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Clark County History and Information

County History | Court Records | Vital Records | CENSUS Records | TAX Records | Military Records | Church & Cemetery |
Maps & Atlases | Genealogy Addresses | Genealogy Related Sites |
Clark County Ohio Map
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Clark Co., Ohio
Township Map

Clark County was created on December 26, 1817 and was formed from Champaign, Greene and Madison Counties. The County was named for General George Rogers Clark, who served in the Northwest Indian War, but is mainly famous for the conquest of the Illinois Territory in 1778 and 1779.. The County Seat is Springfield. See also County History for more historical details.

The Health Department has Birth & Death Records from 1908-Present, see the Vital Records section for more details.

Counties adjacent to Clark County are Champaign County (north), Madison County (east), Greene County (south), Montgomery County (southwest), Miami County (west).

Clark County Municipalities Include New Carlisle, Springfield, Catawba, Clifton, Donnelsville, Enon, North Hampton, South Charleston, South Vienna, Tremont City. Townships Include Bethel, German, Green, Harmony, Mad River, Madison, Moorefield, Pike, Pleasant, Springfield. Other localities Include Medway, Plattsburgh

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Click Here to Search Ohio Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records!
Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

Records at the Clark County Courthouse

See Also Ohio Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

All Departments below are in the Clark County Courthouse 50 East Columbia Street, PO Box 1008, Springfield 45501-0000, (937) 328-2458 , unless otherwise noted below. The Official County website is located at http://www.clarkcountyohio.gov/ . NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

Clark County Clerk of Probate Court has Marriage Records from 1818 and Probate Records from 1818 and is located at 529 E. Home Road, Springfield, OH 45503; (937) 390-5609

Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

The Probate Court handles the following administrative functions: the probating of wills, estate administrations (full estates and releases from administration), trusts, guardianships of incompetent adults and minors, commitment hearings for the mentally ill and mentally challenged, adoptions, birth corrections, name changes, delayed birth registrations, custodial accounts, lost heir accounts, order disinterments, and issues marriage licenses. In addition, the Court tries litigation issues in all the above matters. A unique aspect of the Probate Court is that the Probate Judge is the ex-officio Clerk of Courts, thus, the Court performs all the duties as its own Clerk of Courts (indexing, filing, docketing, etc.).

Clark County Recorder has Land Records from 1818 and is located at 31 N Limestone Street Springfield, OH 45502. Phone Number: 937-521-1705; Map to Recorder's Office

In Ohio, the Recorder, as an elected official, is charged by law with the exacting duty of keeping certain specific records which may include: deeds, mortgages, financing statements, easements, leases, federal tax liens, personal tax liens, military discharges, powers of attorney, mechanics liens, plats, recognizance liens, partnerships, living wills, zoning resolutions, etc.

Clark County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas has Court Records from 1818. Phone Number: (937) 328-2435

The Clerk of Courts of Common Pleas is responsible for various administrative and ministerial duties in conjunction with the Court of Common Pleas.  These duties include filing, docketing, indexing, and preserving all court pleadings for civil, felony criminal and domestic relations cases.  The Clerk of Courts must also follow procedure required by law and issues writs to carry out Court orders.  Some of these writs include summons, subpoenas, warrants to arrest and to convey to penal institutions, and signing the death warrant in capital cases. The Clerk is responsible for the receipt and disbursement of all money paid into the court system. Other services provided by the Clerk of Court of Common Pleas are accepting bonds, recording notary commissions, administering oaths, keeping naturalization records, and recording and retention of coroner records.

Below is a list of online resources for Clark County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Clark County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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Click Here to Search Ohio Birth, Marriage & Death Records!
Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.

Clark County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Ohio

Ohio did not make it a law to keep birth records until 1867. Ohio made it a law to record births in 1867. County probate courts kept birth records between 1867 and December 19, 1908. There is no statewide index to birth records from 1867 through December 19, 1908. Go to the list of county probate court birth records held at the Ohio Historical Society. If the Ohio Historical Society does not hold a county's birth records, please contact the county's probate court.

