Wise County, Virginia Genealogy
Guide to Wise County Virginia ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, immigration records, and military records.
Wise County, Virginia | |
Map | |
![]() Location in the state of Virginia, United States Genealogy | |
![]() Location of Virginia in the U.S. | |
Facts | |
Founded | 1856 |
---|---|
County Seat | Wise |
Courthouse | |
Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Wise County, Virginia History
- 3 Wise County, Virginia Places/Localities
- 4 Resources
- 4.1 Bible Records
- 4.2 Biographies
- 4.3 Cemeteries
- 4.4 Census
- 4.5 Church Records
- 4.6 Court Records
- 4.7 Funeral Homes
- 4.8 Genealogy
- 4.9 Land and Property
- 4.10 Local Histories
- 4.11 Maps
- 4.12 Military
- 4.13 Miscellaneous Records
- 4.14 Naturalization
- 4.15 Newspapers
- 4.16 Private Papers
- 4.17 Probate Records
- 4.18 Research Guides
- 4.19 Taxation
- 4.20 Vital Records
- 5 Wise County, Virginia Genealogy Societies and Libraries
- 6 Wise County, Virginia Genealogy Websites
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Wise County is located in the Southwest Appalachian area of the Commonwealth of Virginia was named after Henry A. Wise, Virginia Governor at the time[1].
Wise County, Virginia Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Wise County Courthouse
206 East Main Street
P.O. Box 1248
Room 245
Wise, VA 24293
Phone: 276-328-6111
Clerk Circuit Court has marriage, and divorce,
probate court and land records [2]
Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
1856 | 1856 | 1856 | 1856 | 1856 | 1856 | 1810 |
General compliance year is unknown. |
Wise County, Virginia History[edit | edit source]
The county is named after Virginia Governor Henry A. Wise (1806-1876), who was in office at the time of Wise County's organization. He later served as a Confederate States Army General during the Civil War.[4]
Parent County[edit | edit source]
1856--Wise County was created 16 February 1856 from Lee, Russell, and Scott Counties.
County seat: Wise [2]
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
Wise 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 | ||
Census-designated places | ||
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Images of the Virginia Historical Society's family Bible collection have been digitized:
Biographies[edit | edit source]
- Sutherland, Elihu Jasper. Some Sandy Basin Characters. Clintwood, Va.: Hettie Sutherland, 1962. 1985 reprint available at FHL.
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 | ||
Billion Graves | ||
See Virginia Cemeteries for more information. |
- 1800-1986 - Virginia, Jewish Cemetery Records Index, ca. 1800-1986 at FamilySearch — index
- Adams, James Taylor (1892-1954). Wise County Historical Inventory: Family Burying Grounds. St. Louis, Mo.: R.R. Seibel and D.A. Griffith, 1971. Available at FHL.
- Ben Bolling Cemetery, Flat Gap, Wise Co., VA
- Kilgore, Paul. Butcher's Fork, American Legion, Skeen's Ridge and Back Valley Cemeteries of Wise County, Virginia. [West Virginia]: Wise County Historical Society (Va.), [1997?]. Available at FHL.
- Kilgore, Paul. Powell Valley Memorial Gardens: Located in Beautiful Powell Valley, Wise County, VA. Wise, Va.: Wise County Historical Society (Va.), 2003. Available at FHL.
Census[edit | edit source]
Historical populations | ||
---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± |
1860 | 4,508 | — |
1870 | 4,785 | 6.1% |
1880 | 7,772 | 62.4% |
1890 | 9,345 | 20.2% |
1900 | 19,653 | 110.3% |
1910 | 34,162 | 73.8% |
1920 | 46,500 | 36.1% |
1930 | 51,167 | 10.0% |
1940 | 52,458 | 2.5% |
1950 | 56,336 | 7.4% |
1960 | 43,579 | −22.6% |
1970 | 35,947 | −17.5% |
1980 | 43,863 | 22.0% |
1990 | 39,573 | −9.8% |
2000 | 40,123 | 1.4% |
2010 | 41,452 | 3.3% |
Source: "Wikipedia.org". |
1860 Agriculture Census
- Weaver, Jeffrey C. The 1860 Agriculture Census of Wise County, Virginia. Clintwood, Va.: Mullins Printing, 1992. Available at FHL.
