Genealogy is one of the nation’s fastest growing hobbies. New online sources of information have made records even easier to research from your home computer. Beginning and Intermediate West Virginia Genealogy Online are designed to give you the tools of basic research. While it is focused on family history in West Virginia, many of the lessons are applicable to research in other states. Since these courses are online, you can complete them at your own pace. A certificate for course completion will be issued. Course completion will be determined by the instructor.

Computer Requirements

Internet Explorer, Adobe Acrobat Reader

Course Outline

Lesson I Land Records
Index to Deeds
Land Books
Deed Books
Surveyor's Record Book
Land Grants, Patents, Warrants, Etc.
Assignment
*West Virginia Highlights

Lesson II Military Records
Colonial Wars
Revolutionary War and Frontier Wars
Post Revolutionary Wars (1812-1848)
Civil War (1861-1865)
Union Records
Confederate Records
Spanish-American War and Modern Wars (1898-Present)
Veterans Benefits
Bounty-Land Warrants
Pensions
Assignment
*West Virginia Highlights

Lesson III Census Records
Census of 1790 & 1800
1810-1930 Census
The Soundex Indexing System
Basic Soundex Coding Rule
Soundex Coding Guide
Additional Soundex Coding Rules
Additional Soundex Coding Rules (Continued)
Assignment
*West Virginia Highlights

Lesson IV Court Records
The Courts
General Rule: The Two-Step Process
Exceptions to the General Rule
First Major Exception
Second Major Exception
Third Major Exception
The Records
The Location of these Records
Assignment
*West Virginia Highlights

Lesson V Naturalization
A Very Short History of the Court System
A Very Short History of the Court System (Continued)
County Courts
Some Important Records
County Clerk
Courts That Provide Records Other Than Vital Statistics
Justice of the Peace
Circuit Courts
Supreme Court
Statutory Courts or Courts of Limited Jurisdiction
A Court Document
Assignment
*West Virginia Highlights

Registration

Register online through our secure server or fill out this form and fax or mail it to Extended Learning. You will be given class access by email within five working days. Call 1-800-2Learn2, or email WVUEnrich@mail.wvu.edu if you have any questions. Major credit cards and electronic checks are accepted.