Upshur County, West Virginia

Prior to the year 1784, the territory now composing the county of Upshur was a part of Monongalia county, but in that year it became a part of Harrison, and as such remained until 1787, when a portion of it was taken to form Randolph county. The remainder continued to be a part of Harrison until 1816, when another portion was cut off to form a portion of the new county of Lewis In 1843 Barbour was formed and the remainder was included in that county. Eight year' passed away and the people became wearied with long jaunts to Beverly, Weston and Philippi to attend court. Accordingly a petition was circulated, numerously signed and sent to Richmond, praying the general assembly to provide for the formation of a new county. The prayer was heard with favor, and on the 26th day of March, 1851, that body passed a bill entitled "An act to establish the county of Upshur out of parts of the counties of Randolph, Barbour and Lewis." Thus was the new county checkered on the map of Virginia.

The act provided that "so much of the counties of Randolph, Barbour and Lewis as is contained in the following boundary line' should be included in the county now to be formed: Beginning at a rock or milestone on the Staunton and Parkersburg turnpike road, ten miles east of Weston in Lewis county, running thence a straight line to the head of Sauls run, a branch of Finks run; thence to the mouth of Pringles fork of Stone Coal creek thence up said fork to the forks of said fork; thence with the ridge dividing the waters of said forks to their head waters and with said ridge to the head of French creek above Taylor Townsend's farm; thence to the mouth of Cherry Camp fork of the Little Kanawha river; thence to the mouth of the Buffalo fork of said river to the Braxton county line, and with said line to the head of the Right Hand fork of the said river, thence to the three forks of the right hand fork of Buckhannon river, thence to the head nearest branch of Middle Fork river; thence down said river to the fording where the road leading from Teter's on the Valley river, to Houses mill on the Buckhannon river, crosses said Middle fork; thence to the fording of the Buckhannon river, at or near Henry Jackson's; thence to Michael Strader's on Peeks run, including said Strader's; thence with the ridge dividing the waters of the main Pecks run from the waters of the branch on which Colonel John Reger now resides, thence with said ridge so as to divide the waters of Pecks run from Big nun to Gnatty Creek mountain; thence to the mouth of the run on which John Low resides, so as to include Mr. Cum; thence so as to include all the waters of said run to Peel Tree mountain; thence running west to the Harrison county line thence with said line to a stone standing on the Line of Lewis and Harrison counties, and on the dividing line between Lost Creek, Rooting creek and Jesses run; thence a straight line to the mouth of Rovers run, a branch of Hackers creek, and thence to the beginning. The enclosed area to form one distinct and new county, to be called and known by the name of Upshur county."

The sixth section of the bill provided that the justices of the peace appointed for the said county of Upshur, "before entering upon and exercising any of the duties of said office, shall take the several oaths required by law, after which they shall meet at the house of Andrew Poundstone, in the town of Buckhannon, on the first Thursday after the third Monday in April next, and, a majority of them being present, shall proceed to appoint a clerk of the county court, and such other officers as are now required by law, shall nominate suitable persons as sheriff and coroner, to be commissioned as such by the governor, and shall fix upon a place in said town for holding the courts until the public building, shall be erected."

Further information:

The First Courts
A General View of Upshur County
Buckhannon and its Founders
The County was Named
Old Time Marriages