West Virginia became the 35th state on 20 June 1863 in the midst of the Civil War. Until that time, it was part of the state of Virginia. If you suspect that your ancestors were living in that area before West Virginia was granted statehood, be mindful of where records might be located today.
Here are some free online resources for family historians:
Hackers Creek Pioneer Descendants, Inc.
Kanawha County Public Library – Genealogy Resources
Lewis County, West Virginia Genealogy, History & Facts
Library of Virginia – West Virginia records (may only be in microfilm format, but you might find something not available in West Virginia)
Marshall University – Libraries
New Horizons Genealogy – West Virginia
Online West Virginia Death Records & Indexes
West Virginia Archives & History – Genealogy Corner
West Virginia Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies –RAOGK
West Virginia Genealogy Trails
West Virginia Historical Society
West Virginia History & Genealogy
West Virginia Library Commission
West Virginia Marriage Records
West Virginia Memory Project
West Virginia University Collections
West Virginia Wesleyan College – Digital Collections