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Hardy County, West Virginia Genealogy

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Guide to Hardy County, West Virginia ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

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County Facts
County seat: Moorefield
Organized: October 17, 1785
Parent County(s): Hampshire[1]
Neighboring Counties
Frederick (VA)  • Grant  • Hampshire  • Mineral  • Pendleton  • Rockingham (VA)  • Shenandoah (VA)
See County Maps
Courthouse
Hardy County, West Virginia Courthouse.JPG
Location Map
Wv-hardy.png
Adoption

County Information[edit | edit source]

Description[edit | edit source]

The County was named for Samuel Hardy. The County has Moorefield as its seat and the County was created October 17, 1786. The County is located in the northeast area of the state.[2]

County Courthouse[edit | edit source]

Hardy County Courthouse
204 Washington Street
Moorefield, WV 26836
Phone: 304-538-2929
Hardy County Website

County Clerk has birth, marriage, death and burials from 1853, probate and land records from 1786, court records from 1860 and divorce records.[3]

Hardy County, West 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.

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records[4]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1853 1853 1853 1786 1786 1786 1870
Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1917. General compliance by 1925.

Record Loss[edit | edit source]

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

  • Lost censuses: 1790, 1800, 1810

Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]

  • 1785--Hardy County was created 17 October 1785 from Hampshire County.
  • County seat: Moorefield[5]

For animated maps illustrating West Virginia county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation West Virginia County Boundary Maps" (1617-1995) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

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


History Timeline[edit | edit source]

Resources[edit | edit source]

Bible Records[edit | edit source]

Biographies[edit | edit source]

Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries of Hardy County, West Virginia online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See West Virginia Cemeteries for more information

Census Records[edit | edit source]

For tips on accessing Hardy census records online, see: West Virginia Census.

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1790 7,336 —
1800 6,627 −9.7%
1810 5,525 −16.6%
1820 5,700 3.2%
1830 6,798 19.3%
1840 7,622 12.1%
1850 9,543 25.2%
1860 9,864 3.4%
1870 5,518 −44.1%
1880 6,794 23.1%
1890 7,567 11.4%
1900 8,449 11.7%
1910 9,163 8.5%
1920 9,601 4.8%
1930 9,816 2.2%
1940 10,813 10.2%
1950 10,032 −7.2%
1960 9,308 −7.2%
1970 8,855 −4.9%
1980 10,030 13.3%
1990 10,977 9.4%
2000 12,669 15.4%
2010 14,025 10.7%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".
  • 1790 - Lost, but a substitute is available, see Taxation.
  • 1800 - Lost, but a substitute is available, see Taxation.
  • 1810 - Lost, but a substitute is available, see Taxation.

Church Records[edit | edit source]

Baptist
Early Baptist churches (with years constituted):

  1. Lunie's Creek (1777)[7]

Court Records[edit | edit source]

  • Chancery order book, 1873-1880 For these cases the court sat in chancery which meant it acted as a court of equity. Equity law is a body of legal and procedural rules and doctrines which supplement or override common and statute law to protect rights and enforce duties defined or fixed by substantive law. The court usually dealt with cases which did not need a jury, such as divorces or foreclosures. Orders are judgments based on those laws.
  • Court proceedings, 1821-1827 Contains pleas and other proceedings brought before the court. Each plea might contain exhibits of documents, such as court orders for administration and inventory of estates, deed and dower acknowledgments, bills of sale, deeds, powers of attorney, appointments of militia officers, etc

Directories[edit | edit source]

Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]

African Americans[edit | edit source]

Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]

Genealogies[edit | edit source]

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]


  • Cartmell, T. K. Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants: A History of Frederick County, Virginia (Illustrated) from Its Formation in 1738 to 1908, Compiled Mainly from Original Records of Old Frederick County, Now Hampshire, Berkeley, Shenandoah, Jefferson, Hardy, Clarke, Warren, Morgan and Frederick. n.p.: n.p., c1909. Available at FHL US/CAN Book 975.59 H2c 1963; FHL US/CAN Film 1000634 Item 1; digital version at Ancestry ($); FamilySearch Books Online and World Vital Records ($). [3 copies at FHL.]
  • O'Dell, Cecil. Pioneers of Old Frederick County, Virginia. Marceline, Mo.: Walsworth Pub. Co., 1995. FHL Collection. One of the most impressively researched one-place studies in the United States. In a review, Dorman stated "Comprehensive studies such as this appear only rarely. This volume should be in every Virginia genealogical collection."[8]


