Records that survive
These are the record books from Monroe 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
- Deed Book1789–1864
- General Index to Deeds1789–1969
- Record Book1808–1843
- Old Surveys1833–1850
- Survey Book1850–1951
Wills and estates
- Index to Fiduciary Records1799–1969
- Will Book1799–1904
- List of Sales and Estate Settlements1804–1885
- Wills and Inventories1804–1823
- Fiduciary Bonds1852–1878
- List of Fiduciaries1880–1887
- Settlements of Fiduciaries1884–1910
- Appraisements and Sale Bills1915–1931
Marriages, births and deaths
- General Index to Marriage Records1799–1965
- Lists of Marriage Bonds1799–1850
- Ministers’ Returns1799–1860
- Lists of Births1853–1855
- Marriage Record1853–1925
- Death Certificates1887–1916
- Marriage Records1890
- Register of Marriages1891–1894
- Birth Certificates and Lists1915–1921
Court records
- General Index to Law and Chancery Orders1789–1989
- Order Book1789–1934
- Minute Book1800–1872
- Chancery Order Book1831–1885
- Law Order Book1833–1843
- Common Law Order Book1837–1857
- Record Book1844–1855
- Chancery Memorandum Book1855–1940
- Law Memorandum Book1885–1931
Military and pensions
- Amnesty Oaths1865
Other records
- WPA Surveys of Monroe County Records1938
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
- Monroe 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 Monroe 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, Monroe" 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: Greenbrier County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Greenbrier County
Later formed partly from Monroe County: Summers County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1799, 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.