Richland County, Ohio Genealogy

Guide to Richland County, Ohio ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Historical Facts

 * Parent Counties: Formed from Fairfield, Franklin and Knox Counties in 1808 (1813).
 * County Seat: Mansfield

Description
The county was named for the fertile soil found there. It's county seat is Mansfield and was founded March 1, 1808. It is located in the Northcentral area of the state.

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:

Neighboring Counties
Huron County • Ashland County • Knox County • Morrow County • Crawford 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.

Cemeteries
Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.

LDS Cemetery Records Vol. 21 page 26 - Pleasant Valley

Catholic

 * 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.

Local Histories

 * Baughman, Abraham, A Centennial Biographical History of Richland and Ashland Counties, Ohio, (Chicago, Illinois: Lewis Pub. Co., 1901). Digital copy at Google Books Internet Archive


 * Baughman, Abraham, History of Richland County, Ohio, from 1808 to 1908, (Chicago, Illinois: S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1908). Digital copy at Google Books Internet Archive


 * Graham, Albert Adams, History of Richland County, Ohio: (including the Original Boundaries.) Its Past and Present, (Mansfield, Ohio: A. A. Graham, 1880). Digital copy at Google Books Internet Archive


 * Brinkerhoff, Roeliff, A Pioneer History of Richland County, Ohio, (Mansfield, Ohio: Ohio Genealogical Society. Richland County Chapter, 1993).

Maps

 * Maps of Ohio (1788-1940)

Military

 * 1888-1919 - at FamilySearch — index and 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

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1800-1977 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
Online Newspapers Online Newspaper Abstracts Newspaper Extracts and Abstracts in Book Form

Probate
Online Probate Records
 * 1786 - 1998 Ohio Wills and Probate Records 1786-1998 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1789 - 1996 at FamilySearch.org — images
 * 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.

Courthouse
Richland County Courthouse 50 Park Ave East Mansfield, OH 44902 Phone: 419.884.0278 Clerk Court has divorce and court records from 1815; Probate Judge has marriage and probate records; County recorder has land records

Family History Centers

 * Mansfield Ohio 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
Mansfield-Richland County Public Library - Sherman Room (genealogy room) Main Library 43 West Third Street Mansfield, Ohio 44902 Telephone: 419- 521-3100 Website

Societies
Richland County Genealogical Society c/o The Ohio Genealogical Society 611 State Route 97 West Bellville, Ohio 44813-8813 Telephone: 419-886-1903 Fax: 419-886-0092 Website

Ohio Genealogical Society Library (west of Bellville)

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
 * U.S. and Canada Genealogy Research - FamilySearch Community group, must have a free FamilySearch account to join

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records

Original Birth Records on Microfilm

Marriage

 * 1789-2013 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1800-1958 - at FamilySearch — free; Index.
 * 1800-1942 - at FamilySearch — index

Online Marriage Indexes and Records

Original Marriage Records on Microfilm

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * 1840-2001 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 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.

Original Death Records on Microfilm

Websites

 * Richland County, OH History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Ohio Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Ohio Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Richland County OH Genealogy
 * The Richland County OHGenWeb Project, a member of The OHGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project