Clark County, Ohio Genealogy
Guide to Clark County, Ohio ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named for General George Rogers Clark who fought Indians in Ohio in the early Nineteenth Century. It is located in the West Central area of the state.[1]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Clark County Courthouse
101 N. Limestone St.
Springfield, Ohio 45502
Phone: 937-521-1680
Clark County Website
Clark County Probate Court
50 E. Columbia Street Springfield, Ohio 45502
Phone: 937-521-1845
Email: sweldy@clarkcountyohio.gov
Clark County Probate Court
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Probate Judge has birth, marriage, death, probate and naturalization records.
Court Clerk has divorce and court records.
County Recorder has land records.[2]
Clark County, Ohio Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1867 | 1818 | 1867 | 1818 | 1818 | 1818 | 1820 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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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 | ||
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| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
For an extensive list of resources for Bible Records see Ohio Bible Records.
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1820 | 9,533 | — |
| 1830 | 13,114 | 37.6% |
| 1840 | 16,882 | 28.7% |
| 1850 | 22,178 | 31.4% |
| 1860 | 25,300 | 14.1% |
| 1870 | 32,070 | 26.8% |
| 1880 | 41,948 | 30.8% |
| 1890 | 52,277 | 24.6% |
| 1900 | 58,939 | 12.7% |
| 1910 | 66,435 | 12.7% |
| 1920 | 80,728 | 21.5% |
| 1930 | 90,936 | 12.6% |
| 1940 | 95,647 | 5.2% |
| 1950 | 111,661 | 16.7% |
| 1960 | 131,440 | 17.7% |
| 1970 | 157,115 | 19.5% |
| 1980 | 150,236 | −4.4% |
| 1990 | 147,548 | −1.8% |
| 2000 | 144,742 | −1.9% |
| 2010 | 134,083 | −7.4% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
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, see Ohio Church Records.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[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.
Clark County Recorder's Office has a searchable online index beginning in 1988. All prior land records must be searched on location at the A.B. Graham building in downtown Springfield.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for this county. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see Ohio Local Histories.
- A standard history of Springfield and Clark County, Ohio: an authentic narrative of the past… By Benjamin F. Prince. (Chicago: American Historical Society, 1922). Volume 1 online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books; Volume 2 online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive.
- The History of Clark County, Ohio: containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men… By Grace Hildy Croft. (Chicago: W.H. Beers, 1881) Online at FamilySearch Digital Library.
- 20th Century History of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens. By William Mahlon Rockel. (Chicago, Illinois Biographical Publishing Co., 1908) Online at Google Books; Internet Archive, FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Ohio Indexes at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of Ohio (1788-1940) at MapofUS.org
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
- 1888-1919 Ohio Soldier Home Records, 1888-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
Civil War
- With Diplomas of Patriotism: African American Civil War Veterans in Ohio by Amy L. Crow (Senior Thesis, The Ohio State University, 2009). This thesis uses Springfield as a case study.
World War I
- 1914-1918 Ohio, World War I, Enrollment Cards, 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
- 1914-1919 Ohio, World War I Statement of Service Cards, 1914-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
- 1916-1920 Ohio, WWI Index and Return Cards, 1916-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1800-1977 Ohio, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Clark County newspapers often contain genealogical value including obituaries, births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, family gatherings, family travel, achievements, business notices, engagement information, and probate court proceedings.
- For more online Ohio newspapers index and images, see Ohio Newspapers.
- 1793-late 1900's Newspapers at Ohio History Connection — Select county.
- 1793-2009 Ohio Newspapers, 1793-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)
- Early to late-1900's Newspapers at Ohio Memory — sort by County, City, Time Period, and more.
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- 1810s-2016 Ohio, Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center Obituary Index, 1810s-2016 at Ancestry ($) — index and images.
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
From 1797 or the creation of the county, probate records were held by the Court of Common Pleas. After 1852, records are held by the Clark County Probate Court. Records include wills, estates, guardianships, naturalizations, marriage, adoption, and birth and death records (1867-1908 only). The records may give the decedent's date of death, name of spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
See Ohio Probate Records for information about how to use probate records.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1786-1998 Ohio, Wills and Probate Records 1786-1998 at Ancestry ($) — index and images.
- 1789-1996 Ohio Probate Records 1789-1996 at FamilySearch.org — How to Use this Collection.
