Athens County, Ohio Genealogy

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

Ohio Online Genealogy Records

Athens County, Ohio Record Dates

 * Parent Counties: Formed from Washington 20 February 1805.
 * County Seat: Athens

Description
The county was named for Athens, Greece. It's county seat is Athens and was founded March 1, 1805. It is located in the South Central 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
Washington County •  Morgan County  •  Perry County  •  Hocking County  •  Vinton County  •  Meigs County  •  Wood County, West Virginia

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Ohio county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Ohio County Boundary Maps" (1788-1888) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Bible Records
For an extensive list of resources for Bible Records see Ohio Bible Records.

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

General

 * Athens County Ohio, Churches. Churches for Athens County from 1990 census and newspapers.

Finding Church Records at Other Repositories

Additional church records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Adams County, Ohio Church Records in online catalogs like:


 * WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).

Court Records

 * Many Court records for Athens County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see the from their catalog.
 * Many Divorce records for Athens County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see the from their catalog.

Local Histories

 * Walker, Charles Manning, History of Athens County, Ohio and incidentally of the Ohio Land Company and the first settlement of the state at Marietta… (Cincinnati: R. Clarke Co., 1869) Digital version at Google Books; Internet Archives; FamilySearch Digital Library; also available on microfilm at.
 * Hildreth, Samuel P., Biographical and historical memoirs of the early pioneer settlers of Ohio : with narratives of incidents and occurrences in 1775 (Cincinnati : H.W. Derby, 1852) Digital version at Internet Archives; FamilySearch Digital Library; also available on microfilm at.

Land and Property

 * 1804-1907 - Genealogy Trails Athens County, Ohio Early Land Records 1804-1807
 * 1790-1907 - Bureau of Land Management Database original land purchasers from the Federal government Courtesy of OhioGenWeb Archives


 * Many Land records for Athens County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see the from their catalog.

Maps

 * Maps of Ohio (1788-1940)
 * Map of the Ohio Company's Purchase and of Athens County, Ohio Past and Present. Compiled and drawn by R. C. Phillips C. E. for Robert, Clarke and Co. Publishers of Cincinnati, Ohio by Act of Congress in the year 1869.
 * Genealogy Trails Athens County, Ohio Sanborn Fire Maps. The Sanborn Company began making fire insurance maps in 1867.
 * Athens County Road Map from the Ohio Department of Transportation.
 * Athens County, Ohio Cemeteries, Cities, and Townships. This site provides maps, coordinates, nearby cities, nearby cemeteries and elevations.

Military

 * 1819-1936 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1888-1919 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Revolutionary War


 * Genealogy Trails Athens County, Ohio Revolutionary War Pensioners.

Civil War

Civil War service men from Athens County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Athens County.
 * -30th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Company C
 * -36th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Companies B and C
 * -116th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Companies I and K

War with Spain


 * Genealogy Trails Athens County, Ohio Soldiers in the War With Spain 1898-1899.

World War I


 * 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1914-1919 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1916-1920 at FamilySearch — index
 * Genealogy Trails Athens County Ohio Military Men, 1917-1918 - Index

World War II


 * Athens County WWII Soldiers Index.
 * Genealogy Trails /Army_Enlistment_Records__1938_1946.htm Athens County Ohio Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946.
 * Genealogy Trails History Group Athens County Ohio Young American Patriots 1941-1945. This site consists of a photo and personal information for each person listed.

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1800-1977 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
Online Newspapers


 * The Athens News, Athens County Only Locally Owned Newspaper.
 * The Athens Messenger. $
 * The Athens Messenger and Herald. $

Online Newspaper Abstracts


 * Genealogy Trails Athens County, Ohio The Athens Messenger Obituaries.
 * 1864, 1925 - newspaper abstracts Courtesy of OhioGenWeb Archives

Newspaper Extracts and Abstracts in Book Form

Probate
Online Probate Indexes and 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.
 * various years - Athens County, Ohio Will Index.


 * Many Probate records for Athens County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see the from their catalog.

