GENEALOGY AND LOCAL HISTORY

Research Services
Patrons unable to access our collection in person may send inquiries by mail, email (parkwoodgen@parkwoodlib.com), or the contact form at the bottom of the page.
If sending requests by postal mail, please use the following address:
Parkersburg and Wood County Public Library (P&WCPL)
3100 Emerson Ave
Parkersburg WV 26101
Attn. Genealogy Department
Please be aware of the following guidelines.
- Our minimum research fee is $2.00 per request (each Obituary would count as a request) plus $.10/page for photocopies.
- There is a limit of 5 requests at a time.
- Please include a phone number or email address in the request in case we need further information.
- An invoice will be sent with the requested Obituary, article, etc.
- If requesting an article/Obituary from a newspaper, you must provide us with at least a month and a year for us to initiate a search.
- Similarly, if requesting information from our census microfilm reels, you must provide us with at least a state, township/district/borough, and a year.
- A pdf copy of our microfilm holdings is here.
Invoice Payment Options
• To send a check, please use the address listed above.
• To use a credit card or GPay,
Please enter amount including decimal point
Your receipt will be emailed to you.
or scan the QR code below with your smartphone

Seminars
Get more information on upcoming scheduled Genealogy seminars hosted by PWCPL.
An Evening with Your Hysterical Historians and the the Groups They’d Love to Join
Come join us and learn more about them.
Wednesday, October 18th from noon to 7 pm.
Parkersburg and Wood County Public Library 3100 Emerson Avenue
Please call 304-420-4587 for more information or click here to email us..
Displays
Wood County Historical & Preservation Society (WCHPS) asked the History & Genealogy Department to assist with changing out the display cabinet at Emerson Library that details Wood County historical events.
The current topic is the Wetherell’s Jewelers Clock. It is an 1865 street clock which still stands on Market Street today in the heart of Parkersburg, West Virginia.
Online Resources
Here is a listing of Genealogy web sites that may be of help.
- Wood County Historical and Preservation Society
- Wood County (WV) GenWeb Page
- Wood County Courthouse
- WV State Archives Genealogy Surname Exchange
- WV Vital Records Search
- WVU Libraries — WV & Regional History Collection
- West Virginia in the Civil War
- West Virginia State Archives
- Ancestry Plus
- Athens County (OH) GenWeb Page
- Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet
- Early VA/WV Genealogy
- Find A Grave
- Genealogy Online
- Hacker’s Creek Pioneer Descendents Civil War Page
- Heritage Quest Includes AGLL (American Genealogical Lending Library)
- National Archives and Records Administration
- National Genealogical Society
- Pleasants (WV) GenWeb Page
- ROOTS-L Homepage
- Rootsweb’s list of WV genealogical and historical resources on the net
- The 7th West Virginia Cavalry Home Page
- The Olive Tree Genealogy Information dealing with early New York &New Jersey
- Unclaimed West Virginia Civil War Medals
- USA People search genealogy page
- Wirt (WV) GenWeb Page