Electronic Village of Abingdon - Historical Society

	PO Box 484 Abingdon, VA 24212-0484
The Historical Society of Washington Co.,Virginia Library, located in the county courthouse at East Main and Court Street in Abingdon, has become a leading center in the region for genealogical and historical research including local and regional history, published genealogies and family histories. The library is staffed completely by volunteers and open 10-4 weekdays. Our library resources are included on a computerized partial index database which currently contains over 291,000 references. Included in this partial index are census data for Washington Co.,VA, cemetery records, over 1100 family genealogy files and books, information on the history of Abingdon, Washington Co.,VA, Southwest Virginia and the region. Detailed indexes for the Holston Pastfinder, published by the Holston Territory Genealogical Society of Bristol, VA/TN from 1982-Dec 1997, and Historical Society Bulletins from 1936-1997 are also on the partial index database. Also included on the database are listing of 5,500 index cards by Gordon Aronheim of the early settlers of Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. This information is from microfilm held by the State Library of Virginia in Richmond. A copy of this microfilm is also available in our library. In addition, the database includes listings of family genealogy files and books located in 21 other Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee public and Historical Society libraries including Buchanan, Dickinson, Grayson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Wise and Wythe counties in Virginia, Bristol and Sullivan and Washington counties in Tennessee. Listings for family genealogy files and books in libraries in,VA, Kingsport,TN and Johnson City,TN are also included. We welcome donations of family books, or copies of files, pictures and history pertaining to Southwest Virginia and particularly Washington County, Virginia. All donations are tax deductible. Annual membership dues are $15 individual; $20 family and $200 life. Membership includes 4 newsletters and at least one annual publication. We currently have over 800 members in 38 states and welcome memberships.
We invite you to visit our library, which is open weekdays 10 AM-4PM except Dec. when we are closed. Volunteers will assist you in using the database, but we cannot do the actual research. Since we have a limited number volunteer staff, effective May 1,1998, there will be a $5.00 research fee payable in advance which includes 5 pages of photocopying for non-member research requests by mail. Copies over 5 pages are $.20/page. Please limit to two questions and be as specific as possible. With all letters of inquiry, please include a self-addressed business size envelope.
Washington County Virginia Records Washington County, Virginia was formed in 1777 from Fincastle County. The present courthouse was built in 1869. There are no records in Washington County before 1777, except a very few copies of land grants. Marriage records begin in 1782 for Washington County, VA. Deeds begin in 1778. Wills and Estate records begin in 1777. There are no chancery or law orders prior to 1831. Court orders can be found in court minutes, which begin in 1777. They have birth and death records 1853-1896 and after 1912.