Finding Aids and Indexes

Surname Files Index

The Surname File Index alphabetically lists all of the roughly 3,000 surnames for which there is a file in the Virginia Room.

The Vertical File Index is an alphabetical list of over 3300 topical files. Vertical files may include pamphlets, news clippings and other materials that do not merit a call number, but are arranged for ready reference on a given topic.

A Guide to the 1952 All-America City Award Records

A finding aid for the 1952 All-America City Award Records, which were created and/or collected and compiled by M. Carl Andrews, Editor of the Roanoke Times & World News. Items include correspondence to and from Andrews in reference to the award and…

A Guide to the Association of Fundraising Professionals Records

A guide to the records of the presidents of the First Virginia Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), earlier known as the National Society of Fundraising Executives (NSFRE). The collection extends from the founding of the…

A Guide to the Papers of M. Carl Andrews

A guide to the Papers of M. Carl Andrews, which consists of seventeen file folders including typescripts, clippings and photocopies of newspaper articles and columns, letters, invitations, event programs, committee reports, and both personal and…

A Guide to the Bonnie S. Ball Collection

A guide to the Bonnie S. Ball Collection, which highlights the extensive genealogical research done by Mrs. Bonnie S. Ball, who worked primarily in Southwestern Virginia historical records. Contained in the collection are notes for merely a handful…

A Guide to the Raymond Barnes Manuscripts

The Raymond Barnes Manuscript Collection consists of Barnes’ research notes and drafts used to compile "A History of Roanoke". Also included are several personal items, including a journal kept by Barnes in 1966, a journal kept by Barnes’ brother,…

A Guide to the Papers of Steve Brody

This item is a guide to the Papers of Steve Brody. The Brody Papers are comprised of documents, photographs, and artifacts that relate to community work done by Steve Brody in Roanoke from 1935-1978. Documents include a biographical timeline of…

A Guide to the Papers of Bruce J. Anderson

This is a guide to the papers of Bruce J. Anderson. This collection contains genealogical research compiled by Bruce J. Anderson on his own family, in particular the Poindexter family. The papers and personal documents of a number of relatives are…

A Guide to the Ruth Davis Manuscript Register

This is a guide to the Ruth Davis Manuscript Register. This manuscript is a collection of materials related to Ruth Davis’ enrollment in the Jefferson Hospital School of Nursing from which she graduated in 1926. The collection includes five folders…

A Guide to the Ellison Family Papers

This is a guide to the Ellison Family Papers. This collection contains the correspondence of members of the Ellison family, as well as other documents, records, manuscripts, publications and printed materials related to and belonging to family…

A Guide to the Records of the Elmwood Park Century Project

This is a guide to the records of the Elmwood Park Century Project. In 1978, the City of Roanoke and downtown business community commissioned a $100,000 study to evaluate the development potential of Roanoke’s downtown core area and to prepare a plan…

A Guide to the Papers of Gayle Fisher

This is a guide to the papers of Gayle Fisher. This is a genealogical collection of 49 family names that have been arranged by Mrs. Gayle Fisher. The collection includes computer printouts of Bible records, research by others, obituaries,…

A Guide to the Contents of the Huff Lane Time Capsule

This is a guide to the contents of the Huff Lane time capsule. The collection is comprised of items that were set in a cornerstone of Huff Lane Intermediate School in the City of Roanoke in 1950. The creator of the collection chose items that…

A Guide to the Records of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Lignite Lodge No. 185

This is a guide to record books for the Lignite Lodge #185, based out of Oriskany, VA, and one folder with the original deed for the Lignite Lodge Property in Oriskany, Botetourt County, Virginia.

