Hardy County, West Virginia Genealogy
Guide to Hardy County, West Virginia ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Social Security Records
- 2.27 Tax Records
- 2.28 Vital Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named for Samuel Hardy. 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.
Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
1853 | 1853 | 1853 | 1786 | 1786 | 1786 | 1870 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
|
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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]
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):
- Lunie's Creek (1777)[7]
List of Churches and Church Parishes
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]
- Heinegg, Paul. "Hardy County Personal Property Tax List, 1786-1819," Free African Americans.com. Heinegg abstracted free blacks listed in these records.
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 ($), FamilySearch Digital Library and World Vital Records ($). [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.
- Homestead records, 1877-1909
- Land entries, 1843-1861
- List of real estate, 1869-1932. The county recorder existed from 1863 to 1872 and handled many of the legal documents that the clerk of the county court managed before and after this.
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.
- The history of Hardy County : 1786-1986
- 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 ($), FamilySearch Digital Library and World Vital Records ($).
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
- Maps of West Virginia (1617-1995)
- Map of 1850 Virginia and West Virginia
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:
- 1861-1865 West Virginia Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 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 Battle
The following Civil War battle was fought in Hardy County:
- August 7, 1864 - Moorefield, also known as Oldfields[15]
- Map showing Civil War battles in West Virginia.
World War II[edit | edit source]
- 1940-1945 - West Virginia, World War II Draft Registration Cards,1940-1945 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- 1814-1991 West Virginia Naturalization Records, 1814-1991 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- Naturalization records, 1913-1916 These can be viewed online.
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
- 1724-1978 West Virginia Wills and Probate Records 1724-1978 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1756-1971 West Virginia Will Books 1756-1971 at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection
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 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
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]
- West Virginia Vital Records, 1865 - 1969 (varies) - Includes birth, death, and marriage.
Birth[edit | edit source]
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1780-1970 - West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1801-1962 - West Virginia, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1804-1999 - West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Hardy County. For state-wide archival repositories, see West Virginia Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
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 Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Hardy County. For state-wide library facilities, see West Virginia Archives and Libraries.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Hardy County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see West Virginia Societies.
- Hardy County Genealogical-Historical Society
Moorefield, West Virginia 26836
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Hardy County, WV History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- West Virginia Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
- Cyndi's List for West Virginia
- Microfilms at the Library of Virginia for Hardy County, West Virginia
- 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]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Hardy County, West Virginia" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardy_County,_West_Virginia."
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Hardy County, West Virginia," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardy_County,_West_Virginia, accessed 04 July 2018.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ John Frederick Dorman, "Review of Pioneers of Old Frederick County, Virginia," in The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 39, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1995):236.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Jack L. Dickinson, 8th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1986). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 25.
- ↑ Richard L. Armstrong, 11th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, c1989). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 52.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Roger U. Delauter, 62nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1988). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 41.
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 20 September 2012)