  • Coberly - Arthaud, John Bradley. "Dr. James Stell Coberly 18th Century Migrant from New Jersey to Virginia and Revolutionary Patriot," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 26, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1982):112-117; Vol. 26, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1982):183-189. Digital version at American Ancestors ($). FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 26 (1982).
  • Coberly - Arthaud, John Bradley. "George Coberly (1788-1855) Virginia Migrant to the Midwest," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 28, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1984):217-221; Vol. 28, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1984):256-260. Digital version at American Ancestors ($). FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 28 (1984).
  • Coberly - Arthaud, John Bradley. "The Ancestry of Mary (Poffenberger) (Coberly) Power (1752-27 Oct. 1840)," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 35, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1991):39-42. Digital version at American Ancestors ($). FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 35 (1991).
  • Coberly - Arthaud, John Bradley and Marian (Kortum) Coberly. "The Ancestry of Mary C. Coberly (1820-1875)," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 43, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1999):293-296. Digital version at American Ancestors ($). FHL Book 975.5 B2vg.
  • Cunningham - Harter, Mary. "James Cunningham of Western Virginia," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 29, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1985):9-16. Digital version at American Ancestors ($). FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 29 (1985).
  • Franklin - Mathys, Mary Sue and Dorsey W. Franklin. "A Mystery Story: The Case of the Origins of John Franklin Sr. (1729-1819) of Burke County, North Carolina," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 32, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1988):243-252; Vol. 33, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1989):27-33. Digital version at American Ancestors ($). FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 32 (1988)-v. 33 (1989).
  • Homan - Arthaud, John Bradley. "The Ancestry of Mary (Poffenberger) (Coberly) Power (1752-27 Oct. 1840)," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 35, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1991):39-42. Digital version at American Ancestors ($). FHL Book 975.5 B2vg v. 35 (1991).
  • Mathias - Griffiths, George R. The Mathias Family of Hardy County, Virginia and West Virginia, A Pioneer Mountain Family. Chicago, Ill.: Adams Press, 1977. FHL Book 929.273 M426g.
  • Newman - Boogher, William F. Gleanings of Virginia History: An Historical and Genealogical Collection, Largely from Original Sources. Washington: n.p., 1903. Available at FHL; digital version at Google Books. Includes a chapter titled "Genealogy of the Newman Family, 1618-1900," see Table of Contents; discusses Newmans of Hardy County.
  • Post - Poinsett, Doris Jean Post. Valentin Pfost/Post, 1740-1800, of Hardy County (West) Virginia and Some of His Descendants. Baltimore, Md.: Gateway Press, 1989. Digital version at Family History Archives; FHL Book 929.273 P845p.
  • Renick - Renick, E.I. "The Renick Family of Virginia," Publications of the Southern History Association, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Jul. 1899): 221-227. Digitized by Internet Archive - free.
  • Rohrbough - Rohrbough, Fred Ware. The Rohrbough Family. 1962.
  • Strother - Owen, Thomas McAdory, "William Strother of Virginia and His Descendants," Publications of the Southern History Association, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Apr. 1898):149-173. Digitized by Internet Archive.
  • Trader - Dorman, John Frederick. Adventurers of Purse and Person Virginia 1607-1624/5. 3 vols. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2005. See Volume 2. FHL Book 975.5 H2j v. 2.

Guardianship[edit | edit source]

Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.

See West Virginia Land and Property for additional information about early West Virginia land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.

Contains lists of real estate being sold for the non-payment of taxes, 1869, 1879-1932, and liens or mechanic liens 1870, 1876-1893.


  • Gray, Gertrude E. Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 1775-1800. Vol. III. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1993. Available at FHL; digital version at Ancestry ($). Includes Hardy County.

Local Histories[edit | edit source]

Local histories are available for Hardy County, West Virginia Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories see the wiki page section West Virginia Local Histories.

Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]

Pendleton CountyGrant CountyMineral CountyHampshire CountyFrederick CountyShenandoah CountyRockingham CountyWV HARDY.PNG
About this image
Click a neighboring county
for more resources


Migration[edit | edit source]

Military Records[edit | edit source]

Revolutionary War[edit | edit source]

  • 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, Hardy County on page 134.

