Allen County, Ohio Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named for Colonel Allen. It is located in the Western area of the state.

County Courthouse
Allen County Courthouse 301 N. Main St. Lima, Ohio 45801-4456 Phone: 419-228-3700 Allen County Website

Probate Court has births from 1867, marriages from 1831, and probate records. Court Clerk has divorces and court records from 1831. County Museum has naturalizations 1851-1929.

Populated Places
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:

History Timeline
Additional Information
 * 1832 The Shawnees (tribe) were removed to Kansas from the Hog Creek Reservation (now Shawnee Township.)
 * 14 February 1848: Auglaize County was set off from the southern half of original Allen County.
 * 1848: Monroe, Richland and southern half of Sugar Creek Townships were transferred from Putnam County.
 * 1848: Parts of VanWert and Mercer counties were transferred to Allen County form Spencer Township and part of Marion Township.
 * May 1853: Cash settlement was agreed upon by Allen and Putnam counties for Putnam's loss.

Biographies

 * Biographical Index of Standard History of Allen County, Ohio, And Representative Citizens Vol 1, 1906 at Ohio Genealogy Express
 * Biographical Index of A Standard History of Allen County, Ohio Vol 2, 1906 at Ohio Genealogy Express

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 1765-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images; selected counties, incomplete; includes, death, church, and cemetery records
 * FamilySearch Places

Catholic
 * 1796-2004 Ohio, Diocese of Toledo, Catholic Parish Records, 1796-2004 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1790-1907 Bureau of Land Management Database at OHGenWeb Archives. Original purchasers of land from the Federal government.
 * 1898, 1900 Land Records at OHGenWeb Archives

Local Histories

 * Leeson, M.A., History of Allen County, Ohio; containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, schools, churches… (Chicago : Warner, Beers &amp; Co., 1885) Digital version at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Internet Archives; Google Books.
 * Rusler, William, A Standard history of Allen County, Ohio: an authentic narrative of the past… (Chicago: American Historical Society, 1921) Digital version at: FamilySearch Digital Library - Vol 1; FamilySearch Digital Library - Vol 2; Internet Archives.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Ohio (1788-1940) at MapofUS.org
 * Township maps of Allen County in 1880 at OHGenWeb
 * 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.
 * Allen County War Casualties at Delphos, Ohio History; Includes Persian Gulf, Vietnamese, Korean, WWI, WWII, CIVIL War &amp; Spanish Mexican  Casualties.

Revolutionary War
 * 1840 Census of Pensioners Revolutionary and Military Services at Colonial America

War of 1812
 * Roster of Ohio Soldiers at The Ohio Historical Society

Civil War
 * List of Dead Heroes Whose Bodies Rest in Allen County at OHGenWeb Archives
 * Men In the Civil War at Rootsweb
 * Civil War Casualties from Allen County at Findagrave
 * A Roster of Captains, First Lieutenants, Second Lieutenants, and Non-commissioned Officers and Privates from Allen County at Ohio Genealogy Express
 * A Roster of Captains, First Lieutenants, Second Lieutenants, and Non-commissioned Officers and Privates from Allen County can be found in Leeson, M.A., History of Allen County, Ohio; containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, schools, churches… (Chicago : Warner, Beers &amp; Co., 1885) Digital version at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Internet Archives; Google Books.

Civil War service men from Van Wert 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 Van Wert County.
 * -4th Regiment, Ohio Cavalry, Companies F and I
 * -99th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Companies B and E

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.
 * The Unreturning Brave (from WWI) at OhGenWeb; published in 1925.