A Guide to the Papers of Dr. John Kern

This is a guide to the Papers of Dr. John Kern. The Kern Papers are comprised of documents, photographs, and newspaper articles that are a product of the research done by Kern during his time as Roanoke Regional Director for the Virginia Department…

A Guide to the LaRue Mason Collection

This is a guide to the LaRue Mason Collection. This collection consists of genealogical information relating to the Mason and Bowman families. Most of the information is regional, although correspondence regarding the search for genealogical…

A Guide to the Memoirs of Ora Belle Mayberry McColman

This is a guide to the memoirs of Ora Belle Mayberry McColman. The Ora Belle Mayberry McColman Memoir Manuscripts are comprised of twelve yellow ruled notepads of the thirteen piece collection. The first notepad in the collection was missing at time…

A Guide to the Papers of the McKendrie-Day Family

This is a guide to the papers of the McKendrie-Day Family. The documents in the McKendrie-Day Family Papers include family history documents and materials relating to Charles and Sarah McKendrie’s four daughters, Grace, Mabel, Jessie “Boots” and…

A Guide to the Moulse-Huff Genealogy Collection

This is a guide to the Moulse-Huff Genealogy Collection. The Moulse-Huff Genealogy Collection was created and collected in the course of Helen Huff Moulse’s family history research in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. It contains completed genealogy forms,…

A Guide to the Original Letters Collection

This is a guide to the Original Letters Collection. The collection contains various correspondences from numerous authors at different dates. The letters that pertain to Roanoke are those of John Randolph, who resided here in the 1800s, the majority…

A Guide to the Nathaniel Parrish Manuscript Register

This is a guide to the Nathaniel Parrish Manuscript Register. This manuscript contains a collection of the professional and personal communications of Nathaniel R. Parrish. The documents date from 1916 to 1929. The collection is contained in one box…

A Guide to the Pennsylvania Archives Maps

This is a guide to the Virginia Room holdings of the Pennsylvania Archives Maps. The Pennsylvania Archives Maps are comprised of twenty one folded paper maps of the twenty five piece collection and a photocopy of the index entitled, “An index to…

A Guide the Congressman Richard H. Poff Collection

This is a guide to the Congressman Richard H. Poff Collection. This collection contains Virginia’s 6th District US Congressman Richard H. Poff’s “Report from Washington” from 1954 through 1971. These are newsletters sent by the Congressman to…

A Guide to the Ernest F. Reynolds Collection

This is a guide to the Ernest F. Reynolds Collection. The collection is comprised of various materials related to coal mining in West Virginia and Virginia and other miscellaneous historical topics of interest to the creator. Originally housed in…

A Guide to the Diaries of Mary Louise Riley Harmon and Celia Riley

This is a guide to the diaries of Mary Louise Riley Harmon and Celia Riley. This collection of diaries relates the daily thoughts and actions of Celia Riley and Mary Riley Harmon. Those kept by Celia span the years 1928 through 1933 and 1946 and…

A Guide to the Roanoke Drug Company Collection

This is a guide to the Roanoke Drug Company Collection. The Roanoke Drug Company collection contains various articles related to Roanoke Drug Company and the various companies related to it, both before and after the company was known as Roanoke…

A Guide to the Roanoke Area Scouting History Collection

This is a guide to the Roanoke Area Scouting History Collection. This collection contains the papers and personal documents of several notable leaders in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) from the Roanoke, Virginia area. The bulk of the collection…

A Guide to the Roanoke Railway & Electric Company Records

This is a guide to the records of the Roanoke Railway & Electric Company. The collection includes correspondence, photographs, general histories and newspaper articles.

A Guide to the Enrollment Records of St. Andrews Catholic School

This is a guide to the enrollment records of St. Andrews Catholic School. St. Andrew’s School Enrollment Records document the names of students who attended the school circa 1897-1941, 1944-1953. Lists of high school graduates are documented from…

A Guide to the Papers of Marguerite Tise

This is a guide to the papers of Marguerite Tise. The collection consists of historical and genealogical materials related to Floyd County, Virginia, and limited research of other localities. The majority of the collection is composed of…

A Guide to the Stephen Warren Collection

This is a guide to the Stephen Warren Collection. The Stephen Warren Collection is a collection of photographs, correspondence, scrapbooks, and miscellaneous items of the Bryant, Mullins, Caldwell, and McManaway families.

