Williams County, Ohio Genealogy
Guide to Williams 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
Williams County was named for David Williams, one of the captors of John André in the American Revolutionary War. The county is located in the northwestern area of the state.[3]
County Courthouse
Williams County Courthouse
1 Courthouse Square
Bryan, OH 43506
Phone: 419-636-1551
Williams County website
County Record Center has birth and death records 1867-1908, marriage and probate records 1824-1984, divorce and court records 1824-1977 and naturalization records 1860-1926;
County Health Department has birth and death records from 1909[4]
Williams 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 |
| 1867 | 1824 | 1867 | 1824 | 1824 | 1824 | 1820 |
Record Loss
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
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: [7]
| Cities | ||
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| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
For an extensive list of resources for Bible Records see Ohio Bible Records.
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1830 | 387 | — |
| 1840 | 4,465 | 1053.7% |
| 1850 | 8,018 | 79.6% |
| 1860 | 16,633 | 107.4% |
| 1870 | 20,991 | 26.2% |
| 1880 | 23,821 | 13.5% |
| 1890 | 24,897 | 4.5% |
| 1900 | 24,953 | 0.2% |
| 1910 | 25,198 | 1.0% |
| 1920 | 24,627 | −2.3% |
| 1930 | 24,316 | −1.3% |
| 1940 | 25,510 | 4.9% |
| 1950 | 26,202 | 2.7% |
| 1960 | 29,968 | 14.4% |
| 1970 | 33,669 | 12.3% |
| 1980 | 36,369 | 8.0% |
| 1990 | 36,956 | 1.6% |
| 2000 | 39,188 | 6.0% |
| 2010 | 37,642 | −3.9% |
| 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.
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
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
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Genealogies
Guardianship
- 1825-1972 Probate Records, 1825-1893; Index, 1825-1972(*) at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1878-1879 Guardian Records, 1878-1879(*) 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
- 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.
- Shinn, William Henry, The County of Williams: A History of Williams County, Ohio, from the Earliest Days, (Madison, Wisconsin: Northwestern Historical Assoc., 1905). Part one online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Part two online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive.
- Writers' Program (Ohio), Bryan and Williams County, Ohio, (Fort Wayne, Indiana: Allen County Public Library, 1984). Online at HathiTrust. FS Catalog book 977.1113/B1 H2b.
- Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, County of Williams, Ohio, Historical and Biographical, (Chicago, Illinois: F.A. Battey, 1882). Online at Google Books, FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
- Bowersox, Charles A., A Standard History of Williams County, Ohio: An Authentic Narrative of the Past, with Particular Attention to the Modern Era, (Fort Wayne, Indiana: Allen County Public Library, 1984). Online at Google Books, FamilySearch Digital Library.
Maps and Gazetteers
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
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 Williams 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 Williams County.
- - 100th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Company C
- - 111th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Company C
World War I
- 1914-1919 Ohio, World War I Statement of Service Cards, 1914-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
- 1914-1918 Ohio, World War I, Enrollment Cards, 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
- 1916-1920 Ohio, WWI Index and Return Cards, 1916-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1800-1977 Ohio, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
Newspapers
Williams 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 ($)
- 1800s-late 1900s Newspapers at Ohio History Connection — Select county.
- 1800s-Current Ohio, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Obituaries
- 1657-Onward Ohio Obituaries at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1863-Onward Ohio, Williams County Obituaries at MyHeritage — index ($)
- Williams County Obituary Index at Williams County Public Library
- Obituaries at OHGenWeb
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 Williams 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 ($) — index & images.
- 1789-1996 Ohio Probate Records 1789-1996 at FamilySearch.org — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — 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 ($) — index
Vital Records
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Marriages were usually recorded from the formation of the county and are held at the office of the County Probate Court. Divorce records are located with the county Clerk of Courts.
Any existing birth and death records from 1867 through December 19, 1908 are located at the County Probate Court. The Ohio Department of Health has birth records filed after December 20, 1908 and death records filed after January 1, 1954, while the Ohio History Connection houses death records from December 20, 1908 through December 31, 1953.
Birth
- 1841-2003 Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images.
- 1918-1953 Ohio, Stillbirths, 1918-1953 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1959-1998 Ohio, Birth Index, 1959-1998 at MyHeritage - index ($)
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
- Williams County Marriages at OHGenWeb
Death
- 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 Williams County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Ohio Archives and Libraries.
Williams County Records Center & Archives
107 W Butler St
Bryan, OH 43506
419-636-8253
Website
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
- Wauseon Ohio FamilySearch Center
- Fremont Public Library - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Williams County. For state-wide library facilities, see Ohio Archives and Libraries.
William County Public Library
107 E High St
Bryan, OH 43506
419-636-6734
Website
Montpelier Public Library
216 E Main St
Montpelier, OH 43543-1199
419-485-3287
Website
Museums
Williams County Historical Society Museum
611 E Main St
PO Box 415
Montpelier, OH 43543
419-485-8200
Website
The Hopewell Indians Mounds
4 Road
Montpelier, OH 43543
Website
The Quaker meeting House
Township Road N21
West Unity, OH
Website
Societies
Listed below are societies in Williams County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Ohio Societies.
Williams County Genealogical Society
107 E High St
PO Box 293
Bryan, OH 43506
419-636-6734 ext.275
Website
Williams County Historical Society
PO Box 415
Montpelier, OH 43543-0415
419-485-8200
Email:wchs@williams-net.com
Facebook
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
- Williams County OH Genealogy at LDS Genealogy
- USGenWeb Archives for Williams County.
- USGenWeb project May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the 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
References
- ↑ Ohio Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Williams County, Ohio Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ohio/williams/ accessed 2/27/2017.
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Williams County, Ohio Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ohio/williams/ 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.
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Williams County, Ohio Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ohio/williams/ accessed 2/27/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Williams County, Ohio," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Williams_County,_Ohio, accessed 18 January 2019.