Highland County, Virginia Genealogy
Guide to Highland County Virginia ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, immigration records, and military records.
Highland County, Virginia | |
Map | |
Location in the state of Virginia, United States Genealogy | |
![]() Location of Virginia in the U.S. | |
Facts | |
Founded | 1847 |
---|---|
County Seat | Monterey |
Courthouse | |
Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Highland County, Virginia History
- 3 Highland County, Virginia Places/Localities
- 4 Highland County, Virginia Genealogy Resources
- 5 Highland County, Virginia Genealogy Societies and Libraries
- 6 Highland County, Virginia Genealogy Websites
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Highland County is located in the Western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and shares a border with West Virginia. It is often referred to as "Virginia's Switzerland" and the County received its name from its prevailing high altitude[1].
Highland County, Virginia Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Highland County Courthouse
P.O. Box 190
Monterey, VA 24465-0190
Phone 540-468-2447
Clerk Circuit Court has birth records from 1850-1898,
marriage, divorce and land records from 1850
probate records from 1860 and court records from 1837[2]
Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
1850 | 1850 | 1853 | 1937 | 1850 | 1860 | 1810 |
General compliance year is unknown. |
Highland County, Virginia History[edit | edit source]
The county takes its name from its elevation in the Appalachian Mountains.
Parent County[edit | edit source]
1847--Highland County was created 19 March 1847 from Bath and Pendleton Counties.
County seat: Monterey [4]
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating Virginia county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Virginia County Boundary Maps" (1617-1995) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
- Lost census: 1890
Highland County, Virginia Places/Localities[edit | edit source]
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[5]
Towns | ||
Unincorporated communities | ||
Highland County, Virginia Genealogy Resources[edit | edit source]
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
- Hamilton, Clay. "Genealogical Research in Highland County," The Virginia Genealogical Society Newsletter, Vol. 29, No. 3 (June 2003):1-2. FHL Collection; digital version at Virginia Genealogical Society website.
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Images of the Virginia Historical Society's family Bible collection have been digitized:
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Tombstone Transcriptions Online | Tombstone Transcriptions in Print | List of Cemeteries in the county |
Findagrave.com | Family History Library | Findagrave.com |
VAGenWeb | WorldCat | Billion Graves |
VAGenWeb Archives | ||
Tombstone Project | ||
Virginia Gravestones | ||
Billion Graves | ||
See Virginia Cemeteries for more information. |
The Genealogy Center at Allen County Public Library (Indiana) has a number of searchable databases of Highland County cemeteries:
- 1800-1986 - Virginia, Jewish Cemetery Records Index, ca. 1800-1986 at FamilySearch — index
• Clover Creek Presbyterian Church Cemetery
• Doe Hill Cemetery
• Headwaters Community Cemetery
• McDowell Community Cemetery
• McKendree Methodist Cemetery
• Old McDowell Presbyterian Cemetery
Census[edit | edit source]
Historical populations | ||
---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± |
1850 | 4,227 | — |
1860 | 4,319 | 2.2% |
1870 | 4,151 | −3.9% |
1880 | 5,164 | 24.4% |
1890 | 5,352 | 3.6% |
1900 | 5,647 | 5.5% |
1910 | 5,317 | −5.8% |
1920 | 4,931 | −7.3% |
1930 | 4,525 | −8.2% |
1940 | 4,875 | 7.7% |
1950 | 4,069 | −16.5% |
1960 | 3,221 | −20.8% |
1970 | 2,529 | −21.5% |
1980 | 2,937 | 16.1% |
1990 | 2,635 | −10.3% |
2000 | 2,536 | −3.8% |
2010 | 2,321 | −8.5% |
Source: "Wikipedia.org". |
1890 Union Veterans
- Turner, Ronald Ray. Virginia's Union Veterans: Eleventh Census of the United States 1890. Available online, courtesy: Prince William County Virginia website. [Includes residents of this county.]
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Court[edit | edit source]
Library of Virginia's Virginia Memory: Chancery Record Index can be used to search digital images of Highland County chancery records for the years 1848-1912.
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2009 Virginia, African-American Funeral Programs, 1935-2009, index and images, incomplete
Genealogy[edit | edit source]
Compiled Genealogies by Surname
- See Highland County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies for a list of 15+ published books and articles.
Land and Property[edit | edit source]
An early settlers map is available for Highland County. Cambelt plots the locations of pioneers' farms. The Family History Library has a copy: FHL Map 975.589 E7c (2 parts).
