McDowell County, West Virginia
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

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McDowell County was created by an act of the Virginia General Assembly on February 28, 1858, from parts of Tazewell County (Virginia). The county was named in honor of James McDowell (1795-1851). The son of Irish immigrants, he served as a member of the Virginia Assembly (1831-1843), was the 25th Governor of Virginia (1843-1846), and represented Virginia in U.S. House of Representatives from 1846 until his death in 1851.

In an effort to raise revenue following the American Revolutionary War, the newly formed federal government sold vast areas of unoccupied land to land speculators, typically as low as three cents per acre. In 1794, three large land grants were sold that covered all of the present county and more. Wilson Cary Nicholas purchased a land grant of 300,000 acres and another 320,000 acre land grant with Jacob Kenney. This latter land grant was said to have covered most of the present McDowell County. It was sold the following year to Robert Morris (1734-1806), the famous wealthy financier who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, used his financial fortune to underwrite the expenses of the American Revolutionary Army, and, late in life, lost his fortune and spent three years in debtor's prison. Also, in 1794, David Paterson purchased a 150,00 acre land grant that may have included a small portion of the present county. He sold it to Robert Pollard the following year. Thus, in 1795, Robert Morris owned nearly all of land that is now known as McDowell County.

Mathias Harman and his wife Lydia were the first English settlers in the present county. They lived in a cabin along the Dry Fork River as early as 1802. In 1829, William Fletcher was issued a patent for 20 acres of land at the mouth of Little Indian Creek in the present city limits of Welch. In 1825, Moses A. Cartwright and his wife Clary also moved to the present location of Welch. Other early settlers within the county were John and James Milam, Philip Lambert and Amos Totten.

County Seat - The county had only 282 land-owning families (called freeholders) when it was formed in 1858. The act creating the county specified that the county seat was to be located at Perryville, and the initial meetings of the county court where held there, in the home of George W. Payne. The construction of a courthouse, jail and other public buildings was delayed, however, due to a dispute concerning the ownership of the site selected (its title was vested in minors) and a lawsuit concerning the commission appointed to make the selection. The delay continued and extended through the Civil War years, with the court meetings taking place throughout the county. In 1867, the West Virginia state legislature passed a law locating the county seat on the lands of Philip Lambert, near Coalwood. Then, in 1872 the state legislature allowed the county residents to select the location of the county seat and they choose Perryville, then the largest town in the county. As the population around Welch increased during the early 1890s, the citizens of that town demanded that the county seat be moved there. In 1892, the residents of the county voted to move the county seat to Welch. The citizens of Perryville contested the election, claiming that the citizens of Welch had cheated by importing numerous railroad workers who had no intention to staying in the county and paid them to vote for Welch. To avoid violence, shortly after the election James A. Strother and Trigg Tabor secretly moved the county records from Perryville to Welch in two wagons. The county seat has remained in Welch since 1892.

Welch was settled in the early 1820s by William Fletcher. However, the town did not grow until the late 1880s. In 1880, there were only two or three houses and one store, owned by Squire W. G. Hunt, in the "town." In 1885 (or 1888), Captain Isaiah Welch surveyed the area as a potential site for a logging or mining operation. He, along with J. G. Bramwell and J. H. Duhring, purchased about 165 acres of land from John Henry Hunt, comprising most of present day Welch. The deal was reportedly for $40 and Captain Welch's sorrel mare, Cellum (other accounts report that the "$40 and a horse" was a deposit to bind the deal, a deed was later recorded suggesting that the real price was $2,155.75). Captain Welch's investment paid off when the railroad reached the town in the fall of 1891. Now that the town had access to the "outside" world, it became more attractive as a place to live and work. As the town began to grow, Captain Welch and his partners platted the town into lots for sale in 1893. The town was incorporated and named in honor of Captain Welch in 1894.

