Greene County, Ohio Genealogy

Guide to Greene 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 Hamilton and Ross Counties 24 March 1803.
 * County Seat: Xenia

Description
The county was named for General Nathanael Greene, an officer in the Revolutionary War. It's county seat is Xenia and was founded May 1, 1803. It is located in the South-western 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
Clark County •  Madison County  •  Fayette County  •  Clinton County  •  Warren County  •  Montgomery County

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.


 * Woodland Cemetery, Dayton, Greene, Ohio Online Records

Church Records

 * various years - Churches of Early Greene County Courtesy OhioGenWeb
 * various years - Community contributed church record extracts Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives

Genealogy
Miami Valley Genealogy Index is an Index to more than a half million pointers to records all over Miami Valley including Greene County.

Local Histories

 * Greene County Home Coming Association, Greene County, 1803-1908, (Xenia, Ohio: Aldine Publishing House, 1908). Digital copy at Google Books Internet Archive Ancestry ($)(Indexed)


 * Kilner, Arthur R., Greene County, Ohio, Past and Present, (Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, 1997).


 * Dills, R.S., History of Greene County, (Dayton, Ohio: Odeli and Mayer, 1881). Digital copy at Google Books


 * Robinson, George F., History of Greene County, Ohio, (Chicago, Illinois: S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1902). Digital copy at Internet Archive


 * Broadstone, M.A., History of Greene County, Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions, (Indianapolis, Indiana: B. F. Bowen and Co., 1918). Digital copy at Google Books Internet Archive


 * Howe, Henry, History of Greene County, Ohio, 1803-1889, excerpt from Historical Collections of Ohio, (Columbus, Ohio: Howe, 1898).


 * Mills, William, Centennial Historical Address: Greene County, Ohio; Delivered 4 July 1876, (Xenia, Ohio: Gazette Steam Print, 1876). Digital copy at Google Books Internet Archive

Land and Property

 * 1790-1907 - Bureau of Land Management database Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives
 * various years - Community contributed deeds Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives

Maps

 * Maps of Ohio (1788-1940)

Military

 * 1888-1919 - at FamilySearch — index and images

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.
 * 1796-1976 - Greene County probate records Courtesy OhioGenWeb
 * various years - community contributed wills Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives

Courthouse
Greene County Courthouse 45 N Detroit Street Xenia, OH 45385 Phone: 937.376.5290 Probate Judge has birth records 1869-1908, marriage and probate records from 1803; Clerk Court has divorce and court records from 1802; County Recorder has land records from 1803; County Auditor has tax records from 1803; County Health Department has birth records from 1908

Family History Centers

 * Dayton Ohio East Family History Center (Fairborn)

For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the FHC directory. Put your town name in the top search box.

Libraries
Greene County Public Library has a collection of online records that are free to the public. This collection includes:
 * Cemeteries of Greene County, Ohio
 * Greene County Birth Records 1869-1909
 * Greene County Census Records, 1900, 1910 & 1920
 * Greene County Death Record, 1869-1909
 * Greene County, Ohio Historical Files
 * Ohio Soldiers & Sailors Orphans Home Applications

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


 * 1869-1909 - Greene County Birth Records, 1869-1909 Courtesy of Greene County Public Library
 * before 1909 - Greene County birth index Courtesy OhioGenWeb
 * various years - Community contributed birth records Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives

Original Birth Records on Microfilm

Marriage
Online Marriage Indexes and Records


 * 1789-2013 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 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
 * 1803-1922 - marriage and divorce records Courtesy OhioGenWeb
 * various years - Community contributed marriage records Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives

Original Marriage Records on Microfilm

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * 1840-2001 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1869-1909 - Greene County Death Records, 1869-1909 Courtesy of Greene County Public Library
 * 1908-1853 - 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.
 * 1913-2000 - Geauga County death record databases Courtesy OhioGenWeb
 * various years - Community contributed death records Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives
 * Vital Records prior to 1909 are located at the Greene County Records Center and Archives.

Original Death Records on Microfilm

Websites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Greene County, OH History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Greene County OH Genealogy
 * Ohio Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Ohio Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Ohio Genealogy Network Group on Facebook