Hello Everyone, Elizabeth, you might find something for your Hardy Co. family deeds at the Library of Virginia site's LAND RECORDS (Land Grants and Patents) in the Electronic Catalog: <http://www.lva.lib.va.us/dlp/land/> <http:image.vtls.com/collections/> Don't be fooled if your family isn't one of the ones listed- go to the one that comes before the spelling of your name, and click on it. You will find many cards arranged alphabetically by Surname, so click till you come to where yours would be. 2) Hardy County deeds are on microfilm at the WV State Archives Library- located in the Cultural Center at the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, WV. <http://www.wvlc.wvnet.edu/history/wvsamenu.html> Archives and History Library The Cultural Center 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East Charleston, WV 25305-0300 (304) 558-0230, ext. 168 LIBRARY HOURS Monday - Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. West Virginia State Archives County Court Records- Microfilm Holdings - HARDY COUNTY: Births 1853-1970 Deaths 1853-1970 Marriages 1795-1970 *Wills 1786-1970 Wills, Circuit Court 1801-1895 Deeds 1786-1901 Deed Index 1786-1970 Misc. Superior Court Records 1807-1840 Minute Book Index 1795-1812 Order Book Index 1827-1847 County Order & Minute Books 1788-1880 Chancery Superior Court Book 1831-1842 Chancery Order Book 1831-1929 Guardian Accounts & Returns 1867-1873 Probates Administrators & Guardians, etc. 1881-1938 Guardian Accounts 1821-1854 Guardian Bonds 1851-1953 Guardians Bonds & Commissioners 1885-1927 Administrators Bonds 1831-1922 Executors Bonds 1831-1931 Executors Administrators & Guardians Bonds 1853-1895 Executors & Administrators Accounts 1868-1886 Overseers of Poor 1841-1924 Discharge Record 1917-1921 Police & Fiscal Orders 1880-1922 Fiduciary Accounts 1882-1931 Surveyors Book & Index 1785-1857 Land Entries 1782-1861 Superior Court Records 1797-1840 List of Fiduciaries 1866-1931 Record of Inventories 1858-1869 Appraisement & Sales 1861-1930 Pleas District Court 1797-1800, 1826-1828 Pleas Superior Court 1800-1819, 1832-1837 Court Proceedings 1821-1828 Deeds of Release 1867-1901 Homesteads 1877-1909 List of Real Estate 1867-1931 Circuit Court Record 1859-1872 District Court Witness & Jury Book 1797-1816 Naturalization Declaration of Intention 1913- Naturalization Petition and Record 1916- Execution Book 1786-1821, 1828-1850 Execution Book (Circuit Court) 1788-1812, 1819-1854 Loose land & property records ca. 1789-1843 Records filmed at Virginia State Library: shelved on 4th floor as Mi 42-8.3 Births 1853-1860 Marriages 1854-1858, 1860 Deaths 1853-1860 ====== 3) Deeds would also be found at the Hardy County Courthouse: P. O. Box 540 Moorefield, WV 26836-0540 Phone: (304) 538-2929 ========= I am working on my BLAKE and SHROUT FAMILIES in Hardy County. My ancestor was DOROTHY, "DOLLY," (BLAKE) SHROUT. She was born in April 1830, in Virginia, and married HAMPTON SHROUT in 1848 or 1852. There is a DOROTHY BLAKE, daughter of JOHN B. BLAKE and CATHARINE, in the 1850 Hardy Co., (W) VA census, who was born at that time. However, John B. has his birthplace as Massachusetts, and in later censuses, Dorothy has her father's birthplace as OHIO (1900 Grant Co. Census) and VIRGINIA (1880 Grant Co. Census). Is anyone else working on this BLAKE family? I am going to Massachusetts soon and would like to do some research on Dorothy's ancestors, but am not sure 1) if John B. Blake is her father, and 2) if he was born in MA or OH or VA. 1850 HARDY CO., WV CENSUS: 1141-1154 - JOHN B. BLAKE (66) MA Blacksmith 100 Catharine (62) VA Lewis (33) VA Blacksmith Dorothy (20) VA Leah (16) VA Catharine (7) VA James W. H. (3) VA SHROUT, Mary M. (27) VA Shrout, Elizabeth (9/12) VA Shrout, John (9/12) VA =============== DOROTHY, "DOLLY" BLAKE: b. Apr. 11, 1830, in VA; m. in 1848 or 1852 to HAMPTON H. SHROUT -12 children by the 1900 Grant Co., WV census, with 8 surviving; d. March 31, 1906, in Gormania, Grant Co.and buried in Lahmansville Cemetery, Grant Co., WV. Dolly was born in Virginia, and her father was either born in Virginia or Ohio, by her account on the 1880 and 1900 Grant Co. censuses. Her mother was born in WV, by