1890 Union Veterans
- "Virginia's Union Veterans: Eleventh Census of the United States 1890." Prince William County Virginia, by Ronald Ray Turner. FHL Collection.
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Baptist[edit | edit source]
- Little Primitive Baptist Church, Wise, Va. (by 1856).[6]
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Chancery Court
- Indexes (1855-1925) and images (1855-1912) to Wise County, Virginia Chancery Records are available online through Virginia Memory: Chancery Records Index. These records, often concerned with inheritance disputes, contain a wealth of genealogical information.
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 Wise County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies for a list of 25+ published books and articles, or jump to the surname using the alphabet bar.
Compiled Genealogies for Multiple Families
- Adams, James Taylor (1892-1954). James Taylor Adams Collection. MSS., Cooke-Wyllie Library, Clinch Valley College, Wise, Va.; microfilmed reproduction available: FHL Collection [Adams collected material for a history of the first settlers of Wise County, Virginia.]
- Heritage Book Committee and Wise County Historical Society. The Heritage of Wise County and the City of Norton. 2 vols. [Wise, Virginia?]: Wise County Historical Society (Va.), c1993, 2001. FHL Collection
- Laningham, Anne Wynn and Hattie Byrd Muncy Bales. Early Settlers of Lee County, Virginia and Adjacent Counties. 2 vols. Greensboro, North Carolina: Media, Inc., 1977. FHL Collection
- Lockwood, Frances B. and Hattie Byrd Muncy Bales. Annotations, Corrections and Additions to Early Settlers of Lee County, Virginia and Adjacent Counties. 1978. FHL Collection [Includes Wise County families.]
Land and Property[edit | edit source]
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
- Johnson, Charles A. A Narrative History of Wise County, Virginia. Norton, Va.: Norton Press, 1938. Reprint edition, The Overmountain Press, 1988. FHL Collection; digital version at Ancestry ($); and World Vital Records ($). Google Books page.
- Wise County: Her Industries, Resources and Prominent Men. Norton, Va.: n.p., 1920. FHL Collection; digital version at Ancestry ($).
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
Military[edit | edit source]
War of 1812[edit | edit source]
- 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 Collection 973 M2Lp v. 5; digital versions at Google Books and Internet Archive. [See Vol. 5, Virginia, Wise County, p. 107. Identifies War of 1812 veterans living in this county in 1883.]
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Regiments. Service men in Wise 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 Wise County, Virginia Genealogy:
- - 4th Regiment, Virginia State Line (Cavalry and Infantry) (Confederate). Company C.[7]
- - 29th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company F.[8]
- - 50th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company H (Wise Yankee Catchers).[9]
Records and histories are available, including:
- 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)
- 1861-1865 - The Civil War in Wise County, Virginia: 1861-1865. Wise, VA: Wise County Historical Society, 2004. WorldCat page.
- Gobble, Lillian and Rhonda Robertson. Between Brothers: Civil War Soldiers of Wise & Dickenson County [Virginia]. [Big Stone Gap, Va.: L. Gobble & R. Robertson, 200-?]. FHL Collection
World War II[edit | edit source]
- 1940-1945 - Virginia, World War II Draft Registration Cards,1940-1945 at FamilySearch — index and images
Miscellaneous Records[edit | edit source]
- 1607-2007 - Virginia, Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007 at FamilySearch — index and images
Naturalization[edit | edit source]
Virginia Naturalization Petitions, 1906-1929
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
The Virginia Newspapers Project identifies local Wise County, Virginia Genealogy newspapers.