A Guide to the Papers of Julian Wise

This is a guide to the papers of Julian Stanley Wise. This collection contains material directly related to Julian Wise or the Rescue Squad movement in the United States and/or Virginia. Personal correspondence, articles and awards comprise the…

A Guide to the Women's Guild Scrapbook

This is a guide to the Women's Guild Scrapbook. This scrapbook contains ephemera, photographs, brochures, newspaper clippings, and correspondence related to the guild. Contents of the scrapbook are arranged chronologically.

A Guide to the World War II Letters Collection

This is a guide to the World War II letters written by James S. Thomerson to his family in Roanoke while he was deployed during World War II. They chronicle his time abroad and illustrate the hardships that many others faced far from home.

A Guide to the Louise Wright Bailey Genealogical Collection

This is a guide to the Louise Wright Bailey Genealogical Collection. The Louise Bailey Collection consists of 12 record storage boxes which include family group sheets, records, correspondence, news clippings, photographs, handwritten research…

A Guide to the Papers of Ruth G. Hale

This is a genealogical collection focusing on the Hale/Ahl/All families and connecting families. Many other families of Craig County, Virginia and surrounding areas are also included. Materials in the collection include notes, correspondence, news…

A Guide to the Records of the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke

This is a guide to the Records of the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke. The records are divided into four sections, some of which are subdivided by record type. There are some gaps in the record, but overall the records are fairly complete.
The first…

A Guide to the Business Ledger of H.A. Webber

This is a guide to the business ledger of H.A. Webber. The H.A. Webber Ledger is a handwritten business ledger recording the transactions of H. A. Webber from 1873 to 1891, especially 1879-1880. H.A. Webber was a shoemaker and also ran the Roanoke…

A Guide to the Typescripts of the Roanoke District of the Virginia Writer's Project.

This guide of the Works Progress Administration Records consists primarily of typed manuscripts about historical topics of local interest written from 1936 to 1942. While the primary focus is on the city and county of Roanoke, several documents…

A Guide to the Records of Youth Haven

This is a guide to The Youth Haven Collection, which is comprised of materials relating to the early stages of the organization from 1969 through 1972. The Collection includes 15 folders containing the organization’s founding, financial beginnings,…

Index to the Roanoker Magazine

This document is an index to the Roanoker Magazine arranged alphabetically by subject. from 1974-present.

A Guide to the Records of the Greater Raleigh Court Civic League

This items is a guide to the records of the Greater Raleigh Court Civic League. The Greater Raleigh Court Civic League Records (now Raleigh Court Neighborhood Association) document the neighborhood organization formed in 1978 to protect and further…

Roanoke Times Index - April 1923-June 1924

Partial scan of the Virginia Room's Roanoke Times Index composed by library staff over many years.

Roanoke Times Index - July 1924-December 1925

Partial scan of the Virginia Room's Roanoke Times Index composed by library staff over many years.

Roanoke Times Obituary Index: 1951-1954

An index of obituaries from the Roanoke Times for the years 1951-1954. Please note that the following months and years are not included: February-December 1951; February-June 1952.

A Guide to the Brickey Bible Papers

A guide to the Brickey Bible Papers, which consists of an 1815 leather-bound Bible, Brickey Family genealogical materials compiled by members of the family, photographs and other materials related to the Brickey Family.

A Guide to the William Hubard Papers

This is a guide to the William Hubard Papers, which consist of genealogical research compiled by William Stebbins Hubbard. Included are official records, family files consisting of a variety of items, such as descendancy charts, photocopies from…

A Guide to the Mae Moore Papers

The Mae Moore Papers is a collection of genealogical research materials collected by Mae Dillon Moore over the course of more than 30 years. The bulk of the material relates to the Akers, Altick, Blankenship, Dillon, Ferguson, Greer, Perdue and…

Davis Portrait Inventory

This is an alphabetical inventory of portraits included in the Davis Photographic Collection. Group portraits of companies and organizations are included, but individuals in group portraits are not identified. Dates were provided where known. …

A Guide to the SAR Fincastle Resolutions Chapter Records

This is a guide to the records of the Sons of the American Revolution, Fincastle Resolutions Chapter Records. This collection consists of records of the Sons of the American Revolution Fincastle Resolutions Chapter beginning in 1967 through 2009,…

Roanoke Times Obituary Index: 1960-1965

Obituary Index for the Roanoke Times from January 1960-December 1965.

