Guernsey County Genealogical Society
(Chapter 5 of the Ohio Genealogical Society)
P.O. Box 661
8583 Georgetown Road
Cambridge, Ohio 43725-0661
Phone: 740-432-9249
Email: gccogs@earthlink.net
Dues: $15.00 - Individual annual membership, $18.00 - Couple/family annual membership, $300.00 - Individual life membership, $400.00 - Couple/family life membership
Hours of Operation: 1-4 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00 am-5:00 pm on Wednesdays. Special hours may be arranged by appointment
Meetings: Regular GCGS meetings are held in the Society offices the first Monday of each month at 7:00 pm, unless it falls on a federal holiday, in which case the meeting will be held on second Monday.
First Families and Pioneer Families: Individuals with Guernsey County roots interested in applying for induction into Guernsey County First Families or Pioneer Families must obtain a blank application, an acceptable documentation list, the rules list, and release forms from the Society office. All applications, documented proof, dues, and fees must be returned to the Society office on Georgetown Road.
A reminder: Membership in FF/PF is open to any person who can prove their direct descent from one or more ancestors who were residents of Guernsey County (by 1830 for First Families, or by 1850 for Pioneer Families). A further reminder: Persons seeking membership in FF/PF must become a member of the Guernsey County Genealogical Society and also submit a one-time set fee of $15.00. This one-time set fee also allows you to submit additional ancestors at a later date. Same rules apply as with initial application.
Queries: Membership in GCGS entitles you to two free queries per year in the quarterly newsletter. Non-members submit $2.00 per query.
Research Policy: Volunteers at our society will do a limited amount of genealogical research based on the research material available within our library. Effective 15 March 2002, there will be a research charge of $5.00 per hour, plus postage and copy fees, with a minimum of one hour. The first hour's fee of $5.00 has to be received by our society before research will begin.
Publications For Sale: Atlas, Cambridge, Cemeteries, Census, Churches, Genealogy, Guernsey County, History, Vital Records.
Guernsey County Courthouse
Guernsey County Courthouse
(Name of Department, if known; i.e. Probate Court, Vital Records, etc.)
801 East Wheeling Avenue
Cambridge OH 43725
Phone: (740) 432-9200
The Courthouse has records from Guernsey County's formation on 1810 March 1. Before that, London, Oxford, and Millwood Township records can be found at the Belmont County Courthouse in St. Clairesville, and the other townships' records can be found at the Muskingum County Courthouse in Zanesville.
In addition to probate records, the Courthouse has death records up to 1905; after that, death certificates are available from the Ohio State Department of Health. An index to many of these records, from 1913 to 1937, can be found online at the Ohio Historical Society.
Guernsey County District Public Library
800 Steubenville Ave.
Cambridge, Ohio 43725
Phone: (740) 432-5946
The genealogy collection is in a separate room called the Finley Room - Local History and Genealogy Department. It is located on the second floor; take the stairs at the front of the library.
The Finley Room is always staffed when open. Ithas its own hours, different from the library:
Summer Schedule [Memorial Day through Labor Day]
Monday: 11:30 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.
Tueaday & Friday: 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 noon, 1:00 P.M. to 5:30 P.M.
Wednesday & Thursday: 1:00 P.M. to 5:30 P.M.
Saturday: 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.
Sunday: Closed
Winter Schedule [Labor Day through Memorial Day]
Monday: 11:30 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.
Tuesday & Friday: 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 noon, 1:00 P.M. to 5:30 P.M.
Wednesday & Thursday: 1:00 P.M. to 5:30 P.M.
Saturday: 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Sunday: Closed
The following is a listing of the general materials available in the Finley Room, taken verbatim from the handout made by the library.
Guernsey County research materials available in the Finley Room:
Histories:
- Household Guide and Instructor 1882
- Portrait and Biographical 1895
- History of Guernsey County, Ohio 1911/Sarchet
- Wolfe's Stories of Guernsey County 1943
- Yesterday and Today 1979
- Black Pioneers, Patriots and Persons
- Historical Views and Maps
- Early Schools
Atlases:
- Guernsey County 1855 - 1870 - 1910 - 1913
City Directories:
- Cambridge and Byesville from 1910
Vital Records:
- Marriage Index - 1810 - 1900
- Marriage Books - A, B, C, 1832 - 1977 on microfilm
- Death Index - 1867 - 1908
- Death Books - 1, 2, 3, 4 on microfilm
- Will Books - A, B, C, vols. 1 - 29 on microfilm
- Naturalization Records - vols. 1 - 5 on microfilm
Family Genealogies:
Cemetery Records:
- Pioneer Cemeteries of Guernsey County
Census Records:
- 1820 - 1920 on microfilm
- Ohio Indexes (hard copy) 1820 - 1860 and 1880
Military Records:
- Revolutionary - War of 1812 - Civil War - World War I
Newspapers:
Periodicals:
- Ohio Records and Pioneer Families
- Ohio Genealogical Society, The Report
- Genealogical Helper
- Timeline
- Antique Trader and Tri State Trader
- Ohio Magazine
Ohio research materials available in the Finley Room:
County Histories:
Census Records:
- Several for the surrounding counties as well as many others.
- On microfilm and in book form
Reference Materials:
- Federal Land Series 2 vols.
- Early Ohio Tax Records
- Ohio Cemeteries Directory
- Ohio Wills and Estates to 1850
- Ohio Mortality Schedule 1850
- Land Grant Records
- Howe's History of Ohio
- Ohio Gateway State 4 vols.
- History of Ohio
- Hinshaw's Quaker Records 6 vols.
- Passenger and Immigration Lists Index
- Philadelphia Naturalization Records
- Histories of several Mid-Atlantic States
- Numerous materials on Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
- Gateway to the West 2 vols.
- International Genealogical Index (IGI)
We also have available 4 microfilm readers (3 that print) and 2 microfiche readers (1 that prints) and a photo copier. All copies are 25 cents a page.
The Finley Room is staffed by library personnel at all times. Brief mail inquiries are welcomed.
We invite you to visit our Local History and Genealogy Department. |