War of 1812[edit | edit source]

Hardy County men served in the 14th Regiment.[9]

Civil War[edit | edit source]

Regiments. Service men in Hardy 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 Hardy County:

- 7th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Ashby's) (Confederate). Company F (Hampshire Riflemen aka New Creek Riflemen).[10]
- 11th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry. Company B (The Hardy Rangers).[11]
- 18th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Companies B, E, and H.[12]
- 25th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Heck's) (Confederate). Company H (Hardy Blues) and Company K (South Branch Riflemen).[13]
- 62nd Regiment, Virginia Mounted Infantry (Confederate). Company B (Hardy Blues).[14]

Records and histories are available, including:

Civil War Battle
The following Civil War battle was fought in Hardy County:

Map showing Civil War battles in West Virginia.

Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]

Newspapers[edit | edit source]

Obituaries[edit | edit source]

Other Records[edit | edit source]

Periodicals[edit | edit source]

Probate Records[edit | edit source]

Online Probate Records

School Records[edit | edit source]

Tax Records[edit | edit source]

How can Virginia tax lists help me?

  • 1786 Fothergill, Augusta B. and John Mark Naugle. Virginia Tax Payers, 1782-87, Other Than Those Published by the United States Census Bureau. 1940; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1978. Online at FamilySearch - free; FHL. 1786 personal property tax list of Hardy County.
  • 1786 - 1819 Heinegg, Paul. "Hardy County Personal Property Tax List, 1786-1819," Free African Americans.com. Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.
  • 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. Hardy County is included in Vol. 2.
  • 1789 Indexed images of the 1789 Personal Property Tax List of Hardy County, Virginia  (now West Virginia) are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
  • 1799 Images of the 1799 Personal Property Tax List of Hardy County, Virginia  (now West Virginia) are available online, courtesy: Binns Genealogy.
  • 1810 Schreiner-Yates, Netti. A Supplement to the 1810 Census of Virginia: Tax Lists of the Counties for which the Census is Missing. Springfield, Va.: Genealogical Books in Print, 1971. Available at FHL. [The source for this publication is the 1810 personal property tax list. Hardy County is included because the 1810 Census for that county has been destroyed.]
  • 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. Hardy County is included in Vol. 6.

Online West Virginia Tax site

West Virginia real and personal property tax records are managed by the County Assessor in each county. Land and land improvements are considered real property while mobile property is classified as personal property.

Many County Assessors offer an online searchable database, where assessment record searches can be performed by name, account number, year, or mp/parcel number. Where online records are not available, requests for records can be made to the Assessment Office in person, by phone, or in writing.

The search for tax information can start here

Vital Records[edit | edit source]

Birth[edit | edit source]

Marriage[edit | edit source]

Death[edit | edit source]

Divorce[edit | edit source]

Research Facilities[edit | edit source]

Archives[edit | edit source]

Family History Centers[edit | edit source]

Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes.

Libraries[edit | edit source]

Museums[edit | edit source]

Societies[edit | edit source]

Websites[edit | edit source]

Research Guides[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), West Virginia.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
  2. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Hardy County, West Virginia" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardy_County,_West_Virginia."
  3. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Hardy County, West Virginia. Page 744 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
  4. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Hardy County, West Virginia. Page 743-746 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 742-743.
  5. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), West Virginia.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
  6. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Hardy County, West Virginia," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardy_County,_West_Virginia, accessed 04 July 2018.
  7. ↑ Robert Baylor Semple and George William Beale, A History of the Rise and Progress of the Baptists in Virginia (Pitt and Dickinson, 1894), 229-230. Digital version at Google Books.
  8. ↑ John Frederick Dorman, "Review of Pioneers of Old Frederick County, Virginia," in The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 39, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1995):236.
  9. ↑ Stuart Lee Butler, A Guide to Virginia Militia Units in the War of 1812 (Athens, Ga.: Iberian Pub. Co., 1988), 103. FHL Book 975.5 M2bs.
  10. ↑ Jack L. Dickinson, 8th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1986). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 25.
  11. ↑ Richard L. Armstrong, 11th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, c1989). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 52.
  12. ↑ Roger U. Delauter, 18th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1985). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 18.
  13. ↑ Richard L. Armstrong, 25th Virginia Infantry and 9th Battalion Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1990). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 71.
  14. ↑ Roger U. Delauter, 62nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1988). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 41.
  15. ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 20 September 2012)


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