Mercer County History and Information
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Mercer County Facts


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

Mercer County was created by an act of the Virginia General Assembly on March 17, 1837, from parts of Giles and Tazewell counties (Virginia). The county was named in honor of Brigadier General Hugh Mercer (1725-1877). He was born in Scotland and educated in medicine at Marischal College in Scotland. He immigrated to Philadelphia in 1746 and later moved to Fredericksburg, Virginia. He served as a surgeon in the French and Indian War of 1755 and in the American Revolutionary War. He was mortally wounded by bayonet by British soldiers at the Battle of Princeton, New Jersey on January 3, 1777. He died from the wounds on January 12, 1777. Among his descendants was General George S. Patton, one of America's finest military leaders during World War II.

Mitchell Clay was the first English settlers in the county. He arrived in 1775 with his wife, Phoebe, and their children. In August 1783, a band of 11 Indians attacked his home while he was away on a hunting trip. His wife and two daughters escaped, but the Indians killed one of his sons and one of his daughters. They also captured his son, Ezekiel. It was later learned that Ezekiel was burned at the stake in the Shawnee Indian town at Chillicothe, Ohio. Mr. Clay then sold his farm to George Pearis.

County Seat - The first meeting of the county court took place at the home of James Calfee, near the present site of Princeton. It was decided at that meeting to name the county seat Princeton, in honor of the site of General Mercer's death. Captain William Smith (1774-1859) was the leading citizen in the community and donated one and a half acres of land for the courthouse. It was built in 1839. On May 1, 1862, during the Civil War, a Confederate Army Colonel named Walter Jenifer set the courthouse on fire as he retreated from the Union Army, under the command of General Jacob Cox. Lieutenant Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes, later the President of the United States, was in command of the Union Army's advancing regiment. The blaze spread through most of the town and destroyed nearly every home and building. After the War, the town was slowly rebuilt. A conflict arose over the location of the county seat in 1865 because Judge Nathaniel Harrison was not allowed by the local residents to hold court in Princeton, primarily because he had left the Confederacy and most of the local residents had supported the South during the Civil War. He held the county court at Concord Church, later called Athens, for five years following the war. In 1869, several Princeton residents stole the county court records and took them back to Princeton. A special election was then held in the county to resolve the issue of where the county seat was to be located. Princeton won.

See also Extended History for more historical details.

Areas adjacent to Mercer County are Raleigh County (north), Summers County (northeast), Giles County, Virginia (southeast), Bland County, Virginia (south), Tazewell County, Virginia (southwest), McDowell County (west), Wyoming County (northwest). Mercer County Cities and Towns Include Athens, Beeson, Bluefield, Bluewell, Bramwell, Camp Creek, Coaldale, Dott, Duhring, Elgood, Flat Top, Freeman, Green Valley, Hiawatha, Kegley, Kellysville, Lashmeet, Lerona, Matoaka, McComas, Montcalm, Nemours, Oakvale, Princeton, Rock, Spanishburg, Wolfe

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Mercer 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.

   Mercer County Clerk has Land Records from 1837, Marriage Records from 1853, Probate Records from 1837 and Birth & Death Records from 1853 -Present and is located at the Courthouse, 1501 West Main Street, Princeton, WV  24740; 304-487-8311, Fax: 304-487-8351 .
   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.

  Mercer County Clerk of Circuit Court has Court Records from 1837 and is located at the Courthouse, 1501 W. Main Street, Princeton, WV  24740-2626 ; 304-487-8371, Fax: 304-425-1598 .
   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.

Located on a prominence and ringed by a traffic circle, the Mercer County Courthouse is a highly visible monument to local government. Completed in 1931 and best described as Art Deco, the building is the work of the talented and well-regarded architect Alexander B. Mahood. The design he produced for Mercer County’s seat of government reveals the dynamic of his era, as many architects struggled to follow the professional call for modernity, while their clients often preferred eclectic mixes or revival styles that drew their inspiration from Classical sources. Mahood responded to this dichotomy by designing a rectilinear central mass, flanked by two lower dependencies creating an H-shaped plan. He then dressed the building in an Indiana limestone veneer embellished with Roman architectural motifs, including fasces, medallions, engaged pilasters, and fluting. An additional period detail is a running, bas-relief frieze present on the first floor level of the north and south elevations. The frieze depicts in heroic form the progress of the county from pioneer times and terminates in images of the machine age.

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

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Mercer County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in West Virginia

Search Online Click Here to Search West Virginia Birth, Marriage & Death Records! - Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.

PLEASE READ!! 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 and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering below
    Birth Certificates
         		Death Certificates
         		Marriage Certificates
         		Divorce Records

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 Databases for all records before that date.

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

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Mercer County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records

Search Online Click Here to Search West Virginia Voter Lists & Census Records! - 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 Mercer County, West Virginia are (See Virginia Censuses 1840, 1850, 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 Mercer County, West Virginia are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. (NOTE: For the years 1850 & 1860, Mercer County was located in Virginia)

See Also Statewide Records that exist for West Virginia

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

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Mercer County Maps & Atlases

   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 Mercer County Maps. Email us with websites containing Mercer County Maps by clicking the link below:

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Mercer County Military Records

See Also Military Records in West Virginia

Search Online Click Here to Search West Virginia Military Records! - 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 Mercer County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Mercer County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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

  • Mercer County, West Virginia Tax Books at Amazon.com

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Mercer 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 Mercer County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Mercer County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

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Mercer County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in West Virginia

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

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

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

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County History

Princeton's first bank, First State Bank, was organized in 1874 by H.W. Straley. The bank was very primitive, using a trunk as a safe and a beaver hat for a till for coins. At night, the directors took the bank's money home with them for safe keeping. It was reported that on opening day a well-dressed gentleman entered the bank and identified himself as a visiting businessman. Judge David Johnson, the bank's vice-president, was so taken by the gentleman's fine demeanor that he invited the man home for dinner. The gentleman, Frank James, later reported to his brother Jesse that the bank was too insignificant to rob.

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