Guernsey County, Ohio Genealogy
Guide to Guernsey County, Ohio ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Guernsey County, Ohio | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Ohio | |
 Location of Ohio in the U.S. | |
| Courthouse | |
 | |
| Address | Guernsey County Administration Building 801 E. Wheeling Ave Cambridge, Ohio 43725 Guernsey County Website |
|---|---|
Contents
- 1 Guernsey County, Ohio Record Dates
- 2 Places/Localities
- 3 Resources
- 3.1 Bible Records
- 3.2 Biography
- 3.3 Business Records and Commerce
- 3.4 Cemeteries
- 3.5 Census
- 3.6 Church Records
- 3.7 Court Records
- 3.8 Emigration and Immigration
- 3.9 Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups
- 3.10 Gazetteers
- 3.11 Genealogy
- 3.12 Guardianship
- 3.13 History
- 3.14 Land and Property
- 3.15 Maps
- 3.16 Military
- 3.17 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 3.18 Newspapers
- 3.19 Obituaries
- 3.20 Pensions
- 3.21 Periodicals
- 3.22 Probate
- 3.23 Repositories
- 3.24 Taxation
- 3.25 Vital Records
- 4 Websites
- 5 References
Guernsey County, Ohio Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1867 | 1810 | 1867 | 1810 | 1802 | 1812 | 1820 |
- Parent Counties: Formed from Belmont and Muskingum Counties 31 January 1810.[2]
- County Seat: Cambridge
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named for the Isle of Guernsey in the English Channel, where many of the county's early settlers came from. It's county seat is Cambridge and was founded January 31, 1810. It is located in the South-eastern area of the state.[3]
Places/Localities[edit | edit source]
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county: [4]
| Cities | ||
|
||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Tuscarawas County • Harrison County • Belmont County • Noble County • Muskingum County • Coshocton County
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating Ohio county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Ohio County Boundary Maps" (1788-1888) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
For an extensive list of resources for Bible Records see Ohio Bible Records.
Biography[edit | edit source]
There is a list of biographies and biographical sketches on the Family History Library CATALOG. Some of the books have digital versions and some are on film. Films may be able to be viewed at the local FamilySearch Center.
Business Records and Commerce[edit | edit source]
Family History Library CATALOG lists a book about peddlers licences and fees on film that can be ordered online and viewed at the local FamilySearch Center. Other records may be added in the future.
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.
| Online Grave Transcripts | Published Grave Transcripts | County Cemetery Directories |
| Family History Library | ||
| WorldCat | ||
| Billion Graves | ||
| OHGenWeb | ||
| OHGenWeb Tombstone Photos | ||
| See Ohio Cemeteries for more information. | ||
Census[edit | edit source]
Family History Library CATALOG 1850
Family History Library CATALOG 1880 Index
Family History Library CATALOG 1900 Index
Family History Library CATALOG 1910 Index
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Ohio denominations, view the Ohio Church Records wiki page.
FamilySearch Catalog Church History
FamilySearch Catalog Church Records
Finding More Church Records[edit source]
Additional church records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Guernsey County, Ohio Genealogy Church Records in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Family History Library CATALOG
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
African American
Snider, Wayne L. Guernsey County's Black Pioneers, patriots, and Persons. - Columbus : Ohio Historical Society, 1979. FHL 977.192 F2s
Family History Library CATALOGBlack Pioneers
Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
Genealogy[edit | edit source]
Family History Library CATALOG Genealogies
Family History Library CATALOG Indexes
Family History Library CATALOG Societies
Family History Library CATALOG Societies - Indexes
Family History Library CATALOG Societies - Periodicals
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Family History Library CATALOG
History[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Guernsey County, Ohio Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Ohio Local Histories.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
- Sarchet, Cyrus P.B., History of Guernsey County, Ohio, (Indianapolis, Indiana: B.F. Bowen and Co. 1911). Digital copy at Google Books Internet Archive Volume 1: FamilySearch Digital Library; Volume 2: FamilySearch Digital Library FHL film 823731 Items 1-2
- Wolfe, William G., Stories of Guernsey County, Ohio: History of an Average Ohio County, (Cambridge, Ohio: W.G. Wolfe, 1943). Digital copy at FamilySearch Digital Library FHL film 1000316 Item 4; book 977.192 H2w
Land and Property[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Ohio Land and Property for additional information about early Ohio land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed. Family History Library CATALOG
- 1790-1907 - Bureau of Land Management database Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives
- various years - community contributed deeds Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives
Land and Property - Maps
Finding More Land Records[edit source]
Additional land records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Guernsey County, Ohio Genealogy Land and Property Records in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- FamilySearch Catalog(For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
- The Trumbull County Archives/Microfilm department has online maps and deed indexes
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of Ohio (1788-1940)
- Family Maps of Guernsey County, Ohio Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
Family History Library CATALOG
Military[edit | edit source]
- 1888-1919 - Ohio Soldier Home Records, 1888-1919 at FamilySearch — index and images
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Civil War service men from Guernsey County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Guernsey County.
