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Ohio
Research Outline
   

Table of Contents
Records Of The Family History Library
Family History Library Catalog™
Archives And Libraries
Bible Records
Biography
Cemeteries
Census
Church Records
Court Records
Directories
Emigration And Immigration
Gazetteers
Genealogy
History
Land And Property
Maps
Military Records
Minorities
Native Races
Naturalization And Citizenship
Newspapers And Obituaries
Periodicals
Probate Records
Societies
Taxation
Vital Records
For Further Reading
Comments And Suggestions

PROBATE RECORDSLook this term up in the glossary.

Probate records were kept in all counties from the time of each county's creation. Until the establishment of separate probate courts in 1852, these records were kept in the courts of common pleas. All of these records are valuable for determining names of family members, relationships, residences, dates of deaths, and other genealogical information. Genealogists will find more information by locating the estate fileLook this term up in the glossary., sometimes known as the case file, probate packet, or loose papers, instead of looking only for a willLook this term up in the glossary.. These files include wills, settlement papers, inventoriesLook this term up in the glossary., receiptsLook this term up in the glossary., and other records pertaining to the estates.

Some probate records were recorded in books which may have carried many titles such as accountsLook this term up in the glossary., administrations, appraisalsLook this term up in the glossary., minutesLook this term up in the glossary., estates, guardianships, inventories, settlements, and so forth. The books carry references to the estate files so that they can be found in the boxes or cabinets where they are filed at the courthouse. You can obtain copies of these records by writing to the clerk of the appropriate county.

Most Ohio probate records are well indexed and are on microfilm or in published format at the Family History Library. The files date from the creation of each county to at least 1900 and sometimes to the 1970s.

An excellent statewide index to the names found in the earliest files is:

Bell, Carol Willsey. Ohio Wills and Estates to 1850: An Index. Columbus, Ohio: C.W. Bell, 1981. (FHL book 977.1 P22b; film 1035679 item 5; fiche 6051289.)

Probate records are listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under OHIO, [COUNTY] - PROBATE RECORDS.


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SOCIETIESLook this term up in the glossary.

Some societies generate unpublished indexes of local records, genealogies, cemetery transcriptions and other records. Some may publish lists of members, yearbooksLook this term up in the glossary., ancestor lists, or surname indexes which may be listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:

OHIO, [COUNTY] - SOCIETIESOHIO, [COUNTY] - GENEALOGY

For Ohio genealogical and historical societies which have records and services to help you with your research, see the “Archives and Libraries,” “Church Records,” and “Periodicals” sections of this outline. Many counties also have local historical and genealogical societies. You can find local society addresses by using directories cited in the “Societies” section of the United States Research Outline (30972).


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TAXATIONLook this term up in the glossary.

Ohio tax records can help you trace families moving through Ohio during the early years when Ohio was a crossroads of the Old Northwest. These records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses before 1820 or to supplement the years between censuses.

Real property tax listsLook this term up in the glossary. contain the owner's name, the location (section/range/township) of the property, the number of acres owned, and the types of buildings on the land. Land purchased from the federal government was not taxable for five years. As a result, many persons living in the Congress LandsLook this term up in the glossary. (see the “Land and Property” section of this outline) will not appear on tax lists until the year their land became taxable.

Because only persons who owned taxable property were listed, many residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties.

Tax records continue to the present-day and are at county courthouses. Tax duplicates are at the Ohio Historical Society.

The Family History Library has microfilms for existing tax records for Ohio before 1838. Tax records from 1801 to 1814 are listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under OHIO - TAXATION. Existing county tax records from 1816 to 1838 are listed under OHIO, [County] - TAXATION.

There are also several published statewide indexes, such as those for 1800 to 1810, 1804, 1810, 1812, 1825, and 1835. These are listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under OHIO - TAXATION and OHIO - TAXATION INDEXES.

While these indexes are helpful tools to find ancestors, be aware that some counties may be missing entirely from the indexes.

For an inventory of tax records up to 1969, see:

Tax Records of Ohio Counties: A Register of Contents of the Collection Microfilmed at the Ohio Historical Society Library in 1968. Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1969. (FHL film 599499 item 9.)

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