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
- Morton, Oren Frederic. A Handbook of Highland County and a Supplement to Pendleton and Highland History. Monterey, Va.: Highland Recorder, 1922. FHL Collection; digital version at Ancestry ($).
- Morton, Oren Frederic. A History of Highland County, Virginia. Monterey, Va.: Morton, c1911. Original edition: FHL Collection; 1979 reprint with index: FHL Collection; digital versions of original edition at Ancestry ($); and World Vital Records ($).
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- 1848 - Householders in 1848, as located on the map of the County Surveyor (VAGenWeb) - free.
Military[edit | edit source]
War of 1812[edit | edit source]
- Highland County, Virginia Soldiers in the War of 1812
- List of Pensioners on the Roll, January 1, 1883; Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Why Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, the Rate of Pension Per Month, and the Date of Original Allowance... Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883. FHL Book 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, Virginia, Highland County, p. 86. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]
Civil War[edit | edit source]
- 1861-1865 - Virginia, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
- 1861-1865 - Virginia, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
- 1861-1865 - U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
- 1861-1865 - U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
Regiments. Service men in Highland County, Virginia Genealogy served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Highland County, Virginia Genealogy:
- - 14th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company A (White's Mounted Riflemen), Company C (Valley Cavalry or Rangers).[6]
- - 18th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company G.[7]
- - 25th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Heck's) (Confederate). Company D (Highland Rangers).[8]
- - 26th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate). Company E.[9]
- - 31st Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Future 2nd Company B (The Highlanders) and Company E (Highland County Highlanders).[10]
- - 62nd Regiment, Virginia Mounted Infantry (Confederate). Company A (Valley Rifles).[11]
Civil War Battle[edit | edit source]
The following Civil War battle was fought in Highland County:
Miscellaneous Records[edit | edit source]
- 1607-2007 - Virginia, Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — index and images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
The Virginia Newspapers Project identifies local Highland County, Virginia Genealogy newspapers.
Online Newspapers
- 1893-1910 - Highland Recorder at Chronicling America - free.
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Taxation[edit | edit source]
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Indexes to Highland County, Virginia Genealogy births, marriages, and deaths are available online. These collections are incomplete, but are easy to search. Most records can also be ordered electronically online as well. Courtesy: FamilySearch. See also How to order Virginia Vital Records
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1853-1896 - Fridley, Beth, comp. Highland County Virginia Birth Records, 1853-1896 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2001. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
- 1853-1866 - Virginia, Slave Birth Index, 1853-1866 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1912-1913 - Virginia, Birth Certificates, 1912-1913 at FamilySearch — index and images
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1660-1959 - Virginia, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 1740-1850 - Virginia Marriages 1740-1850 (Ancestry) ($).
- 1785-1940 Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 at Ancestry.com ($) — index
- 1853-1935 - Virginia, Bureau of Vital Statistics, County Marriage Registers, 1853-1935 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1854-1951 - Highland County Marriage Index 1854-1951. Batch M868770 at FamilySearch - free.
- 1936-1988 - Virginia, Marriage Certificates, 1936-1988 at FamilySearch — index and images
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1918-1988 - Virginia, Divorce Records, 1918-1988 at FamilySearch — index and images
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1912-1987 - Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987 at FamilySearch — index and images
Vital Record Substitutes[edit | edit source]
For birth, marriage, and death record substitutes, see Bible Records, Cemeteries, Church Records, Newspapers, and Probate Records. |
Highland County, Virginia Genealogy Societies and Libraries[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Highland County, Virginia Genealogy Websites[edit | edit source]
- Highland Co., VAGenWeb. Part of the USGenWeb Project. Maps, name indexes, history.
- FamilySearch Catalog
- Highland County, VA History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Familytree101)
- Cyndi's List
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ http://www.highlandcova.org/aboutus.html
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Higland County, Virginia. Page 715 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Highland County, Virginia . Page 710-723 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 715-720.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Highland _ County,_Virginia," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_County,_Virginia#Communities accessed 20 January 2020.
- ↑ Robert J. Driver, 14th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, c1988). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 47.
- ↑ Roger U. Delauter, 18th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1985). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 18.
- ↑ Richard L. Armstrong, 25th Virginia Infantry and 9th Battalion Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1990). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 71.
- ↑ Richard L. Armstrong, 26th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1994). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 110.
- ↑ John M. Ashcraft, 31st Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1988). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 48.
- ↑ Roger U. Delauter, 62nd Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1988). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 41.
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 2 August 2012).
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/3/37/Igivirginia.pdf.