Ohio Department of Health, Vital Statistics, 225 Neilston Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215; (614) 466-2531. Same-day service available to walk-in customers (for Ohio birth and death records only)., P.O. Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102, Please allow up to approximately 3 weeks to 6 months for processing of all type of certificates when ordered through the mail. They have the following records:

  • Birth & Death Certificates: The state of Ohio began issuing certificates for births on December 20, 1908. The Ohio Department of Health holds birth certificates for the state of Ohio from December 20, 1908 to the present. The Vital Statistics Office maintains statewide Death Certificates from 1954 to the present. Individual health departments in the county or city where the death took place keep certificates for their local area (not statewide).
    • Cost: $16.50 per certificate, payment is payable to the Treasurer State of Ohio. The cost for each authentication is $5.00 payable to the Secretary of State of Ohio. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $16.50 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
    • Processing Time: 3-6 weeks when ordered by MAIL
    • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon
  • Marriage & Divorce Certificates: The State of Ohio Vital Statistics Office maintains the abstracts of marriages and divorces that occurred in Ohio from January 1, 1954, to present.  Abstracts are brief forms that list limited information extracted from the original marriage licenses or divorce decrees.  This limited information is used for index purposes and the filing of the marriage or divorce within the State of Ohio. We do not have marriage licenses or divorce decrees on file, only abstracts. An abstract is not a marriage license or divorce decree. Please contact the following agencies: Marriage License - County Probate Court; Divorce – County Clerk of Court. To request a certified copy of a marriage license contact the Recorder of Deeds in the county where the license was obtained.To request a certified copy of a divorce decree contact the Circuit Clerk in the county where the decree was granted.
    • Cost: Include a fee of $3.00 per 10 year search per last name with request.  Allow 4 to 6 months for the search. Please do not send cash in the mail.
    • Processing Time: Allow 4 to 6 months for the search by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY. Mail your search request to: Ohio Department of Health, Vital Statistics, 246 N. High Street, 1st Floor, P.O. Box 15098, Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098
  • Ordering Vital Records Online - You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.
Order In Person:

Same day service is available to walk-in customers. This is the fastest way to obtain a birth certificate. When you arrive, you will complete an application and pay the $16.50 required fee. Walk-in address is Ohio Department of Health, Vital Statistics, 225 Neilston Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215; Phone: (614) 466-2531. You can also obtain the birth/death record from the city or county health department office where the event occurred, provided there is no court or legal action. You may download the application and submit it in person or by mail to the nearest local health department.

Order By Mail:

Turn around is estimated at 3 to 6 weeks from the day the request is received. However, people are urged to allow sufficient time for delivery for all birth/death records. Mail a check or money order of $16.50 for each certified certificate. Do not send cash. Mail to the following address: Ohio Department of Health, Vital Statistics, P.O. Box 15098, Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098. Please include return address on envelope and application form.

Order On-Line:

To obtain a certified copy of a vital record by on-line purchase with a credit card, please link to VitalChek

Below is a list of online resources for Clark County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Clark County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

  • VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek’s order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
  • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
  • Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Ohio newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
  • Search Ohio Death Certificate Index 1913-1944 from the Ohio Historical Society
  • Ohio Obituaries Index 1830s-present - mostly Northwest counties (over 800,000 names) includes obituaries from these Ohio counties: Allen, Auglaize, Belmont, Defiance, Erie, Gallia, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Huron, Logan, Lorain, Miami, Ottawa, Paulding, Ross, Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, Washington, Wayne, Wood & Wyandot - coverage varies by county - also see the links below (copies of the obituaries can be ordered for a fee)
  • MOLO Obituary Index includes obituaries from newspapers in Ashland County (Loudonville), Coshocton County, Holmes County and Stark County (Massillon)
  • Clark County, Ohio Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
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Click Here to Search Ohio Voter Lists & Census Records!
Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Clark County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Clark County, Ohio are 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Clark County, Ohio are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms.

Below is a list of online resources for Clark County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Clark County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • Ohio Census, 1790-1890: This collection contains the following indexes: 1790 (Northwest Territory) Federal Census Index; 1800 Federal Census Index (Washington County); 1810 Washington County Census Index; 1820 Federal Census Index; 1830 Federal Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1870 Federal Census Index; Early Census Index; 1890 Veterans Schedule.
  • Clark County, Ohio Census Books at Amazon.com
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Clark County Maps & Atlases

 

Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Ohio and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Ohio showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for Ohio showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries.

Below is a list of online resources for Clark County Maps. Email us with websites containing Clark County Maps by clicking the link below:

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Search Ohio Military Records!
Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

Clark County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Ohio

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Clark County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Clark County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Clark County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Tax records for Ohio began as early as 1800. The archives section of the Ohio Historical Society has a collection of original Ohio tax lists from the state auditor's office. They include lists from the county's organization to 1838, usually arranged by county and township. They are not indexed. County courthouses hold various tax records that have not been inventoried. They are in the office of the county auditor or the county records manager. The FHL has microfilm copies of all known extant tax records 1800-38 for Ohio.

The National Archives-Great Lakes Region retains numerous federal tax records for Ohio. These include assessment books for 1867-73 and corporate and personal records for District 10, Toledo, and District 11, Columbus.

Below is a list of online resources for Clark County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Clark County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Clark County, Ohio Tax Books at Amazon.com
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Clark County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Ohio Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Clark County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Clark County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Clark County Chapter, OGS, PO Box 2524, Springfield, OH 45501-2524; meets the second Saturday of every month except July, August, and December and holidays at 11:00am. Location of meetings is the Heritage Center, 117 South Fountain Ave., in the Discovery Room.
  • Local Ohio Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
  • Ohio Historical Society, Archives-Library Division,1982 Velma Avenue, Columbus, OH 43211; Telephone: 614-297-2300
    The Ohio Historical Society Archives/Library is, by law, the archives for the State of Ohio. As such, we collect, preserve, and make available to the public, documents pertaining to the operation of state and local governments.
  • Ohio Genealogical Society, 713 S. Main St, Mansfield, OH 44907-1644;(419) 756-7294, [EMAIL]
  • Columbus Metropolitan Library, Genealogy Division, 96 S. Grant Ave., Columbus, OH 43215. 614-645-2ASK (2275);The Genealogy Division holds microfilm; printed, typescript, and manuscript collections, including family and local histories; atlases; cemetery records; city directories; military records; censuses and census indexes; and transcribed records provided by the Ohio chapters of the DAR.
  • Ohio Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
  • Ohio Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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Click Here to Search Ohio Obituary Records!
This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

Clark County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Ohio

There are many churches and cemeteries in Clark County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Clark County Tombstone Transcription Project.

Religion in Ohio was an early and important factor in settlement. The first Moravian mission was established in 1772. Presbyterians and Quakers were in the state at an early date, the latter having established forty-three monthly meetings and settlements between 1801 and 1883. The Presbyterians founded seventeen towns between 1784 and 1799. Baptists, Congregationalists, several reformed groups, Lutherans, Disciples of Christ, United Brethren, Methodists, and Catholics arrived prior to 1850. By 1890 the latter two denominations were the largest in the state. The Methodist circuit in Ohio was organized in 1798, with circuit riders traveling from log cabins to camp meetings across the territory. In 1831 the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints migrated from New York to Kirtland in Lake County. No thorough survey exists of any of the holdings of individual churches in Ohio, although many are on microfilm through the FHL. The Ohio Genealogical Society is presently undertaking a church records survey.

According to the Ohio Genealogical Society, the majority of Ohio counties have published cemetery records in one form or another. They suggest contacting local societies or one of the major genealogical libraries in the state.

Below is a list of online resources for Clark County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Clark County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Click Here to Search Ohio Family Tree Records!
The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Clark County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Clark County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Extended History

 

On December 26, 1817, the Ohio government authorized the creation of Clark County. The county was named in honor of George Rogers Clark, a hero of the American Revolution. It was originally parts of Greene, Champaign, and Madison Counties. The county began to flourish during the 1830s, with the completion of the National Road through Ohio.

Clark County is located in west central Ohio. It is predominantly rural, with less than one percent of the county's four hundred square miles consisting of urban areas. The county seat is Springfield. With a population of 65,358 people, Springfield was the county's largest community in 2000. The next largest urban area, New Carlisle, had only 5,735 residents that same year. Like most of Ohio's predominantly rural counties, Clark County experienced a drop in population -- roughly two percent -- between 1990 and 2000, reducing the total number of residents to 144,742 people. Many residents of Ohio's rural communities are seeking better lives and more opportunities in the state's cities. Clark County averages almost 362 people per square mile.

The largest employer in Clark County is sales positions, followed closely by service industries, such as health care and communications. Manufacturing jobs are a close third, with government positions a distant fourth. Many residents found employment in the printing industry during the 1930s and 1940s, with the Crowell-Collier Publishing Company publishing several national magazines in Springfield. During this same time period, Springfield was the largest grower of rosebushes for sale in the nation. In 1999, the per capita income in the county was almost twenty-five thousand dollars, with 12.5 percent of the people living in poverty.

James Demint constructed the first cabin in what would become Springfield in 1799. In 1801, James Dougherty officially plotted the town. Many of the town’s earliest settlers came from Kentucky. One of its most famous early residents was Simon Kenton. Springfield became the county seat of Clark County. Because of its proximity to major transportation routes in the mid-nineteenth century, including the National Road and railroads, the community became very prosperous. Most of its early settlers were involved in agriculture. During the Panic of 1819, land speculation caused the people of Springfield to suffer economically, but the expansion of the National Road helped Springfield to regain its economic strength. Because of the town’s close proximity to streams and a fork of the Mad River, more than twenty mills existed within three miles of town by 1846.

The town quickly became a center for religious and educational activities in the early nineteenth century. In addition to a coeducational high school run by the Methodist Episcopal Church, the local libraries contained approximately four thousand volumes. The Lutheran Church founded Wittenberg College in 1845 as both a seminary and college. By the mid-nineteenth century, a number of religious groups had established churches in Springfield, including the Presbyterians, the Methodists, the Episcopalians, the Baptists, the Lutherans, and the Universalists. By the 1880s, more than forty churches called Springfield home. The strong religious influence in the town made Springfield the site of a growing temperance movement as well.

By 1880, Springfield’s population had grown to more than twenty thousand people, primarily because of the advent of industrialization. The next several years saw continued growth. Because of the community’s connection to nearby farmers, many of Springfield’s earliest industries were in some way related to agriculture. Factories produced threshers, reapers, mowers, and other agricultural implements. Both woolen and cotton textile mills also employed numerous local residents. Among Springfield’s largest manufacturing interests in the 1800s were the Standard Manufacturing Company, the Champion Machine Company, and the Lagonda Agricultural Works. Springfield benefited from the inventions of Obed Hussey and Cyrus McCormick, who both developed versions of the reaper. Springfield, along with other Ohio cities including Akron, Canton, and Dayton, became a major producer of the Buckeye mower and reaper by the time of the Civil War. The community’s strong industrial growth led to the creation of a mechanic’s association in the 1830s, as well as other labor organizations as the century continued. During the 1800s, Springfield was one of the largest producers of farm machinery in the United States, but by the end of the century, that dominance began to disappear. Cities further west, such as Chicago, began to compete with Springfield. Ultimately, Buckeye Reaper and Mower sold out to the McCormick Company, which was based in Chicago. An economic depression that hit the nation in the 1890s was particularly hard on industrial cities in Ohio, leading to widespread unemployment. Economic conditions improved during World War I, as factories began to produce goods that were necessary for the war effort, but after the war ended, much of the economic growth did not continue.

In the twentieth century, Springfield worked to diversify its industries and create more opportunities for economic growth. Building upon one of its strengths after the Civil War, Springfield had one of the largest publishing firms in the United States by the early 1900s. At the start of the twenty-first century publishing is no longer a major employer. During the early 1900s, local factories produced ten different types of automobiles. These included the Bramwell, Brenning, Foos, Frayer-Miller, Kelly Steam, Russell-Springfield and Westcott. Remaining true to this automotive tradition, the city’s largest employer today is Navistar International, a producer of buses and trucks. In addition, Springfield benefited from its close location to the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. In 2000, Springfield’s more than sixty-five thousand residents could find employment in more than 3,500 different businesses. Similar to other Ohio industrial cities, Springfield has experienced a declining population over the past fifty years.

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