Mahoning County History and Information

Mahoning County was created on February 16, 1846 and was formed from Columbiana and Trumbull Counties. The County was named for the Mahoning river. The name Mahoning is, according to Heckwelder, derived from either the Indian word Mahoni, signifying "a lick," or Mahonink, "at the lick".. The County Seat is Youngstown . The city of Youngstown was settled by and named for John Young from New York State. The discovery of local iron ore deposits initiated the city's growth as a world center for steel manufacturing. Youngstown is the center of the fourth largest steel-producing district in the nation. 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 Mahoning County are Trumbull County (north), Mercer County, Pennsylvania (northeast), Lawrence County, Pennsylvania (east), Columbiana County (south), Stark County ( southwest), Portage County (northwest).

Mahoning County Municipalities Include Alliance, Campbell, Canfield, Columbiana, Struthers, Youngstown, Beloit, Craig Beach, Lowellville, New Middletown, Poland, Sebring, Washingtonville. Townships Include Austintown, Beaver, Berlin, Boardman, Canfield, Coitsville, Ellsworth, Goshen, Green, Jackson, Milton, Poland, Smith, Springfield. Other localities Include Damascus, Ellsworth, Greenford, Lake Milton, New Springfield, North Benton, North Jackson, North Lima, Petersburg

• The Mahoning County Official Government Website
• Search the Ohio USGenWeb Archives
• Mahoning County, Virginia History Books at Amazon.com
• Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.

Records at the Mahoning County Courthouse

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

All Departments below are in the Mahoning County Courthouse 120 Market Street, Youngstown, OH 44503; Phone: +1-216-740-2130, unless otherwise noted below. The Official County website is located at http://mahoningcountyoh.gov/ . NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.Records at the Mahoning County Courthouse:

1. At the Probate Office
   • A book titled "Births, Deaths and Marriages" located in the marriage department in which these events were recorded for one year: 1 April 1856 through 31 March 1857.
   • Marriage records since the county's beginning in 1846.
   • Birth & death records from 1 April 1864 until 20 Dec 1908
   • Guardianship records
   • Wills and Estates since 1846 are on microfilm and microfiche. Original Probate Records from 1846 through ca 1900 are at the Mahoning Valley Historical Society Archival Library At the
2. Recorder's Office: Soldier's discharges dated from the Civil War, Deeds are copied from microfilm at $1.00 per page, Land Records, Grave Registrations
3. Records at the Department of Health at City Hall, in Youngstown: Birth & death records after 20 Dec 1908 until the present , Youngstown city deaths from 1892 to 20 Dec 1908
4. The city of Campbell Board of Health started in 1932
5. The city of Struthers Board of Health started in 1909
6. Marriage Records for Mahoning County:
   • Type of Record: M/DAR , Dates: 1846 - 1865 , Roll/Call Number: GR 1399
   • Type of Record: CD-Rom , Dates: 1846 - 1848

Mahoning County Clerk of Probate Court has Marriage Records from 1846, Birth / Death Records from 1867-1908 and Probate Records from 1846 and is located at the courthouse. Phone Number: Phone: 330-740-2310, Fax: 330-740-2325

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.).

Mahoning County Recorder has Land Records from 1795 and is located at the courthouse. Phone Number: Phone: 330-740-2345 Fax: 330-740-2347

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.

Mahoning County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas has Court Records from 1847 and is located at the courthouse. Phone Number: Phone: 330-740-2158, Fax: 330-742-5898

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 Mahoning County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Mahoning County Court Records by clicking the link below:

• Ohio Land Records and Ohio Early Land Ownership Records: Online databases for Court, Land and Probate Records
• Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
• Ohio Marriages: Extracted from the Old Northwest Genealogical Quarterly
• Ohio Marriages, 1803-1900: This database contains records of marriages that took place in Ohio between 1803 and 1900.
• Mahoning County, Ohio Court Books at Amazon.com
• Ohio Immigration & Emigration Records - Immigration records help the family historian to understand the movements of their ancestry as they relocated to different parts of the world.

Mahoning 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 FREE
• 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 Mahoning County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Mahoning 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 FREE - 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)
• Mahoning County, Ohio Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com

Mahoning County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Mahoning County, Ohio are 1810, 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 Mahoning 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 Mahoning County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Mahoning 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.
• Mahoning County, Ohio Census Books at Amazon.com

Mahoning 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 Mahoning County Maps. Email us with websites containing Mahoning County Maps by clicking the link below:

• Mahoning County, Ohio Township Map
• The USGenWeb Archives Digital Map Library
• Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection: Ohio Maps
• Mahoning County, Ohio Map Books at Amazon.com

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

• Ohio: Revolutionary War Pensioners Living in the State of Ohio in 1818-1819
• Ohio Historical Society War of 1812 Roster of Ohio Soldiers
• Ohio Civil War Documents
• Ohio: Links to Ohio Civil War Rosters
• Ohio Society of Daughters of the American Revolution
• National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution,
• Ohio Society of Sons of the American Revolution,
• National Society of Sons of the American Revolution, 1000 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203; (502) 589-1776
• Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
• Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
• Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, from NARA publication M804.
• Southern Claims Commission from the State of Ohio (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
• Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Ohio (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
• Mahoning County, Ohio Military Books at Amazon.com

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

• Mahoning County, Ohio Tax Books at Amazon.com

Mahoning 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 Mahoning County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Mahoning County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

• Mahoning County Chapter, OGS, PO Box 9333, Youngstown, OH 44513-9333; Mahoning County Chapter, OGS meets the third Monday of each month at 7:30pm except July, August, and December at the St. Charles Ministry Building, 7325 Westview Dr., Boardman, OH., Email: MCCOGS@zoominternet.net
• Western Reserve Historical Society, 3967 Boardman-Canfield Rd, Canfield OH 44406-9030; (330) 533-4330
• Sebring Historical Society, PO Box 127, Sebring OH 44672; (330) 938-2261
• Springfield Township Historical Society, PO Box 187, Petersburg OH 44454
• Struthers Historical Society, 50 Terrace St, Struthers OH 44471; (330) 755-7189
• Youngstown Historical Center of History & Labor, 151 West Wood Street, Youngstown OH 44501
• Austintown Historical Society, 3898 Ascot Ct., Youngstown OH 44515; (330) 792-1129
• Berlin Center Historical Society, P. O. Box 175, Berlin Center OH 44401-0112; (330) 547-2502
• Boardman Historical Society, P. O. Box 3134, Boardman OH 44513-3134; (330) 726-7790
• Campbell Historical Society, 211 Struthers-Liberty Rd, Campbell OH 44405-1935; (330) 755-4496
• McGuffey Historical Society, 4504 McGuffey Rd, Youngstown OH 44505; (330) 534-9933
• Poland Township, Historical Society, 4515 Poland Center Rd, Poland OH 44514; (330) 757-2613
• Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, 305 Wick Avenue, , Youngstown OH 44503-1003; (330) 744-8636, fax: (330) 744-2258 (Office), fax: (330) 744-3355 (Library), e-mail: xx111@yfn.ysu.edu
• 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

Mahoning County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Ohio

There are many churches and cemeteries in Mahoning County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Mahoning 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 Mahoning County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Mahoning County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

• Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Ohio obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Ohio newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Ohio.
• Ohio Cemetery Records: Extracted from the Old Northwest Genealogical Quarterly
• Mahoning County, Ohio Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
• Mahoning County, Ohio Church Books at Amazon.com

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 Mahoning County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Mahoning County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

• Search for Local Ohio Researchers or Earn Money by becoming a Local Ohio Researcher!
• Search 60 Years Of Everton Data : For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
• Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
• Sites on USGenweb: [ Mahoning County ] [ Ohio ] [ Main Page ]
• [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
• Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
• Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
• The OHGenWeb Project Ohio Research Exchange Program
• OHIO Family Group Sheets
• Ohio Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
• Genealogical Document Search and Retrieval Service - Find local researchers in your area.
• Mahoning County, Ohio Family Books at Amazon.com

Extended History

 

The Ohio government authorized the creation of Mahoning County on February 16, 1846. Residents named the county after the Mahoning River. “Mahoning” is an Indian word meaning “salt licks.”

