Ohio, Stark County Court Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States Ohio Stark County

What is in the Collection?
These records are from the Court of Common Pleas located at the Stark County Record's Center. The records include land Records and naturalization witnesses and depositions. This collection includes records for the years 1809 to 1917. This collection is being published as images become available.

The county began keeping records as soon as it was organized. The earlier records are generally handwritten. From the late 1800s printed forms were used. Information that was current at the time of the event was usually reliable. However, there was always a chance for misinformation. Errors may have occurred because of the informant’s lack of knowledge or because of transcription errors or other circumstances.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Declaration of Intent and Naturalization Petitions usually include the following:


 * Name of the immigrant
 * Country of birth
 * Date and place of arrival
 * Date of Declaration of Intent or Naturalization
 * Date and place of birth
 * Age and race
 * Last foreign residence
 * Current residence
 * Marital status
 * Name of spouse, if married
 * Maiden name of wife
 * Birth date of spouse
 * Residence of spouse
 * Names of witnesses
 * Signature of judge or court official

Land records usually contain the following:


 * Names of persons involved in transaction
 * Date of transaction
 * Amount of money exchanged
 * Legal description of land
 * Witnesses

How Do I Search the Collection?
To begin your search you will need to know:
 * The full name of your ancestor.
 * The date of the event.
 * The ancestor’s residence.

If you are looking for an immigration and do not know this information, check the 1900 census and then calculate the possible year of naturalization based on the date of immigration. The 1920 census may tell you the exact year of immigration or naturalization.

View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "County" category ⇒Select the "Record Type, Date Range and Volume" category which takes you to the images

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

What Do I Do Next?
Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. Look at the actual image of the record, if you can, to verify the information and to find additional information.

For example, you can use naturalization records to:

I Found Who I was Looking for, What Now?

 * Copy the citation below, in case you need to find this record again later.
 * Use a Probate record to identify adoptions, guardians, heirs and relatives.
 * Use a probate record to approximate a death date, then find a death certificate.
 * For earlier years, use the probate record to substitute for civil birth and death records.
 * Use the information found in the record to find church and vital records such as birth, baptism and marriage records.
 * Use the information found in the record to find immigration and land records.
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in censuses.
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family.
 * Church Records were kept years before counties began keeping records. They are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900.

I Can’t Find Who I’m Looking for, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives.
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county.
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name.
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well.
 * Check the info box above for additional FamilySearch websites and related websites that may assist you in finding similar records.

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached Wiki article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Citing this Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

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