Roanoke Times Obituary Index: 1923-1950

Partial obituary index for the Roanoke Times from 1923-1950. Also includes limited listings from the Roanoke Daily News beginning in 1890.

A Guide to the Anita M. Cranford Collection

The Anita M. Cranford Collection consists of Ms. Cranford's genealogical research on the Myers, (von) Rieppel and Morsack families. In addition to family charts, there are a number of original photographs of various family members.

A Guide to the Clifton A. Woodrum Collection

The is a guide to the the Clifton A. Woodrum Collection. This collection consists of one record storage box of material, presumably collected by Woodrum over the course of his life. It is known that at least some of the material was collected by…

A Guide to the Howell Family Genealogical Collection

This is a guide to the Howell Family Genealogical Collection. The Howell Family Genealogical Collection consists of research materials documenting the John and Mary Howell Family of Aberystwyth, Wales who settled in Virginia and their descendants.…

A Guide to the Science Fiction Fantasy Fanzine Collection

This collection consists of 1 document storage case of materials related to Roanoke Valley sci-fi fantasy fanzines. Included are issues of the Jinnia Clan Journal, Jinnia Clan Journal Junior, Wyrd, Overflow, and Marturian. Programs from early…

A Guide to the Harry E. Silcox Genealogical Collection

This is a guide to the Harry E. Silcox Genealogical Collection. The collection consists of one document storage case containing 11 folders. Some of the material included in the collection is correspondence, family group records, handwritten notes,…

Index to the Journal of the Historical Society of Western Virginia

This document is a subject index to the Journal of the Historical Society of Western Virginia. Originally called the Journal of the Roanoke Historical Society, on February 15, 1972, the Historical Society changed its name to the Roanoke Valley…

A Guide to the Hazel Harvey Genealogical Collection

This is a guide to the Hazel Harvey Genealogical Collection. The Hazel Harvey Genealogical Collection contains research about the Bradford, Graham, Vaden, and related families of Montgomery and Roanoke Counties and the surrounding area. The notes,…

Floyd Press Obituary Index: 1944-1990

This document is an alphabetical listing of nearly 10,000 obituaries printed in the Floyd Press from 1944-1990. The Floyd Press is available on microfilm in the Virginia Room for these years.

A Guide to the George E. Wade Collection

This is a guide to the George E. Wade Collection. The collection conists ofpersonal notes, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, business receipts, photographs, postcards, programs, and historical artifacts which are largely from the Roanoke area.…

A Guide to the Raleigh Court Elementary School Scrapbook Collection

This is a guide to the Raleigh Court Elementary School Scrapbook Collection. The Raleigh Court Elementary School scrapbook collection consists of scrapbooks from each school year or range of years from 1960-1996, with some years missing. Scrapbooks…

A Guide to the Papers of the Spade and Trowel Garden Club

This is a guide to the Papers of the Spade and Trowel Garden Club, which consists of organizational records throughout the club’s existence. Records in this collection include meeting minutes, treasurer’s reports, club yearbooks, news clippings,…

A Guide to the Papers of D. Saylor Good

This is a guide to the Papers of D. Saylor Good which primarily contains correspondence. Good wrote letters to members of his extended family throughout the country in an effort to trace the following ancestors: William Good (Guth, Goode), Jacob…

Roanoke Times/World News Scrapbook Index

This index was compiled from a number of scrapbooks of Roanoke Times and Roanoke World News articles maintained by library staff over many years. Articles are arranged roughly under various subject headings and include the date and edition of the…

A Guide to the Valley Beautiful Foundation Records Collection

This is a guide to the Valley Beautiful Foundation Records Collection. The Valley Beautiful Foundation was organized in 1981 in order to promote the beautification of the Roanoke Valley. It set about its goal by planting trees in the city,…

A Guide to the Valley Baptist Association Women’s Auxiliary Collection

This is a guide to the Valley Baptist Association Women's Auxiliary Collection. The Valley Baptist Association Women’s Auxiliary Collection consists of materials related to the organization’s history, mission work, and programs. Included are…

Index to Raymond Barnes News Articles

This is an index of articles written by Raymond Barnes for the Roanoke World News. Barnes' feature articles, entitled "Echoes of Roanoke", ran from 1958-1969 and covered an array of historical topics related to the Roanoke Valley.

