Williams County, Ohio Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named for David Williams, one of the captors of John André in the American Revolutionary War. It is located in the Northwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Williams County Courthouse 1 Courthouse Square Bryan, OH 43506 Phone: 419-636-1551 Williams County website

County Record Center has birth and death records 1867-1908, marriage and probate records 1824-1984, divorce and court records 1824-1977 and naturalization records 1860-1926; County Health Department has birth and death records from 1909

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

 * Biographies, Williams Co. at OHGenWeb

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

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

Genealogies

 * Williams County Ancestry Charts at OHGenWeb

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Local Histories

 * Shinn, William Henry, The County of Williams: A History of Williams County, Ohio, from the Earliest Days, (Madison, Wisconsin: Northwestern Historical Assoc., 1905). Part one online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive; Part two online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive.
 * Writers' Program (Ohio), Bryan and Williams County, Ohio, (Fort Wayne, Indiana: Allen County Public Library, 1984). Online at HathiTrust..
 * Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, County of Williams, Ohio, Historical and Biographical, (Chicago, Illinois: F.A. Battey, 1882). Online at Google Books, FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, HathiTrust.
 * Bowersox, Charles A., A Standard History of Williams County, Ohio: An Authentic Narrative of the Past, with Particular Attention to the Modern Era, (Fort Wayne, Indiana: Allen County Public Library, 1984). Online at Google Books, FamilySearch Digital Library.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Ohio (1788-1940) at MapofUS.org
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * David L. Lupien, editor, Veteran history of Williams County, Ohio : sketches, personal accounts, memoirs, letters, diaries, government reports, newspaper reviews, POW/MIA lists, and County Memorial Rolls of Honor Bryan, Ohio : Northwest Territory Chapter, Ohio Society, Sons of the American Revolution, c2003 FS Library 977.1113 M2v


 * 1888-1919 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.

Civil War Civil War service men from Williams 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 Williams County.


 * - 100th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Company C
 * - 111th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Company C

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

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

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

 * Williams County Obituary Index at Williams County Public Library
 * Obituaries at OHGenWeb

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; index and images.
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

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; index and images.
 * 1800-1850 Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850 at MyHeritage ($) — index

Birth

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

Marriage
.
 * 1789-2013 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1800-1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1800-1958 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index.
 * 1970-2003 Ohio, Marriages, 1970 - 2003 at MyHeritage ($) — index
 * Williams County Marriages at OHGenWeb

Death

 * 1833-1967 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1840-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1908-1932, 1938–1944, and 1958–2007 at FamilySearch– How to Use this Collection; Index.
 * 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 ($)

Archives
Williams County Records Center & Archives 107 W Butler St Bryan, OH 43506 419-636-8253 Website

FamilySearch Centers

 * Wauseon Ohio FamilySearch Center
 * Fremont Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
William County Public Library 107 E High St Bryan, OH 43506 419-636-6734 Website Montpelier Public Library 216 E Main St Montpelier, OH 43543-1199 419-485-3287 Website

Museums
Williams County Historical Society Museum 611 E Main St PO Box 415 Montpelier, OH 43543 419-485-8200 Website The Hopewell Indians Mounds 4 Road Montpelier, OH 43543 Website The Quaker meeting House Township Road N21 West Unity, OH Website

Societies
Williams County Genealogical Society 107 E High St PO Box 293 Bryan, OH 43506 419-636-6734 ext.275 Website Williams County Historical Society PO Box 415 Montpelier, OH 43543-0415 419-485-8200 E-mail:[mailto:wchs@williams-net.com wchs@williams-net.com] Facebook 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
 * Williams County OH Genealogy at LDS Genealogy
 * USGenWeb Archives for Williams County.
 * USGenWeb project May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the 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.