Darke County, Ohio Genealogy
Guide to Darke County, Ohio ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Darke County, Ohio | |
| Map | |
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 Location of Ohio in the U.S. | |
| Courthouse | |
 | |
| Address | Darke County Courthouse 504 South Broadway Greenville, Ohio 45331 Darke County Website |
|---|---|
Contents
- 1 Darke County, Ohio Record Dates
- 2 Places/Localities
- 3 Resources
- 3.1 Bible Records
- 3.2 Biography
- 3.3 Business Records and Commerce
- 3.4 Cemeteries
- 3.5 Census
- 3.6 Church Records
- 3.7 Court Records
- 3.8 Emigration and Immigration
- 3.9 Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups
- 3.10 Gazetteers
- 3.11 Genealogy
- 3.12 History
- 3.13 Land and Property
- 3.14 Maps
- 3.15 Military
- 3.16 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 3.17 Newspapers
- 3.18 Obituaries
- 3.19 Periodicals
- 3.20 Probate
- 3.21 Public Records
- 3.22 Repositories
- 3.23 Taxation
- 3.24 Vital Records
- 4 Websites
- 5 References
Darke County, Ohio Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1867 | 1817 | 1867 | 1820 | 1816 | 1818 | 1820 |
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named for William Darke, a General in the American Revolution. It's county seat is Greenville and was founded January 3, 1809. It is located in the West-Central area of the state.[3]
Places/Localities[edit | edit source]
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. Hometown Locator The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in Darke County: [4]
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| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Townships | ||
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Mercer County • Auglaize County • Shelby County • Miami County • Montgomery County • Preble County • Shelby County • Wayne County, Indiana • Randolph County, Indiana • Jay County, Indiana
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
For an extensive list of resources for Bible Records see Ohio Bible Records.
Biography[edit | edit source]
All 659 biographies included in The History of Darke County, Ohio published by W. H. Beers ; Co. in 1880 are available free online at: Darke County, Ohio Biographies
Business Records and Commerce[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.
| Online Grave Transcripts | Published Grave Transcripts | County Cemetery Directories |
| Family History Library | ||
| WorldCat | ||
| Billion Graves | ||
| See Ohio Cemeteries for more information. | ||
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1820 | 3,622 | — |
| 1830 | 6,204 | 71.3% |
| 1840 | 13,282 | 114.1% |
| 1850 | 20,276 | 52.7% |
| 1860 | 26,009 | 28.3% |
| 1870 | 32,278 | 24.1% |
| 1880 | 40,496 | 25.5% |
| 1890 | 42,961 | 6.1% |
| 1900 | 42,532 | −1.0% |
| 1910 | 42,933 | 0.9% |
| 1920 | 42,911 | −0.1% |
| 1930 | 38,009 | −11.4% |
| 1940 | 38,831 | 2.2% |
| 1950 | 41,799 | 7.6% |
| 1960 | 45,612 | 9.1% |
| 1970 | 49,141 | 7.7% |
| 1980 | 55,096 | 12.1% |
| 1990 | 53,619 | −2.7% |
| 2000 | 53,309 | −0.6% |
| 2010 | 52,959 | −0.7% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Ohio denominations, see Ohio Church Records.
Finding Church Records at Other Repositories
Additional church records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Darke County, Ohio Church Records in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, or Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
Genealogy[edit | edit source]
Miami Valley Genealogy Index is an Index to more than a half million pointers to records all over Miami Valley including Darke County.
History[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Darke County, Ohio. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Ohio Local Histories.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
- Wilson, Frazer Ells, History of Darke County, Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present… (Milford, Ohio : Hobart Pub. Co., 1974) Digital version at Google Books; Internet Archives; available on microfilm at FHL film 934893 Items 2-3.
- McIntosh, W.H., The History of Darke County, Ohio, containing a history of the county… (Chicago : W.H. Beers, 1880) Digital version at Google Books; Internet Archives; indexed in Index to History of Darke County, Ohio FHL book 977.147 H2h index.
- A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio: a compendium of national biography (Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co., 1900) Digital version at Google Books; Internet Archives.
- Biographies from The History of Darke County, Ohio (1880) published by W. H. Beers & Co. are available free on the My Genealogy Hound website.
Land and Property[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Ohio Land and Property for additional information about early Ohio land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.
- 1790-1907 - Bureau of Land Management database Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of Ohio (1788-1940)
- Family Maps of Darke County, Ohio Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
Military[edit | edit source]
- 1888-1919 - Ohio Soldier Home Records, 1888-1919 at FamilySearch — index and images
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Civil War service men from Darke 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 Darke County.
World War I[edit | edit source]
- 1914-1919 - Ohio, World War I Statement of Service Cards, 1914-1919 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1914-1918 - Ohio, World War I, Enrollment Cards, 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1916-1920 - Ohio, WWI Index and Return Cards, 1916-1920 at FamilySearch — index
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- 1800-1977 - Ohio, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1977 at FamilySearch — index and images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Darke County, Ohio Genealogy newspapers may contain genealogical value including obituaries, births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries, family gatherings, family travel, achievements, business notices, engagement information, and probate court proceedings.
To access newspapers, contact public libraries, Ohio Genealogical Society chapters, college or university libraries, the Library of Congress, Google News, or the Ohio Memory. The Ohio Genealogical Society Obituary Database is another source of newspaper information.
