Richland County, Ohio Genealogy
Guide to Richland County, Ohio ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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County Information
Description
Richland County was named for the fertile soil found there.[3] The county is located in the north-central area of the state.[4]
County Courthouse
Richland County Courthouse
50 Park Ave E
Mansfield, OH 44902-1850
Phone: 419-524-2538
Richland County Website
Clerk Court has divorce and court records from 1815;
Probate Judge has marriage and probate records;
County recorder has land records[5]
Richland County, Ohio Record Dates
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 |
| 1856 | 1813 | 1890 | 1815 | 1814 | 1813 | 1820 |
Record Loss
| In January 1969, the 1873 Richland County Court House in Mansfield was scheduled to be demolished. The early court records were kept in the attic and large portions were already heavily damaged by roof repairs and poor environmental conditions. Before the full demolition began, construction workers were instructed to burn or otherwise destroy records in the attic. Various community members received permission from the county commissioners to remove the remaining historical records. These records were then kept in private collections until their donation to local genealogical or historical societies. Other records and ledgers were saved and sold by antique dealers, some of which were also later donated. The Mansfield News-Journal documents the progress and details of the demolition, which occurred January through April 1969. |
Boundary Changes
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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: [8]
| Cities | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Townships | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
For an extensive list of resources for Bible Records see Ohio Bible Records.
Biographies
- Baughman, Abraham J., A centennial biographical history of Richland County, Ohio (Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Co.; 1901). Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books, HathiTrust.
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1820 | 9,169 | — |
| 1830 | 24,006 | 161.8% |
| 1840 | 44,532 | 85.5% |
| 1850 | 30,879 | −30.7% |
| 1860 | 31,158 | 0.9% |
| 1870 | 32,516 | 4.4% |
| 1880 | 36,306 | 11.7% |
| 1890 | 38,072 | 4.9% |
| 1900 | 44,289 | 16.3% |
| 1910 | 47,667 | 7.6% |
| 1920 | 55,178 | 15.8% |
| 1930 | 65,902 | 19.4% |
| 1940 | 73,853 | 12.1% |
| 1950 | 91,305 | 23.6% |
| 1960 | 117,761 | 29.0% |
| 1970 | 129,997 | 10.4% |
| 1980 | 131,205 | 0.9% |
| 1990 | 126,137 | −3.9% |
| 2000 | 128,852 | 2.2% |
| 2010 | 124,475 | −3.4% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
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, see Ohio Church Records.
- 1765-1947 Ohio, Church and Civil Births and Baptisms, 1765-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; selected counties, incomplete; includes, death, church, and cemetery records
- 1846-1953 Ohio, Richland County, Minister's License records, 1846-1953 at; Scroll to Film/Digital Notes, then select the camera icon to view images.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Catholic
- 1796-2004 Ohio, Diocese of Toledo, Catholic Parish Records, 1796-2004 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images.
Court Records
- 1814-1828 Records of the Supreme Court for the County of Richland (Ohio), 1814-1828. FS Catalog book 977.128 P2n.
- 1820-1852 Court records, 1820-1852(*) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1852-1886 Journals 1852-1886, Richland County, Ohio(*) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
- 1897-1990 Richland County Clerk of the Courts, civil, and criminal cases, 1897-1990.
- 1909 onward Richland County Public Health Office of Vital Statistics, Mansfield, births and deaths since 1909.
- Richland County Recorder land records, DD-214 military discharges, veterans graves.
- Richland County Coroner suspicious or unusual deaths.
- Richland County Probate Court adoptions, birth, guardianships, mental commitments, name changes, probates and wills.
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
- Farm journal farmers' directory of Richland County, Ohio, 1915, With a Complete Road Map of the county. (Philadelphia: Wilmer Atkinson Company; 1915) Online at FamilySearch Digital Library
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
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Genealogies
Guardianship
- 1813-1900 General Index to Miscellaneous Records, v. 1, 1813-1900 (Richland County, Ohio)(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1813-1935 Ohio, Richland County, Probate Case Files, 1813-1935(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1813-1972 Ohio, Richland, General Index to Estates, Guardians, Assignees, Trustees, Divorces, and Real Estate Cases, 1813-1972(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1883-1900 Record of Indentures, 1883-1900(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
Land and Property Records
After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and are where records are currently housed. More information about why to use land records and what information land records includes can be found on the Ohio Land and Property Wiki page.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- 1814-1927 Deed books, 1814-1913; deed index, 1814-1927 at FamilySearch Catalog; Scroll to Film/Digital Notes, then select the camera icon to view images.
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
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.
- Baughman, Abraham, A Centennial Biographical History of Richland and Ashland Counties, Ohio, (Chicago, Illinois: Lewis Pub. Co., 1901). Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books, Internet Archive.
- Baughman, Abraham, History of Richland County, Ohio, from 1808 to 1908, (Chicago, Illinois: S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1908). Volume one online at FamilySearch Digital Library; Volume two online at Google Books, Internet Archive, FamilySearch Digital Library.
- Graham, Albert Adams, History of Richland County, Ohio: (including the Original Boundaries.) Its Past and Present, (Mansfield, Ohio: A. A. Graham, 1880). Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books, Internet Archive.
- Howe, Henry, History of Richland County, Ohio, 1813-1889, (Knightstown, Indiana: The Bookmark, 1977) Online at FamilySearch Digital Library.
- M'Gaw, James F., Philip Seymour; or, Pioneer life in Richland County, Ohio: founded on facts, (Mansfield: Herald Steam Press Print, 1858) Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, HathiTrust.
- American Revolution bicentennial, 1776-1976 - history of Richland County, Ohio, (Mansfield, Ohio; Heritage Committee Mansfield-Richland County American Revolution Bicentennial Congress; 1976) Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books.
