5 VOLUME V, NO. 3 MAY 2004
Virginia Family History 1989 (Roane County
Family History Committee, 1990), “All the record
books of the circuit clerk’s office and of the county
court were carried out by some thoughtful
citizens;” however, “much of the order books of
the county court’s first twenty years were
destroyed.” The second courthouse built in 1889
did not burn, as West Virginia Courthouses
mistakenly reports, but was torn down in 1965 to
make room for the present courthouse.
Tucker*: Tucker County experienced a pitched
battle between factions for the county seat. The
original county seat of St. George lost out to
Parsons in 1893 and the county records were taken
from the courthouse and moved to a temporary site
in Parsons until a new courthouse was built there
in 1898. The records seem to have survived intact,
except for periodic gaps in the death records.
Tyler*: Tyler was formed in 1814, and its earliest
records date from 1815. Sistersville was the
county seat for the initial year, then Middlebourne
became the permanent county seat. According to
an article by Vivian Boston in History of Tyler
County West Virginia to 1984 (Tyler County
Heritage and Historical Society, 1984), “court was
held in private residences among the county
officers until 1854 when the present courthouse
was erected.” A second essay by Mary Rohing in
this source mentions a log building used as a
courthouse that was erected in 1820 on land earlier
conveyed by Robert Gorrell. No courthouse fire is
mentioned in either article. West Virginia
Courthouses states that an early log structure on a
farm owned by the Mason family served as the first
courthouse; that this log courthouse burned (date
not reported); and that the burned courthouse was
replaced by the present one built in 1852.
Regardless of which account of events is correct,
no records appear to have been destroyed. By the
way, the courthouse was so extensively expanded
and renovated in 1922 that one could be forgiven
for thinking this was an entirely different building.
Again, no records were affected by the change.
Wayne*: A fire destroyed the courthouse in 1921.
There are gaps in the records, but most records
prior to 1921 survive. I do not know if some of the
earliest records were lost in the fire or through
other means. For example, marriage records begin
with 1853, although the county was created in
1842, and deeds exist from that year.
Webster: In 1860 Webster County was the last
county created under Virginia before West
Virginia achieved statehood. The Civil War
disrupted organization of the new county, with
neither Virginia nor West Virginia taking control
of Webster’s government. As a result, some
records were not kept, courts did not meet, etc.
According to West Virginia County Courthouses,
the wartime county clerk feared records would be
destroyed, cut pages from the books, took them to
his home, moved West after the war and never
returned the records. In 1888 a courthouse fire
destroyed most of the records that had been kept or
had survived the war, including births, deaths,
marriages and wills. Deeds recorded before 1877
either survived or were re-done. By the way,
although the county seat has been Fort Lick,
Addison, and now Webster Springs in turn, the seat
of county government never moved–the town just
changed names twice.
Wetzel*: Wetzel County has significant gaps in
birth and death records during and following the
Civil War years. I assume wartime activity and
resulting disorganization for years afterward was
the cause of, or at least a contributing factor to
either failure to keep records or loss of records. I
could not find any documentation with an
explanation. Although New Martinsville
experienced flooding, the courthouse was used as
a haven for those fleeing the flood waters, leading
me to think the courthouse itself did not flood.
Wetzel has significant gaps in birth and death
records throughout the 1860's and 1870's.
Wirt*: Wirt County Courthouse experienced a fire
in 1910 that destroyed some, but not all, records.
Missing are: births before 1870, deaths before
1870 and for 1875, and marriages before 1854.
Probate and land records appear to be intact. A
second fire in 1985 affected only some tax
assessor’s records. No other documents were lost.
Wyoming*: Wyoming County has large gaps in its
death records for the Civil War years and
aftermath, with 1860-64, parts of 1865-67, and