Records that survive
These are the record books from Hampshire County that the Library of Virginia has on microfilm, grouped into series with the earliest and latest years filmed. A span can include gaps. The original books are still kept by the county.
Deeds and land
- Lease1755
- Deed Book1757–1861
- Grantee Index to Deeds1757–1969
- Grantor Index to Deeds1757–1969
- Entry Book of John Mitchell1788–1798
- Record of Surveys1788–1861
- Entry Book1792–1854
- Land Tax Book1854–1875
- Delinquent Land Sales Book1867–1928
- Delinquent Land Book1868–1926
- General Index to Deeds1922–1927
Wills and estates
- Will Books1756–1835
- Will Book1780–1858
- Administrators’ Bonds1814–1900
- Guardians' Bonds1844–1916
- Inventories1854–1883
- Executors' Bonds1865–1895
- Administrators' Bonds1866–1877
- Wills1866–1970
- Index to Wills1907–1969
- Settlements of Fiduciaries1925–1932
Marriages, births and deaths
- List of Marriage Bonds1824–1828
- List of Births1865–1879
- Lists of Marriages1865–1900
Court records
- Order Book1762–1830
- List of Testators from Minute Book1788–1791
- Execution Book1814–1860
- Chancery Order Book1831–1929
Military and pensions
- Veterans Information Card File - Revolutionary War1812
Other records
- Order Book1867–1871
- Receipt Book1867–1871
- Poor Book1881–1928
- Naturalization Petition and Record1922–1948
- WPA Surveys of State and Local Historical Records1936
- Historical Notes on Hampshire County1937
- Housing1937
- WPA Buildings Forms1937
See every volume and reel at the Library of Virginia
Source: Library of Virginia, West Virginia County Records Microfilm. The reels can be viewed in Richmond but can't be borrowed through interlibrary loan. Counties began recording births and deaths in 1853; the state began collecting them in 1917, though most state records from 1917 to 1920 were lost in a fire.
Where to find the records
- Hampshire County official website
Hours, addresses and phone numbers for the county clerk and the circuit clerk, and any online record search the county offers.
- The county clerk
Deeds, wills and estate (fiduciary) records, marriages from the county's beginning, and births and deaths from 1853.
- The circuit clerk
Lawsuits, chancery cases and divorces.
- The West Virginia Archives and History
In Charleston: some counties' original court records, microfilm of county records, and the state's online vital records.
- Library of Virginia: West Virginia county records on microfilmfree
Every filmed volume for Hampshire County, with its years and reel number.
- West Virginia Vital Research Recordsfree
Search scanned county birth, death and marriage records by name, county and year.
- FamilySearch Catalogfree
Search by place for "West Virginia, Hampshire" 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: Augusta County (Va.), Frederick County (Va.)
Later formed partly from Hampshire County: Hardy County, Mineral County, Monongalia County, Morgan County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1754, search the parent county. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries shows each boundary change.
Research tip
West Virginia was part of Virginia until 1863, so for an ancestor here before then, also use Virginia's statewide records at the Library of Virginia, such as land grants and land tax lists. The county clerk's birth and death registers from 1853 often name parents.