Summit County, Ohio Genealogy
Guide to Summit County, Ohio ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
Coordinates: 41.13°0′N 81.53°0′W / 41.13°N 81.53°W
Summit County, Ohio | |
Map | |
Location in the state of Ohio | |
![]() Location of Ohio in the U.S. | |
Courthouse | |
Address | Summit County Courthouse 209 S High St. Akron, Ohio 44308 Summit County Website |
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Contents
- 1 Historical Facts
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biography
- 2.3 Business Records and Commerce
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census and Directories
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.9 Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups
- 2.10 Funeral Homes
- 2.11 Gazetteers
- 2.12 Genealogy
- 2.13 History
- 2.14 Land and Property
- 2.15 Maps
- 2.16 Military
- 2.17 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.18 Newspapers
- 2.19 Obituaries
- 2.20 Periodicals
- 2.21 Probate
- 2.22 Public Records
- 2.23 Repositories
- 2.24 Schools
- 2.25 Taxation
- 2.26 Vital Records
- 3 Websites
- 4 References
Historical Facts
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*For earlier dates, try... Church | Obituaries | Cemeteries |
Description
The county was named for: The highest elevation on the Ohio and Erie Canal is located in the county. It's county seat is Akron and was founded March 3, 1840. It is located in the North-central area of the state.[1]
Populated Places
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: [2]
Cities | ||
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Villages | ||
Unincorporated communities | ||
Census-designated places | ||
Townships | ||
Neighboring Counties
Cuyahoga County • Geauga County • Portage County • Stark County • Wayne County • Medina County
Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Ohio county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Ohio County Boundary Maps" (1788-1940) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
Resources
Bible Records
Biography
Business Records and Commerce
Cemeteries
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 Tombstone Photos | ||
See Ohio Cemeteries for more information. |
- Bath Township Cemeteries
- Locust Grove Cemetery
- Many cemetery records for Summit County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see topic details.
A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:
Ohio, Summit County, Coroner Inquests, Hospital and Cemetery Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
Census and Directories
- 1840 United States Federal Census $
- United States Census (Mortality Schedule), 1850
- United States Census 1850
- U. S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 $
- United States Census, 1860
- United States Census 1860
- 1860 United States Federal Census $
- United States Census, 1870
- United States Census 1870
- 1880 United States Federal Census $
- United States Census, 1880
- United States Census 1880
- 1890 Veterans Schedule $
- United States Census, 1900
- United States Census 1900
- 1910 United States Federal Census $
- United States Census, 1920
- 1930 United States Federal Census $
- U. S. City Directories for Akron 1889-1899, 1938-1939 $
- U. S. City Directories for Akron; Barberton, Cuyahoga Falls, 1938-1939 $
- U. S. City Directories in Akron, Portage Lake; Barberton: 1941 $
- Historic Akron City Directories
Church Records
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.
- LDS Ward and Branch Records
- Akron
- Tallmadge Church (dedicated in 1825)
- Barberton Churches
- Churches near Summit County, Ohio
- Summit County Ohio Churches
Finding Church Records at Other Repositories
Additional church records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Summit County, Ohio Church Records in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
Court Records
- The Records Project, Summit County Public Record Information Online
- Summit County, Ohio Free Public Records Directory
- Many court records for Summit County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see [[Many court records for Summit County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see topic details.
- Many guardianship records for Summit County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see topic details.