Mahoning County is located in the northeastern portion of Ohio, and it is in the heart of Appalachia. Its eastern border helps form Ohio’s boundary with Pennsylvania. With only seven percent of the county’s 415 square miles deemed to be urban, most residents live in rural areas. The county averages 621 people per square mile. The county’s largest community and county seat is Youngstown, which had just over eighty-two thousand residents in 2000. Mahoning County has experienced a declining population in recent years, primarily due to the loss of employment opportunities in the county. In 2000, 257,555 people resided in the county, a decrease of almost three percent since 1990.

Service industries, such as health care, communications, and tourism, and retail positions are the two largest employers in Mahoning County. Farming is a distant sixth behind manufacturing, government, and financial positions. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, coal mining and iron ore excavation were major employers in the county. In 1803, Daniel and James Heaton established the first iron blast furnace in Ohio. Today, Youngstown State University employs many residents. In 1999, the per capita income for Mahoning County residents was just over twenty-four thousand dollars. More than fourteen percent of the county’s residents lived in poverty.

The community of Youngstown, located within the original Connecticut Western Reserve, was founded by John Young in 1797. Young had purchased an entire township from the Connecticut Land Company. He paid $16,085 for 15,560 acres of land. Within a short period of time, ten families settled in the community, which was located along the Mahoning River. Youngstown continued to grow and was officially incorporated in 1802.

That same year, Daniel and James Heaton started the community's first industry, building the Hopewell Furnace. Iron ore and coal deposits had been discovered near Youngstown, and an early iron industry flourished. With the construction of the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal in the 1820s and 1830s and ultimately the construction of railroads beginning in 1853, Youngstown continued to grow both in terms of its industrial capability and its population. By 1860, the population had reached 5,300, and by 1870, 8,075 people lived in the community. By the second half of the nineteenth century, Youngstown had become an important intersection of a number of major railway lines, including the Baltimore & Ohio, the Erie Lackawana, the New York Central, and the Pennsylvania Railroad. As a result of the city's growth, the Mahoning County seat was moved from Canfield to Youngstown in 1876. The population continued to grow, reaching 33,220 by 1890.

In the late 1800s, the first steel mills were constructed in Youngstown, signaling the new influence of that industry on the city's development. The new industry attracted many immigrants to the community, including Poles, Italians, and Hungarians, among others. In the early twentieth century, the steel workers began to demand better wages and working conditions. There were a number of strikes that occurred during this era, including some that resulted in rioting and violence.

During World War I, the steel mills produced materiel for the war effort. As a result of this increased production, there were a number of new jobs. Youngstown's population swelled so rapidly that there was not enough housing for everyone. When the war ended, a number of workers were laid off. Once again, workers went on strike. They demanded that the companies institute an eight-hour day and a six-day week. In addition, workers wanted extra pay for working overtime. When mill owners did not respond to their demands, riots occurred.

By the 1920s, Youngstown was second only to Pittsburgh in terms of total steel production in the United States. At the same time, the industry faced some significant challenges. After the closing of the canal, the city no longer had access to water transportation. In addition, there was a shortage of water to be used for cooling in the mills. Despite these issues, the city continued to grow. The population in 1920 was 132, 358 people, and Youngstown was ranked as the fiftieth largest city in the nation. Many residents predicted that the city would continue to grow at a rapid rate throughout the twentieth century. Instead, the population reached its peak in 1930 at just over 170,000 residents.

The Great Depression hit Youngstown hard. Because the city's economy relied so much on the steel industry, its unemployment rate was approximately three times the national average during the 1930s. Unions were gaining popularity among workers during this era, but several steel companies in Youngstown had resisted unionization. They were collectively known as the Little Steel Companies. Workers at these mills went on strike on March 26, 1937. Although the "Little Steel" strike, as it became known, was not very successful in the short-term, it led to the creation of the Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly known as the CIO. The CIO was able to force the Little Steel Companies to accept unionization in 1941.

During World War II, Youngstown's industries once again contributed to the American war effort. Prosperity returned to the city, and employment opportunities abounded. With the further growth of the automobile industry in the years following the war, with its demand for steel, Youngstown's economy continued to grow. This economic growth slowed and eventually began to regress in the late twentieth century, as the steel industry across the United States began to decline. Cities such as Pittsburgh and Youngstown became known as part of the "Rustbelt" during this era, signifying the problems that the steel industry faced. Youngstown's population also decreased. According to the 2000 census, the city claimed 82,026 residents.