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[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], William Rice Research Papers regarding West Virginia Genealogy and Other Topics, A&M 4317, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.
Historical research material collected by William Rice from ca. 1975-2015, mostly relating to the history of western Virginia and southeastern West Virginia, the Upper Potomac River basin, and particularly Elkins and Randolph County. There are three record series including subject files (boxes 1-4), miscellaneous research files (boxes 4-5), and family histories (boxes 5-16).
Subject files are arranged alphabetically and contain research files pertaining to the region encompassing West Virginia, western Virginia, Maryland, and southeastern Pennsylvania, including Elkins, Clarksburg, Randolph County, Monongalia County, Kanawha County, and Ohio County in West Virginia, and Augusta County, Botetourt County, and Prince William County in Virginia, among others. Subjects covered include early settlement, city and county histories, wars (Lord Dunmore's War, French and Indian War, Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, World War II), elections, cemeteries, the Ohio Company, the Mountain State Forest Festival, and McLain Printing, among many others. Types of records include maps, deeds/plats, newspapers, census sheets, book excerpts, and articles, mostly photocopied. The content of the material describes people, places, and events from ca. 100 B.C. - 2011, although the bulk of the collection focuses on the late eighteenth to early nineteenth century.
Miscellaneous research files regard the War of 1812 and the Civil War in connection with western Virginia, and the crash of a B-17 bomber, among other material.
Family history files are arranged alphabetically by last name. The numerous families documented in this series were mostly eighteenth-century settlers of what was once Augusta County, Virginia (which encompassed western Virginia, most of West Virginia, and much of Kentucky), although some of the files document settlers in Maryland and southwestern Pennsylvania as well. Some of the family histories extend into the mid and late nineteenth century. Types of material include hand-written genealogy work sheets, and photocopies of census records, deeds, maps, and articles; there is also correspondence with various archives. Although the bulk of content describes the history of families for the period ca. 1700-1900, the total or inclusive content covers ca. 1650-2000.
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