A Guide to the Urban Renewal Collection of Mary Bishop

This collection is housed in three record storage boxes. Content consists of all of Mary Bishop’s research for “Street by Street, Block by Block: How Urban Renewal Uprooted Black Roanoke”. The collection is arranged into four series:
• Series I:…

A Guide to the County of Roanoke Circuit Court Annexation Records Collection

This is a guide to the County of Roanoke Circuit Court Annexation Records Collection, This record collection consists of 2 record storage boxes containing transcripts of court proceedings for the 1974 Roanoke Valley consolidated annexation case. …

E. Marvin Raney Collection Index

This index includes surnames found in the E. Marvin Raney Collection. The majority of Raney's research focuses on the families of Bedford and Franklin Counties, though surnames from other counties are represented. Raney worked extensively with Mae…

Roanoke Times Obituary Index: 1955-1959

An index of obituaries from the Roanoke Times for the years 1955-1959.

Roanoke Times Obituary Index: 1960-1965

An index of Roanoke Times obituaries for the years 1960-1965.

A Guide to the William Trippeer Genealogical Collection

The William Trippeer Genealogical Collection is housed in 2 record storage boxes. The main families included in this collection are Nelms, Dameron, Dickenson, Berger, Trippeer, Mowbray, Edwards, Gaeb, and Fenimore. Materials which comprise the…

A Guide to the Mary Burks Dean Collection

This collection consists of 6 record storage boxes of genealogical information compiled by Mary Burks Dean over the course of many years. Included is research on her ancestral lines as well as those of others. The information herein is arranged as…

A Guide to the Giles County Poll Books Collection, 1809-1923

This is a guide to the poll books of Giles County, which cover the years 1809-1923. Poll books contain election returns for local, state, and national government; votes on state issues include infrastructure improvements to bridges, roads, the…

A Guide to the Giles County Tithe Books Collection

This a guide to the Tithe books for Giles County, which cover the time period of 1820-1845. The tithe books were entitled “Tithe Book” or “List of Taxable Property” or “List of Revenue.” Tithes were small taxes or assessments that were collected…

A Guide to the Dudley Family Genealogical Collection

Materials included in the Dudley Family Genealogical Collection were compiled by Naoma Dudley Slone in two three-ring binders with photographs compiled in a separate album. The primary focus of Mrs. Slone’s research relates to the Dudley and allied…

A Guide to the Fortnightly Club Records Collection

The Fortnightly Club Records Collection consists of records created by the club since it was founded in 1913 as a literary club for women in the Roanoke Valley. Materials include yearbooks, meeting minutes, program materials, scrapbooks,…

A Guide to the Pan Philian Club Records Collection

The Pan Philian Club Records collection consists of records generated by the club from its inception in 1920 through the 1960s. Records include meeting minutes, correspondence, news clippings, programs, and projects. Materials are arranged…

A Guide to the Dorothy Gibboney Collection

The Dorothy Gibboney Collection consists of materials collected by Gibboney from 1966-1980. Materials include correspondence, news clippings, awards, photographs, and programs and speaking engagements. Most of the correspondence was received during…

A Guide to the Glenna Garner Collection

The Glenna Garner Collection is arranged into two series: Series I contains research compiled by family groups arranged alphabetically by surname; Series II contains records arranged alphabetically by document type. Series I focuses on Glenna…

A Guide to the Virginia Cooper Papers

The Virginia Cooper papers consist of records, publications and research notes pertaining to Revolutionary War patriot William Faris of Cumberland and Roanoke Counties, Virginia, son Benjamin Faris and their families. The collection includes…

A Guide to the Junior League of the Roanoke Valley Records Collection

The Junior League of the Roanoke Valley (JLRV) Records Collection consists of materials generated by the League throughout its existence. Items include administrative documents, annual reports, new clippings, newsletters, information regarding JLRV…

