MASON COUNTY, VA HISTORY AND LOOKUP (EXTINCT COUNTY, NOW IN KY)
Table of Contents
- In-Print County History Books
- Free Public Domain County History Books
- Related Books
- Concise County History
- Comments & Suggestion
In-Print County History Books
These titles are currently in print and selected for their relevance to local and county history. Click anywhere on the book listing below, each listing links directly to the book’s purchase page.
Book Title TBD
This book is still being located or processed. Details will be added once available.
Free County History Books
This section features a curated collection of county history books sourced from public domain archives. Each book provides valuable insights into local history and heritage. Click anywhere on the book listing below, each listing links directly to the book’s public domain resource.
Book Title TBD
This book is still being located or processed. Details will be added once available.
Related Books
This section highlights additional county and local history titles that complement the main collection. These books are selected for their relevance, historical value, and research usefulness. Click anywhere on the book listing below, and each listing links directly to the corresponding resource or purchase page.
Book Title TBD
This book is still being located or processed. Details will be added once available.
Mason County, Virginia: A Genealogical Overview
Located on the Ohio River, Mason County presents a unique case for genealogists. Its past is defined by its origins as a vast frontier county of Virginia, its critical role in pre-Revolutionary frontier conflicts, and its pivotal decision to become a foundational county of the new state of West Virginia in 1863. For researchers, understanding this dual statehood is the key to locating ancestral records.
I. County Formation and Evolution
Mason County’s history as a Virginia county from 1804 to 1863 is a critical piece of information for researchers tracing family lines in this region.
- Year of Creation: 1804.
- Parent County: It was formed entirely from the western portion of Kanawha County, (then) Virginia. Researchers seeking records that pre-date 1804 must consult the records of Kanawha County.
- Original Territory & Daughter Counties: Mason County’s original territory was reduced once while it was still part of Virginia.In 1848, a portion of Mason County was combined with land from Kanawha and Cabell counties to form Putnam County, Virginia. Researchers with ancestors in what is now Putnam County should consult Mason County records prior to 1848.
- Boundary Changes: Aside from the formation of Putnam County, the county’s boundaries were its Virginia-era borders until it became part of West Virginia in 1863.
- Bordering Counties (Prior to West Virginia statehood in 1863):
- Jackson County, Virginia (northeast)
- Kanawha County, Virginia (southeast)
- Cabell County, Virginia (south)
- The Ohio River formed its western and northern borders, across from the State of Ohio.
II. Settlement and Early History
- Early Inhabitants: Before European settlement, the area was a significant hunting ground and territory for Native American peoples, most notably the Shawnee.
- First Pioneers and Settlement: The confluence of the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers was a strategic point of conflict and settlement. In 1774, the Battle of Point Pleasant was fought here between Virginia militiamen and a confederacy of tribes led by Shawnee Chief Cornstalk. The American victory led to the establishment of Fort Randolph. The county was named for George Mason, a Virginia delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention and the author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights.
- Civil War Significance: Mason County’s location on the Ohio River made it a strategic border region with deeply divided loyalties. As Virginia moved to secede from the Union in 1861, leaders from the western counties, including Mason, organized to form a pro-Union government known as the Reorganized Government of Virginia. This government-in-exile eventually consented to the creation of a new state. In 1863, Mason County officially left Virginia to become one of the original 50 counties of the State of West Virginia.
III. Genealogical Records and Resources
This section provides the practical information needed to locate ancestral records, which are split between Virginia and West Virginia repositories.
- County Seat: Point Pleasant, West Virginia. This has been the only county seat since the county’s formation in 1804.
- Record Loss & Preservation: Mason County is a treasure for genealogists as its records are remarkably complete. It is not considered a “burned county,” and its records were largely kept safe through the Civil War and the transition to West Virginia statehood.
- Location of Records: Because of the county’s history, records are found in multiple locations.
- Mason County Courthouse: Located at 200 Sixth Street, Point Pleasant, WV 25550. This is the central repository for the county’s original historical records from its creation in 1804 to the present day. This includes the original deeds, wills, court orders, and marriage records.
- The Library of Virginia: Located in Richmond, VA, this archive holds microfilm copies of many Mason County records created during its time as a Virginia county (1804-1863), including tax lists, deeds, and vital records.
- West Virginia Archives and History: Located in the Culture Center in Charleston, WV, this is the primary state archive for West Virginia. It holds microfilm copies of Mason County’s records (both the Virginia and West Virginia periods) and other state-level resources.
- Vital Records:
- Birth and Death Records: Mason County fell under Virginia’s statewide registration law from 1853 to 1863. The original copies of these registers are located at the Mason County Courthouse in Point Pleasant. Microfilm copies are available at both The Library of Virginia and the West Virginia Archives. West Virginia’s own registration system began after 1863.
- Marriage Records: Marriage bonds and licenses are available from 1804 onward and are held at the courthouse in Point Pleasant.
- Libraries with Genealogy Collections:
- Mason County Public Library: The main branch in Point Pleasant serves as a starting point for local history research and holds published family histories and other genealogical resources.
- The Library of Virginia (Richmond, VA) and West Virginia Archives and History (Charleston, WV): These two state archives are both essential resources for any comprehensive Mason County research, holding the state-level and microfilmed county records from their respective states.
This county history was generated by AI and may be inaccurate or incomplete; please verify important information independently.