Records.
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
For additional online collections and the value and use of Virginia's tax lists in your research, see Virginia Taxation.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
For additional indexes, databases, and details, see Virginia Vital Records.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1853-1866 Virginia, Slave Birth Index, 1853-1866 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1912-1913 Virginia, Birth Certificates, 1912-1913 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1584-1917 Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1660-1959 Virginia, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($).
- 1785-1940 Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1785-1940 Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index ; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
- 1853-1935 Virginia, Bureau of Vital Statistics, County Marriage Registers, 1853-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1936-1988 Virginia, Marriage Certificates, 1936-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Death[edit | edit source]
- Deaths are online in the Library of Virginia's Death Index of Virginia, 1853-1896, sponsored by Virginia Genealogical Society.
- 1912-1987 Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1853-1912 Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1912 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- Early Deaths, Buchanan County, Virginia, 1858-1896. 1990. By Jesse Stewart. Grundy, Virginia : J. Stewart. Available at FHL.
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1918-1988 Virginia, Divorce Records, 1918-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Buchanan County. For state-wide facilities, see Virginia Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
To locate the closest family history center or affiliate library, use the link listed above.
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Buchanan County. For state-wide library facilities, see Virginia Archives and Libraries.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Buchanan County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Virginia Societies.
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Buchanan Co., VAGenWeb. Part of the USGenWeb Project. Maps, name indexes, history.
- Cyndi's List
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
- A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Buchanan County. The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 6, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1962):81-82. CD available at: American Ancestors ($).
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buchanan_County,_Virginia
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Iowa.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Iowa.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Burned Record Counties (VA-NOTES). (n.d.). Library of Virginia. Retrieved 4 May 2012, from http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/guides/va22_burnedco.htm.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Iowa.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Buchanan County, Virginia," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buchanan_County,_Virginia, accessed 29 December 2021.
- ↑ John Perry Alderman, 29th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1989). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 53.
- ↑ Scott C. Cole, 34th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1993). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 94.
- ↑ Jeffrey C. Weaver, 64th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1992). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 89.
