Allen County, Ohio Genealogy
Guide to Allen County Ohio genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
United States
Ohio Allen County
Template:OHDC
| Allen County, Ohio | |
| Map | |
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 Location of Ohio in the U.S. | |
| Courthouse | |
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| Address | Allen County Courthouse 301 N. Main St. Lima, Ohio 45801-4456 Allen County Website Phone: 419.223.8513 |
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Historical Facts[edit | edit source]
| Beginning dates for major county records | |||||
| *For earlier dates, try... Church | Obituaries | Cemeteries | |||||
- Parent Counties: Formed from Shelby, Logan, and Mercer counties 12 February 1820.[1]
- County Seat: Lima
- Neighboring Counties: Allen County, Ohio Genealogyresidents may also have records in [2]
Auglaize (south) · Hancock (northeast) · Hardin (east) · Putnam (north) · Van Wert (west)
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
- 14 February 1848: Auglaize County was set off from the southern half of original Allen County.
- 1848: Monroe, Richland and southern half of Sugar Creek Townships were transferred from Putnam County.
- 1848: Parts of VanWert and Mercer counties were transferred to Allen County form Spencer Township and part of Marion Township.
- May 1853: Cash settlement was agreed upon by Allen and Putnam counties for Putnam's loss.
See an interactive map of Allen County boundary changes.
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
1929--Allen County Courthouse destroyed by fire on January 7, 1929. Many county records destroyed. [3]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biography[edit | edit source]
Business Records and Commerce[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information. Online Grave Transcripts Published Grave Transcripts County Cemetery Directories Rural
- Cemetery transcriptions for the following cemeteries: Fisher, Harrods, Ridge, Westminster
- Salem Cemetery, Harrod BillionGraves
Urban
Cemeteries of Lima, Allen County, Ohio
- Gethsemani Cemetery, 2001 Spencerville Road, Lima, Ohio 45805, 419-223-1651
- Memorial Park Cemetery, 3000 Harding Highway, Lima, Ohio 45804, 419-223-3811
- Woodlawn Cemetery, 1751 Spencerville Road, Lima Ohio 45805, 419-223-9831
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 | ||
See Ohio Cemeteries for more information.
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1830 | 578 | ||
| 1840 | 9,079 | 1,470.8% | |
| 1850 | 12,109 | 33.4% | |
| 1860 | 19,185 | 58.4% | |
| 1870 | 23,623 | 23.1% | |
| 1880 | 31,314 | 32.6% | |
| 1890 | 40,644 | 29.8% | |
| 1900 | 47,976 | 18.0% | |
| 1910 | 56,580 | 17.9% | |
| 1920 | 68,223 | 20.6% | |
| 1930 | 69,419 | 1.8% | |
| 1940 | 73,303 | 5.6% | |
| 1950 | 88,183 | 20.3% | |
| 1960 | 103,691 | 17.6% | |
| 1970 | 111,144 | 7.2% | |
| 1980 | 112,241 | 1.0% | |
| 1990 | 109,755 | −2.2% | |
| 2000 | 108,743 | −0.9% | |
| Est. 2008[4] | 105,168 | −3.3% | |
1785
1850--Federal Census transcription and images
1920--index for surnames beginning with the letter "E" and "F"
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.
Catholic[edit | edit source]
- 1796–2004 Ohio, Diocese of Toledo, Catholic Parish Records, 1796-2004 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free. This collection includes images of parish registers recording the events of baptism, first communion, confirmation, marriage, and death in the Diocese of Toledo (Ohio), Roman Catholic Church. These records are accessed by browsing the images by county. In addition to traditional parish registers, this collection includes miscellaneous cemetery records, Books of the Elect, Professions of Faith, Sick Call registers, etc.
- 1796–2004 Ohio, Diocese of Toledo, Catholic Parish Records, 1796-2004 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free. This collection includes images of parish registers recording the events of baptism, first communion, confirmation, marriage, and death in the Diocese of Toledo (Ohio), Roman Catholic Church. These records are accessed by browsing the images by county. In addition to traditional parish registers, this collection includes miscellaneous cemetery records, Books of the Elect, Professions of Faith, Sick Call registers, etc.
