Let Don C Wood of the Berkeley County Historical Society help you with your genealogy research. A native of Berkeley County with ancestors going back to the 1730's in the area, he has 40 years of expertise in research of "Old Berkeley" (Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan Counties) land and its people.  Don has helped with getting over 3,500 properties in Berkeley County listed in the National Register of Historical Places.  Charge for research is $20.00 per hour.

Genealogical Resources
The Berkeley County Historical Society has a wealth of records for research use. These include the files of M. Griffith, D. Feigley (dec.), many other family records and the extensive files of Don C. Wood. We concentrate on the old Berkeley County area which covers present-day Berkeley-Jefferson-Morgan Counties. The Berkeley County Historic Landmarks Commission and the Berkeley County Historical Society have a multitude of survey files including inventory records of National Register listings and other properties in the area available in the Archives Division.
See the resources listed below for more details.

We also charge for copies made at the following rates:
a.. $0.25 for xgerox copies
b.. $1.00 for microfilm copies
c.. $1.50 Shipping and handling
d.  $2.50 Single copies of Birth, Death, Wills and Deeds

Don C. Wood, e-mail address --
bchs@bchs.org

W.Va. Vital Statistics, 1853 - 1862 (Berkeley, Jefferson, & Morgan 1865-1893 counties are among those available. Birth records at the local courthouse start with 1865. Records may be incomplete for years listed for some West Virginia counties. Berkeley County 1865-1970 Jefferson County 1866-1906)

W.Va. Vital Statistics, 1853 - 1862 (Berkeley, Jefferson, & Morgan 1866-1890 counties are among those available. Death records from the local courthouse start with 1865 and 1865-1990. Records may be incomplete for years listed for some West Virginia counties. Jefferson County 1866-1906)

W.Va. Vital Statistics, 1854 - 1862.
Early marriage bonds of Berkeley, Morgan and Jefferson counties from 1781 to 1950

1799- State of Virginia
1810- Berkeley, Jefferson, and Hampshire counties
1820- Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan counties
1830- Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan and Hampshire counties
1840- Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan and Hampshire counties
1850- Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan, Hampshire and Frederick counties
1860- Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan, Hampshire and Frederick counties
1870- Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan counties
1880- Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan counties
1890- Special Census of Union veterans and widows - Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan Co.
1900- Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan and Hampshire counties
1910- Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan and Hampshire counties
1920- Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan and Hampshire counties

Berkeley County, 1772 -1970.
Morgan County, 1820-1935
Frederick County, Virginia wills, 1743-1917
Orange County, Virginia wills, 1734-1744 with index covering years 1734-1947
Jefferson County wills, 1801-1900

West Virginia land grants
Berkeley County deeds, 1772-1970 .
Berkeley County land books, 1782-1875 .
Frederick County, Virginia, deeds, 1743-1773.
Jefferson County land books, 1801-1900
Orange County, Virginia, deeds, 1734-1744.
Loudoun County, Virgina, tithables, 1758-1799.
Northern Neck grants, 1690-1862, and surveys, 1786- .
Virginia land warrants, 1779-1863.
Hampshire County surveys
Early Berkeley County surveys with maps (Material kept in vertical file.)
Berkeley County personal property, 1783-1822.

Church records- Early records of some congregations in Martinsburg, Hedgesville, Berkeley County and Shepherdstown. Denominations include Episcopal, German Reformed, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist.

Historical Society's Genealogy Records which has several small Collections and Civil War files.

Courthouse Records

Berkeley County, Virginia (now West Virginia) was carved off Frederick County, Virginia in 1772. Remember that for many years, the Potomac River divided Frederick County, Virginia and Frederick County, Maryland. We have the majority of copies of Records of the Berkeley County Courthouse from 1772-1972, 200 years. They include that part which was carved off in 1820 to form present Morgan County, and 1/3 carved off for Hampshire County.

We also have the 1801 to 1901 Jefferson County Courthouse records on microfilm and the Morgan County records from 1820 to 1901.

Earlier Records

We have the Frederick County deeds and wills from 1743 to 1772 when the "Old Berkeley" area was part of Frederick County, Virginia. The Orange County, Virginia, records when we were a part of that county are also on microfilm from 1734 to 1743.

Land Grants and King's Patent Records

We have a complete set of land grant records for this area on microfilm. We have copies of the Robert Brook survey dated 1734 that may be copied. Galtjo Geertsma land grant maps for Berkeley and Jefferson Counties are available.

Survey Files

The Berkeley County Historical Society and Berkeley County Historic Landmarks Commission have been conducting grant assisted historic surveys of properties in Berkeley County, West Virginia, since 1975. Many of the houses in Berkeley County have been researched back to the time of the land grants. Thousands of pictures are located in the files. There are over 3,000 properties listed on the National Register. The forms are on file with the surveys. We also have the Sandborn maps of Martinsburg.

Maps

We have for research the 1809 map of Berkeley and Jefferson Counties; 1851 and 1853 Howell Brown maps of Jefferson County; the Kearfoot 1847 and 1894 maps of Berkeley County; 1864 Berkeley County; Whitman 1920 map of both Berkeley and Jefferson Counties; 1820 Berkeley, John Wood 1820 map of Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan Counties; and the 911 maps for both Berkeley and Jefferson Counties. There are 25 different maps for Martinsburg. Some of the above maps are for sale.

Newspapers

Newspapers are available on microfilm back to the 1790's for this area.
Some like the Martinsburg Gazette have been indexed.

Berkeley and Jefferson Intelligencer, 1802-1808 (incomplete).
Martinsburg Gazette, 1810-1855.
Martinsburg Journal, 1926-1971.
Martinsburg Statesman, 1874-1906.
Morgan Mercury, 1882-1893.
The News (Berkeley Springs), 1885-1912.
Potomac Guardian, 1791-1799 (incomplete).
Shepherdstown Register, 1849-1955.
Spirit of Jefferson, 1909-1912.

Pictures

Many pictures of Berkeley County families are available.

Church Records

We have available some church records for Berkeley and Jefferson Counties.

Minutes and Order Books

Berkeley County and Martinsburg books and some Jefferson County.

Land Tax Records

Jefferson County 1801 - 1901
Berkeley County 1788 - 1869; 1901 - 1960

Marriage Bonds and Records

Microfilm for Berkeley County 1781 - 1917

Misc.

Letters of Dr. A.C. Hammond (Falling Waters area), 1848-1898
National Register of Historic Places inventory and nominations (In file cabinet)

Historical Society Journals
The Berkeley Journal
Old Martinsburg Journal files (roughly 1930 to 1960) -much biographical information (records in a couple of file cabinets.)
Magazine of the Jefferson County Historical Society

Winter Archives and Research Center Hours
Open Friday, Saturday and Monday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed all Federal holidays.