The nation's first war memorial dedicated to the actions of African-American veterans of World War I is located at Kimball. Also, McDowell County has the distinction of being the home of Minnie Buckingham Harper (R-McDowell) who became the first female, African-American state legislator in the United States when she was appointed to the West Virginia House of Delegates on January 10, 1928 by Governor Howard Gore to fill a vacancy caused by the death of her husband.

See also Extended History for more historical details.

Areas adjacent to McDowell County are Wyoming County (north), Mercer County (east), Tazewell County, Virginia (south), Buchanan County, Virginia (west), Mingo County (northwest). McDowell County Cities and Towns Include Algoma, Anawalt, Asco, Ashland, Avondale, Bartley, Berwind, Big Sandy, Bradshaw, Canebrake, Capels, Caretta, Coalwood, Crumpler, Cucumber, Davy, Eckman, Elbert, Elkhorn, English, Filbert, Gary, Gilliam, Havaco, Hemphill, Hensley, Iaeger, Isaban, Jenkinjones, Jolo, Keystone, Kimball, Kyle, Leckie, Maybeury, McDowell, Mohawk, Newhall, Northfork, Pageton, Panther, Raysal, Roderfield, Skygusty, Squire, Superior, Switchback, Thorpe, Twin Branch, Vallscreek, Vivian, War, Warriormine, Welch, Wilcoe, Worth, Yukon

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McDowell County Court Records

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

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! 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.

McDowell County Clerk has Land Records from 1868, Marriage Records from 1859, Probate Records from 1893 and Birth & Death Records from 1872 -Present and is located at the Courthouse, 90 Wyoming Street, Suite 109, Welch, WV  24801; 304-436-8544, Fax: 304-436-8576 .

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.

McDowell County Clerk of Circuit Court has Court Records from 1859 and is located at the Courthouse, 90 Wyoming Street, Suite 111, Welch, WV  24801-0400; 304-436-8532, Fax: 304-436-8576.

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 State Site for all information before that date.

he McDowell County Courthouse in Welch sits atop a hillside overlooking downtown from Wyoming Street. It is the third courthouse for the county. The first was located in Wilco and the second in Perryville, both of which were log structures. The current courthouse was designed by Frank Milburn Pierce and represents the Romanesque Revival style. The main entrance is recessed beneath a stone frontispiece of Byzantine-style columns supporting a balustraded architrave. Inside, the cast iron stairway takes one to the courtroom, which occupies the entire upper floor of this 1893 building. The steps to the courthouse are infamously associated with the murders of Sid Hatfield and Edward Chambers by coal company agents. On August 1, 1921, Sid Hatfield was shot to death as he approached the building to stand trial for a shooting incident. He had just returned from Washington, D.C. where he had been scheduled to testify in front of the US Senate Committee on Labor and Education. A well-known labor leader and union organizer, he had participated in the May 19, 1920 “Matewan Massacre,” during which seven company guards, the mayor of Matewan and two union men were killed.

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

  • Order County Court, Civil or Criminal Records Online
  • West Virginia Marriage Records, 1863-1900
  • McDowell County, West Virginia Court Books at Amazon.com
  • Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
  • Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.
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McDowell County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in West Virginia

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! In terms of obtaining vital records from the State Vital Records Office, West Virginia is not an "open record" state. Access to certified copies of birth certificates is restricted to persons with a legal right to the certificate, i.e: The registrant, Mother or father, Legal guardian, Registrant's spouse, Children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc., of the registrant, Brother or sister of the registrant, Mother-in-law / father-in-law of registrant, Son-in-law / daughter-in-law of registrant or Grandparents and great-grandparents of the registrant.