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
Genealogy[edit | edit source]
History[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Allen 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.
- The Shawnees (tribe) were removed to Kansas in 1832 from the Hog Creek Reservation (now Shawnee Township.)
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
- 1875 Personal Histories of Allen County Ohio.
- In 1885, oil was discovered in Lima. This brought about a boom that lasted until after 1910.
- Henry Howe’s 1889's depiction of the History of Allen County Ohio
Land and Property[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.
Bureau of Land Management Database Transcription It shows the original purchasers of land from the federal government and covers the period from pre-Revolutionary times up to 1908.
- 1898, 1900 - Real Estate Records various surnames Courtesy of OhioGenWeb Archives
- 1790-1907 - Bureau of Land Management Database Courtesy of OhioGenWeb Archives
Maps[edit | edit source]
- Family Maps of Allen County, Ohio Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military[edit | edit source]
Revolutionary War
- Pensioners Living in Ohio in 1818-1819
- 1840 Census of Pensioners Revolutionary and Military Services
War of 1812
- Roster of Ohio Soldiers at The Ohio Historical Society
Civil War
- Civil War service men from Van Wert 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 Van Wert County.
- -4th Regiment, Ohio Cavalry, Companies F and I
- -99th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Companies B and E
- Civil War Rosters
- Men In the Civil War Allen County, Ohio
- Civil War Casualties from Allen County, Ohio (this site contains burials from many states)
A Virtual Cemetery created by: Brent Reidenbach.Description: Thanks to previous research by Ronald Kunz, this is a listing of Civil War casualties that were from Allen County, OH. (189 Records) - Allen County War Casualties (Includes Persian Gulf, Vietnamese, Korean, WWI, WWII, CIVIL War & Spanish Mexican Casualties)
World War I
- The Unreturning Brave (from WWI) published in 1925
- List of Dead Heroes Whose Bodies Rest in Allen County
Miscellaneous
- The names of the soldiers buried in different cemeteries of Allen county whose graves were decorated May 30, 1907
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
County Museum has naturalizations 1851-1929.[1]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Allen 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 Memory. 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
Finding More Ohio Newspapers
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as {{{1}}} County Ohio newspapers in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Do a {{{1}}} County, Ohio Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Place-name Search).
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Probate[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 {{{1}}} County Probate Court. See Ohio Probate Records for information about how to use probate records.
- 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.
- 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.
- 1857-1878 - Allen County Probate Courtesy of OhioGenWeb Archives
Finding More Probate Records[edit source]
Additional probate records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Allen 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[edit | edit source]
Repositories[edit | edit source]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Allen County Courthouse
301 N Main Street
Lima, OH 45801-4456
Allen County Website
Phone: 419.223.8513
- Probate Court has births and deaths from 1867, marriages from 1831, and probate records.
- Court Clerk has divorces and court records from 1831.
- County Museum has naturalizations 1851-1929.[1]
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
FamilySearch Centers are branches of the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and are located all over the world. Their goal is to provide resources for family history research.
The main FamilySearch Center for Allen County, Ohio Genealogy is the Lima Ohio Family History Center. For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the FHC directory.
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
- Allen County Ohio Genealogy Society
P. O. Box 1104
Lima, Ohio.
dcarder2@woh.rr.com - Allen County Museum and Historical Society
620 W. Market St.
Lima, Ohio 45801
419-222-9426
acmuseum@wcoil.com
Including the Elizabeth M. MacDonell Memorial Library for genealogical and historical research
Taxation[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.
1834 Tax Lists
Taxpayers--Personal Property
Finding More Tax Records
Additional tax records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Allen 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[edit | edit source]
Birth[edit | edit source]
Online Birth Indexes and Records
- 1800-1962 - Ohio, Births and Christenings Index, 1800-1962 at ancestry.com ($)
- 1821–1962 - Ohio, Births and Christenings, 1821-1962 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free. This is an incomplete index of extractions of original records and of patron-submitted records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. Information may have been previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
- 1856–1909 - Ohio, County Births, 1856-1909 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. The collection includes a name index and images of county birth records in Ohio. The time period and type of record varies by county.