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
Gazetteers
Genealogy
Summit County Ohio has a great chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society
History
Local histories are available for Summit 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
- Doyle, William B., Centennial History of Summit County, Ohio: and Representative Citizens, (Chicago, Illinois: Biographical Pub. Co., 1908). Digital copy at Google Books Internet Archive FamilySearch Books Online FHL film 1000344 Item 2; book 977.136 H2d
- Perrin, William Henry, History of Summit: With an Outline Sketch of Ohio, (Chicago, Illinois: Baskin and Bettey, 1881). Digital copy at Google Books Internet Archive FamilySearch Books Online FHL film 1000343 Item 4; book 977.136 H2p
- Bierce, Lucius Verus, Historical Reminiscences of Summit County. (Akron, Ohio: T. and H.G. Canfield, 1854). Digital copy at Google Books FamilySearch Books Online FHL fiche 6049134; book 977.136 H2b
- Fifty Year Club, Summit County Looks Back Through 100 Years: An Historical Review of Akron and Summit County; 1840-1940, (Akron, Ohio: Fifty Year Club, 1940). FHL film 1320898 Item 16; book 977.136 H2s
- Grismer, Karl Hiram, Akron and Summit County, (Akron, Ohio: Summit County Historical Society, 1952). Digital copy at FamilySearch Books Online FHL book 977.136 H2g
- Kenfield, Scott Dix, Akron and Summit County, Ohio, 1825-1929, (Chicago, Illinois: S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1928). Digital copy of volume 1 (volume 2 and 3 are biographical) at FamilySearch Books Online FHL film 1000345 Items 2-4; book 977.136 H2k v. 1-3
- The Formation of Summit County, Ohio
- Historical Collections of Ohio by Henry Howe Vol. II 1888
- Summit County History and Information
- Akron Women's History
- Cuyahoga Falls History
- Discover the Heritage of Summit County, Ohio
- Summit Co., Ohio Biographies
- Histories of Specific Towns and Townships
Land and Property
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.
- Summit County, Ohio, Land Patents
- Land Patent Search
- U. S. General Land Office Records, 1797-1907, Ohio, Summit $
- Many land records for Summit County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see topic details.
Finding More Land Records
Additional land records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Summit 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
- Maps of Ohio (1788-1940)
- Summit County Map 1856
- 1872 Topographical Atlas
- Combination Atlas Map of Summit County, 1874
- Akron
- Map of Summit County, Ohio
- Atlas and Industrial Geography of Summit County, 1910
- Akron Plat Map, 1915
- Plat Book of Akron, 1921
- Many maps for Summit County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see [[Many maps for Summit County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see topic details.
Military
- 1888-1919 - Ohio Soldier Home Records, 1888-1919 at FamilySearch — index and images
Revolutionary War
- Soldiers of the American Revolution, buried in or said to be buried in Summit County, Ohio
Civil War
- Civil War Pension Index Cards
- Civil War Soldiers Buried in Summit County
- Civil War (scanned documents, photos)
- List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883 in Summit County
- Civil War service men from Summit 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 Summit County.
- 1st Regiment, Ohio Light Artillery, Battery D
- 104th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Company H
- 107th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Company I
World War I
World War II
- U. S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 $
- U. S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 $
- States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
- World War II Casualties
- Soldiers buried in Unmarked Graves in Summit County
Naturalization and Citizenship
- 1800-1977 - Ohio, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1977 at FamilySearch — index and images
- The Summit County Clerk of Courts has placed online an index and actual images of 1850 - 1991 Naturalization Records
- Many naturalization and citizenship records for Summit County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see topic details.
Newspapers
Summit 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
Newspaper Extracts and Abstracts in Book Form
- Akron Beacon Journal Subject Indexes 1841- 1939 Summit County, Ohio Newspapers
- Akron Beacon Journal Obituary Indexes 1937 to present
- Obituares Akron Beacon Journal (only 1 year of past obituaries held online)
- Aurora Advocate
- Bedford Times-Register
- Cuyahoga Falls News-Press
- Gateway News
- Hudson Hub Times
- Mapel Heights Press
- The News Leader
- The Record Courier
- Stow Sentry
- The Tallmadge Express
- Twinsburg Bulletin
Obituaries
Periodicals
Probate
Probate records created after 1852 are held by the Summit 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 Summit 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). [3] FamilySearch Books Online - 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.
- Many probate records for Summit County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see topic details.
Finding More Probate Records
Additional probate records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Summit 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).