- Brinkerhoff, Roeliff, A Pioneer History of Richland County, Ohio, (Mansfield, Ohio: Ohio Genealogical Society. Richland County Chapter, 1993). FS Catalog book 977.128 H2br
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Maps of Ohio (1788-1940) at MapofUS.org
- Andreas, A. T., Atlas map of Richland County, Ohio, (Chicago, Ill.: 1873) Online at FamilySearch Digital Library
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
- 1888-1919 Ohio Soldier Home Records, 1888-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
Civil War
Civil War service men from Richland 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 Richland County.
- - 1st Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Company I, also known as the Mansfield Guards
- - 1st Independent Battery, Ohio Light Artillery, a battery is like a company in an artillery regiment.
- - 102nd Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Companies C, D, and E
World War I
- 1914-1918 Ohio, World War I, Enrollment Cards, 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
- 1914-1919 Ohio, World War I Statement of Service Cards, 1914-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images of cards.
- 1916-1920 Ohio, WWI Index and Return Cards, 1916-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
Naturalization and Citizenship
Archives
- All extant Richland County naturalization records, 1840-1970s, have been transferred to the Ohio Genealogical Society, MSS 136. Some very early naturalizations (1810s-1840s) also appear in the records of the Supreme Court of Richland County, a collection also at the Ohio Genealogical Society.
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1800-1977 Ohio, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
Newspapers
Richland 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 & images, see Ohio Newspapers.
- 1793-2009 Ohio Newspapers, 1793-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1800-1929, Historical Richland County Newspapers, made available for free to the public by the Mansfield Richland County Public Library.
- 1800s-late 1900s Newspapers at Ohio History Connection — Select county.
- 1800s-Current Ohio, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Obituaries
- 1657-Onward Ohio Obituaries at MyHeritage — index ($)
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
From 1797 or the creation of the county, probate records were held by the Court of Common Pleas. After 1852, records are held by the Richland County Probate Court. See Ohio Probate Records for information about how to use probate records.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1786-1998 Ohio, Wills and Probate Records 1786-1998 at Ancestry ($) — index & images.
- 1789-1996 Ohio Probate Records 1789-1996 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 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 ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Ohio tax records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses before 1820 or to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned taxable property were listed, many residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties.
Online Tax Indexes and Records
- 1800-1850 Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
- 1800-1850 Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850 at MyHeritage ($); index.
- 1816-1838 Tax records, 1816-1838 for Richland County at FamilySearch; index. Organized by township and date; some volumes have an index in the first few pages.
- 1839-1900 Ohio, Richland County, tax records, 1839-1900 at FamilySearch; images only. Organized by township and date; some volumes have an index in the first few pages.
Vital Records
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
- 1841-2003 Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
- 1908-1998 Ohio, Birth Index, 1908-1998 at Ancestry ($) — Index
- 1918-1953 Ohio, Stillbirths, 1918-1953 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1959-1998 Ohio, Birth Index, 1959-1998 at MyHeritage - index ($)
Marriage
- 1789-2013 Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
- 1789-Onward Ohio Marriages at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1800-1942 Ohio Marriages, 1800-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index.
- 1800-1958 Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index.
- 1970-2003 Ohio, Marriages, 1970 - 2003 at MyHeritage ($) — index
Death
County death records prior to 1908 are held at the Richland County Courts of Common Pleas, Probate Division. The Richland County Health Department, Vital Statistics Division has death certificates 1909 to the present.
- 1765-1947 Ohio, Church and Civil Births and Baptisms, 1765-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images; selected counties, incomplete; includes, death, church, and cemetery records
- 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; index & images.
- 1908-1932, 1938–1944, and 1958–2007 Ohio Death Index, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007 at FamilySearch– How to Use this Collection; Index.
- 1908-1932, 1938-2018 Ohio, Death Records, 1908-1932, 1938-2018 at Ancestry ($) — index & images
- 1913-1944, 1954-1963 Ohio Death Index, 1913-1944, 1954-1963 at MyHeritage ($) — index
- 1918-1953 Ohio, Stillbirths, 1918-1953 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Divorce
- 1962-2007 Ohio, Divorce Abstracts, 1962-1963, 1967-1971, 1973-2007 at Ancestry ($)
Voting Records
- 1900-Onward Ohio, Voter Registrations at MyHeritage — index ($)
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Richland County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Ohio Archives and Libraries.
FamilySearch Centers
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch 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 FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Mansfield Ohio FamilySearch Center
- The Ohio Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Richland County. For state-wide library facilities, see Ohio Archives and Libraries.
Mansfield-Richland County Public Library
Sherman Room (genealogy room)
Main Library
43 W Third St
Mansfield, OH 44902
419-521-3100
Website
Marvin Memorial Library
29 W Whitney Ave
Shelby, OH 44875-1252
419-347-5576
Website
Museums
The Richland County Museum
51 Church St West
Lexington, OH 44904
419-884-2230
Website
Societies
Listed below are societies in Richland County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Ohio Societies.
Richland County Genealogical Society, a chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society
The Ohio Genealogical Society (has a room within the OGS)
611 State Route 97 West
Bellville, OH 44813-8813
419-886-1903
Website
Richland County Historical Society
310 Springmill
St Mansfield, OH 44903
419-526-6524
Website
Websites
- 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
- Richland County OH Genealogy at LDS Genealogy
- USGenWeb Archives
- The Richland County OHGenWeb Project, a member of The OHGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project
- 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
References
- ↑ Ohio Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library
- ↑ Ohio Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Richland County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richland_County,_Ohio accessed 2/22/2017.
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Richland County, Ohio Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ohio/putnam/ accessed 2/27/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Ohio.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Ohio.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Ohio Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Richland County, Ohio," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richland_County,_Ohio, accessed 11 January 2019.