Hi Janice, According to http://www.rootsweb.com/~wvgenweb/: <http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Ewvhampsh/>Hampshire was formed in 1754 from Frederick and Augusta Counties; county seat: Romney <http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Ewvhardy/>Hardy was formed in 1786 from Hampshire County; county seat: Moorefield <http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Ewvharris/>Harrison was formed in 1784 from Monongalia County, Ohio; county seat: Clarksburg <http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Ewvmonong/>Monongalia was formed in 1776 from the District of West Augusta; county seat: Morgantown It may depend upon which family you are researching where in order for you to determine your best strategy. Many of the early records are on microfilm and can be found through an LDS family history center or at the Library of Virginia in Richmond, VA. The staff at the Library of Virginia are second to none. If you want to see what records they have on microfilm, you might search: http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/local_rec/county_city/index.htm Many, if not all, of these should be available through the LDS. The Library of Virginia does have some microfilm for West Virginia, but the quality of the records filmed is very poor. http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/local/WVA_Records.htm If you want to visit local libraries with genealogical collections, you might check out: * Handley Library, Winchester, Frederick Co., VA http://www.rootsweb.com/~vafreder/library.htm * Shenandoah Public Library, Edinburg, Shenandoah Co., VA Here's a link to their microfilm collection: http://www.shenandoah.co.lib.va.us/archives/microfilmcollections.htm They also have a nice book collection for genealogical research and the Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society now houses their collection there. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usmags/ * Massanutten Regional Library, Harrisonburg, Rockingham Co., VA http://www.mrlib.org/genealogy.htm * Staunton Public Library, Staunton, Augusta Co., VA: http://www.staunton.va.us/default.asp?pageID=48BD7E6B-787C-49EE-A7C1-8DD714653A32 And, there are the courthouses! Good luck! Deb Wake Richmond, VA At 12:14 PM 7/6/2005, JANICE B PATTERSON wrote: >I may have a good chance to get to the Shenandoah Valley for some library >research time this summer -- but I will probably only >be able to dropped off at ONE library -- which one would have best >collection for early material -- 1750s -1800? > >I'm tracing several lines -- one is a group of early Shenandoah Valley >settlers from PA & the other is early Scots-Irish into >Beverley Manor/Patent. > >Also, where do I locate early land/probate/marriage records for people >who were in Harrison/Hardy counties around >1780-1810 before these counties were in WV? > >FROM: >Janice B. Patterson >30967 Sassafras Lane >Westlake OH 44145-5171 >phone 440-835-9171 > > >==== SHENANDOAH Mailing List ==== > SHENANDOAH Families Mail List Archives: > courtesy of Rootsweb, our gracious host! >http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl > Just type in the mail list's name: SHENANDOAH