The West Virginia Division of Culture and History’s Archives and History Section has been posting birth, marriage, and death data, as well as images, at their website for some time. They now have over 5 million records indexed and available for searching – and even viewing of the record books themselves. The records I have viewed are all images of data kept in the vital records books. These are not certificates, as far as I can tell. Keep in mind that many certificates are made “after the fact” from records transcribed from books. The records are from all 55 counties. This is a work is process. The numbers of records available are massive – but by no means complete.
UPDATE – Jan. 1, 2010: – Becky Jamison left a note wherein she stated that she has found “certificates” on the site. She used them at her “Grace and Glory” blog site on December 29, 2009. Take a look.
At search website for births, marriages, and deaths, the researcher will find an alphabetical listing of the counties, with the dates covered by that vital record.
- Birth records start in 1790 and run through 1908.
- Marriage data as early as 1780 is available, with some as late as 1971.
- Death records start as early as 1835 and currently run down to 1970.
Searching on the surname, Cornett, I found the following:
- 10 Cornett births
- Cornett Marriages – 59 Grooms
- Cornett Marriages – 1 Bride
- 100 Cornett Deaths
Search for your ancestors in the West Virginia Vital Records Databases.