This map depicts the interests of researchers and members of the Hacker's Creek Pioneer Descendants. The numbered counties in the central part of the state are:

1. Lewis County
2. Harrison County
3. Barbour County
4. Upshur County
5. Webster County
6. Braxton County
7. Gilmer County
8. Doddridge County

The earliest settlers in central West Virginia were in northwestern Upshur County and northeastern Lewis County. This area was then (1769) a part of West Augusta County, Virginia.

The first migration to the region was from the South Branch Valley, the area shown in dark green on our map. Later mass migrations came from north central (West) Virginia (lime green) and the mountains of Randolph, Pendleton, and Greenbrier (rust).

From the central region, families moved further west and south into the area shown in yellow on the map and to points beyond the borders of the state. Some few families migrated to the Northern Panhandle and southern parts of the state (shown in red).

A Research Hint:

The earliest records for this region will be found in the records from Augusta and Frederick Counties, Virginia, and Monongalia and Harrison County, West Virginia. Records prior to the formation of West Virginia in 1863 might also be found in the State Library of Virginia. West Virginia Archives and History, Charleston, is presently acquiring tax lists for West Virginia counties during the time they were Virginia. The Central West Virginia Genealogy and History Library at Jane Lew, Lewis County, W. Va., has many published records from these areas.

This page was updated May 28, 2002. If you have any suggestions that would improve my explaination of the migratory patterns in our area of interest, please tell me.

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