Ottawa County, Ohio Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named either for the Ottawa Indian Tribe or for a Native American word meaning "trader". It is located in the North-Central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Ottawa County Courthouse 315 Madison St Port Clinton, OH 43452-1993 Phone: 419-734-6755 Ottawa County Website

County Health Department has birth, death and burial records; Probate Judge has marriage and probate records; Clerk Court has divorce and court records from 1840 and naturalization 1905-1929; County Recorder has land records

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:

Biographies

 * Commemorative biographical record of the counties of Sandusky and Ottawa, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens (Chicago: J.H.Beers & Co., 1896) Online at FamilySearch Digital Library

Church Records

 * 1765-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images; selected counties, incomplete; includes, death, church, and cemetery records

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Catholic
 * 1796-2004 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection

Lutheran
 * Records of St. John's Lutheran Church, Oak Harbor, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).

Court Records

 * 1857-1918 Jury and witness books 1857-1918, Ottawa County, Ohio at FamilySearch Catalog - Scroll down to Film/Digital Notes and click on the camera icon on the right side of the page to view images.

Genealogies

 * First families collection of Ottawa County, Ohio at FamilySearch Catalog - Scroll down to Film/Digital Notes and click on the camera icon on the right side of the page to view images.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1820-1905 Deed records 1820-1905 and indexes 1820-1900, Ottawa County, Ohio at FamilySearch Catalog - Scroll down to Film/Digital Notes and click on the camera icon on the right side of the page to view images.
 * 1866-1870 Land transfer book, 1866-1870 at FamilySearch Catalog - Scroll down to Film/Digital Notes and click on the camera icon on the right side of the page to view images.
 * Index to mortgages vols. 1-3 at FamilySearch Catalog - Scroll down to Film/Digital Notes and click on the camera icon on the right side of the page to view images.
 * Plat maps at FamilySearch Catalog - Scroll down to Film/Digital Notes and click on the camera icon on the right side of the page to view images.

Local Histories

 * Ryall, Lydia J., Sketches and stories of the Lake Erie islands (Norwalk, Ohio: The American Publishers Co., 1913). Online at FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Thorndale, Theresa, Sketches and stories of the Lake Erie islands (Sandusky, Ohio: I.F. Mack & Brother, 1898). Online at Google Books, Hathitrust
 * Ottawa County Genealogical Society, The History of Ottawa County, Ohio and Its' Families, (Port Clinton, Ohio: Ohio Genealogical Society. Ottawa County Chapter, 1985).

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Illustrated historical atlas of Ottawa County, Ohio, 1900 (Port Clinton, Ohio: H.J. Goodman, LL.D., 1900). Online at FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Maps of Ohio (1788-1940) at MapofUS.org
 * Hardesty, L.Q., Illustrated Historical Atlas of Ottawa County, Ohio, (Chicago, Illinois: H.H. Hardesty, 1874). ; Images may be viewed at a FamilySearch Center or a FamilySearch Affiliate Library near you.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * 1888-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.

Civil War Civil War service men from Ottawa 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 Ottawa County.


 * - 41st Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Companies F and I
 * - 100th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Company G

World War I
 * 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
 * 1914-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
 * 1916-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1800-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.

Newspapers

 * 1793-late 1900s at History Connection —  Select county.
 * 1793-2009 Ohio Newspapers, 1793-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * Early-late 1900s Newspapers at Ohio Memory — sort by County, City, Time Period, and more.

Obituaries
The Obituary Index includes references to more than 1.5 million death, marriage and obituary notices. What began as a project at the Hayes Presidential Center grew into a partnership with 40 public libraries throughout the state of Ohio. Some of the listings date back as far as 1830. In addition to newspaper obituaries, the index includes entries indexing church records, federal mortality indexes, family papers, etc.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1786-1998 Ohio, Wills and Probate Records 1786-1998 at Ancestry ($) — index and images.
 * 1789-1996 at FamilySearch.org — How to Use this Collection.

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 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 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records
 * 1800-1850 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
 * 1800-1850 Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850 at MyHeritage ($) — index

Birth

 * 1841-2003 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
 * 1908-1998 Ohio, Birth Index, 1908-1998 at Ancestry ($) — Index
 * 1959-1998 Ohio, Birth Index, 1959-1998 at MyHeritage - index ($)

Marriage

 * 1789-2013 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
 * 1800-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
 * 1800-1958 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
 * 1970-2003 Ohio, Marriages, 1970 - 2003 at MyHeritage ($) — index

Death

 * 1833-1967 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1840-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
 * 1908-1932, 1938–1944, and 1958–2007 at FamilySearch– How to Use this Collection; Index of deaths from the Ohio Department of Health in Columbus. Index provided by Ancestry.com.
 * 1908-1932, 1938-2018 Ohio, Death Records, 1908-1932, 1938-2018 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
 * 1913-1944, 1954-1963 Ohio Death Index, 1913-1944, 1954-1963 at MyHeritage ($) — index

Divorce

 * 1962-2007 Ohio, Divorce Abstracts, 1962-1963, 1967-1971, 1973-2007 at Ancestry ($)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Sandusky Ohio FamilySearch Center
 * The Rutherford B Hayes Presidential Center - an affiliate library

Libraries
Harris-Elmore Public Library 328 Toledo St PO Box 45 Elmore, OH 43416 419-862-2482 Website Ida Rupp Public Library 310 Madison St Port Clinton, OH 43452-1921 419-732-3212 Website Oak Harbor Public Library 147 W Main St Oak Harbor, OH 43449-1344 419-898-7001 Website

Museums
Ottawa County Historical Society Keeper's House, Cemetery, Museum PO Box 385 Port Clinton, OH 43452 Keeper's House 9999 E Bayshore Rd Lakeside Marblehead, OH 43440 419) 798-9339 Email:[Mailto:info@ottawacountyhistory.org info@ottawacountyhistory.org] Website Ottawa County Museum Digital Collection 126 W Third St Port Clinton, OH 43452 Website

Societies
Western Reserve Historical Society Research Library in the History Center 10825 East Blvd Cleveland, OH 44106 216-721-5722 FamilySearch Wiki Website Ottawa County Historical Society PO Box 385 Port Clinton, OH 43452 419-798-9339 Email:[mailto:info@ottawacountyhistory.org info@ottawacountyhistory.org] Website The Ottawa County Genealogical Society PO Box 193 Port Clinton, OH 43452-0193 E-mail:[mailto:ocogs@ocogs.org ocogs@ocogs.org] Website

Websites

 * Local Gov't Records by County at Ohio History Connection — Browse their list; records are not online.
 * 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
 * Ottawa County OH Genealogy at LDS Genealogy
 * Ohio GenWeb at USGenWeb Sites
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * – 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.