- Will and Probate Records at OhioGenWeb
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Ohio tax records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses before 1820 or to supplement the years between censuses. 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.
Online Tax Indexes and Records
- 1800-1850 Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850 at MyHeritage ($) — index
- 1800-1950 Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
- 1818 Tax Lists at OhioGenWeb
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Marriages were usually recorded from the formation of the county and are held at the office of the County Probate Court. Divorce records are located with the county Clerk of Courts.
Any existing birth and death records from 1867 through December 19, 1908 are located at the County Probate Court. The Ohio Department of Health has birth records filed after December 20, 1908 and death records filed after January 1, 1954, while the Ohio History Connection houses death records from December 20, 1908 through December 31, 1953.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1800-1962 Ohio, Births and Christenings Index, 1800-1962 at Ancestry ($) — Index
- 1821-1962 Ohio Births and Christenings, 1821-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
- 1841-2003 Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
- 1867-1889 Clark County Births at OhioGenWeb
- 1908-1998 Ohio, Birth Index, 1908-1998 at Ancestry ($) — Index
- 1959-1998 Ohio, Birth Index, 1959-1998 at MyHeritage - index ($)
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1789-2013 Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
- 1800-1942 Ohio Marriages, 1800-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
- 1800-1958 Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
- 1803-1900 Ohio, Compiled Marriage Index, 1803-1900 at Ancestry ($) — Index
- 1818-1865 Clark County, Ohio marriage records, 1818-1865 at Ancestry ($); book transcription.
- 1818-1929 Clark County Marriages at OhioGenWeb
- 1970-2003 Ohio, Marriages, 1970 - 2003 at MyHeritage ($) — Index
- 1970-2007 Ohio, Marriage Abstracts, 1970, 1972-2007 at Ancestry ($)
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1833-1967 Ohio, Church and Civil Deaths, 1833-1967 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1840-2001 Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
- 1854-1997 Ohio Deaths and Burials, 1854-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
- 1867 Clark County Deaths in 1867 at OhioGenWeb
- 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007 Ohio Death Index, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007 at FamilySearch– How to Use this Collection
- 1908-1932, 1938-2018 Ohio, Death Records, 1908-1932, 1938-2018 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
- 1913-1944, 1954-1963 Ohio Death Index, 1913-1944, 1954-1963 at MyHeritage ($) — index
- Death Certificates at OhioGenWeb
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1962-2007 Ohio, Divorce Abstracts, 1962-1963, 1967-1971, 1973-2007 at Ancestry ($)
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Clark County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Ohio Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Columbus Ohio Family History Center
- Dayton Ohio East Family History Center
- Champaign County Library - an affiliate library
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Clark County. For state-wide library facilities, see Ohio Archives and Libraries.
Clark County Public Library
201 South Fountain Ave
Springfield, OH 45506
937-328-6903
E-mail:askref@ccpl.lib.oh.us
Website
- Friends of the Library Genealogical Research Group
Website
- Friends of the Library Genealogical Research Group
New Carlisle Public Library
111 E Lake Avenue
New Carlisle, OH 45344
937-845-3601
Website
Fisher Family Library and Archives at the Heritage Center
Heritage Center of Clark County
117 South Fountain Ave
Springfield, OH 45502
937-324-0657
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
The Heritage Center
117 S Fountain Ave
Springfield, OH 45502
937-324-0657
Email:clarkcountyhistory@gmail.com
Website
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Clark County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Ohio Societies.
Clark County Genealogical Society
117 S Fountain Avenue
Springfield, OH
937-324-0657, ext. 230
E-mail:Clark.Gen.Soc@gmail.com
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Local Gov't Records by County at Ohio History Connection — Browse their list; records are not online.
- Custom Browse of Historical Collections at Ohio Memory — Use map or alpha bar to select county or place, then browse search options in left sidebar.
- Ohio Genealogical Society ($) - online databases
- Clark County OH Genealogy at LDSgenealogy.com
- Clark County Ohio GenWeb at OhGenWeb. It includes vital records, cemetery transcriptions, census indexes, maps, and other information provided by volunteers.
- USGW Archives, Clark County
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ http://genealogytrails.com/ohio/clark/ accessed 2/14/2017
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Ohio.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Ohio.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Clark County, Ohio," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_County,_Ohio, accessed 12 November 2018.