GILMER COUNTY, WV HISTORY AND LOOKUP

County History Books

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Gilmer County, West Virginia: A Genealogical Overview

Nestled in the rugged heart of West Virginia, Gilmer County’s history has been shaped by the challenging terrain of the Appalachian Plateau. Its development was driven by the creation of crucial transportation routes, such as the Little Kanawha River and the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike, which opened the isolated region to the outside world. The county’s story is one of hardy pioneer families, divided loyalties during the Civil War, and an economy built on timber, oil, and natural gas. For genealogists, the records of Gilmer County document the lives of resilient settlers who carved a community out of the West Virginia wilderness.

I. County Formation and Evolution

Gilmer County was created in the decade before the Civil War from two large, established counties, a crucial fact for tracing its earliest families.

  • 1845: County Formed: Gilmer County was officially established on February 3, 1845, by an act of the Virginia General Assembly.
  • Parent Counties: It was formed from western portions of Lewis County and northern portions of Kanawha County. Any genealogical research for ancestors living within the modern boundaries of Gilmer County prior to 1845 must be conducted in the records of these two parent counties.
  • Subsequent Formations: In 1856, a portion of western Gilmer County was used to help form the new county of Calhoun.
  • Name Origin: The county was named in honor of Thomas Walker Gilmer, a Virginia lawyer and statesman who had served as Governor of Virginia and was killed in an explosion aboard the USS Princeton in 1844, shortly after being appointed U.S. Secretary of the Navy.
  • County Seat History: The first county court met at the home of a settler in DeKalb. The permanent site was soon established and named Hartford, but was quickly renamed Glenville. Glenville has remained the county seat throughout the county’s history.

II. Settlement and Early History

  • Early Inhabitants: The area was a traditional hunting ground for the Shawnee and other Native American peoples, but there were no known major, permanent villages within its boundaries at the time of European settlement.
  • Pioneer Settlement: The first permanent settlers of European descent, primarily English, Scots-Irish, and German, began arriving around 1810. They were subsistence farmers who settled along the Little Kanawha River and its major creeks, living in relative isolation for several decades.
  • Key Historical Events:
    • Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike: The construction of this major east-west road through the center of the county in the 1840s was the most significant event in its early history. It connected the region to markets in Virginia and the Ohio River, bringing mail service, stagecoach travel, and new waves of settlers.
    • The Civil War: Gilmer County reflected the divided loyalties common to central West Virginia. It provided soldiers for both the Union and Confederate causes. Its position along the turnpike made it strategically important, and it was the site of frequent skirmishes and troop movements. The county ultimately voted in favor of inclusion in the new state of West Virginia in 1863.
    • Oil and Gas Boom: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the county’s economy was transformed by the discovery of significant oil and natural gas deposits. This boom brought investment, railroads, new jobs, and a rapid increase in population.
    • Glenville State College: Founded in 1872 as the Glenville State Normal School, the institution (now Glenville State University) became a vital center for education and culture in the region.

III. Genealogical Records and Resources

Records are centralized at the county courthouse in Glenville. West Virginia’s excellent record-keeping from its formation as a state provides valuable resources.

  • County Courthouse: The Gilmer County Courthouse, 101 N. Court St., Glenville, WV 26351, is the main repository for historical records.
    • County Clerk: This office is the most important for genealogists. It holds land records (deeds), probate records (wills, inventories, and estate settlements) from 1845, marriage records from 1845, and the county’s birth and death registers from 1853.
    • Circuit Court Clerk: This office maintains the records of the circuit court, including civil and criminal cases, chancery court records (which can contain detailed family information), and divorce records.
  • Vital Records:
    • Birth and Death Records: Virginia law mandated the recording of births and deaths by the counties beginning in 1853. Gilmer County’s registers date from this period, although compliance was often inconsistent in the early years. The County Clerk holds these original registers. Statewide registration began in 1917.
    • Marriage Records: Marriage records from 1845 to the present are held by the Gilmer County Clerk.
  • Libraries and Societies:
    • Robert F. Kidd Library at Glenville State University: This library houses the premier collection of historical and genealogical materials for the county, including an extensive West Virginia Collection with county histories, newspapers on microfilm, and manuscript collections.
    • Gilmer County Historical Society: An important resource for local history, publications, and assistance with family research.
  • Bordering Jurisdictions:
    • Doddridge County (northeast)
    • Lewis County (east)
    • Braxton County (south)
    • Calhoun County (west)
    • Ritchie County (northwest)

Please share any resources you have and will do lookups or links to resources you are aware of. Thanks