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Buchanan County, Virginia Genealogy

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Guide to Buchanan County, Virginia ancestry, family history and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, immigration records, and military records.


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Buchanan County, Virginia
Map
Boundary map of Buchanan County, Virginia
Map of Virginia highlighting Buchanan County
Location in the state of Virginia
Map of the U.S. highlighting Virginia
Location of Virginia in the U.S.
Facts
Founded 1858
County Seat Grundy
Courthouse
VirginiaBuchananCourthouse.jpg


County Information[edit | edit source]

Description[edit | edit source]

Buchanan County is located in the Southwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and is the only county to border West Virginia and Kentucky. The County was named after the 15th U.S. President, James Buchanan[1].

Buchanan County Virginia Courthouse[edit | edit source]

Buchanan County Courthouse
P.O. Box 929
Grundy, Virginia 24614
Phone:  540-935-6575

Courthouse burned in 1885
Clerk Circuit Cout has marriage, divorce,
probate, court and land records from 1885[2]

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records[3]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1853 1885 1853 1885 1885 1885 1810
Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1912.
General compliance year is unknown.

Buchanan County Virginia History[edit | edit source]

President James Buchanan (1791-1868)

The county was named after President James Buchanan (1791-1868), who was in office at the time of the county's formation.

Parent County[edit | edit source]

1858--Buchanan County was created 13 February 1858 from Russell and Tazewell Counties.
County seat: Grundy [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]

Fire.png
Floods.jpg

The courthouse burned in 1885 destroying many records. In 1977 a flood caused extreme damage to many later records.[2] [4] [5]

  • Lost census: 1890

For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:


Buchanan County Virginia Places/Localities[edit | edit source]

Populated Places[edit | edit source]

Buchanan County Virginia Genealogy Resources[edit | edit source]

Research Guides[edit | edit source]

  • A Guide to the Counties of Virginia: Buchanan County. The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 6, No. 2 (Apr.-Jun. 1962):81-82. CD available at: American Ancestors ($).

African Americans[edit | edit source]

Bible Records[edit | edit source]

Images of the Virginia Historical Society's family Bible collection have been digitized:


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.

For a more detailed description, including addresses, phone numbers, and external links, see Buchanan County, Virginia Cemeteries.

The following is a list of cemeteries in Buchanan County: [6]

  • Adams Cemetery
  • Altizer Cemetery
  • Austin Cemetery
  • Bailey Cemetery
  • Baldwin Cemetery
  • Ball Cemetery
  • Barton Cemetery
  • Belcher Cemetery
  • Blankenship Cemetery
  • Boyd Cemetery
  • Breeding Cemetery
  • Brown Cemetery
  • Burke Cemetery
  • Cantrell Cemetery
  • Clark Cemetery
  • Cole Cemetery
  • Coleman Cemetery
  • Combs Cemetery
  • Compton Cemetery
  • Cook Cemetery
  • Cooper Cemetery
  • Davis Cemetery
  • Day Cemetery
  • Deel Cemetery
  • Dotson Cemetery
  • Fletcher Cemetery
  • Hale Cemetery
  • Harris Cemetery
  • Helton Cemetery
  • Horne Cemetery
  • Hurley Cemetery
  • Jackson Cemetery
  • Johnson Cemetery
  • Justice Cemetery
  • Kaiser Cemetery
  • Keen Cemetery
  • Knob Cemetery
  • Lester Cemetery
  • Little Josie Cemetery
  • Looney Cemetery
  • Looney Creek Cemetery
  • Lowe Cemetery
  • Martin Cemetery
  • May Cemetery
  • McClanahan Cemetery
  • McGlothin Cemetery
  • McGlothlin Cemetery
  • Mitchell Cemetery
  • Mounts Cemetery
  • Mullins Cemetery
  • Nuckles Cemetery
  • Owens Cemetery
  • Presley Cemetery
  • Quinn Cemetery
  • Ramey Cemetery
  • Ratliff Cemetery
  • Rife Cemetery
  • Rose Cemetery
  • Runyan Cemetery
  • Shortridge Cemetery
  • Smith Cemetery
  • Sparks Cemetery
  • Stacy Cemetery
  • Stevens Cemetery
  • Stevenson Cemetery
  • Stewart Cemetery
  • Stiltner Cemetery
  • Stinson Cemetery
  • Street Cemetery
  • Tiller Cemetery
  • Ward Cemetery
  • White Cemetery
  • Whitt Cemetery
  • Wimmer Cemetery

Census[edit | edit source]

For tips on accessing Buchanan County, Virginia Genealogy census records online, see: Virginia Census.


Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1860 2,793 —
1870 3,777 35.2%
1880 5,694 50.8%
1890 5,867 3.0%
1900 9,692 65.2%
1910 12,334 27.3%
1920 15,441 25.2%
1930 16,740 8.4%
1940 31,477 88.0%
1950 35,748 13.6%
1960 36,724 2.7%
1970 32,071 −12.7%
1980 37,989 18.5%
1990 31,333 −17.5%
2000 26,978 −13.9%
Source: "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau.
1860 Agricultural Census
  • The 1860 Agriculture Ceneus [sic] of Buchanan County, Virginia. 1992. By Jeffrey C. Weaver. Clintwood, Virginia : Mullins Printing. Available at FHL.

1890 Union Veterans

Church Records[edit | edit source]

Court Records[edit | edit source]

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

Gotoarrow.png See Buchanan County, Virginia Compiled Genealogies

  • Early Southwest Virginia Families: Families of Kelly, Smyth, Buchanan, Clark and Related Families of Edmondson, Keys, Beattie, Ryburn, McDonald. 1960. By Elizabeth Kelly Allison. Ann Arbor, MI : Edwards Brothers, Inc. Online at: Hathitrust.

Land and Property[edit | edit source]

Local Histories[edit | edit source]

  • Looking Back One Hundred Years, a Brief Story of Buchanan County and Its People. 1979. By Hannibal Albert Compton. Knightstown, Indiana : Bookmark. At various libraries (WorldCat).
  • The Forests of Buchanan County, Virginia. 1918. By W. G. Schwab. Charlottesville, Virginia : Office of State Forester, University of Virginia. Online at: Hathitrust, Google Books.

Maps[edit | edit source]

Dickenson CountyRussell CountyTazewell CountyMcDowell CountyMingo CountyPike CountyVA BUCHANAN.PNG
Click a neighboring county
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... 1883. Washington, D.C : Government Printing Office. Online at: Internet Archive, Google Books. See Vol. 5, Virginia, Buchanan County, p. 65.
Civil War[edit | edit source]

Regiments. Service men in Buchanan 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 Buchanan County, Virginia Genealogy:

- 2nd Regiment, Virginia Infantry (State Line) (Confederate)
- 2nd Regiment, Virginia State Line (Cavalry) (Confederate). Company D, likely Company I.
- 4th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (State Line) (Confederate)
- 7th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate)
- 10th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Confederate)
- 14th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry (Confederate). Companies C, F, G, H, and I
- 21st Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Confederate)
- 22nd Regiment, Virginia Cavalry (Bowen's Virginia Mounted Riflemen) (Confederate). Company B.
- 29th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company F.[7]
- 34th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry (Witcher's Battalion, Virginia Mounted Rifles) (Confederate). Company C and Company E.[8]
- 50th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate)
- 51st Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate)
- 64th Regiment, Virginia Mounted Infantry (Confederate). Company F2.[9]
- French's Battalion, Virginia Infantry (Confederate)

Records and histories are available, including:

World War II[edit | edit source]

Miscellaneous Records[edit | edit source]

Naturalization[edit | edit source]

Newspapers[edit | edit source]

The Virginia Newspapers Project identifies local Buchanan County, Virginia Genealogy newspapers.


Probate Records[edit | edit source]

Taxation[edit | edit source]

Vital Records[edit | edit source]

Indexes to Buchanan 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]
Marriage[edit | edit source]
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Death[edit | edit source]

Buchanan County, Virginia Genealogy deaths are online in the Library of Virginia's Death Index of Virginia, 1853-1896, sponsored by The Virginia Genealogical Society.

Vital Record Substitutes[edit | edit source]
Tip
 For birth, marriage, and death record substitutes, see Bible Records, Cemeteries, Church Records, Newspapers, and Probate Records.

Buchanan County Virginia Genealogy Societies and Libraries[edit | edit source]

Family History Centers[edit | edit source]

Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes.

Buchanan County Virginia Genealogy Websites[edit | edit source]

Buchanan County Virginia Genealogy References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buchanan_County,_Virginia
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Buchanan County, Virginia. Page 711 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
  3. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Buchanan 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.
  4. ↑ Burned Record Counties (VA-NOTES). (n.d.). Library of Virginia. Retrieved 4 May 2012, from http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/guides/va22_burnedco.htm.
  5. ↑ Lost Records Localities: Counties and Cities with Missing Records, 2, in Library of Virginia (accessed 4 April 2014).
  6. ↑ USGS Map, Topozone.com
  7. ↑ John Perry Alderman, 29th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1989). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 53.
  8. ↑ Scott C. Cole, 34th Virginia Cavalry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1993). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 94.
  9. ↑ Jeffrey C. Weaver, 64th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1992). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 89.
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Routes
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