Rockingham
County, VA

Volunteers may do unlimited lookups if and only if:

1. The lookup volunteer is the actual author and copyright holder of the publication
2. The lookup volunteer is using primary source documents...whether they are trekking to the courthouse or using their own Xeroxed copies of public domain documents.
3. The lookup volunteer has written permission from the author/copyright holder to use their publications for lookups
4. Volunteers may be able to make certain limited scope lookups in copyrighted publications under the "fair use" provisions of existing law. Potential volunteers are encouraged to review the explanations of copyright protection, especially the "fair use" provisions, available elsewhere
   on the Web.

Having said that, if anyone would like to volunteer to do lookups, within the above guidelines, please send me an e-mail with the particulars. Qualifying material will be posted on this web page. hwelch@ntelos.net

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Records available in Rockingham Co. Clerk's Office

The Rockingham County Clerk's Office personnel will do LIMITED lookups and copying by request. Requests must be specific and in writing; please, no phone calls. You must give an approximate date for the event and specific names (asking for everything for the surname Jones just won't work). They will check the indexes for the type of record you request (marriage bonds, wills, deeds, etc.) and copy any document that may be found. Copies are $.50 per page and they will bill you if records are found. Also, please be kind and send along a self addressed, stamped envelope. You can mail your requests to: Rockingham County Circuit Court Clerk's Office; Rockingham County Court House; Harrisonburg, VA 22801

Check below for records availability. There have been two fires which damaged or destroyed court records in Rockingham County, so you may save yourself some time if you first determine if records are available for the time period in which you are searching.

Birth and Death Records: Years available at the Clerk's Office are 1862-1894. (Death registers are available on microfilm at the Library of VA for 1853-1896 and death certificates 1912-1939). Registry was voluntary so information is not complete. For information after 1894 write; Bureau of Vital Statistics; 109 Governor St.; Richmond, VA 23219. An application form is available at http://www.vdh.state.va.us/vitalrec/appform.pdf

Deeds: begin in 1778. Records were burned in 1787 and again in 1864 and are incomplete

Marriages: start in 1778. Marriage records were not burned.

Wills: begin in 1864. Most early wills were destroyed by fire. Any information saved has been re-recorded.

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Some Published Sources for Church Records
Sometimes the only remaining records mentioning our ancestors are the early church records. Many of the early church records in Rockingham County were written in German, and some of those have been translated. I have listed below several of the published sources for church records (not necessarily all from German) of which I am aware. If you know of others please let me know and I'll post them.
The Olive Branch	Linville Creek Church of the Brethren  - 1860s - Historical account of the Brethren and Mennonite experiences during the Civil War. Originally published in 1907 by Sanger and Hayes. Recently reprinted by the church: available from Shenandoah District Office; P.O. Box 248; Dayton, VA 22821. Not indexed. Cost is $12.95 plus $2.00 shipping.
William & Mary College Quarterly Vol. 13, p.247-256 & Vol. 14, p.9-19; p.186-193	Peaked Mountain Church - Reformed & Lutherans 1792-1797. Baptismal Records, communicant lists, few marriage and burial records; translated from German. This information is also available in the  VAGenWeb - Rockingham Co. Archives
Virginia Valley Records by John W. Wayland, Reprint by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. 1985	Linville Creek, Smith Creek, Brock's Gap & etc.- Baptist.1756-1844 - Church minutes, also listing communicants, baptisms, "comings and goings" of the congregation, etc. Also Alderson marriage records of Linville Creek & Greenbrier
Record Book of Rader Lutheran Church, Timberville, Virginia. by Rader, Dr. William A. & June L. (Hudnut) 1990 (revised)	Rader Lutheran Church, Timberville 1762-1889. Record Book; translated from German.
VAGenWeb - Rockingham Co. Archives	Rader Lutheran Church, Timberville 1878-1879. Subscription rolls
Record of the Churches of the Lacey Spring Circuit of the Virginia Annual Conference of the Churches of the United Brethren in Christ 1833-1890 by Arrington, Marie K. 1984, indexed	Lacey Spring Circuit including Salem, Mt. Tabor, Mt. Valley, Bethlehem, Pleasant View, Singers Glen, Mt. Carmel, Whitehal, Forest Grove, Armentrout (Bethel) and Cedar Grove - United Brethren in Christ. 1833-1890. From the original record book kept by the Pastors. Includes deaths, funerals, baptisms, marriages, etc.
Davidsburg Church Baptisms 1785-1845 New Market, Virginia by Stewart, John & Wust, Klaus, 1983, indexed Davidsburg Church, New Market, VA	Lutheran & German Reformed. 1785-1845. From the church book of the Lutheran and German Reformed Davidsburg Church in New Market, Va - largely German entries pertaining to baptisms and births. (transcriptions and translations)

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Libraries in Rockingham County with Genealogical and Historical Collections
Massanutten Regional Library	174 South Main Street Harrisonburg, VA 22801 www.mrlib.org (searchable card catalog)
Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society	P. O. Box 716 Dayton, VA 22821 http://www.heritagecenter.com
Menno Simons Historical Library/Archives	Eastern Mennonite University Harrisonburg, VA 22801 http://www.emu.edu/library/histlib.html (searchable card catalog)
Alexander Mack Memorial Library	Bridgewater College Bridgewater, VA 22812 http://www.bridgewater.edu/index.php?id=161
Carrier Library	James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA 22801 http://www.lib.jmu.edu/default.aspx (searchable card catalog)

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Town Names in Present Day Rockingham County (including some previous names)

Current Name	Earlier Name(s)
Bergton	West Gap; Dovesville
Bridgewater	Dinkletown; Bridgeport
Broadway	---------
Brocks Gap	---------
Dayton	Rifeville; Rifetown
Elkton	Conrad's Store
Fulks Run	--------
Grottoes	Mt. Vernon Forge; Shendun
Harrisonburg	Rocktown
Hinton	Karicofe
Keezletown	Keisell's Town
Lacey Springs	----------
Linville	----------
McGaheysville	Ursulasburg
Mt. Clinton	Muddy Creek
Mt. Crawford	Mt. Pleasant; Mt. Stevens (?)
Penn Laird	---------
Pleasant Valley	Rockingham
Port Republic	---------
Singers Glen	Mountain Valley
Tenth Legion	---------
Timberville	Williamsport; Thompson's Store; Riddle's Tavern

Last updated December 01, 2007