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Defiance County History and Information

County History | Court Records | Vital Records | CENSUS Records | TAX Records | Military Records | Church & Cemetery |
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Defiance County Ohio Map
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Defiance Co., Ohio
Township Map

Defiance County was created on March 4, 1845 and was formed from Henry, Paulding and Williams Counties. The County was named for Fort Defiance, so named by General "Mad" Anthony Wayne because it was near the site of St. Clair's Defeat, the worst defeat ever suffered by the U.S. Army against the Indians, was fought and Wayne wanted to show resolve and dared or "defied" them to attack again.. The County Seat is Defiance . 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. For birth and death records prior to Dec. 20, 1908, contact the Probate Court of this county.

Counties adjacent to Defiance County are Williams County (north), Henry County (east), Putnam County (southeast), Paulding County (south), Allen County, Indiana (southwest), DeKalb County, Indiana (west).

Defiance County Municipalities Include Defiance, Hicksville, Ney, Sherwood. Townships Include Adams, Defiance, Delaware, Farmer, Hicksville, Highland, Mark, Milford, Noble, Richland, Tiffin, Washington. Other localities Include Evansport, Farmer, Jewell, Mark Center

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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 Defiance County Courthouse

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

All Departments below are in the Defiance County Courthouse 221 Clinton Street, Defiance, Ohio 43512, 419) 782-4761 , unless otherwise noted below. The Official County website is located at http://www.defiance-county.com/ . NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

Defiance County Clerk of Probate Court has Marriage Records from 1845, Birth / Death Records from 1851 and Probate Records from 1845; Phone #: 419-782-4181

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.).

Defiance County Recorder has Land Records from 1823 Phone Number: Phone: (419) 782-4741

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.

Defiance County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas has Court Records from 1845 and is located at PO Box 716 Phone Number (419) 782-1936

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 Defiance County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Defiance 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.

Defiance 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 Defiance County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Defiance 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)
  • Defiance 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

Defiance County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Defiance County, Ohio are 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 Defiance 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 Defiance County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Defiance 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.
  • Defiance County, Ohio Census Books at Amazon.com
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Defiance 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 Defiance County Maps. Email us with websites containing Defiance 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.

Defiance 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 Defiance County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Defiance County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Defiance 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 Defiance County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Defiance County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Defiance County, Ohio Tax Books at Amazon.com
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Defiance 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 Defiance County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Defiance County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Defiance County Chapter, OGS, PO Box 7006, Defiance, OH 43512-7006; meets at St. John's United Church of Christ, Defiance College campus. The church is on the corner of Grand Ave. and Webster St.; go into the door off of the parking lot. Meetings are the fourth Monday of the month at 7:00pm except for August., E-mail: defiancegenealogy2002@yahoo.com
  • 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.

Defiance County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Ohio

There are many churches and cemeteries in Defiance County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Defiance 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 Defiance County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Defiance 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 Defiance County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Defiance County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Extended History

 

On March 4, 1845, the Ohio government authorized the creation of Defiance County. The county was originally parts of Williams, Henry, and Paulding Counties. Residents named the county after Fort Defiance, a fortification constructed by General Anthony Wayne’s men prior to the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794. Fort Defiance was also important to defending Ohio from invasion by British soldiers and their native allies during the War of 1812.

Defiance County has a long history of change and growth. From 1820, when the Ohio Legislature converted ceded Indian lands into fourteen districts, to March 4, 1845, when the bill establishing the present day County became law, the people of Defiance County, both then and now, have always dealt with the many challenges of establishing boundaries and local government.

Present day Defiance County is composed of twelve townships, Adams, Defiance, Delaware, Farmer, Hicksville, Highland, Mark, Milford, Noble, Richland, Tiffin and Washington cover 412 square miles. There are three incorporated villages, Hicksville, Ney and Sherwood, and the City of Defiance. There are a number of unincorporated areas.

Defiance County is located in northeastern Ohio. The county’s western boundary helps to form the border between Indiana and Ohio. Defiance County is predominantly rural, with only one percent of the county’s 411 square miles consisting of urban areas. The county seat is Defiance, site of Fort Defiance. With a population of 16,465 people, Defiance was the county’s largest community in 2000. The next largest urban area was Hicksville, with a population of 3,649 people in 2000. Like most of Ohio’s predominantly rural counties, Defiance County experienced a decline in population between 1990 and 2000, reducing the number of residents to 39,500 people down from 40,115. The migrants typically leave the rural areas, seeking more social and economic opportunities in Ohio’s larger cities. The county averages ninety-six people per square mile.

The largest employers in Defiance County are manufacturing businesses, especially a General Motors powertrain assembly plant that hires 2,550 workers. Sales positions, service industries, farming, and government careers rank second, third, fourth and fifth respectively. In 1999, the per capita income in the county was almost twenty-five thousand dollars, with 7.1 percent of the people living in poverty.

Defiance is the county seat of Defiance County, Ohio. The city was named for Fort Defiance, which once stood in the confines of the city. In August 1794, General Anthony Wayne ordered the construction of Fort Defiance at the confluence of the Auglaize and Maumee Rivers. Wayne built the fort during his campaign against the Indians of Ohio to provide his men with protection and a staging ground for their operations. The fort was a rough square with a blockhouse located on each corner. In addition to the stockade, a wall of earth eight feet thick and a ditch eight feet deep and fifteen feet wide protected the fortifications. Lieutenant John Boyer, an officer in Wayne's army, claimed that the fort could protect the American soldiers from "the English, the Indians, and all the devils in hell."

Following the Battle of Fallen Timbers, Wayne utilized Fort Defiance as his base of operations. He ordered the destruction of all Indian villages and crops within a fifty mile radius of the fort. When Native Americans and the United States signed the Treaty of Greeneville in 1795, the natives permitted the Americans to maintain a trading post and fort at Fort Defiance, although the whites had ceded the right to settle this portion of Ohio. Until the War of 1812, Fort Defiance served as one of the western-most outposts in Ohio, guarding citizens from native attacks. William Henry Harrison utilized the fort in his attacks against Indians in the early 1810s as well as a staging area for attacks against the British in the War of 1812. Modern-day Defiance, Ohio, was founded at the fort's location in 1822. Local Indian tribes had signed away their rights to the surrounding land in 1817.

Defiance grew slowly, having approximately seven hundred residents in 1846. That same year, the town consisted of two churches and five retail stores. Over the next thirty-four years, Defiance's population increased dramatically to 5,907 residents in 1880. This growth resulted from two railroads passing through the town, as well as the need for businesses to meet the needs of farmers living in the surrounding countryside. In 1886, four newspaper offices, thirteen churches, and two banks existed in the community. The largest single employer in Defiance was the Turnbull Wagon Company, which employed 190 workers. Numerous other businesses produced wagons, carriages, and agricultural implements for local farmers.

During the twentieth century, Defiance continued to grow. In 2000, 16,465 residents lived in the town. Many of the local businesses continue to serve farmers living in the surrounding countryside. Founded in 1850, Defiance College also is a major institution in the community.

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