The Historical Records Survey

 

The Historical Records Survey was initiated as a nation wide undertaking in January 1936 , as a part of the Federal Writers ' Project of the Works Progress Administration . The Survey began operation in West Virginia on April 17 , 1936 un der the direction of L. W. Burns , State Director of the Federal Writers ' Project with Eva Margaret Carnes , Assistant Director , in charge of the Survey . In November 1936 , the Survey became an independent part of Federal Project No. 1 , under the tochni cal supervision of Dr. Luther H. Evans , National Director , under the administrative supervision of the Division of Women's and Professional Projects of the Works Progress Administration . Mrs. Carnes was at this time made State Director of the project .

The objective of the Survey in West Virginia has been the preparation of complete inventories of the records of the State and each county , city , or other local governmental units . Al though a condensed form of entry is used , information is given as to the limiting dates of all extant records and contents of individual series and the location of records in county court houses and other depositories . The records are arranged under office of origin and by subject ; in the index they are arranged alphabetically but with cross references . Preceding the record entries of each office is a brief statement as to the history , functions and records of the office .

The Inventory of County Archives in West Virginia will , when completed , consist of a separate numbered volume for each county in the State . The units of the series are numbered according to the respective position of the county in an alpha betical list of counties . Thus , the inventory herewith present ed for Pocahontas County is No. 38. The inventory of the state archives and of municipal and other local records will consti tute separate publications .

The survey in Pocahontas County opened August 10 , 1936 , under the supervision of Miss Pauline Herold . Isaac Adkins was employed as a worker but left the Survey in November 1936 , to enter private employment . His place was filled by Richard C. Yeager who remained with the work until the Survey closed .  

Miss Herold was transferred to the state office when the county work was completed September 1 , 1937 , Both the supervisor and her workers did exceedingly fine work and had full cooperation of county officials and local people who became interested in work . 

 After completion of the inventory forms , Miss Herold rechecked the entire courthouse -for accuracy in forms , Legal his tory for the inventory was prepared in the state office by Eston B. Stephenson and Herbert W. Richardson ; the county history was written by Miss Mary Auld and the assemblage of inventory entrics and cross referencing was done by Mrs. Carnes and Miss Elizabeth Arnold .