- 1908-1964 - Ohio, Birth Index, 1908-1964 at ancestry.com ($)
Original Birth Records on Microfilm
Marriage[edit | edit source]
Online Marriage Indexes and Records
- 1789–1994 - Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1994 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. Name index and images of county marriage records acquired from local courthouses.
- 1800–1958 - Ohio, Marriages, 1800-1958 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. Name index to marriage records from the state of Ohio. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and FamilySearch Centers. Due to privacy laws, recent records may not be displayed. The year range represents most of the records. A few records may be earlier or later
- 1803-1900 - Ohio Marriages, 1803-1900 at ancestry.com ($)
- 1836-1852 - 1836-1852 Pioneer marriages, Not all inclusive
- 1836-1893 - Allen County Marriages Courtesy of OhioGenWeb Archives
- 1854 - 1854 Taken from Lima Democratic News
- 1852-1860 - 1852-1860 Marriages from the Lima Dailey News
- 1860 - 1860 Marriages from the Lima Democratic News
- 1861-1862 - 1861-1862 Marriage Books and Partial book B
- 1889-1893 - 1889-1893 Marriage Licenses
- 1898-1912 - Ohio Marriages at ancestry.com ($)
- 1970-2007 - Ohio Marriage Index, 1970, 1972-2007 at ancestry.com ($)
- 1900 - 1900 Allen County Republican Gazette Marriages
- Marriages with no date
Original Marriage Records on Microfilm
Death[edit | edit source]
Online Death Indexes and Records
- 1854–1997 - Ohio, Deaths and Burials, 1854-1997 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. Name index to death and burial records from the state of Ohio. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers. This set contains 2,535,556 records. Due to privacy laws, recent records may not be displayed. The year range represents most of the records. A few records may be earlier or later.
- 1908–1953 - Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1953 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free. Name index and images of Ohio statewide death certificates.
- 1908–1932, 1938–1944, and 1958–2007 - Ohio, Death Index, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free. Index of deaths from the Ohio Department of Health in Columbus. Index provided by Ancestry.com.
- Transcribed from Allen County newspapers of those who died in Allen and surrounding counties.
- 1908-1959 - Ohio Death Records Courtesy of OhioGenWeb
- 1915-1986 - Ohio Deaths Courtesy of OhioGenWeb Archives
Original Death Records on Microfilm
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- Divorce Petitions and Decrees
1876 | 1878 | 1879 | 1880 | 1881 | 1882 | 1883 | 1884 | 1885 | 1886 | 1887 | 1888 | 1889 | 1890 | 1891 | 1892 | 1893 | 1894 | 1895 | 1896 | 1897 | 1898-1899 |
- Divorce Petitions and Decrees for Allen and Van Wert Counties, and Surrounding Areas, 1898-1900
1898-1900 | 1901 | 1902 | 1903 | 1904 | 1905 | 1906 | 1905-1906 | 1907 | 1908 | 1909 | 1900 | 1910 | 1911 | 1912 | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 |
- 1962-2007 - Divorce Index, 1962-1963, 1967-1971, 1973-2007 at ancestry.com ($)
- 1876-1919 - Additional Divorce Records Courtesy of OhioGenWeb Archives
- 1962-2007 - Divorce Index, 1962-1963, 1967-1971, 1973-2007 at ancestry.com ($)
Finding More Vital Records
Additional vital records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Allen 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).
Web Sites[edit | edit source]
- The 1880 Business Patron’s References is divided by town and township, each section has a unique set of information about their patrons.
- Family History Library Catalog 
- The Allen County OHGenWeb Project, a member of The OHGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
- The USGenWeb Archives Project for Allen County
Places[edit | edit source]
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
Cities
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Villages
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Townships
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Communities
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References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Allen County, Ohio, 540. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Allen County, Ohio" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_County,_Ohio (accessed 10 May 2012).
- ↑ GenDisasters.com - Lima, OH Allen County Courthouse Fire, Jan 1929 http://www3.gendisasters.com/ohio/7579/lima-oh-courthouse-fire-jan-1929
- ↑ "Allen County QuickFacts". U.S. Census Bureau. 2008-07-25. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/39/39003.html. Retrieved 2010-02-11.