Thanks to the help of FamilySearch Archive, searching those elusive ancestors with West Virginian origins or connections may now be just a mouse click away. The new, free West Virginia Vital Research Records database allows you to search and view scanned images of over 1.4 million original birth, death, and marriage records from six counties, as well as most statewide death certificates from 1917-54. The record dates vary by county and type of record, but typically range from 1816 to 1929. The covered counties include Calhoun, Gilmer, Hardy, Harrison, Mineral and Pendleton, with records from additional counties to be added in the future. Learn more about researching births, marriages and deaths in West Virginia.