Stark County, Ohio Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named for John Stark, Revolutionary War General known as the "Hero of Bennington". It is located in the North-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Stark County Courthouse 110 Central Plaza South Canton, OH 44702-2219 Phone: 330-451-7931 Stark County Courthouse

County Health Department has birth records; Probate Court has marriage and probate records; Family Court has divorce records; County Recorder has land records

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:

Bible Records

 * Stark County, Ohio, Bible, church and family records at FamilySearch Catalog; Scroll to Film/Digital Notes, then select the camera icon to view images.

Biographies

 * "Portrait and Biographical Record of Stark County, Ohio: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, ..." (Chapman Bros.; Jan 1892) Online at Google Books, FamilySearch Digital Library

Church Records

 * Powell, Esther Weygandt; Stark County, Ohio, early church records and cemeteries, (Akron, Ohio: Esther Weygandt Powell, 1973); Online at FamilySearch Digital Library

Baptist
 * Huchison, Eldon Allen; Elder Daniel Clark, pioneer Baptist preacher: the first minister of the gospel to be ordained in the Northwest Territory, Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive

Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
 * Canton

Lutheran
 * U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry ($).

Court Records

 * 1809-1866 Court records, 1809-1852; index, 1810-1866 at FamilySearch Catalog; Scroll to Film/Digital Notes, then select the camera icon to view images.
 * 1809-1917 at FamilySearch — Ohio, Stark County Court Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection; images.
 * 1810-1849 Court records, 1810-1849 at FamilySearch Catalog; Scroll to Film/Digital Notes, then select the camera icon to view images.
 * 1834-1865 Appearance docket, 1834-1865 at FamilySearch Catalog; Scroll to Film/Digital Notes, then select the camera icon to view images.

Directories

 * 1913 Canton, Stark County, Ohio, U.S., Directory, 1913 at Ancestry - index ($)

Land and Property Records

 * Stark County Recorder's Office Website has an online digital archives system containing deeds and mortgages viewable by creating a free account. Click on "Archive Search Instructions" and "Search Archives" in the left-hand column, and follow the instructions to find available land records.

Local Histories

 * Perrin, William Henry, History of Stark County: With an Outline Sketch of Ohio, (Chicago, Illinois: Barkin and Battey, 1881). Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Google Books, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($) - index and images.
 * Blue, Herbert T.O., History of Stark County, Ohio: From the Age of Prehistoric Man to the Present Day, (Chicago, Illinois: S. J. Clark Pub. Co., 1928). Volume one online at FamilySearch Digital Library; Volume two online at FamilySearch Digital Library; Volume three online at FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Lehman, John H., A Standard History of Stark County, Ohio: An Authentic Narrative of the Past, (Chicago, Illinois: Lewis Pub. Co., 1916). Online at FamilySearch Digital Library, Volume one online at HathiTrust; Volume two online at HathiTrust, Internet Archive; Volume three online at HathiTrust.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Ohio (1788-1940) at MapofUS.org

Military Records

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

Civil War Civil War service men from Stark 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 Stark County.


 * - 4th Regiment, Ohio Infantry (3 months, 1861), Company F (also known as Canton Zouaves)
 * - 104th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Companies A, B, and E
 * - 107th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Companies A, D, and H

World War I
 * Ohio Genealogical Society. Stark County Chapter. Special schedules of the eleventh census of the United States, 1890 schedules enumerating union veterans and widows of Union veterans of the Civil War for Stark County, Ohio. (North Canton, Ohio: Ohio Genealogical Society. Stark County Chapter, 1995),
 * 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.
 * 1914-1919 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

 * Early-late 1900s Newspapers at Ohio Memory — sort by County, City, Time Period, and more.
 * 1793-late 1900s at History Connection —  Select county.

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.

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.

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.

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

Death

 * 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
Stark County Records Center 201 Third St NE, Suite 5 Canton, OH 44702 330-451-7365 Website

Family History Centers

 * Canton Ohio Family History Center (North Canton)
 * Stark County District Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Canal Fulton Public Library 154 Market St NE Canal Fulton, OH 44614-1196 330-854-4148 Website Louisville Public Library 700 Lincoln Ave Louisville, OH 44641-1474 330-875-1696 Website Massillon Public Library 208 Lincoln Way East Massillon, OH 44646-8488 330-832-9831 Website Rodman Public Library 215 E Broadway St Alliance, OH 44601-2694 330-821-2665 Website Stark County District Library 715 Market Ave North Canton, OH 44702-1018 330-452-0665 Website

Museums
William McKinley Presidential Library & Museum 800 McKinley Monument Drive NW Canton, OH 44708 330-455-7043 E-mail:[mailto:Info@McKinleyMuseum.org Info@McKinleyMuseum.org] Website The National First Ladies' Library Museum Saxton McKinley House 331 S Market Ave Canton, OH 44702 330-452-0876 Education and Research Center 205 S Market Ave Canton, OH 44702 Website

Societies
Ohio Geneaological Society, Stark County Chapter Stark County Roots 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
 * Stark County OH Genealogy at LDS Genealogy
 * USGenWeb Project and OHGenWeb for Stark County, Ohio
 * USGenWeb Archives for Stark County, Ohio
 * – 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.