For more Ohio newspaper information see the Newspaper Guides on the wiki page Ohio Newspapers and Obituaries.
Online Newspapers
- 1793-1996 - Ohio Newspapers Index Searchable database. Link to the Ohio Historical Society courtesy of OhioGenWeb
Online Newspaper Abstracts
Newspaper Extracts and Abstracts in Book Form
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate[edit | edit source]
From 1797 or the creation of the county, probate records were held by the Court of Common Pleas. After 1852, records are held by the {{{1}}} County Probate Court. Records include wills, estates, guardianships, naturalizations, marriage, adoption, and birth and death records (1867-1908 only). The records may give the decedent's date of death, name of spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
See Ohio Probate Records for information about how to use probate records. Online Probate Records
- 1786 - 1998 Ohio Wills and Probate Records 1786-1998 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1789 - 1996 Ohio Probate Records 1789-1996 at FamilySearch.org — images
- 1790–1967 - Ohio, Probate Records, 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.
- 1817-1878 - Drake County, Ohio Common Pleas Court Records, 1817-1860 at Ancestry ($) Abstracts and miscellaneous sources
- various years - community contributed wills Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives
Finding More Probate Records[edit source]
Additional probate records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Darke County, Ohio Genealogy Probate Records in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).
Public Records[edit | edit source]
Repositories[edit | edit source]
Courthouse[edit | edit source]
County Courthouse
Darke County Courthouse
504 S Broadway Street
Greenville, OH 45331
Phone: 937.547.7335
Probate Judge has birth and death records 1867-1908,
marriage records from 1817 and probate records;
Clerk Court has divorce and court records from 1820;
County Recorder has land records from 1816 and
burial records (veterans graves) from 1832[5]
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
For additional nearby Family History Centers, search online in the FHC directory. Put your town name in the top search box.
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Online Genealogy Research Groups[edit | edit source]
- 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
Taxation[edit | edit source]
Ohio tax records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses before 1820 or to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned taxable property were listed, many residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties.
- 1800-1950 - Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1800-1850 Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850 at MyHeritage ($) — index
Finding More Tax Records
Additional tax records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Darke County, Ohio Genealogy Tax Records in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Marriages were usually recorded from the formation of the county and are held at the office of the County Probate Court. Divorce records are located with the county Clerk of Courts.
Any existing birth and death records from 1867 through December 19, 1908 are located at the County Probate Court. The Ohio Department of Health has birth records filed after December 20, 1908 and death records filed after January 1, 1954, while the Ohio History Connection houses death records from December 20, 1908 through December 31, 1953.
Birth[edit | edit source]
Online Birth Indexes and Records
- 1800-1962 - Ohio, Births and Christenings Index, 1800-1962 at ancestry.com ($)
- 1841-2003 - Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1908-1964 - Ohio, Birth Index, 1908-1964 at ancestry.com ($)
- 1908-1998 Ohio, Birth Index, 1908-1998 at Ancestry.com ($) — index
- various years - community contributed births Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives
Original Birth Records on Microfilm
Marriage[edit | edit source]
Online Marriage Indexes and Records Original Marriage Records on Microfilm
- 1789-2013 - Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1800-1958 - Ohio, Marriages, 1800-1958 at FamilySearch Historical Records – free; Index. Name index to marriage records from the state of Ohio. Microfilm copies of these records are available at the Family History Library and some FamilySearch Centers. Due to privacy laws, recent records may not be displayed. The year range represents most of the records. A few records may be earlier or later.
- 1800-1942 - Ohio, Marriages, 1800-1942 at FamilySearch — index
- 1817-1840 - Darke County, Ohio Marriages at [http:ancestry.com Ancestry.com] ($)
- 1970-2003 Ohio, Marriages, 1970 - 2003 at MyHeritage ($) — index
- various years - community contributed marriage records Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives
Death[edit | edit source]
Online Death Indexes and Records
- 1840-2001 - Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1908-1953 - Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953 Free name indexes and images at FamilySearch. Records include such information as birth date of deceased, city, county, and state of death, name of spouse if married, names of parents, maiden name of mother, name of informant, if deceased was single, married, windowed or divorced, occupation of deceased.
- 1908-1932, 1938-2018 Ohio, Death Records, 1908-1932, 1938-2018 at Ancestry.com ($) — index and images
- 1913-1944, 1954-1963 Ohio Death Index, 1913-1944, 1954-1963 at MyHeritage ($) — index
- 1913-1937 - Ohio deaths index link courtesy OhioGenWeb
- 1927-1996 - Darke County Burial Index Courtesy OhioGenWeb
- various years - community contributed death records Courtesy OhioGenWeb Archives
Original Death Records on Microfilm
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Finding More Vital Records
Additional vital records can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Darke County, Ohio Genealogy Vital Records in online catalogs like:
- WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).
Websites[edit | edit source]
- FamilySearch Catalog
- Darke County, OH History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- Darke County OH Genealogy
- Ohio Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- Darke County Genealogical Researchers: Large collections of varying types of genealogical records
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Darke County, Ohio. Page 540-547 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 531-533.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), [FHL book 973 D27e 2002].
- ↑ http://genealogytrails.com/ohio/darke/ accessed 2/14/2017
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Darke County, Ohio," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darke_County,_Ohio, accessed 8 November 2018.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Darke County, Ohio. Page 541 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
