March 7, 1869 · Kingwood
Preston County Courthouse is destroyed by fire
Fire destroyed the Preston County courthouse in Kingwood in the early morning of March 7, 1869. Nearly all courthouse records accumulated since the county's formation in 1818 were lost; the County Clerk reports that a few books survived. The destruction left lasting gaps in the records of land, estates, and families. The subsequent arson indictment against Elihu Gregg also described occupied living quarters in the courthouse basement, where Peter Voltz and his family resided. Court proceedings moved to Preston Academy while the county replaced the courthouse. Gregg's trials and appeal later that year are covered in a separate entry.
Research status: Verified
- Citation / research lead
Preston County Clerk: About Us — courthouse fire and surviving records
Visit source ↗ (prestoncountyclerkwv.com)