Vital Records, 350 Capitol St, Rm 165, Charleston, WV 25301-3701, Please allow up to approximately 2-3 weeks for processing of all type of certificates when ordered through the mail. They have the following records:

  • Birth & Death Certificates: Birth & Death records are maintained by West Virginia State Vital Records Office since Jan 1917 through the present. For earlier records, write to the Clerk of County Court in the county where the birth occurred. Fees vary.
    • Cost: There is a non refundable $10.00 search fee, which entitles the applicant to one certified copy of the birth certificate. The search fee covers a three year search that consists of the year specified, the year before, and the year after the year specified. Additional copies are also $10.00 each. If no record is found, a "No Record" letter will be mailed to the applicant informing them that no record is on file for the requested certificate. Please do not send cash in the mail.
    • Processing Time: 2-3 weeks when ordered by mail (Birth / Death) or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY
  • Marriage & Divorce Certificates: Marriage Verifications since 1921 and Divorce Verifications since 1968. Certified copies of marriage licenses or divorce decrees are only available from the county clerk in the county in which the event occurred.
    • Cost: Fees vary
  • Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.
  • Order In Person: The certificates may be ordered by coming into this office.   If you want the copy the same day, our hours for same day service are Monday - Friday 8:30 - 5:00 Eastern Time except for official holidays. The West Virginia Vital Records Office is located at Room 165, 350 Capitol Street, Charleston, WV 25301-3701; Phone: 304-558-9100. Map 1, Map 2
  • Order By Mail:  Mail a check or money order (no cash) payable to the "Vital Registration " along with the necessary information to the following address: Vital Registration, Room 165, 350 Capitol Street, Charleston, WV 25301-3701. Please include return address on envelope and application form.

Since West Virginia was part of Virginia prior to 1863, see Virginia State Site for all information before that date.

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

  • VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
  • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
  • Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical West Virginia newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
  • West Virginia Archives and History Birth, Death and Marriage Records Search (limited dates & Places)
  • West Virginia Marriage Records, 1863-1900
  • McDowell County, West Virginia Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
  • Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.
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McDowell County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for West Virginia

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

  Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for McDowell County, West Virginia are (See Virginia Censuses 1860) 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms

Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in McDowell County, West Virginia are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1860, 1870 and 1880. (NOTE: For the years 1860, McDowell County was located in Virginia)

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

  • USGenWeb Archives Census Project
  • McDowell County, West Virginia Census Books at Amazon.com
  • Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.
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McDowell County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for West Virginia and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for West Virginia showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for West Virginia showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries . You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at County Maps. The West Virginia Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches, cemeteries, roads, ect... free for viewing or download here

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

  • Perry-Castaņeda Library Map Collection
  • McDowell County, West Virginia Map Books at Amazon.com
  • Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers - Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.
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McDowell County Military Records

See Also Military Records in West Virginia

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

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

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McDowell County Tax 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 McDowell County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing McDowell County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • McDowell County, West Virginia Tax Books at Amazon.com
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McDowell County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other West Virginia 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 McDowell County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing McDowell County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • McDowell County Historical Society, P. O. Box 369, War, WV 24892
  • 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
  • Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
  • Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
  • West Virginia Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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McDowell County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in West Virginia

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 McDowell County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the McDowell 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 McDowell County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing McDowell County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

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 McDowell County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing McDowell County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

  • Search 60 Years Of Everton Data: For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
  • Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
  • Sites on USGenweb: [ McDowell 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.
  • The West Virginia Family Group Sheet Project
  • Family Trees - Ancestry has thousands of family trees shared by other members. They can help you identify how ancestors are related and give you clues about birth, marriage, and death information. Family trees are an excellent resource for filling in gaps in your research or even to simply know where to begin.
  • Pictures - One of the more exciting discoveries in doing family history research is finding a photograph of your ancestors or their residence. Finding historic postcard photos and drawings of towns and important events throughout history can also give you a visual look into your ancestors lives.
  • Reference Materials & Finding Aids - Reference materials, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other how-to books, can be tremendously helpful in finding and interpreting historical documents. Many of these books can help you learn where to look for more information and how to use what you've already found to uncover more clues.
  • McDowell County, West Virginia Family Books at Amazon.com
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Extended History

 

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