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

Newspapers

 * 1793-late 1900's at History Connection —  Select county.
 * 1793-2009 Ohio Newspapers, 1793-2009 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1847-1910 Newspaper Articles at OHGenWeb Archives
 * 1854 Allen County Ohio Marriages at OHGenWeb Archives Taken from Lima Democratic News
 * 1860 Nov 1860 Marriages at OHGenWeb Archives Taken from Lima Democratic News
 * 1900 Dec 1900 Allen County Republican Gazette Marriages at OHGenWeb Archives Taken from Allen County Republican Gazette
 * Early to late-1900's Newspapers at Ohio Memory — sort by County, City, Time Period, and more.
 * Transcribed Allen Co, OH Births at GenealogyBuff.com These births were taken from newspaper obits

Other Records

 * 1893-1960 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1789-1996 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
 * 1786-1998 Ohio, Wills and Probate Records, 1786-1998 at Ancestry ($); Index and images
 * 1857-1878 Allen County Probate at OhGenWeb Archives

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
 * 1834 Tax Lists Amanda and Auglaize Townships at Internet Archive
 * 1834 Tax Lists Bath and Deuchoquette Townships at Internet Archive
 * 1834 Tax Lists German and Jackson Townships at Internet Archive
 * 1834 Tax Lists Marion, Perry and Wayne Townships at Internet Archive
 * 1881 Allen County Tax List August 25, 1881 at OHGenWeb Archives. From The Allen County Democrat.

Vital Records

 * 1876-1919 Vital Records at OHGenWeb Archives

Birth

 * 1800-1962 Ohio, Births and Christenings Index, 1800-1962 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1821-1962 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
 * 1841-2003 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
 * 1908-1998 Ohio, Birth Index, 1908-1998 at Ancestry ($); Index
 * 1918-1953 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1959-1998 Ohio, Birth Index, 1959-1998 at MyHeritage - index ($)

Marriage

 * 1774-1993 Ohio, County Marriage Records, 1774-1993 at Ancestry ($) — Index and images.
 * 1789-2013 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
 * 1800-1958 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
 * 1803-1900 Ohio, Compiled Marriage Index, 1803-1900 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1889-1893 1889-1893 Marriage Licenses at OHGenWeb Archives
 * 1970-2003 Ohio, Marriages, 1970 - 2003 at MyHeritage $; Index
 * 1970-2007 Ohio, Marriage Abstracts, 1970, 1972-2007 at Ancestry ($)

Death

 * 1765-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images; selected counties, incomplete; includes, death, church, and cemetery records
 * 1833-1967 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1840-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
 * 1854-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
 * 1908-1932, 1938–1944, and 1958–2007 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
 * 1908-1932, 1938-2018 Ohio, Death Records, 1908-1932, 1938-2018 at Ancestry ($); Index and images
 * 1908-1953 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection.
 * 1908-1959 Ohio Death Records at OHGenWeb
 * 1913-1944, 1954-1963 Ohio Death Index, 1913-1944, 1954-1963 at MyHeritage ($); Index
 * 1918-1953 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Divorce

 * 1876-1919 Divorce Petitions and Decrees for Allen and Van Wert Counties, and Surrounding Areas at OHGenWeb Archives:
 * 1962-2007 Ohio, Divorce Abstracts, 1962-1963, 1967-1971, 1973-2007 at Ancestry ($)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Lima Ohio FamilySearch Center
 * St Marys Ohio FamilySearch Center
 * Findlay-Hancock County Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Lima Public Library (Main Library) 650 West Market Street Lima, Ohio 45801 419-228-5113 Website

Museums
Allen County Museum 620 West Market Street Lima, OH 45801 419 222-9426 Website

Societies
Allen County Ohio Genealogy Society P. O. Box 1104 Lima, Ohio 45802 E-mail:[mailto:ldcarder2@woh.rr.com ldcarder2@woh.rr.com] Website Allen County Museum and Historical Society 620 W. Market Street Lima, Ohio 45801 419-222-9426 E-mail:[mailto:acmuseum@wcoil.com acmuseum@wcoil.com] Website
 * Including the Elizabeth M. MacDonell Memorial Library for genealogical and historical research

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
 * The 1880 Business Patron’s References at Rootsweb is divided by town and township, each section has a unique set of information about their patrons.
 * Allen County OH Genealogy at LDS Genealogy
 * The Allen County OHGenWeb Project, a member of The OHGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Allen County
 * – 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.