- - 1st Regiment, Ohio Cavalry, Company B, also known as "Laughlin's Cavalry"
- - 97th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Companies A and B
Family History Library CATALOG
Family History Library CATALOG Civil War
World War I[edit | edit source]
- 1914-1919 - Ohio, World War I Statement of Service Cards, 1914-1919 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1914-1918 - Ohio, World War I, Enrollment Cards, 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1916-1920 - Ohio, WWI Index and Return Cards, 1916-1920 at FamilySearch — index
World War II[edit | edit source]
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- 1800-1977 - Ohio, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1977 at FamilySearch — index and images
Family History Library CATALOG
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Guernsey County, Ohio Genealogy newspapers may contain genealogical value including obituaries, births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, family gatherings, family travel, achievements, business notices, engagement information, and probate court proceedings.
To access newspapers, contact public libraries, Ohio Genealogical Society chapters, college or university libraries, the Library of Congress, Google News, or the Ohio Historical Society. The Ohio Genealogical Society Obituary Database is another source of newspaper information.
For more Ohio newspaper information see the Newspaper Guides on the wiki page Ohio Newspapers. Online Newspapers
Online Newspaper Abstracts
- various years - Newspaper articles Clippings, articles and stories of Guernesy County. Courtesy OhioGenWeb
Newspaper Extracts and Abstracts in Book Form
Family History Library CATALOG Indexes
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Pensions[edit | edit source]
Family History Library CATALOG
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate[edit | edit source]
Probate records created after 1852 are held by the Guernsey County, Ohio Genealogy Probate Court. From 1797 or the creation of the county, probate records were held by the Court of Common Pleas. Most counties transferred all records to the Probate Court, but in some circumstances, Court of Common Pleas records should be searched for records prior to 1852. Most records are housed at the Guernsey County, Ohio Genealogy Courthouse. Some records are on microfilm at the Ohio Genealogical Society and the Family History Library. For more complete information about the location of county probate records see:
- Carol Willsey Bell, Ohio Wills and Estates to 1850: An Index (1981). Carol Willsey Bell, Ohio Wills and Estates to 1850: An Index (Columbus, Ohio: the author, 1981).FamilySearch Digital Library - Free online copy.
See the wiki page Ohio Probate Records for information about how to use probate records.
Content: Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
Record types: Wills, estates, guardianships, naturalizations, marriage, adoption, and birth and death records (1867-1908 only).
Online Probate Records
- 1786 - 1998 Ohio Wills and Probate Records 1786-1998 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1789 - 1996 Ohio Probate Records 1789-1996 at FamilySearch.org — images
- 1790–1967 - Ohio, Probate Records, 1790-1967 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free. This collection consists of probate records and estate files from county courthouses in Ohio. The content and time period varies by county, with more records being added as they become available. This Collection will include records from 1789 to 1996. Currently, (September 2012) the collection is only searchable by browsing the images. A list of Fires that have destroyed records in the courthouses of several counties are listed on the Record Description page.
