Ohio, Jefferson County Court Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
The records cover the years 1797 to 1940.

Record Description
The collection consists of records from Jefferson County, Ohio. This collection is being published as images become available. An index is being created in cooperation with the Jefferson County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society and will be published as it becomes available. Currently the collection includes:


 * Probate Records (1797-1940)
 * Birth Records (1867-1940)

You may be able to obtain a case number for your ancestors by contacting the county courthouse at the following address:

Jefferson County Probate Court 301 Market Street Steubenville, OH 43952 Telephone: 740-283-8554

Address e-mail inquiries to:


 * fverstraten@dishmail.net
 * maryanash@jeffersoncountyoh.com

Record Content
The record content varies by record type. It may include any of the following pieces of information:


 * Name of primary individual
 * Event date
 * Event place
 * Residence
 * Age
 * Sex
 * Names of parents
 * Biographical information about parents such as date and place of birth
 * Names of heirs, such as spouse, children, other relatives, or friends
 * Names of the executor, administrator, or guardian
 * Names of witnesses
 * Dates the documents were written and recorded (used to approximate event dates since a will was usually written near the time of death)
 * Description and value of property or land

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * The place where the event occurred
 * The approximate date the event occurred
 * The name of the individual or individuals such as the names of the bride and groom

It is also helpful to contact the county courthouse to get the case number for your ancestor. (The contact information is listed above.)

Search the Collection
To search the collection you will need follow this series of links: ⇒Select the "Browse" link on the initial search page ⇒Select the "Probate Records" link ⇒Select the appropriate "Record Type, Volume and Year Range" link which takes you to the images. If you have a case number for your ancestor, select the link which includes that number.

If you do not have a case number you will need to look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. The following examples show ways you can use the information:


 * Use the marriage date and place as the basis for compiling a new family group or for verifying existing information.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth of each partner to find a couple's birth records and parents' names.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find the family in census records.
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church and land records.
 * Use the parents’ birth places to find former residences and establish a migration pattern for the family.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * The name of the officiator may be a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county.
 * The name of the undertaker, mortuary, or cemetery could lead you to funeral and cemetery records, which often include the names and residences of other family members.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname. This is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been born, married, or died in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800s.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Check for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.

For a summary of this information see the wiki article: United States, How to Use the Records Summary (FamilySearch Historical Records).

Related Websites
Jefferson County Ohio Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society

Related Wiki Articles
Jefferson County, Ohio

Contributions to This Article
We welcome user additions to FamilySearch Historical Records wiki articles. Guidelines are available to help you make changes. Thank you for any contributions you may provide. If you would like to get more involved join the WikiProject FamilySearch Records.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published in FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

Ohio, Jefferson County Court Records, 1797-1940." FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org). Jefferson County Probate Court, Steubenville, Ohio. FHL digital images. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection
“Ohio Jefferson County Court Records,” index and images, FamilySearch (: accessed 26 March 2012), entry for James M Cune, Probate Court; citing case no. 941; FHL Box 4 probate records 1797-1918; page no.19, Jefferson County, Ohio.

The suggested format for citing FamilySearch Historical Collections is found in the following article: How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections.