Records that survive
These are the record series the Library of Virginia has on microfilm for Wise County, with the earliest and latest years filmed. A span can include gaps; it doesn't mean every year in between survives.
Land and deeds
- Deed Book1856–1901
- General Index to Deeds1856–1888
- Index to Deeds1856–1931
- Surveyors' Book1856–1924
- Plat Book1888–1921
- Record of Title Bonds1889–1934
Wills
- General Index to Wills1856–1953
- Will Book1856–1982
Marriages, births and deaths
- General Index to Marriage Register1856–1935
- Marriage Licenses1856–1906
- Marriage Register1856–1968
- Register of Births1856–1866
- Register of Deaths1856–1894
Court orders and minutes
- Chancery Court Rule Docket1856–1902
- Chancery Order Book1856–1982
- Clerk's Order Book1856–1865
- Execution Book1856–1926
- General Index Key to Files and Order Book1856–1904
- Order Book1856–1902
- Common Law Order Book1892–1904
- General Index to Criminal and Miscellaneous Court Orders1895–1903
- Minute Book1922–1927
Military and pensions
- WWI Memorial Record Book1918–1919
- Induction Records1943–1956
Bonds and oaths
- Officials' Bond Book1889–1982
- Commissioners' Bond Book1892–1902
County government and the poor
- Board of Supervisors Minute Book1889–1901
See every volume and reel number at the Library of Virginia
Source: Library of Virginia, County and City Records on Microfilm. Reels marked for interlibrary loan can be borrowed through your local library.
Where to find the records
- Wise County official website
Hours, addresses and phone numbers for the circuit court clerk's office, and any online record search the county offers.
- The circuit court clerk's office
Virginia's deed, will and marriage books are usually kept by the clerk of the circuit court for the county or city, though many older records have been moved to the Library of Virginia. Call before you visit; hours and access to older volumes vary.
- Library of Virginia: Wise County records on microfilmfree
Every filmed volume with its years and reel number. Use the reels in Richmond; many can be borrowed through interlibrary loan.
- Library of Virginia: Chancery Records Indexfree
Search equity court suits by name. They're rich in family detail: estate divisions, heirs and land disputes. Many localities' suits are scanned and free to view.
- FamilySearch Catalogfree
Search by place for "Virginia, Wise" to find filmed and digitized records, many viewable free online with a FamilySearch account.
Offices change their hours and access rules; call before you visit.
Boundaries and parent counties
Formed from: Lee County, Russell County, Scott County
Check the parent counties for earlier records: Lee County, Russell County, Scott County
Later formed partly from Wise County: Dickenson County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1856, search the parent county. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries shows each boundary change.
Research tip
Start with the deed and will books: they name relatives, neighbors and land. Then try the court order books, which mention almost everyone in the county sooner or later, as witnesses, jurors, road workers or parties to a suit.