Dolly's record in the 1900 Grant Co., WV census. At this time, it seems most likely that she was the d/o JOHN B. and CATHERINE (--) BLAKE, because they have a Dorothy, age 20, in their house for the 1850 Hardy Co., (W) VA Census. However Dorothy gives her father's birthplace as OHIO, and VA in the1880 and 1900 Grant Co. Censues, NOT in MA, like John B. Blake. Dolly was the d/o Mr. and (----) (SUNNIFRANK) BLAKE, according to family tradition and research handed down to me from my great aunt Helen (Green) Smith. SUNNIFRANK sp. SONIFRANK; SONAFRANK; SUNEFRANK; etc. There were Sonifranks in the area, which adds credence to this family tradition. Anyone out there know of a Blake-Sunnifrank marriage around 1820-1830? In 1848 or 1852, DOROTHY, "DOLLY," married HAMPTON H. LEONARD SHROUT, a blacksmith of Big Cappon in Hardy County, (W) VA and of the Falls/ Greenland Gap area of Grant County, (West) Virginia. DOLLY and HAMPTON had twelve children, and this is what I have from research on them so far:: 1) SUSAN SHROUT: b. 15 Feb 1848, in Greenland Gap, WV, Hardy Co.; d. 30 Sept 1887, in Grant Co., WV; Buried in Lahmansville Cemetery, Grant Co.; m. on 2 July 1869, to Hider STONEBRAKER; 2) WILLIAM, "BILLY," SHROUT: b. 1850; d. Abt 1940; m1 to Laura STONEBRAKER; m2 Aft 1906 to Rose WETZEL; 3) JOHN W. SHROUT b. Abt. 1851, in Hardy (later Grant Co.), WV; d. 1939, in Grant Co., WV; Bur. Lahmansville Cemetery; m1 7 Sept 1874 at Jno. Grapes', to Mary Emily LLOYD; m2 on 8 May 1904, in Grant Co., by Rev. E. E. Neff, to Mary M. Rose EVANS, d/o Joseph and Katherine Alfrando Evans; 4) MARY EMILY SHROUT: b. 10 Feb 1853, in Hardy Co., (W) VA; d. 28 Feb 1900, in Gormania, WV; Bur. Lahmansville Cem.; m. Eli ARNOLD; also m. Weck ROTRUCK?; 5) GEORGE WESLEY SHROUT: b. 9 Apr 1856, in Greenland, Hardy Co., WV; d. 18 Jun 1945, in Parsons, WV, Tucker Co.; Buried in Parsons Cemetery; m. 27 Mar 1878, in Grant Co., WV, to Sarah Catherine "Aunt Sally," STONEBRAKER; 6) JOSEPH HOWARD SHROUT: b. 7 Aug 1858, in Hardy Co., WV; d. 28 Oct 1890, in Grant Co., WV; Buried in Lahmansville Cem.; m. 31 Jan 1883, to Elizabeth Alice HUFFMAN; 7) HENRY HENSON SHROUT: b. April 1863, in WV; d. Aft. 1900; m. Etta Grace GIFE. 8) DAVID SHERMAN SHROUT: b. Abt. 1866, in Grant Co., WV; d. 1916, in Parsons, WV; m. in Hardy Co., (W) VA, on Jan. 19, 1887, to Queen Elizabeth WHETZEL; 9) ALICE BERTHU SHROUT: b. 5 Oct 1867, in Grant Co., WV; d. Nov. 3, 1932, in Independence, WV, Preston Co.; Buried in Lahmansville Cem.; m. on March 7, 1888, in Cumberland, MD, Allegheny Co., to Hider STONEBRAKER; 10) NATHANIEL SHROUT: b. 15 Feb 1870, in Grant Co., WV; d. 2 May 1929, in Parsons, WV; Buried in Parsons Cemetery; m. ca. 1892-1900, to Bernadette SHURTLIFF; 11) MARTHA E. SHROUT: b. 22 June 1872, in Grant Co., WV; d. Aft 1945 (in Baltimore, MD?); m. William BAKER; and 12) IDA SHROUT: b. 1852-1880. ----- 1860 HARDY CO., WV CENSUS: 1160-1169- SHROUT, HAMPTON Hampton 28, b. VA, "Laborer" "Dorothea" 28, b. VA Susan, 10, b. VA John W. 8, b. VA Mary E. 7, b. VA George W. 4, b. VA Joseph H. 2, b. VA ------------- 1880 GRANT CO., WV CENSUS: G012- SHROUT, HAMPTON (49) Farmer VA/VA/VA DOROTHY (47) Wife Keeping house - VA/VA/VA DAVID S. (14) son Farm Laborer -WV/VA/VA ALICE B. (12) dau -WV/VA/VA NATHANIEL (10) son- WV/VA/VA MARTHA (8) dau- WV/VA/VA --------- 1900 GRANT CO., WV CENSUS: 221-223 - HAMPTON SHROUT Head Apr/1831 (69) M 52 WV/WV/WV DORATHY wife Apr/1830 (70) M 52 12-8 VA/OH/WV MARTHA E. Dau June 1874 (25) S WV/WV/OH? ELIZABETH D. Gr-dau Mar 1887 (13) S WV/WV/WV Note: Dorothy's father b. in OHIO, not MA, like John B. Blake. ---------- DOROTHY was 76 when she passed away, at the home of her late daughter, MARY EMILY (SHROUT) ARNOLD, in Gormania, Grant County, WV, on March 31, 1906. This was within a year of HAMPTON's death on May 4, 1905. They are buried in Lahmansville Cemetery, Grant County, WV, with other members of the Shrout family. On their marker, it says, "There are no partings in Heaven." I would be interested in hearing from anyone who is related to this family. Will share my info and family photos. Especially, anyone who has knowledge about the BLAKES, please contact me. Have a great day, Peg in WV