- The Big Stone Gap Post, Big Stone Gap, VA, 1892-1928. (Chronicling America at the Library of Congress)
- The Big Stone Post, Big Stone Gap., VA, 1890-1892. (Chronicling America at the Library of Congress)
- Clinch Valley Times
- The Coalfield Progress, The Dickenson Star, and The Post
- Meade, Angie Bell. A Collection of Obituaries and Other Published Death Notices: Mostly of Russell, Scott and Wise Counties of Virginia, a Few Other Counties, Some Out-of-state: Most Collections Before 1940. Wise, Va.: Wise County Historical Society (Va.), [2000?]. FHL Collection
- Wise County, Virginia Obituaries (NewspaperObituaries.net)
Private Papers[edit | edit source]
Virginia, Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
- "A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Wise County," The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 24, No. 3 (Jul.-Sep. 1980):204-206. Available at American Ancestors ($).
Taxation[edit | edit source]
How can Virginia tax lists help me?
- [1857] Weaver, Jeffrey C. The 1857 Wise County, Virginia Land Tax List (Surnames A through M only), available online, courtesy: New River Notes.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Indexes to Wise 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]
- 1853-1866 - Virginia, Slave Birth Index, 1853-1866 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1856-1861 - Wise County, Virginia Births 1856-1861 (VAGenWeb) - free.
- 1867-1871 - Wise Co., Va., Births, 1867-1871, MSS., James Taylor Adams Collection, Box 68. St. Louis, Mo.: R.R. Seibel and D.A. Griffith, 1971. Microfilmed reproduction: FHL Collection
- 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 $
- 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
- 1856-1908 - Wise County Marriage Index 1856-1908. Batch M868697 at FamilySearch - free.[10]
- 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]
Wise County, Virginia Genealogy deaths are online in the Library of Virginia's Death Index of Virginia, 1853-1896, sponsored by Virginia Genealogical Society.
- 1856-1892 - Wise County, Virginia Deaths 1856-1892 (VAGenWeb) - free.
- 1856-1894 - Robertson, Rhonda. The Wise County, Virginia Death Register 1856-1894. [Wise, Virginia]: Wise County Historical Society (VA), [200-?]. FHL Collection
- 1912-1987 - Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1927-1935 - Kilgore, Paul and Fred Harry King Funeral Home. Death Records, Fred H. King Funeral Home, 1927-1935. Wise, Va.: Wise County Historical Society (Va.), [1999?]. FHL Collection
Vital Record Substitutes[edit | edit source]
For birth, marriage, and death record substitutes, see Bible Records, Cemeteries, Church Records, Newspapers, and Probate Records. |
Wise 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
Wise County, Virginia Genealogy Websites[edit | edit source]
- FamilySearch Catalog
- Wise County, Virginia Genealogy, History & Facts (Genealogy Inc)
- Lumbee Indians and Goins Family: Wise County, VA Early Records
- RootsWeb Mailing List: SW_VA-L (Topic: Southwest Virginia)
- Wise Co., VA (RootsWeb)
- VA Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
- Wise County Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Wise County, Virginia (government, tourism, etc.)
- Wise County, Virginia (Wikipedia)
- Wise County, Virginia History, Genealogy (New River Notes)
- Wise County, Virginia Genealogical Research Site (VA GenWeb)
- Wise County, Virginia Genealogy Links (GenealogyLinks.net)
- Wise County, Virginia Genealogy Trails
- Cyndi's List
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ http://www.wisecounty.org/wise_history.html
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Wise County, Virginia. Page 723 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Wise 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.
- ↑ "Henry A. Wise," in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_A._Wise, accessed 13 January 2012.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Wise County,_Virginia," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wise_County,_Virginia#Communities accessed 6 March 2020.
- ↑ Charles A. Johnson, A narrative history of Wise County, Virginia (Norton, Va.: Norton Press, 1938), 8. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
- ↑ The Virginia State Line: Organizational Structure of the Virginia State Line, Ranger95.com, accessed 11 June 2012.
- ↑ John Perry Alderman, 29th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1989). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 53.
- ↑ John C. Chapla, 50th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1997). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 129.
- ↑ 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.