A Guide to the David H. Steinberg Streetcar Manuscripts

The collection consists of 1 box containing 12 folders. Included in the box are the original manuscript and photocopies of the typed 318 pages, photocopies of trolley photographs, and correspondence about the collection. The manuscript compilation…

A Guide to the Marsteller Corporation Records Collection

The Marsteller Corporation Records Collection contains acknowledgements of orders placed for grave markers. Orders in this collection begin in 1911 and continue through 1960; missing orders include the years 1915 and 1916, 1920-1924, 1938-1941…

A Guide to the Burton-Neighbors Addenda

The Burton/Neighbors Addenda Collection is comprised of materials related to families, landowners, and soldiers from the Botetourt County area. The collection includes a spiral bound notebook, 1 journal publication, loose leaf documents and newspaper…

Historic Garden Week in Virginia Homes Index

An index to homes from Roanoke, Salem, and the surrounding areas profiled in Historic Garden Week in Virginia, 1938-2010.

Roanoke Valley Real Estate Multiple Listings Service Photograph Collection

This is a guide to photographs included in the Roanoke Real Estate Multiple Listings Service Photograph Collection. Photos include many Roanoke Valley homes on the market or new construction between 1989 and 1999. All photos are single family…

A Guide to the Manuscripts of Grady Garrett

The Manuscripts of Grady Garrett consists of 12 reels of microfilm containing genealogical research on families of Virginia and North Carolina.

A Guide to the Smith-Riffe Collection

The Smith-Riffe Collection represents a half century of
genealogical and local history research in the New River counties of southern West Virginia and adjacent Virginia.

A Guide to the Evelyn Bodine Collection

This collection consists of genealogical research compiled by Evelyn Ashworth Bodine. Ms. Bodine compiled records on a number of surnames, primarily Ashworth, Bodine, Burgess, Ferguson-Phelps, Hiett, and Thornton-Gadd. Each folder included on the…

Interments in Old Lick, First Baptist Church, and City Farm Cemeteries, 1912-1960

This is a guide to a collection of death certificates of individuals buried in Old Lick, First Baptist Church, and City Farm cemeteries beginning with the earliest available certificates in 1912 and concluding with 1960 when burials at the cemeteries…

A Guide to the Sonny Boyd Collection

This collection consists of genealogical research compiled by Charles “Sonny” Everette Boyd, Jr. Surnames most frequently researched include Hardaway, Harvey, Livesay, Elam, and Tucker. Box one contains legal sized pedigree charts arranged…

A Guide to the Virginia Room Map and Oversized Materials Collection

This is a guide to the Virginia Room Map Collection, including oversized documents, architectural drawings, and original newspapers. Most Virginia Counties and Cities are included, as well as some areas of surrounding states. If you are interested…

A Guide to the Fred and Katherine Settle Wright Genealogical Collection

This collection consists of two record storage boxes of genealogical research compiled by the Wrights on a number of families. Contents are arranged alphabetically by surname as they were kept by the Wrights. The majority of surnames herein have…

A Guide to the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation Records

This collection consists of seven record storage boxes of materials generated and collected by the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation (RVPF). The type of material is arranged into the following series: Series I includes organizational records and…

A Guide to the Southwestern Virginia Genealogical Society Records

This collection consists of records generated by the Southwestern Virginia Genealogical Society. Included are administrative records and pedigree charts. In addition, issues of Virginia Appalachian Notes were originally included with the…

A Guide to the Starkey School Collection

The collection consists of one document storage case. It holds information regarding the history of the Starkey School, Starkey Village, and material related to the Starkey School Reunions held in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015. Historical…

A Guide to the Roanoke Committee of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the Commonwealth of Virginia Collection

The collection includes information primarily from the 1950s into the early 1970s, as inherited, collected, and retained by Katherine T. Ellett. The bulk of the collection was amassed by Ellett during her chairmanship of the committee, beginning in…

A Guide to the Williamson Road Woman's Club Collection

The collection consists of one record storage box and three flat storage boxes. It is located in the Special Collections of the Virginia Room.
The collection includes club-related documents from its founding in 1952 through its dissolution in 2005.…

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