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We thank you for visiting and hope you'll come back again to view the updates we make to this site.   Pre-Colonial History The first native settlers in West Virginia's Potomac Highlands were the Mound Builders, also known as the Adena people. Remnants of the Mound Builder's civilization have been found throughout West Virginia. In 1722 the Iroquois surrendered their claims to land in the eastern panhandle. Colonial Virginia History John Lederer, a German physician and explorer employed by Sir William Berkeley, colonial governor of Virginia, is believed to be the first Englishman to set foot in present-day Mineral County. He explored the area in 1669. The first recorded grants of land in West Virginia are made to Isaac and John Van Meter in 1730. This was in the Frankfort district of Mineral County. In 1749 the first frontier fort, Fort Ohio, is built at Ridgeley. Fort Ashby is constructed in 1755, and is the last standing unit in the chain of forts built under the orders of George Washington. Fort Sellers was built near present day Short Gap, and Fort Cocke near Headsville. In 1750 a frontier Blockhouse, New Creek Blockhouse, was built about 1 mile west of New Creek to protect local settlers. Prior to 1738 the present Orange County, Virginia, situated on the cast side of the Blue Ridge Mountains, included all of Virginia west of the Blue Ridge. In that year, the Virginia Assembly passed an act dividing this territory into two counties: Frederick and Augusta. Hampshire County was formed from those two counties in 1753 Virginia State History 1776 to 1863 Ultimately Hardy County in 1785 and part of Morgan County in 1820 were formed from Hampshire County. West Virginia History 1863 to Present It was not until after West Virginia became a state in 1863 that the present Mineral County came into existence. Mineral County was created in 1866 by an Act of the West Virginia Legislature from the existing Hampshire County. The name was selected due to the vast reserves of minerals, especially coal. --Wikipedia.org County History Mineral County was formed from Hampshire, by Act of February 1, 1866, and named from the vast mineral resources within its limits. Piedmont, "Foot of the Mountain,'' was laid out by the New Creek Company and Owen D. Downey, and incorporated by act of the Legislature, February 20, 1856. [Source: History of West Virginia; By Virgil Anson Lewis; publ.1887; Pg. 730; Transcribed by Andrea Stawski Pack]    Online Data Biographies Birth Records Cemeteries Census Church Histories / Records County Records Death Records Family Bibles County History Marriage Records Military Records Miscellaneous Data Newspaper Gleanings Obituaries and Death Notices School Records Wills/Probate Records Website Updates: May 2013: Wills for SMITH, BAKER, LEATHERMAN, PERRY, UMSTOT, DOLL, WASHINGTON, HEAD, VANBUSIRK, MCCLELLAN, DICK, MORRISON, ALKIRE, WOLFORD, BLACKBURN, ROBINSON, REES, WILSON, KABRICK, BURRIS, DONOHUE, STUMP, ROGERS, HOLT Apr 2013: Wills for: Brady, Clark, Kelso, Harrison, Davis, Unice, Barton, Hartel, Bice, Fout, Jones, Conzare, Grayson, Tomlinson, TAYLOR, STAGGS, FERGUSON, CONZARE, BRADY, SHOULTS, CARSKADEN, VANDIVER, HUNTLEY, WAGGONER, ARNOLD, FLICK, TUCKER, DANIELS, MCKONE, CLAGUE, SLOAN, KNABENSHIRE, ROBINSON, TASKER, BISER, BAUSH, DIXON, SLOAN, HOLLENBECK, THRASHER, GREENWADE, HEAD, REYNOLDS, RABBIT, DUNLOP, LONG, YOST, TOTTEN, MULLINIX, MINES, UMSTOT, MONTGOMERY, FURR Mar 2013: Adam N. McNeill Will, Beckwith B. Ashton Will, John Ward Will, Benjamin Junkins Will, James Liller Will, Kissiah Hollenback Will, Clarason Lang Will, Reuben Davis Will, Samuel Davis Will, Isaac F. Grady Will, Joshua Johnson Will, Daniel Cresap Will, Thomas Sloan Will, Henry Harrison Will, John Lambert Will, Edward Conlan Will, George Gilbert Will, John Holtzman Will, Probate of Johnathan Allison Sr., Daniel Fink Will, Elias Kerr Will, William S. Parker Will Jan 2013: James Brady Probate, Will of Adam Abe, Will of John Kalnick Dec 2012: Sick List - Miss Lizzie McCaddel, Will of Jeremiah Sullivan    Join our Genealogy Trails "Northeastern" States Mailing List to get email notices when our county sites are updated. 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