County Courthouse
Athens County Courthouse 1 South Court Street Athens, Ohio 45701 Phone: 740.592.3242


 * Athens County Clerk of Courts
 * Athens County Courthouse

Probate Judge has birth, marriage and probate records. Court Clerk has divorce and court records from 1800. County Recorder has land records.

Family History Centers

 * Athens Ohio Family History Center (The Plains)

Libraries
Ohio University Alden Library. Their excellent manuscript collection includes church records, and business records. They also have county histories, biographies, and newspapers. It is like a second state archives.

Societies

 * Athens County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society.
 * Athens County Historical Society &amp; Museum Athens Ohio

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

Taxation

 * 1800-1950 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1800-1850 Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850 at MyHeritage ($) — index
 * Athens County, Ohio 1810 Tax List.

More information at Ohio Tax Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * 1800-1962 - Ohio, Births and Christenings Index, 1800-1962 at ancestry.com ($)
 * 1821–1962 - at FamilySearch Historical Records – free. This is an incomplete index of extractions of original records and of patron-submitted records. This index is not complete for any particular place or region. Information may have been previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.
 * 1841-2003 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1908-1964 - Ohio, Birth Index, 1908-1964 at ancestry.com ($)
 * 1908-1998 Ohio, Birth Index, 1908-1998 at Ancestry.com ($) — index

Original Birth Records on Microfilm

Marriage
Online Marriage Indexes and Records.


 * 1789-2013 - at FamilySearch — index and images. Name index and images of county marriage records acquired from local courthouses.
 * 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 some 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.
 * 1800-1942 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1803-1900 - Ohio Marriages, 1803-1900 at ancestry.com ($)
 * 1898-1912 - Ohio Marriages at ancestry.com ($)
 * 1970-2003 Ohio, Marriages, 1970 - 2003 at MyHeritage ($) — index
 * 1970-2007 - Ohio Marriage Index, 1970, 1972-2007 at ancestry.com ($)
 * Many Vital records for Athens County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see the from their catalog
 * Genealogy Trails Athens County, Ohio Marriages, 1803-1900.

Original Marriage Records on Microfilm

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * 1840-2001 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 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 - at FamilySearch Historical Records – free. Name index and images of Ohio statewide death certificates.
 * 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.
 * 1908-2007 - Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007 at ancestry.com ($)
 * various years - Ohio Vital Record Batch Numbers by County. This is a guide to the index of Ohio Vital Records microfilmed and listed at familysearch.org.
 * 1913-1944 - Ohio Death Certificate Index searchable database Courtesy of the Ohio History Connection.
 * 1908-1932, 1938-1944, 1958-2002 Genealogy Trails Athens County, Ohio Deaths
 * 1908-1932, 1938-2018 Ohio, Death Records, 1908-1932, 1938-2018 at Ancestry.com ($) — index and images
 * 1913-1944, 1954-1963 Ohio Death Index, 1913-1944, 1954-1963 at MyHeritage ($) — index

Original Death Records on Microfilm

Divorce

 * 1962-2007 - Ohio Divorce Index, 1962-1963, 1967-1971, 1973-2007 at ancestry.com ($)

Websites

 * Athens County, OH History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Ohio Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Athens County, OHGenWeb.
 * Athens County, Ohio History and Genealogy.
 * Athens County OH Genealogy
 * Athens County Home/Infirmary 1857-1928.
 * Athens County Public Libraries.
 * Athens County Children's Home Index 1882-1911.
 * Athens County Historical Society &amp; Museum.
 * Genealogy Trails Athens County, Ohio Physician and Dentist Directory, 1905.
 * Athens County, Ohio Genealogy including Biograhies, 1820 Census Index, Town Officers, Land Records.
 * Athens County, Ohio Genealogy Forum.
 * Records Project, Athens County Public Record Information.
 * Athens County, Ohio, Reference Materials.
 * Athens County, Ohio, Reference Materials.

Websites

 * Amesville
 * Athens County, OH History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Familytree101)
 * Athens County Towns
 * Athens County, Ohio Genealogy and History. Information linking to the towns and township of Athens County, Ohio.
 * Genealogy Trails Athens County, Ohio Township Biographies.