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Lewis County History and Information

Lewis County Facts

See D.O.T. Maps for a Detailed County Map

Lewis County was created from parts of Harrison County by an act of the Virginia General Assembly on December 18, 1816.

County Seat - The first meeting of the county court was held on March 16, 1817 at the home of the Reverend Peter Davis at Westfield, about five miles north of the current site of Weston. The meeting was conducted by nineteen Justices of the Peace, each appointed by then-Governor James P. Preston. Philip Reger was sworn in as the county's first sheriff. Daniel Stringer was elected county clerk and George Bush was recommended to the Governor for appointment as county surveyor. The court's next meeting took place at Mrs. William Newlon's home (also reported as Mrs. Newton) on April 11, 1818. At that meeting, it was decided to locate the county court at the farm of Henry Flesher, near the mouth of Stone Coal, and that the place be called Preston, in honor of Governor Preston.

In 1819, the area's residents decided to change the town's name following the creation of Preston County. They were concerned that people unfamiliar with the town might mistake it as Preston County's seat. Colonel John McWhorter and John Bozarth represented the area in the House of Delegates and introduced a bill that changed the town's name to Fleshersville, honoring Henry Flesher, believed to be the first settler in the area. He had arrived in the area in 1784. However, many local residents objected to the new name because Mr. Flesher had sold the property on which the town was built, moved to the east side of the river, and reportedly refused to have anything to do with the new town. At the urging of the town's leading citizens, the following year the state legislature renamed the town Weston. Weston was incorporated by the West Virginia state legislature in 1913.

County Name - The county was named in honor of Colonel Charles Lewis (1733-1774), who was killed at the decisive Battle of Point Pleasant in 1774. His dying words were "Push on boys. Don't mind me." He was second in command at the time, serving under his older brother, General Andrew Lewis.

The Battle of Point Pleasant was considered a precursor of the American Revolutionary War and was a turning point in the war against the Indian uprising in western Virginia. During the battle, one-half of General Lewis's commissioned officers, including his brother Charles, were killed, as were seventy-five non-commissioned soldiers. Another one hundred and forty soldiers were wounded. The actual number of Indians engaged or killed in the battle is not known, but included warriors from the Shawnee, Delaware, Mingo, Wyandotte and Cayuga tribes, lead by their respective chiefs and by Cornstalk, Sachem of the Shawnees and King of the North Confederacy. The all-day battle was ferocious, with the battle line reportedly extending more than a mile. First-hand accounts of the battle indicate that rifle fire and hand-to-hand combat lasted throughout the day. By the end of the day, the Indians retreated into Ohio with Lewis's men in pursuit. Now on the defensive, and following the arrival of additional troops under the command of Virginia Governor John Murray, fourth Earl of Dunmore, the Indians agreed to a peace treaty, ending what had become known as Lord Dunmore's War.

See also Extended History for more historical details.

Areas adjacent to Lewis County are Harrison County (north), Upshur County (east), Webster County (south), Braxton County (southwest), Gilmer County (west), Doddridge County (northwest). Lewis County Cities and Towns Include Alum Bridge, Camden, Crawford, Horner, Ireland, Jane Lew, Orlando, Roanoke, Vadis, Valley Chapel, Walkersville, Weston, Wildcat

Official County Government/ Community Website
Lewis County, West Virginia History Books at Amazon.com
Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.

Lewis County Court Records

See Also West Virginia Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

PLEASE READ!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.
Courthouse Fire in 1886 destroyed courthouse, but records were saved.

Lewis County Clerk has Land Records from 1817, Marriage Records from 1816, Probate Records from 1816 and Birth & Death Records from 1853 -Present and is located at the Courthouse, P. O. Box 466, Weston, WV 26452; 304-269-8215, Fax: 304-269-8202.
The County Clerk's many duties include some of the following: the issuance of marriage licenses, birth and death certificates, record births, marriages and deaths in the county, serve as the recorder of all documents, prepare and send to all heirs a Notice to Redeem and take care of publications, redemptions or recording deeds with regard to delinquent property, issue military service discharge records and probate wills and assist in administration of estates.

Lewis County Clerk of Circuit Court has Court Records from 1817 and is located at the Courthouse, P. O. Box 466, Weston, WV 26452-0069; 304-269-8210, Fax: 304-269-8249 .
The County Clerk of the Circuit Court's many duties include some of the following: Serve as the Clerk to the Circuit and Family Court, Issue mesne (during the progress of a case) process, Issue final process to enforce and execute judgements, Appoint guardian ad litem where required, Responsible for all papers filed in the office; serve as registrar, recorder and custodian for all pleadings, documents and funds pertaining to cases filed in circuit court and family court, Responsible for the administration and management of the petit and grand jury systems in the county.

Since West Virginia was part of Virginia prior to 1863, see Virginia Databases for all records before that date.

Click Here to Search West Virginia Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records! - Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

Below is a list of online resources for Lewis County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Lewis County Court Records by clicking the link below:

West Virginia Marriage Records, 1863-1900
Lewis County, West Virginia Court Books at Amazon.com
West Virginia Immigration & Emigration Records - Immigration records help the family historian to understand the movements of their ancestry as they relocated to different parts of the world.

Lewis County Vital Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

While people were taxed in Virginia prior to 1782, not many tax lists for that early period have survived, and the originals that have survived are at the Virginia State Library. Colonial period taxes were imposed on the personal property of males who were twenty-one and older, and called "tithables." While there is no comprehensive list or collection of early tax lists, many fragments are printed throughout Virginia genealogical literature

West Virginia has one of the most complete sets of old tax records in existence. Land tax records dating from 1782 to 1936 for all counties, with some through 1959, are available at the Archives and History Library in Charleston. Most county clerks have duplicate copies in their offices. As noted in the section on Virginia, the Virginia State Library has the original unindexed personal property tax records from 1782 to 1863.

Below is a list of online resources for Lewis County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Lewis County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

Lewis County, West Virginia Tax Books at Amazon.com

Lewis County Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Lewis County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Lewis County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

Local West Virginia Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
West Virginia Archives and History, The Cultural Center; 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, E.; Charleston, WV 25305-0300. Read here before requesting research
Publication: West Virginia History. This facility consists of the library, archives, and a museum containing materials from 1760 to present.
West Virginia Genealogical Society, Post Office Box 249, Elkview, West Virginia 25071
West Virginia Historical Society, PO Box 5220, Charleston, WV 25361
West Virginia Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
West Virginia Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com

Lewis County Church & Cemeteries

Click Here to Search West Virginia Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Lewis County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Lewis County Tombstone Transcription Project.

Many religious groups have deposited their records at the West Virginia and Regional History Collection. Church record inventories compiled as part of the Historical Records Survey are available there and at the FHL. For a complete discussion of early church records, see Virginia-Church Records.

The most extensive collection of West Virginia tombstone inscriptions was compiled by the Historical Records Survey. Available at the West Virginia and Regional History Collection and on microfilm at the FHL, the collection includes inscriptions through 1939-40. The DAR and others have published volumes of cemetery records.

Below is a list of online resources for Lewis County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Lewis County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of West Virginia obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a West Virginia newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from West Virginia.
West Virginia Cemetery Readings, 1941
Lewis County, West Virginia Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
Lewis County, West Virginia Church Books at Amazon.com

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Click Here to Search West Virginia Family Tree Records! - The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Lewis County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Lewis County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
Sites on USGenweb: [ Lewis County ] [ West Virginia ] [ Main Page ]
[GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
West Virginia Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
Genealogical Document Search and Retrieval Service
Lewis County, West Virginia Family Books at Amazon.com

County History

The First Settlers

The first native settlers in central West Virginia (Braxton, Calhoun, Clay, Gilmer, Lewis, Nicholas, Roane, Upshur, and Webster counties) were the Mound Builders, also known as the Adena people. Remnants of their civilization have been found throughout northern West Virginia, with many artifacts found in the Northern Panhandle, especially in Marshall County.

A more thorough presentation of the first native settlers in West Virginia can be read on-line here. The following is a brief overview of that history:

Several thousand Hurons occupied present-day West Virginia during the late 1500s and early 1600s.
During the 1600s, the Iroquois Confederacy (then consisting of the Mohawk, Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida, and Seneca tribes) drove the Hurons from the state and used it primarily as a hunting ground.
During the early 1700s, the Shawnee, Mingo, Delaware, and other Indian tribes also used present-day West Virginia as a hunting ground. West Virginia's Potomac Highlands was inhabited by the Tuscarora. They eventually migrated northward to New York and, in 1712, became the sixth nation to formally be admitted to the Iroquois Confederacy. The Cherokee Nation claimed southern West Virginia.
In 1744, Virginia officials purchased the Iroquois title of ownership to West Virginia in the Treaty of Lancaster.
The Delaware, Mingo, and Shawnee sided with the French during the French and Indian War (1755-1763). The Iroquois Confederacy officially remained neutral, but many in the Iroquois Confederacy allied with the French.
When the French and Indian War was over, England's King George III feared that more tension between Native Americans and settlers was inevitable. In an attempt to avert further bloodshed, he issued the Proclamation of 1763, prohibiting settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains. The Proclamation was, for the most part, ignored.
During the summer of 1763, Ottawa Chief Pontiac led raids on key British forts in the Great Lakes region. Shawnee Chief Keigh-tugh-qua, also known as Cornstalk, led similar raids on western Virginia settlements. The uprisings ended on August 6, 1763 when British forces, under the command of Colonel Henry Bouquet, defeated Delaware and Shawnee forces at Bushy Run in western Pennsylvania.
In 1768, the Iroquois Confederacy (often called the Six Nations) and the Cherokee signed the Treaty of Hard Labour and the Treaty of Fort Stanwix, relinquishing their claims on the territory between the Ohio River and the Alleghenies to the British.
In April 1774, the Yellow Creek Massacre took place near Wheeling. Among the dead were Mingo Chief Logan's brother and pregnant sister. Violence then escalated intoLord Dunmore's War.
On October 10, 1774, Colonel Andrew Lewis and approximately 800 men defeated 1,200 Indian warriors led by Shawnee Chief Cornstalk at the Battle of Point Pleasant, ending Lord Dunmore's War.
The Mingo and Shawnee allied with the British during the American Revolutionary War (1776-1783). One of the more notable battles occurred in 1777 when a war party of 350 Wyandot, Shawnee, and Mingo warriors, armed by the British, attacked Fort Henry, near present-day Wheeling. Nearly half of the Americans manning the fort were killed in the three-day assault. Following the war, the Mingo and Shawnee, once again allied with the losing side, returned to their homes in Ohio. As the number of settlers in the region grew, both the Mingo and the Shawnee move further inland, leaving western Virginia to the white settlers.

Lewis County's European Pioneers and Settlers

William Hacker, Thomas Hughes, Jesse Hughes, John Radcliff, William Radcliff, and John Brown were the first Englishmen to set foot in present-day Lewis County. They explored the area in 1769. Later that year, John Hacker built a cabin just to the south of the present-day Berlin. He is credited as Lewis County's first permanent European settler. John and William Radcliff built cabins not far from Hacker's cabin in 1770. Their settlement, later known as Hacker's Creek, almost failed from the start. After constructing cabins and planting corn and other crops, the three men returned to the South Branch settlements to get their families. While they were away, buffalo ate all of the crops they had planted. Fortunately, there was plenty of wild game available and the settlement survived and more than doubled in size annually as immigrants moved in from the east. Other early permanent settlers in the county included Jesse Hughes, John Whendy, Francis Tibbs and Daniel Veach.

Important Events in Lewis County during the 1800s

Lewis County was enlarged on February 4, 1818, adding land east of the Buckhannon River. At that time, the county constituted 1,754 square miles, including present-day Lewis County as well as nearly all of Upshur, Gilmer, and Braxton counties, and parts of Barbour, Webster, Doddridge, Ritchie, and Calhoun counties.

Most of Lewis County's residents sided with the Union during the Civil War, with pockets of Confederate support, primarily in the county's southern portion. Union forces controlled the county for most of the war. However, in August 1862, General A. G. Jenkins led a force of more than five hundred Confederate soldiers and para-military sympathizes on a raid into central West Virginia. They arrived in Weston on August 31, 1862 and left that evening after securing supplies from the town's stores. Several other skirmishes took place between Union and Confederate forces within the county, but the county was spared the more widespread damage and fighting that occurred in neighboring Braxton County.

One of the first acts of the newly formed West Virginia state legislature was to change the name of the recently completed Trans-Alleghany Lunatic Asylum in Weston to the West Virginia Hospital for the Insane. It began operations in 1864 with nine patients. Later renamed Weston Hospital, it continued to provide care for the mentally impaired until it closed in 1994.

On November 1, 1880, railroad service between Clarksburg and Weston began, opening up the area for further economic development, especially for the lumber industry.

In August 1893, the Lewis County Oil and Gas company was formed. It bought 3,500 acres of land within Lewis county and dug its first test well in late 1897, just below Weston. Several other oil companies also moved to the area, and many of them struck oil. Local land values soared. The biggest oil strike occurred at the Copely well No. 1, on Sand Fork, on September 22, 1900. It produced several thousand barrels of oil per day and was the largest well drilled in the Appalachian Mountains for many years. In 1902, Lewis County's oil production peaked. At that time, Lewis County produced more oil than in any other county in the state.

On July 26, 1913, the first street car service opened for business in Jane Lew and Weston. The service enabled Jane Lew and Weston's residents to reach the main line of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, located in Clarksburg, in just under an hour and a half.