- various years - Greene County will index Courtesy OhioGenWeb
- various years - community contributed wills Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives
Family History Library CATALOG
Family History Library CATALOG Indexes
Finding More Probate Records[edit source]
Additional probate records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Guernsey County, Ohio Genealogy Probate Records in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
Repositories[edit | edit source]
Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Guernsey County Courhouse
801 Wheeling Avenue
Cambridge, OH 43725-2335
Phone: 740.432.9230
Clerk Court has divorce records from 1850 and court records
from 1810; Probate Judge has birth, marriage, and probate
records; County Recorder has land records City-County Health
Department has death records[5]
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes.
- For current information about a center near you, go to the Family History Center Map
Zanesville Ohio Family History Center
For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the FHC directory. Put your town name in the top search box.
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Online Genealogy Research Groups[edit | edit source]
- U.S. Midwest Genealogy Research Community - FamilySearch Facebook Research Group
- Ohio Ancestors - FamilySearch Community group, must have a free FamilySearch account to join
- U.S. and Canada Genealogy Research - FamilySearch Community group, must have a free FamilySearch account to join
Taxation[edit | edit source]
- 1800-1950 - Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850 at FamilySearch — index and images
Family History Library CATALOG Finding More Tax Records
Additional tax records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Guernsey County, Ohio Genealogy Tax Records in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Although Ohio enacted a statute in 1856 -1857 requiring registration of births, deaths and marriages, many counties did not comply. A second law was written in 1867 but, again, was not always followed. By 1908, the law was more clearly defined and kept. Any existing birth and death records from 1867 through December 19, 1908 are located at the Guernsey County, Ohio Genealogy Probate Court. The Ohio Department of Health has birth records filed after December 20, 1908 and death records filed after January 1, 1954 while the Ohio Historical Society houses death records from December 20, 1908 through December 31, 1953.
Original marriage records are held at the office of the Guernsey County, Ohio Genealogy Probate Court with divorce records located with the Guernsey County, Ohio Genealogy Clerk of Courts.
See also How to order Ohio Vital Records or order vital records electronically online.
Birth[edit | edit source]
Online Birth Indexes and Records
- 1841-2003 - Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003 at FamilySearch — index and images
Original Birth Records on Microfilm
Marriage[edit | edit source]
Online Marriage Indexes and Records
- 1789-2013 - Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1800-1958 - Ohio, Marriages, 1800-1958 at FamilySearch – free; Index.
- 1800-1942 - Ohio, Marriages, 1800-1942 at FamilySearch — index
- 1895 - 1895 marriage licenses extracted from the Cambridge Daily Jeffersonian. Courtesy OhioGenWeb
- various years - community contributed marriage records Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives
Original Marriage Records on Microfilm
Death[edit | edit source]
Online Death Indexes and Records
- Family History Library CATALOG
- Family History Library CATALOG Indexes
- 1840-2001 - Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1908-1953 - Ohio Statewide Death Certificates
- various years - community contributed marriage records Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives
Finding More Vital Records
Additional vital records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Guernsey County, Ohio Genealogy Vital Records in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
Original Death Records on Microfilm
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Family History Library Catalog for Guernsey County, Ohio
- The Guernsey County OHGenWeb Project
- Guernsey County, OH History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- Guernsey County OH Genealogy
- Ohio Genealogy Network Community on Google+
- Ohio Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- The USGenWeb Archives Project Guernsey County Ohio (main site)
- The USGenWeb Archives Project Guernsey County Ohio (mirror site)
- Linkpedium Guernsey County Genealogy and Family History
- Kindred Trails for Guernsey County Genealogy
- CensusFinder for Guernsey County, Ohio
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Guernsey County, Ohio. Page 540-547 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 531-533.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), [FHL book 973 D27e 2002].
- ↑ http://genealogytrails.com/ohio/guernsey/ accessed 2/16/2017
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Guernsey County, Ohio," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guernsey_County,_Ohio, accessed 11 December 2018.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Guernsey County, Ohio. Page 542 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