Public Records
Repositories
Courthouse
Summit County Courthouse
53 University Avenue
Akron, OH 44301
Phone: 330.643.2900
County Recorder has land records from 1840
Probate Court has birth, marriage, death and
probate records[4]
Family History Centers
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. See family history center for more information. Search the online FHC directory for a nearby 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
- Libraries
- Akron-Summit County Public Library
- Special Collections
- Summit Memory
- Digital Library
- Libraries, Museums, Archives
- Herrick Memorial Library
Museums
Societies
The Connecticut Western Reserve was a part of northeast Ohio originally intended for settlement by Revolutionary War refugees from Connecticut.[5] The former Connecticut Western Reserve lands were in the modern counties of Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Huron, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Trumbull fully, but also in parts of Ashland, Mahoning, Ottawa, Summit, and Wayne counties in Ohio.The Research Library at the Western Reserve Historical Society History Center is the premier repository for Cleveland, Ohio and Connecticut Western Reserve history material. One of the principal strengths is its manuscript collections.[6] The WRHS collection has original land records, genealogies of New England, New York, and Pennsylvania, biographies, histories, and family Bibles.[5]
Other Societies
Summit County Chapter Ohio Genealogical Society
P. O. Box 2232
Akron, OH 44309-2232
Email:info@summitogs.org
Website
- The Genealogical History of Richfield, Summit County, Ohio
- The Historical Society of Olde Northfield
- Peninsula Library & Historical Society
- Hudson Genealogical Study Group
- Hudson Library & Historical Society
- Akron Canton and Youngstown Railroad Historical Society
- Libraries, Museums, Archives
- Richfield Historical Society Summit County, Ohio
Online Genealogy Research Groups
- 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
Schools
Taxation
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. For more information see the wiki page Ohio Taxation.
- Many tax records for Summit County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see topic details.
Finding More Tax Records
Additional tax records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Summit 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
Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records
- 1800-1962 - Ohio, Births and Christenings Index, 1800-1962 at ancestry.com ($)
- 1866-1908 - Summit County, Ohio, Birth Records at ancestry.com ($)
- 1908-1964 - Ohio, Birth Index, 1908-1964 at ancestry.com ($)
Original Birth Records on Microfilm
Marriage
Online Marriage Indexes and Records
- 1789-2013 - Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1800-1958 - Ohio, Marriages, 1800-1958 at FamilySearch — free; Index.
- 1800-1942 - Ohio, Marriages, 1800-1942 at FamilySearch — index
- 1840-1980 - Summit County, Ohio, Marriage Records at ancestry.com ($)
Original Marriage Records on Microfilm
Death
Online Death Indexes and Records
- 1840-2001 - Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1866-1908 - Summit County, Ohio, Death Records at ancestry.com ($)
- 1908-1953 - Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953. Free name indexes and images at FamilySearch. Records include such information as birth date of deceased, city, county, and state of death, name of spouse if married, names of parents, maiden name of mother, name of informant, if deceased was single, married, windowed or divorced, occupation of deceased.
- 1908-1932, 1938-1944, 1958-2002 - Ohio Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2002 $
- Many vital records for Summit County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see topic details.
- 1938-Present - Death Records (1938-Current)
Finding More Vital Records
Additional vital records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Summit 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
Websites
- Summit County, OH History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- Ohio Genealogy Network Community on Google+
- Ohio Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- Summit County OH Genealogy
- FamilySearch Catalog
- Records and Research Facilities Summit County, Ohio
- UsGenWeb
- Genealogy Trails, Summit County, Ohio
- Cindy's List for Summit County, Ohio
- Histopolis Collaborative Genealogy and History
References
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Summit County, Ohio Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ohio/summit/ accessed 2/27/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Summit County, Ohio," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summit_County,_Ohio, accessed 16 January 2019.
- ↑ Carol Willsey Bell, Ohio Wills and Estates to 1850: An Index (Columbus, Ohio: the author, 1981). FamilySearch Books Online - Free online copy.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Summit County, Ohio. Page 546 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 William Dollarhide, and Ronald A. Bremer, America's Best Genealogy Resource Centers (Bountiful, UT: Heritage Quest, 1988), 89. At various repositories (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 J54d.
- ↑ Family History and Genealogical Research in Western Reserve Historical Society (accessed 11 March 2015).